The hall was still echoing with laughter when Aven finally flopped down on the bean bag, grumbling into the whipped cream-stained pillow like it was his emotional support animal.
"Y'all are lucky I'm too tired to commit murder right now," he mumbled.
Jessi patted his head sweetly. "That's the spirit."
Kael was still wrapped in his towel, eyes occasionally flicking toward Leo without meaning to. Unfortunately, Leo noticed every single time. His smirk grew each time Kael looked away.
Jace, sensing the silent war, decided to intervene like the overprotective FBI agent he thought he was.
"Okay, people. New rule. No flirting, no staring, no—"
Leo cut him off instantly. "Define flirting. For… scientific purposes."
Jace narrowed his eyes. "If I have to define it, you're already guilty."
Thea nearly spit out her juice laughing. "Ooh, guilty until proven adorable. And Leo always passes the adorable test."
Kael rolled his eyes so hard it's a miracle they didn't fall out. "Can we not encourage him?"
"Too late," Zim piped up from the floor. "I ship it."
Kael turned to glare. "Zim."
Zim grinned. "Kael."
Before Kael could throw a pillow, Nova suddenly clapped her hands together. "Okay, enough chaos—" she paused, looking around at the very not peaceful scene, "—actually, never mind, I'm lying. But I do think we need snacks."
That was enough to send everyone scattering—Jessi and Zim toward the kitchen, Thea following with her phone still recording, and Aven dragging himself along like a zombie.
Now it was just Kael, Leo, Nova, and Jace in the hall.
Leo leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees, eyes locked on Kael with that same dangerous glint.
"You know, you look cute when you're mad."
Kael froze mid-towel-dry.
Jace froze mid-glare.
Nova froze mid-sip.
Kael's voice came out low, dangerous, and laced with embarrassment.
"Say that again, and I'll introduce your face to my fist."
Leo grinned like that was an invitation.
"…Noted."
Nova groaned and got up. "Nope. I'm leaving before the sexual tension sets the couch on fire."
Jace muttered something about "getting the extinguisher ready" and followed her.
Now it was just Kael and Leo.
The air felt heavier—partially because Kael's towel had slipped off his neck, and partially because Leo leaned back, eyes traveling just a bit lower than Kael liked.
"Stop looking at me like that," Kael snapped.
Leo tilted his head, voice all fake innocence. "Like what?"
Kael stood, crossing his arms. "Like you're imagining something."
Leo smirked. "What if I am?"
For a second, Kael didn't say anything. His ears turned pink. His jaw tightened.
Then he grabbed the nearest pillow, tossed it at Leo's face, and stormed off—again.
Leo caught the pillow easily, laughing under his breath. "Totally worth it."
From the kitchen, Zim's voice rang out:
"Kael, you want snacks or just more Leo staring at you?"
"ZIM, I SWEAR—!"
After having snacks, Nova leaned back in her chair, looking around with a small smile. "Guys, sleeping arrangements?" she asked casually.
Jessi perked up, grinning. "We're staying here tonight."
Zim, resting her chin on her hand, smirked. "Yeah, babe. Ohh, this is gonna be fun."
Thea tilted her head, curious. "But… do you guys usually stay over?"
Aven, still a little sleepy from being woken up by their earlier prank, nodded slowly. "Yes, we spend holidays under one roof."
Leo, lounging lazily in his seat, raised an eyebrow, a hint of mischief in his tone. "Sounds… interesting."
Jace crossed his arms, clearly trying to stay practical. "So, with three extra people, I'll open another guest room." He stood, glancing at everyone. "Okay, let's go."
We all got up together, the mood still warm and lively from the laughter earlier, and started heading upstairs.
Jace pushed open the first door and gestured inside. "This is my room. Aven and I are staying in here," he said firmly, already making it sound like a done deal.
He moved to the next door, pointing. "Nova, you're with Thea in the second room."
Nova nodded, exchanging a smile with Thea.
"Zim with Jessi in the third," Jace continued.
Leo leaned back casually, hands in his pockets. "What about me?" he asked, looking at Jace with a slight smirk.
Jace opened his mouth to answer, but Leo's gaze slid toward Kael, and the corner of his lips curled upward. "Okay, I'll go with Kael."
Jace froze, then snapped, his tone sharp. "No way. Not a chance." His eyes flicked between Leo and Kael, an unmistakable warning in them.
Leo chuckled under his breath, clearly enjoying the reaction. "Then where?" he asked with mock innocence.
"Give me a second," Jace muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose like he was trying to think. Then his eyes lit with an idea. "Wait… you're going with us."
Leo's eyebrows shot up, his smirk turning into playful disbelief. "Yo, you guys are already two—"
"Okay, but now we're three in one room. Come on, it's not the end of the world," Jace said, trying to sound reasonable but failing to hide the tension in his voice.
Aven groaned, running a hand down his face. "Great. Now I'll have to deal with both of you in my sleep."
Leo's grin widened. "Don't worry, Aven. I'm a peaceful sleeper." He glanced at Kael again, eyes glinting with something unspoken, and Kael rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath that no one caught.
The air was thick with a mix of amusement, irritation, and a spark of challenge that wasn't going away anytime soon.
Everyone had already scattered off to their rooms, the muffled sounds of doors closing echoing faintly through the quiet hallway. The house settled into a calm, nighttime hush, the kind where every small movement feels louder than it should.
Kael's door clicked open again, followed seconds later by Thea's. They stepped out almost in sync, blinking at each other in surprise before sharing a small, amused smile.
"Water?" Kael asked, tilting his head slightly, his voice low so it wouldn't carry.
"Yeah," Thea replied with a little laugh, hugging her empty bottle. "Couldn't sleep without it."
They padded down the dimly lit hall side by side, the floorboards creaking softly under their bare feet. The quiet was oddly comfortable—just the soft hum of the fridge and the faint tick of the wall clock somewhere deeper in the house.
By the time they reached the kitchen, their casual banter had turned into low chuckles, the kind that made the late-night air feel warmer. They filled their bottles under the soft glimmer of the fridge light, the sound of water pouring blending with the quiet laughter.
Heading back upstairs, Thea absentmindedly reached for a door handle while still talking to Kael. The handle didn't budge. She frowned, twisting it again. "Huh?"
Kael glanced over. "What are you doing? That's not your room."
Realization flashed in her eyes, and she stepped back quickly, a sheepish grin spreading on her face. "Ohhh—my bad. By mistake," she said with a small laugh.
Kael glanced at the door for a moment longer, his brow furrowing. "That's… Jace's old room?"
Thea shrugged, suddenly more curious than embarrassed. But before she could ask anything, Kael gently nudged her forward. "Come on. Before someone catches us snooping."
They walked away, the quiet thud of their footsteps echoing faintly, but the image of that locked door lingered in Kael's mind.