The living room lights were dimmed to a warm glow. A wine glasses clinked, laughter bubbled, and the four of them—Rowan, Isadora, Ash, and Celeste—were gathered around the coffee table, a half-empty bottle of red between them.
"Okay," Rowan stretched. "We've played card games, we've eaten like pigs… what now?"
"Truth or dare," Celeste said with an evil grin, her eyes glinting with mischief.
Ash blinked.
"That's a little high school, isn't it?"
"Which is exactly why it's fun," she smirked, swirling her wine.
Rowan raised a brow.
"I don't know if I trust you when you're smiling like that."
"Oh, you shouldn't," Ash muttered under his breath.
The bottle in the center was placed, and the rules were simple: truth or dare, no skipping unless you're a total coward. Everyone agreed.
And the chaos began.
______
The bottle landed on Rowan.
Celeste's smile widened.
"Truth or dare, dearest brother?"
Rowan sighed.
"Dare. But if you tell me to bark like a dog, I'm leaving."
She leaned forward like a villain.
"I dare you to…" she paused and smirked "kiss Isadora on the cheek."
The room went quiet.
Even Isadora blinked.
"Huh?"
"Lighten up, it's a cheek," Celeste said innocently.
Rowan froze.
"I—what?"
"You heard me," Celeste grinned sweetly. "Rules are rules. Don't chicken out."
Rowan scratched his head, clearly debating his life choices. But Isadora smiled encouragingly, cheeks faintly pink.
"Fine," he leaned over and—after a moment of dramatic hesitation—kissed her gently on the cheek.
Isadora blinked, surprised at how soft it felt.
Rowan cleared his throat and pulled back fast.
"There. Done. Moving on."
Celeste gave an exaggerated gasp.
"My brother… kissed someone willingly… in this economy?"
Rowan scowled.
"Shut up."
Celeste smirked into her wine glass.
"Aww, you're blushing."
"I'm not blushing."
Ash muttered,
"This is getting dangerous."
_______
The bottle clattered… and landed on Rowan.
"Wow," Celeste said sweetly. "Fate wasted no time."
Rowan groaned.
"Let's get it over with. Dare."
Celeste's eyes sparkled.
"Perfect. I dare you to carry Ash… bridal style. Around the living room. Twice."
Ash blushed immediately, hands up.
"Wait—no—he'll drop me—"
"I won't drop you," Rowan grumbled, standing. "Just… come here, princess."
Ash gave the most offended expression as Rowan scooped him up effortlessly.
"Stop squirming, Princess" Rowan said playfully, staggering a little as Ash instinctively wrapped his arms around his neck.
Isadora was on the floor laughing.
"You two are too convincing."
Celeste was already filming on her phone.
"I'm going to drop you at the altar."
Ash panted dramatically.
"I have never been so humiliated in my life."
Celeste winked at him.
______
Then it was Isadora's turn.
"Dare," she said confidently.
Rowan thought for a moment.
"I dare you to… do your sexiest walk across the room and say 'I'm too hot to handle.'"
Isadora laughed.
"Easiest dare of the night."
She strutted dramatically, hips swaying, then posed with a wink.
"I'm too hot to handle."
They clapped like drunk seals.
Ash clutched his wine, beet red. Celeste watched him, amused.
______
The next spin landed on Ash.
He cleared his throat.
"Truth."
"Boring," Celeste muttered under her breath, sipping her drink.
Isadora leaned forward, twirling her wine glass between her fingers.
"Hmm… Ash," she said, lips curling into a curious smile. "Have you ever had a crush on someone in this room?"
Ash choked on his wine, coughing into his sleeve.
Rowan cackled.
"Ohhh, we're going there, huh?"
Celeste didn't say anything. She simply tilted her head, watching him.
Ash wiped his mouth and adjusted his glasses.
"Next question."
"Nope!" Rowan cut in with a wolfish grin. "Answer, my dude. That's how this works."
Ash shifted uncomfortably, staring at his glass.
"I don't…I don't know it's. Complicated."
Rowan narrowed his eyes dramatically.
"That's…a yes! That is definitely a yes. Oh my god. But the question is—who?" He gasped suddenly. "Wait...wait, wait. Is it me?!"
The room burst into laughter. Even Ash cracked a small, nervous smile.
"I knew those shy glances meant something," Rowan continued, flipping his hair with exaggerated flair. "Don't worry, Ash. You're cute, but I'm not ready for that kind of commitment."
Ash said nothing.
He just blushed faintly and took another sip of his wine, avoiding everyone's eyes.
Isadora smiled, but there was a subtle shift in her posture—like hope quietly blooming.
Celeste didn't look at him. She couldn't. She just kept her chin tilted slightly down, a subtle flush creeping up her neck. She reached for her glass to hide behind it.
But she saw it.
The flicker of Ash's gaze—toward her—before he quickly looked away again.
"Lame," she said, almost too fast. She tried to smirk, tried to sound unfazed. "We'll take that as a yes."
But her hand trembled faintly as she set her glass down.
She glanced sideways, just once, catching the way Ash stared down at his lap like he was terrified of who he'd almost given himself away to.
And inside?
She wasn't smug.
She was melting...inside.
_______
It was Isadora's turn again.
Rowan grinned lazily.
"Truth or dare?"
Isadora twirled a strand of her hair.
"Dare."
He leaned back against the couch, smirking.
"I dare you to hold hands with Ash until the next round ends."
Celeste's smile didn't falter—but her grip on her wine glass tightened.
Isadora didn't even blink. She turned with an easy smile and reached for Ash's hand.
"No problem."
Ash looked like someone had just short-circuited his spine.
He tensed, eyes flicking to Celeste for a fraction of a second—but he didn't pull away.
Celeste exhaled through her nose and downed the rest of her wine in one smooth gulp.
Rowan chuckled.
"Ash looks like he's processing a system update."
"I'm fine," Ash muttered, though his ears were pink, and his fingers twitched slightly in Isadora's grip.
Celeste tilted her head, watching the scene unfold with a cool expression—but behind her eyes, something sharp sparked.
She didn't say a word.
Not yet.
She'd wait her turn.
And when the bottle spun again—and landed on Rowan—
Her smile returned, sweeter than ever.
_______
Celeste straightened, her smile sharpening at the edges.
"Truth or dare, Rowan?"
Rowan grinned.
"Dare. Obviously."
"Good." She sipped from her glass, gaze flicking briefly to Isadora—still casually holding Ash's hand.
"Then I dare you," Celeste said sweetly, "to pull Isadora into your lap and keep her there… until your next turn."
The room went quiet for a second.
Rowan blinked.
"Uh—what?"
Isadora laughed nervously.
"That's a little—"
"A little fun," Celeste cut in. "C'mon. You're not backing out, right?"
Rowan looked at Isadora, then at the others.
"Well, a dare is a dare."
He reached out with exaggerated flair and tugged Isadora toward him.
Isadora squeaked but didn't resist, ending up seated sideways on Rowan's lap, slightly flustered.
Celeste just smiled—wine glass to her lips, watching Ash from the corner of her eye.
Ash was staring into his cup like it held answers to the universe.
"Adorable," Celeste said dryly. "You two look so comfortable."
Ash didn't say a word.
But Celeste caught the way he shifted in his seat. The tension in his jaw. The flick of his lashes when he dared glance in her direction and found her already watching him.
She gave him a wink.
Revenge?
Served.
Chilled.
And still brewing.
_______
The bottle pointed to Ash.
Rowan smirked.
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
Rowan leaned in.
"Who do you think is the best kisser in this room?"
Ash coughed, eyes wide.
"W-What kind of question is that!?"
"Answer the question~~" Rowan said, laughing.
Ash adjusted his glasses and said,
"I wouldn't know. Haven't kissed any of you."
"Yet." Celeste hummed so that only he could hear it
Ash immediately turned red.
"N-Next turn!"
______
The bottle spun again—slow, teasing—before pointing to Isadora.
Rowan perked up with a grin.
"Truth or dare?"
Isadora took a long sip of her drink.
"Truth."
Celeste smirked.
"Ooh, perfect. Here's a classic one." She leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Who was your first kiss?"
Isadora blinked. Then hesitated.
Even Ash glanced up from his wine, curious.
Rowan made a face.
"What? Don't look so guilty. Was it someone scandalous?"
Isadora twirled a strand of her hair and sighed.
"Fine. You want to know?"
The group leaned in.
Isadora tilted her head. "You don't remember it, Rowan… but it was you."
Rowan sat upright.
"Huh?!"
Ash actually choked on his drink.
Celeste's eyes lit up.
"Wait. What?!"
Isadora laughed, flustered now.
"It was in college. You were wasted during one of our year-end parties. Ash had already gone home early. I ended up helping you get back to your apartment."
Rowan stared.
"No way."
"You couldn't even stand. I tried to get your keys out of your pocket, and you suddenly leaned in and…and k-kissed me. I think you thought I was your blanket or something."
Celeste burst out laughing.
"Oh my god. That explains so much!"
Ash looked stunned.
"Seriously?"
"I never told anyone because Rowan clearly didn't remember," Isadora said with a shrug, cheeks pink. "It was just… one weird moment."
Rowan grabbed a throw pillow and groaned into it.
"Please let the floor swallow me."
Celeste leaned back, grinning.
"You little heartbreaker. You kissed her first!! and forgot??"
Rowan peeked through his fingers.
"I need to write apology letters."
Ash laughed softly.
"Next spin," Celeste said, still laughing. "Before my brother dies of secondhand shame."
Rowan muttered,
"I might already be dead."
_______
The bottle spun again to pick his target.
It stopped on Celeste.
The room went,
"Ooooooh."
Ash smirked.
"Alright, Celeste. You and Isadora…"
Celeste's expression instantly flattened.
"…will hold hands and do a slow dramatic walk across the living room, like you're both in love and heading off into the sunset."
Isadora laughed.
"That's so random!"
"I love it," Rowan said. "Do it. You brought this upon yourself, Cel."
Celeste gritted her teeth and stood.
"Fine. Let's do this, princess."
Isadora giggled and took her hand.
They walked hand-in-hand slowly and dramatically across the apartment like two lovers in a telenovela, Isadora even faking a swoon and leaning on Celeste's shoulder.
Rowan pulled out his phone and started recording immediately.
"Look at this—Oscar-winning lesbian drama in my own apartment. This is cinema," he said through his cackles.
Celeste glared daggers at Ash as they finished their performance.
Ash gave her a polite clap.
______
Laughter still lingered in the air, low and tired.
The game had ended, the snacks were gone, and the wine bottles lay empty on the floor. One by one, they gave in to sleep—too lazy to clean up, too content to care.
Rowan dozed off mid-sentence, slumped against the arm of the couch.
Isadora curled up beside a pillow, fingers still loosely gripping her glass.
Celeste had claimed the beanbag, her head tilted back, lips parted slightly in sleep.
Ash was the last to settle—sitting upright for a while, just watching them with tired eyes.
Then, silence.
The lights dimmed.
The night cooled.
And the apartment fell into a peaceful hush, the chaos of earlier replaced by steady breathing
_______
Morning light streamed softly through the blinds, brushing gold over Ash's silver hair. He had just woken up from the long night, his movements slow but practiced, quiet as always. His glasses slid slightly down his nose, and his sleeves were rolled to his elbows as he moved with gentle purpose.
He picked up bottles, folded blankets. One by one, he draped blankets over the others—tucking a pillow beneath Celeste's head, careful not to wake her, and then wash dishes in calm silence.
He looked peaceful. Gentle.
Until—
"…How can I stop liking you when you do something that admirable?"
Ash froze.
He hadn't heard her approach.
Celeste was standing in the kitchen doorway, eyes still heavy from sleep, her hair messy and untamed. But her gaze? Sharp. Focused. Mischievous.
"Huh?" he asked, voice soft.
She walked up to him, slow and unhurried—then, without warning, pressed herself lightly against his back, her forehead brushing between his shoulder blades.
He stiffened.
She inhaled quietly.
"You smell like mint and soap," she murmured, as if that observation held the answer to all her problems.
"C-Celeste… what are you doing?" he asked, his voice pitched with nervous surprise.
She grinned against his shoulder.
"Me? Maybe trying to pounce you? Obviously."
Ash turned his head slightly, his eyes wide, his cheeks already tinged pink.
"S-Stop that… they might wake up and see us."
"Yeah," she said, backing off just a bit. "That's probably true."
But her fingers trailed along his back as she stepped away—not hurried, not apologetic—just enough to leave a trace of heat behind.
She turned and stretched, yawning.
"I'm gonna go brush my teeth. Don't miss me too much."
She tossed a wink over her shoulder, her hair swaying as she walked off.
Ash stood frozen at the sink, one hand still clutching a dish.
He looked down at it blankly.
Then pressed a hand to his chest.
"I'm doomed," he muttered.
_________