[Host, before you get distracted. Your card is in your pocket.]
I didn't respond, but I noted the System's words, my thumb tracing the back of Felicia's hand as I pulled my focus back.
"Pick a spot?"
"Yeah, they said we can choose a spot, and it'll be ours!" Felicia gestured toward the far end of the room, where a single shaft of evening light pierced through a cracked window, illuminating dancing motes of dust.
She pointed to the back, "You see where that chair is and those four pillars in the corner?" The pillars were covered in faded graffiti, framing a space that looked surprisingly private despite the building's openness.
"That's yours?"
"And you can't do a thing about it~!" She gave my hand a playful tug, her eyes sparking with a possessive heat that told me she had already went through many ideas on how to decorate it.
"Pfft. Then I'll take the middle to be right next to you."
She smiled, her hair brushing against her shoulder as she leaned into my space, the scent of her lavender perfume clashing with the weird mix of smells in the building.
"How about you two? Where is your spot?" I asked.
Gwen scratched her cheek awkwardly, her slender fingers disappearing into her blonde hair as she looked at the cramped corner to her right.
"Right there." Despite it being cramped, it was efficient to say the least.
Peter pointed to his left, his shadow casting a long dark streatch against a stack of old wooden crates that served as his makeshift workbench.
"I see. Wonder how I missed that?" They each had stuff set up, tools and other simple stuff that didn't give too much away. I should have figured that was theirs.
'It's getting late.'
The thought pulled my gaze toward the windows, where the sky was beginning to bleed. Those vibrant orange-red hues were slowly retreating, surrendering the warehouse to the creeping indigo of twilight. A reminder of something very damn important.
"I needed to find somewhere to stay for the night so this might be perfect…" I whispered a little too loudly.
Felicia's hand gave a sharp twitch in mine, and I felt the air around Peter and Gwen suddenly go still. It was as if the room itself held its breath.
"What did you just say?" Gwen asked, her voice echoing slightly against the high, rusted rafters.
"Ah. I just have to find somewhere to stay," I replied, trying to sound casual despite the weight of their stares. "So I might stay the night here, if that's cool."
"Where have you-" She started to push, but the question died in her throat. I saw the flicker of hesitation in her eyes; she was likely remembering my reaction from earlier and didn't want to go trampling over another sensitive topic.
"I was with my cousin but he moved for work so I can't really stay there anymore."
"Why didn't you go with him? Wouldn't that have been better?"
"No. I'd just put him in danger with what I want to do. Besides, I have money I just have to get my wallet out of my locker at school…"
I perfectly acted embarrassed. It felt bad lying but it was necessary to ease the atmosphere.
"How are you going to sleep?" Felicia looked worried.
"Oh, that's simple." I unlocked my fingers from her hand and just leaned back like I was getting on a rocking chair. "Like this."
"W-Woah!" Felicia kicked under my body trying to see if I was some poser magician. "It's real!"
"Is that…"
"Yeah."
Gwen and Peter seemed to understand what was happening at just a glance. Two geniuses for you.
"Feel free to stay here then. I have to go." Gwen didn't really seem to like leaving me alone here. Peter looked a little stifled himself about it. But the two had to go and Felicia wasn't much better.
"My mom definitely won't let me…"
"Don't worry about you three. It's literally only one night and if anyone bothers me I'll handle it. Felicia let me bring you home if that's alright?"
"Oh? Uh… you know what, sure!"
She hesitated for a moment but that made sense. No matter how close we got in a few hours it was still a big leap to show someone where you live.
"See you two tomorrow." I waved at the Spiders, my smile designed to relieve the lingering worry on their faces. I caught Felicia's hand again, and we stepped out of the warehouse first, leaving them behind.
...
..
.
Walking through the cool, biting night air of New York, Felicia and I moved in a comfortable rhythm, our joined hands swinging slightly between us. The city's usual roar—the distant honk of taxis and the low hum of a million air conditioners—felt like background noise compared to the quiet conversation between us.
"Do you want any blankets or anything? I could probably sneak a spare out," she asked, her voice dipping as we passed under the flicker of a dying streetlight.
"I told you, I'm fine. I'm actually going to sneak into the school after I drop you off and get my wallet," I replied.
"What?! Without me?!" She stopped mid-stride, her emerald eyes narrowing in faux-outrage as she turned to face me.
"I would bring you, but your mom sounds like she runs a tight ship."
"Ugh. You have no idea."
"Oh!" Felicia suddenly perked up, her grip tightening as she led me toward a particular set of stone steps. "We're here. Come on!"
I didn't deny her generosity. I followed her up the steps and into the building, the heavy thud of the front door cutting off the city's noise instantly. As I stepped into the apartment, the transition was jarring. The smell of weed and pollution was replaced with a calming, wave-like scent of lavender. It smelt almost the same as Felicia's perfume, spite a few differences.
I moved to the side, kicking off my shoes with ease while my eyes took in the place. It was nice and clean. Everything organized and far more homey than the abandoned warehouse we just left.
"Meow~"
The soft sound grabbed my attention. From the shadows of the living room, a cute, charcoal-furred cat emerged, trotting over with a very upright questioning tail. It stopped at my feet, its striking green eyes—nearly the same shade as Felicia's—looking up at me with curiosity.
"Hey there, cutie," I murmured, bending down. I let the cat sniff my knuckles before rubbing its chin gently. I could feel the vibration of a deep, contented purr against my fingers,. "Aren't you friendly?"
"That's not…"
"Not what?"
"I guess my eyes weren't wrong."
"Well that's good." I kept my smile and stood up. The sound of footsteps approaching from the other room.
"About time you got…" A woman stepped into the light of the foyer, wiping her hands on a silk apron, her platinum hair tied back in a professional, no-nonsense bun.
"My name is Julius Montgomery," I interrupted smoothly, giving a respectful nod. "A pleasure to meet Felicia's older sister."
A brief, stunned silence hung in the foyer. The woman's eyebrows shot up, a faint smile playing on her face.
"Oh~"
"Don't hit on my mom, Julius," Felicia groaned.
"Mom?????"
I swear I didn't intentionally do that. I just thought maybe some different universe nonsense made her family bigger than normal. I only knew she had a dad that went missing and a mom but different universes were well… different!
"Come in! I didn't expect a guest so forgive me for not having stuff prepared."
"Don't even worry about it. I did come last minute after all."
We made our way to the living room, starting a long chat with Felicia resting her head on my shoulder.
"So tell me."