Seventeen people tried to fit into a common room built for nine, and the furniture took it personally.
Jaime claimed the floor in front of the fireplace because the couch couldn't hold his ego. Marco and Malachi shared the loveseat, Marco sprawled wide and Malachi folded into the corner like he paid rent in shadows. Hikari sat on the arm of Isabelle's wingback chair until Isabelle looked at her, and then Hikari sat on the floor. Juan stayed on the couch. Nobody moved Juan. Moving Juan felt like relocating a monument.
I took the armchair by the window because a king needs a throne, and this one had a cigarette burn on the left cushion from Carmen's birthday.
