Dex took the stairs the way he took everything: two at a time, one hand off the rail, no plan at all for the landing. He nearly clipped the railing and got it anyway.

Auden pointed at him from the hallway.

Dex looked genuinely offended, which was a performance, and a good one.

Lowell took a sip from his mug.

Dex ignored him completely, because you were standing at the bottom of the stairs with your coat in your hands, and that was more interesting than being right. He came down the last two steps properly, hands in his pockets, and stopped close enough that it counted as a decision.

Auden sighed immediately.

Dex leaned against the banister, arms folding, the grin arriving on schedule.

He was still grinning when he said it, but he was watching your face while he did it, and he was not going to fill the silence for you.