dinner with enemies

When we returned to the main floor, the music was still pulsing through the walls, but everything else felt quieter. Or maybe it was just the way Leo's presence warped the air around us.

We found Nova, Zim, and Thea near the bar, leaning against a side booth—drinks in hand, conversation frozen mid-way as we approached.

Nova's eyes locked on mine instantly.

She looked worried.

Not the usual worried-like-Kael-ate-junkfood-again kind. No. This was tight-lipped, tight-eyes, scanning-my-face-like-I-had-blood-on-it kind of worry.

"You okay?" she asked, stepping forward just slightly, just enough that her shoulder brushed mine.

"Fine," I muttered. A beat later, "He didn't shoot me, if that's what you're wondering."

Leo snorted.

Nova narrowed her eyes at him. "Wasn't not wondering."

Meanwhile, Zim blinked between the two of us like we were math she couldn't solve.

"Wait. Wait-wait-wait—why do you two look like you just made out and fought at the same time?" she blurted, slurping from her drink with a tiny plastic sword still stuck to the rim. "Did I miss something?!"

Thea grinned. That smug I-know-exactly-what's-going-on grin that made me want to vanish through the floor.

"Well," she sing-songed, swaying in her heels just a bit, "it's about time someone gave our little Kael some attention. I was starting to think he was immune to tension."

I groaned. "Don't start."

Leo, of course, leaned on the booth beside me like he lived for this chaos. "I don't know," he added casually, eyes glinting, "I think Kael loves the attention. Especially when I give it."

Nova elbowed me. "You're blushing."

Zim gasped. "You're blushing?!"

"I'm not—!"

"You are," Thea declared gleefully. "And now I'm shipping it. Oh my god. I'm officially the captain of this ship."

"I'm jumping off this ship," I said flatly.

Leo leaned closer. "You'll swim back to me."

Zim blinked. "Am I drunk or are they… like… lowkey flirting?"

Nova ignored all of them, her voice low in my ear. "You sure you're okay? What happened?"

I nodded—because I couldn't say what really happened.

Couldn't say that Leo almost kissed me. Couldn't say that I didn't want him to stop.

Couldn't say that I might already be in too deep.

Just as Leo returned—cool and collected like nothing had just almost happened in that office—I saw Nova, Thea, and Zim grouped near the lounge bar. Nova looked tense, like she'd figured out the world was ending and wasn't sure whether to panic or organize it. Thea, on the other hand, was grinning like she'd just watched a slow-burn drama come to life. Zim? Zim was bouncing between curiosity and cluelessness, sipping on a neon drink like she was in a reality show she didn't realize she was starring in.

Leo and I approached, the space between us somehow hotter than it should've been.

Nova's gaze flicked between us, subtle but sharp.

Thea raised both brows. "Well, well. Took you long enough, lovers."

I blinked. "What?"

Zim nearly choked on her drink. "Wait, what?"

Nova elbowed Thea hard enough to knock sense into her, but Thea just laughed, brushing it off. "Relax. I meant enemies. Mortal enemies. Look at them. Can't even stand next to each other without static in the air."

Zim narrowed her eyes. "Actually… yeah. It's giving I hate you but I can't stop thinking about your stupid face vibes."

Leo smirked, hands in his pockets, glancing my way. "Well, his face is unforgettable."

My jaw twitched. "Yours too. Like a virus."

Nova coughed into her drink, definitely hiding a laugh. Thea was beaming.

That's when Aven and Jace finally returned, stepping into our little circle like they sensed tension—or maybe just chaos.

Jace's eyes landed on Leo and immediately sharpened. "Great. The devil's still here."

Leo didn't even glance at him. "You always this original or do you save the good lines for your diary?"

"Guys," Aven said quickly, holding up a hand, trying to be the mediator. "Let's not do this again. We're all here to have a good night—right?"

Leo looked him up and down. "Didn't realize you were hosting."

Aven chuckled awkwardly. "Not hosting. Just… trying to be friendly."

Leo's face didn't move.

Thea stepped between them. "Okay! You two aren't gonna bond, and that's okay. Let's all take a breath. We're adults. Or pretending to be."

Zim leaned toward Nova, stage-whispering, "Is this normal? Do all your friend groups feel like a battle royale with side ships?"

Nova deadpanned, "Only the ones where Leo shows up."

Jace's eyes scanned between Leo and me again, suspicion flickering behind them like he was trying to piece something together.

"Still don't get why you're here," he muttered to Leo.

Before I could even jump in to defuse the moment, Thea clapped her hands once and cut through the tension. "Enough! Leo's here because I said so. Aven's my fiancé, which makes this group one big awkward family now. You'll live."

Jace gave her a tight-lipped glare. "You always did have shit taste in choosing allies."

Thea smiled sweetly. "And yet, I still kept you around. Strange, huh?"

Leo actually snorted at that, and Jace looked like he wanted to flip a table.

I caught Nova's eye. She gave me the we need to talk later look.

I nodded slightly.

Because yeah—this powder keg was going to blow eventually.

Somehow—somehow—we all agreed to walk to the nearby restaurant.

Though… "agreed" was a strong word. It was more like Thea threatened violence, Nova sighed in defeat, Zim was vibing with zero clue, and the rest of us just followed like badly behaved kids after detention.

The walk itself? Anything but peaceful.

"You walk like you own the pavement," Jace muttered, glaring at Leo.

Leo didn't even look at him. "And you walk like you just lost a bet."

I bit the inside of my cheek, refusing to react. Not again. Not right now.

Behind me, Aven jumped in—probably trying to keep things light. "Hey, should we get drinks first or eat? I'm starving."

Zim raised her hand like a literal child. "Seconded! Also, I want fries. If they have curly fries, I'll marry them."

"Curly fries over your girlfriend?" Thea teased, a smirk tugging at her lips.

Zim blinked. "Jessi would understand. She respects love in all forms."

Aven coughed lightly—his not-so-subtle attempt to pull Zim back to Earth. "Speaking of Jessi… maybe bring her up more when flirting with strangers?"

Zim tilted her head. "Huh? I wasn't flirting—wait, with who? Leo?"

Leo didn't say anything. Just glanced over with that cocky smirk like he knew Zim would say something dumb eventually.

Nova appeared next to me, walking in silence for a few seconds before speaking low. "You good?"

"I'm fine," I said automatically.

She didn't buy it for a second. "You're lying. And he's looking at you like he wants to destroy your peace… romantically."

I shot her a glare. "That's not even a thing."

Nova smirked. "Then why are you blushing?"

"I'm not."

Thea, who had slowed her pace until she was beside me, leaned close. "Kael."

I sighed. "What now?"

She grinned, wicked and all-knowing. "Should I seat you and Leo next to each other or opposite sides? You know—for maximum tension?"

"I will un-fiancé you right now," I muttered.

"You're not even the fiancé."

"Still counts."

From behind us, Jace muttered, "If I have to eat next to that guy, I'm leaving."

Leo, not even missing a beat, said, "Please do."

Thea clapped her hands, practically bouncing now. "Alright! Seating arrangement time. Nova and Zim at one end—safe zone. Aven and I in the middle—neutral ground. Jace and Leo far apart because you two can't act civil."

"I act fine," Leo shrugged. "It's everyone else that needs therapy."

I looked up at the glowing sign of the restaurant just ahead.

This dinner was going to be absolute hell.

But somehow… a part of me didn't hate it.