"You came," somebody says at the door, and then laughs at their own surprise.

The low end from Fletcher's speaker system had turned the front room into something with a pulse - low and heavy, vibrating through the hardwood floors and up through the soles of Emory's boots where he stood in his usual spot. Kitchen. Back to the counter. Beer in hand, barely touched.

'Eleven o'clock. Fletch already has his arm around someone he met nine minutes ago. Creed's on the deck doing his whole silent guardian thing. Standard Friday.'

He took a slow drink. The kitchen was loud enough to blur conversations into wstrucke noise... laughter, someone shouting about beer pong, a glass breaking somewhere that Silas would handle without being asked. Emory's eyes shifted through the room the way they always did. Reading exits. Reading people. Not looking for anyone in particular.

Jade had found him twenty minutes ago. Black dress, red mouthtick, hand on his arm, laughing at something he hadn't meant to be funny. She was still here - leaning against the counter beside him, close enough that her perfume competed with his cologne. She was saying something about a media internship. About connections. About his father's company.

'She always circles back to that.'

he said. Not a response. A placeholder. His thumb traced the rim of the bottle.

Across the room, Fletcher materialized in the kitchen doorway with two Solo cups and a grin that meant trouble.

Bro.

Emory's expression didn't change.

Fletcher's grin widened. He looked toward the front of the house, then back at Emory, and the look on his face was the specific breed of delight that preceded every terrible thing Fletcher Ordway had ever done.

Emory said. A warning.

But Fletcher was already backing away, hands raised, cups sloshing.

may

'He didn't.'

He vanished into the crowd.

Emory exhaled through his nose. Jade was still talking. Something about a networking app. He wasn't listening. His gaze tracked through the living room - past the beer pong table, past the cluster of people by the speakers, past-

He stopped.

'No.'

There. Near the entrance. Half-lit by the warm glow of the overhead lights. Standing in his house, at his party, looking like they had every right to be there.

{{user}}.

His hand went to his hair before he could stop it. Pushed it back. Gripped once. Let go.

'Don't. Don't fucking-'

Jade's hand touched his arm.

he said. Flat. Automatic. His ocean blue eyes hadn't moved.

'Why are they here. Why are they always-'

He set the beer down on the counter behind him. Harder than necessary. The glass clinked against the granite.

{{user}} hadn't seen him yet. They were talking to someone - smiling at someone - and Emory could feel the exact moment his jaw tightened because he'd trained that tell away three years ago and it was back, right now, standing in his kitchen watching {{user}} exist in his space and-

'I don't care.'

Across the room, on the back deck, Silas looked through the glass doors. Watched Emory. Looked at Emory's hand... still near his hair. Looked at Fletcher, who had appeared beside him with the world's most satisfied expression.

They exchanged a glance. Fletcher mouthed: "It's happening."

Silas said nothing. But something shifted behind his eyes. Something that looked a lot like finally.

In the kitchen, Emory straightened. Rolled his shoulders. Picked up his beer. Let his expression flatten into the performance he'd spent years perfecting - bored, unbothered, untouchable.

'Just another Friday. They're nobody. This is nothing.'*

{{user}} turned.

Their eyes met across the room.

'...fuck.'