Chapter 13: Shifting Dynamics

It had been a couple of weeks since Iris had met Luke's bandmates, and she was starting to feel more comfortable in his world. Apollo had become a regular part of her life now, not just as a concept but as real, tangible people who teased her, made her laugh, and occasionally threw in some friendly banter at Luke's expense.

Luke had taken her to several of their dance practices, and each time, she couldn't help but be more impressed by how seriously the group took their craft. Despite the playful atmosphere, there was an intensity in the room whenever they danced. They moved with precision, each member knowing their role and executing it with flawless synchronization. But beyond that, there was a quiet sense of camaraderie—a brotherhood—that Iris found hard to miss.

But this time, it was different. Iris had been spending more time with Luke than ever before, and she was beginning to notice subtle shifts in their friendship. He seemed to be getting more touchy, more affectionate in the way he would grab her hand casually or pull her close when they laughed too loudly. And she? Well, she was starting to enjoy those little moments a bit more than she'd like to admit.

The day started with Luke calling her and telling her to meet him at the studio.

"I've got something special planned for today," his voice crackled through her phone, as usual, sounding more playful than serious.

"Something special?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she slid into her shoes. "What does that mean? I've seen your practice sessions, Luke. What more could you possibly have up your sleeve?"

"Trust me, sunshine, you'll love it," he replied with that mischievous tone she was quickly growing used to. "Be there in thirty."

She rolled her eyes but smiled, grabbing her bag and heading out the door.

By the time Iris arrived at the studio, the familiar sound of music and rhythmic clapping echoed through the halls. She followed the noise to find Luke and the rest of Apollo rehearsing yet another new routine. This time, however, Luke wasn't leading them from the front. Instead, he was just one of the group, dancing among his bandmates like an equal.

Iris watched from the doorway, leaning against the frame. She liked seeing Luke in his element—his easy, fluid movements, the way his eyes would sparkle with excitement as they practiced. But as she stood there, she felt a different energy in the air. It was subtle at first—something about the way they moved with each other, the comfortable way they teased and joked.

"Hey, sunshine," Luke's voice broke her concentration, and she glanced up to see him flashing that boyish grin. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

Iris smiled back, trying to play it cool. "Well, I was trying to be fashionably late, but I guess I failed."

Luke snorted, moving toward her as the others continued dancing. "You just wanted to see me show off, didn't you?" he teased, standing a little too close for comfort.

Iris raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying you don't want me to watch?"

He let out a laugh and shook his head. "Of course I do. But you're gonna have to work harder to keep up, sunshine."

"Oh, I'm not the one who needs to keep up."

Luke raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "We'll see about that."

It wasn't long before the song ended, and the members of Apollo gathered around the room, their grins wide from the intense routine they'd just gone through. Luke walked over to where Iris was standing, his face flushed from the exertion, but his usual cocky grin was still firmly in place.

"Well, what do you think?" he asked, still breathing heavily. "Pretty good, huh?"

Iris nodded, trying to hide her growing admiration. "You guys were amazing. Seriously. But... I didn't know you had that kind of swagger."

Luke chuckled, leaning in closer. "You didn't know that? You should have seen me when I was younger."

"Oh?" Iris raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Yeah," he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I used to be even better. I could've been the center of attention if I wanted to."

Iris rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Is that so?"

"Yup," Luke nodded, crossing his arms too. "I still am, just in a different way now."

Iris couldn't help but laugh. "You're such a show-off."

Luke smirked. "It's part of my charm, sunshine. Besides, I have to keep up the image, you know?"

She gave him a playful shove, and he stumbled back dramatically. "Just don't get too full of yourself, Mr. Big Shot."

"I'm not the one who's blushing," he teased, his eyes twinkling.

Iris immediately felt the heat rise to her face. She was not blushing. But there was something about the way Luke teased her—so easily, so naturally—that made her heart do a little flip.

"I am not blushing," she protested, though her voice sounded a little less confident than she would have liked.

Luke only laughed, clearly enjoying every second of it. He reached up to ruffle her hair playfully. "Sure, you're not."

Iris tried to swat his hand away, but he was too quick, stepping back just out of reach. "You're impossible."

The group gathered their things and headed out for a quick break. Luke and Iris stood side by side, chatting with a few of Apollo's members as they filed out. Leo, the leader of the group, waved Iris over to join them at the café across the street.

Iris glanced at Luke, who had been unusually quiet for the past few minutes. "What's going on?" she asked, sensing a change in his mood.

Luke shook his head slightly, the usual smirk back on his face. "Nothing. Just... tired, I guess."

"You know, I'm starting to think you're always tired," Iris teased.

"I have to keep my energy for my best moves," Luke shot back, winking.

They walked to the café, where the rest of Apollo was already sitting. As usual, the conversation flowed easily, and Iris found herself laughing more than she had in a long time. These guys were easy to be around. There was no pretense, no guard up—they just… were.

At one point, Kian leaned across the table with a sly grin. "So, what do you think of our Luke here?"

Iris raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Kian said, his grin widening, "he's been a little extra charming lately. Could be he's trying to impress you."

Iris felt her heart skip a beat. Was he teasing her? Or was there something more to it? She glanced at Luke, who was giving Kian a death stare from across the table.

"You're delusional, Kian," Luke said, leaning forward. "I don't need to impress anyone."

Iris quickly interjected, laughing. "Oh, I don't know. You've definitely impressed me with those moves."

Luke shot her a playful wink. "See? She gets it."

Kian chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment. "I think it's just adorable how much he denies it."

"I'll deny whatever I want to deny," Luke muttered, though the faint blush on his cheeks betrayed him.

Iris found herself smiling at the group's dynamics, at how comfortable they made her feel. For the first time in a while, she felt like she belonged.

And maybe, just maybe, she was starting to understand why Luke had been acting a little differently toward her lately.