FAUX

CHAPTER 1 PAGE 1

The bakery door swung shut with a soft jingle, and Zack was left alone with the familiar hum of the shop's quiet. He stood there for a moment, fingers still tapping the counter as his mind wandered, a mix of fondness and frustration swirling together.

He had known you for years-too many to count-and no matter how many times you showed up, it never seemed to get any easier. You were always in motion, always leaving before you could settle, before he could fully hold on. And that was the problem, wasn't it? Every time you left, a little piece of him went with you.

Zack glanced at the counter, at the coins you had left behind. He hadn't even checked if they were real, not that he had to. The glimmer of gold was enough to remind him how much you liked to play the system, always finding ways to hustle, always coming up with new tricks. It was part of you. And maybe it always would be.

The aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the air, and Zack couldn't help but breathe it in, hoping it might ground him. He wiped his hands on his apron before moving toward the oven to check on a batch of croissants. His thoughts were still on you, though, replaying the conversation. He couldn't deny the small ache in his chest. The way you had been so eager to go, barely stopping to linger, as if the world was calling you away from him again. And yet, there was always that part of you that came back. A quick visit, a teasing comment, a new gift-maybe that's all he'd get. He should've been grateful, he told himself.

Zack pulled the hot tray from the oven, placing it on the counter, still watching the door as though expecting you to waltz back in with that same mischievous smile. But the shop stayed silent. The bell above the door didn't jingle again.

He sighed and began slicing through the croissants, the buttery smell filling the small bakery, but the heaviness in his heart remained. He couldn't just forget about you-couldn't pretend you didn't matter. But was it enough to keep waiting for you to return? Was it enough to stay rooted while you kept running?

The shop bell rang again, pulling him out of his thoughts. He turned, his heart skipping a beat when he saw a familiar face-one of his regular customers, Mrs. Parker. She was humming a tune, completely unaware of the internal battle Zack was facing. He forced a smile, his voice brightening as he greeted her.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Parker! What can I get you today?"

As he slid back into the rhythm of the bakery, Zack couldn't help but wonder if, one day, you'd finally settle down. Maybe not with him-he wasn't foolish enough to dream that big-but somewhere, in some way. He just hoped, deep down, that when that day came, you'd come back to him first.

"Maybe you'll surprise me, like you always do," Zack murmured to himself, glancing one last time at the door before returning to his work. And just for a moment, he thought he saw a shadow in the corner of his eye-just a glimpse of you, out there in the crowd, like a fleeting memory.

But when he looked again, the street was empty-save for a few people wandering around.

The sun hung low in the sky as you stood at the edge of the kingdom, the cobbled streets and stone walls fading into the distance behind you. Your journey had always been about leaving, about slipping away into the unknown, where no one could catch you. The soft wind tugged at your cloak, the fabric fluttering like a banner marking the start of another adventure-one that would take you far from this place, as it always had.

The kingdom was familiar, but it was no longer a home. It had never really been one for you. You were always a wanderer, never someone who could be tied down by the heavy chains of expectations or responsibility. The life you had built here was a series of fleeting moments-sharp, bright bursts of excitement and mischief that never lasted. You thrived on the chaos, the thrill of outsmarting those who thought they could keep up with you. And now, it was time to move on again. The world outside the kingdom was calling, and you weren't one to ignore such a pull.

You could already feel the excitement bubbling up within you-the prospect of new places, new faces, and of course, new opportunities. The art of the scam, the thrill of the trade, the clever tricks you pulled with a smile and a wink, they were your currency now. The world outside the kingdom was full of those who thought they knew what they were doing, who thought their wealth or status could keep them safe. But you knew better. You knew that everyone had something to lose, and it was only a matter of finding out what.

The kingdom behind you was just another stop on the road. Another mark, another town you had passed through, with its bakeries, its vendors, its noble houses. The places that had seen you, talked about you, but never truly known you. They had their uses-places to rest, places to make a few quick coins, places to spin a story or two. But your heart never stayed. You knew better than to let anyone have a piece of you. No one ever did.

The road ahead stretched out before you, winding and uncertain, but you didn't fear it. You embraced it. You knew the rhythm of the journey-the constant movement, the small villages, the cities that loomed large with their markets and crowds, always teeming with unsuspecting souls ripe for the picking. You had your tricks, your goods to peddle, and your charm to use to its fullest potential. Whether it was a finely crafted amulet, a rare potion with a dubious effect, or a 'map' to a treasure that didn't exist, you had a way of making people believe. You could sell them anything, and they'd buy it, desperate to believe in something, anything, that would make them feel alive.

Your fingers drummed against the pouch at your side, a habit of sorts, a reminder of all the little treasures you carried with you-things to barter, to trade, to sell. You weren't picky. If it sparkled, if it glittered, if it looked like it could fetch a decent price, you had it. You had learned early that you could always get by if you had a good story, and better yet, something that people wanted. You were a dealer of desires, a master of illusion, and every town, every kingdom, was just another market to you.

As the kingdom's walls faded from view, the weight of your decision didn't press on you. It never did. You were already thinking ahead, imagining the next village, the next opportunity. Maybe it would be the merchant's fair in the next town over. Maybe there would be a nobleman's banquet to sneak into. Whatever it was, you would find a way to make it work. It always did. It was never about what you had, but how well you could sell it, how much you could make people believe in it, in you.

You turned your back on the kingdom and walked, your footsteps light against the earth, your eyes ahead, scanning the horizon. There was nothing to hold you here anymore. Not the bakery, not the people who had briefly crossed your path, not even the ones who had tried to keep you close. They were all just fleeting distractions, like smoke rising into the sky, here one moment and gone the next.

The sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the path. Your journey was just beginning, and you could already taste the freedom in the air, the promise of new tricks, new faces, new lies to weave. You were a shadow in the world, slipping in and out of places with ease, leaving nothing behind but the faintest trace of your presence.

SABIS YAP FEST🗣️🗣️

I'm back y'all and I got some updates for you🫵🗣️ quite literally signed in my resignation just so I could update more, I am now jobless but that is a-okay 😋 (I fucking hated it there) literally took my time for a full week writing/rewrite for certain books, y'all eating GOOD tonight (used a keyboard instead of my phone so let me know the feed back😋🙏)
Happy birthday to whoever had a birthday btw (very targeted to a certain someone)

(Also took my time to edit and proof read ONCE and once only, all you're gonna get from me😞)

(NEW BOOK COMING OUT SOON FOR FELLOW DC LOVERS 🗣️🗣️ MONSTER AU cause I can't control myself when it comes to AUs😞)