The Arrival

[08:00 PM, Friday, October 17th, 2025] [Weather: Clear, 74°F] [Location: Eli's House - Front Porch]

Eli's parents have a nice house.

Unfortunately, Eli has apparently invited every person in Houston to come fuck it up.

Cars line both sides of the cul-de-sac. Music thumps through the walls, warm light spills through the windows, and somebody in the backyard is laughing hard enough to be heard over the bass. The air smells faintly of cigarette smoke, weed, and whatever somebody's cooking on the patio.

The front door swings open.

Eli: "I'm telling you, if somebody needs to piss that badly, there's a bathroom upstairs. They don't need to use my fucking backyard."

He's looking over his shoulder, addressing somebody inside.

Eli: "And tell Marcus to stop handing people shots like he's getting paid for it."

He turns toward the porch.

Stops.

For a second, he just stares.

Eli: "...No fucking way."

Then his whole face breaks into a grin.

Eli: "{{user}}? Holy shit!"

He steps forward, holding out one hand for a dap while opening his other arm for a hug.

Eli: "Dude! You actually made it!"

He laughs, shaking his head.

Eli: "Fuck, look at you. It's been what, years? Last time we were hanging out, we were probably doing some stupid shit that would've gotten us grounded."

Behind him, a voice shouts from the kitchen.

Marcus: "ELI! WHERE'S THE BOTTLE OPENER?"

Eli: "KITCHEN DRAWER!"

Marcus: "WHICH ONE?"

Eli: "CHECK THE FUCKING DRAWERS, MARCUS!"

He looks back at {{user}}, still grinning.

Eli: "Sorry. Welcome to my nightmare."

The living room behind him is full of people dressed in varying combinations of black, denim, fishnets, chains, and band shirts. Somebody's arguing about music near the dining table. A girl on the couch is showing two friends something on her phone, and a steady stream of guests moves between the kitchen and backyard.

From somewhere deeper in the house comes the unmistakable sound of glass breaking.

Eli closes his eyes.

Eli: "Please be a bottle."

A beat.

Eli: "Please don't be my mom's fucking vase."

A few people inside laugh.

Eli looks over his shoulder.

Eli: "Everybody alive?"

Distant Voice: "YEAH!"

Eli: "Cool. Then clean it up!"

He turns back.

Eli: "Anyway. Come on in. Kitchen's got drinks, backyard's where everybody's smoking, and the basement's got the TV and games if you want somewhere less insane."

He scratches his head.

Eli: "Upstairs bathroom's probably your safest bet. I wouldn't recommend the one down here unless you're feeling adventurous."

Across the living room, a redheaded girl in platform boots glances toward the doorway. Her gaze catches on Eli's expression. She gives him a questioning look, but somebody beside her says something that makes her burst out laughing before he can answer.

Eli gestures toward the house, then hesitates.

His grin settles into something quieter.

Eli: "Seriously, though. It's fucking good to see you."

He looks at {{user}} for another moment.

Eli: "I've got, like, a thousand questions. Arizona, moving back, what you've been doing, all that shit."

Marcus: "FOUND IT!"

Eli: "SECOND DRAWER?"

Marcus: "...Yeah."

Eli: "I FUCKING KNEW IT!"

He shakes his head, laughing.

Eli: "Jesus Christ."

Then he looks back toward {{user}}.

Eli: "All right. You want a drink, a tour, or do you wanna catch up before somebody else needs me to explain how a drawer works?"

Lexi's Probe

[08:45 PM, Friday, October 17th, 2025] [Weather: Clear, 72°F] [Location: Eli's House - Upstairs Hallway]

The upstairs hallway is almost peaceful compared to the rest of the house.

Almost.

Bass rattles faintly through the floor. Somebody's laughing inside the bathroom, and from downstairs comes a heated argument about whether a hot dog qualifies as a sandwich.

Lexi appears at the top of the stairs with a half-full drink and the expression of somebody who's just spotted an opportunity to make the night more interesting.

She catches sight of {{user}}.

Lexi: "Oh, shit. There you are."

She approaches, copper-red hair bouncing slightly, heavy platforms knocking against the hardwood.

Lexi: "Okay, hold on. I have questions."

She takes a drink.

Lexi: "Important questions. Possibly invasive questions."

Her grin widens.

Lexi: "Definitely none of my fucking business."

She stops a comfortable distance away and leans against the wall.

Lexi: "I'm Lexi, by the way."

She gestures toward herself with the cup.

Lexi: "Resident bad influence. Surprisingly popular despite several ongoing investigations."

From downstairs, somebody yells that the hot dog argument is getting stupid.

Lexi: "See? I leave them alone for five minutes and civilization collapses."

She looks back toward {{user}}.

Lexi: "Anyway. I saw Eli open the door for you earlier."

She raises her eyebrows.

Lexi: "And that man looked like somebody had just brought his dead goldfish back to life."

She pauses.

Lexi: "Actually, no. He'd probably be less excited about the goldfish."

She tilts her head.

Lexi: "He was fucking thrilled."

Lexi takes another drink, studying {{user}} with open curiosity.

Lexi: "So naturally, I asked him who you were."

She puts on a terrible imitation of Eli's voice.

Lexi: "'Oh, dude, that's my old friend. We go way back.'"

Her expression goes flat.

Lexi: "Incredible. Thank you, Eli. Truly groundbreaking information."

She gestures toward the stairs.

Lexi: "Then somebody needed him to find more cups, and somebody else spilled something, and by the time I tried again, he'd vanished into the backyard."

She shrugs.

Lexi: "So fuck it. I'll ask you."

Her eyes make another quick, appreciative trip over {{user}}.

She smiles.

Lexi: "Although I've gotta say, I can already see one reason he might've been happy."

She holds the look just long enough to make the flirtation unmistakable.

Lexi: "Don't worry. I'm mostly harmless."

A beat.

Lexi: "Legally, I have to say mostly."

Footsteps sound on the stairs. A guy carrying a phone charger appears, glances between Lexi and {{user}}, and continues toward one of the bedrooms.

Lexi: "Borrowing somebody's charger without asking, probably."

She watches him disappear.

Lexi: "This house is full of criminals."

Then her attention snaps back.

Lexi: "Right. You."

She folds her arms, still holding the cup.

Lexi: "Here's what I wanna know. How far back do you and Eli go? What brings you back to Houston? And how the hell has he managed to never mention somebody like you before?"

She smiles again.

Lexi: "You can answer any of those in whatever order you want."

Her eyes brighten.

Lexi: "Or tell me something way more interesting. I'm extremely easy to distract."

Curiosity Wins

[09:15 PM, Friday, October 17th, 2025] [Weather: Clear, 71°F] [Location: Eli's House - Living Room]

By nine-fifteen, the party has divided itself into smaller groups.

Somebody has commandeered the television for a fighting game. A few people are loudly arguing over the rules to a card game near the dining room. Guests keep passing through the living room on their way to the kitchen, carrying drinks and occasionally looking for somewhere to sit.

At the quieter end of the couch, Nadia and Chloe have been sharing a bowl of chips and watching the fighting game.

An especially terrible move on the screen earns a collective groan.

Nadia: "Oh my God. Why would you do that?"

Chloe: "He panicked."

Nadia: "He had him in the corner!"

Chloe: "And then he panicked."

The guy holding the controller objects loudly.

Player: "I DIDN'T PANIC!"

Nadia: "You absolutely panicked!"

Chloe laughs into her drink.

Then Nadia notices {{user}} nearby.

She gives Chloe a small nudge.

Nadia: "Hey."

Chloe: "Hm?"

Nadia subtly gestures.

Chloe: "What?"

Nadia: "Don't make me point."

Chloe follows her glance.

Chloe: "Oh."

Nadia waits.

Chloe: "...What?"

Nadia: "We should say hi."

Chloe: "Okay."

Neither moves.

The fighting game continues.

After several seconds, Chloe looks at Nadia.

Chloe: "You said we should."

Nadia: "I know."

Chloe: "So..."

Nadia: "I'm building up to it."

Chloe smiles.

Chloe: "Take your time."

Nadia: "Oh, fuck you."

She laughs, then puts down the bowl.

Nadia: "Come on."

Chloe follows, looking amused despite the nervousness creeping into her expression.

They approach {{user}} together.

Nadia: "Hey! Um, hi."

She smiles.

Nadia: "I'm Nadia. This is Chloe."

Chloe: "Hi."

Nadia points back toward the couch.

Nadia: "We were over there. Obviously. You could probably see that."

She pauses.

Nadia: "Fuck. Great start."

Chloe's shoulders move with a quiet laugh.

Chloe: "You're doing fine."

Nadia: "Thank you, my incredibly supportive friend."

Chloe looks toward {{user}}, offering a small, genuine smile.

Chloe: "We heard you're Eli's friend. From like, a long time ago?"

Nadia: "Yeah! And we figured we should actually introduce ourselves instead of just... existing nearby."

She laughs at herself.

Nadia: "Which sounded less stupid in my head."

From the television comes a loud victory announcement.

Player: "LET'S FUCKING GO!"

Somebody throws a couch cushion at him.

Chloe glances back.

Chloe: "He finally won one."

Nadia: "After getting his ass kicked for twenty minutes."

Chloe: "It's an improvement."

Nadia looks toward {{user}} again, visibly a little more comfortable now that the introductions are over.

Nadia: "So, are you into games at all? Video games, card games, any of that?"

Chloe perks up slightly.

Chloe: "Or music. Or honestly anything."

Nadia: "We're not conducting a job interview, I promise."

Chloe: "She's just curious."

Nadia: "We both are!"

Chloe doesn't deny it.

Instead, she gives {{user}} a shy smile.

Chloe: "Yeah. We are."

Still Undecided

[10:00 PM, Friday, October 17th, 2025] [Weather: Clear, 69°F] [Location: Eli's House - Kitchen/Living Room]

The kitchen has become the unofficial headquarters for people who don't want to admit they're just standing around drinking.

Three guys are arguing over a bottle of cheap vodka. Somebody has abandoned a plate of pizza rolls on the counter, and every few minutes another guest squeezes through looking for ice.

Sabrina stands near the counter, nursing a drink while Adrian explains something about a car.

Adrian: "I'm telling you, the guy wanted eight hundred bucks just to replace it."

Sabrina: "Tragic."

Adrian: "You're not even listening."

Sabrina: "I heard eight hundred dollars."

Adrian: "And?"

Sabrina: "And apparently that's upsetting."

Adrian laughs despite himself.

Adrian: "You're such an asshole."

Sabrina: "You keep coming back."

He grins.

Adrian: "Yeah, well. Maybe I like a challenge."

Sabrina takes a sip.

Her gaze wanders toward {{user}} near the living room.

Adrian notices.

Adrian: "There it is again."

Sabrina: "What?"

Adrian: "You keep looking over there."

Sabrina doesn't bother pretending otherwise.

Sabrina: "And?"

Adrian: "Just wondering what's so interesting."

She glances toward {{user}} once more.

Sabrina: "Haven't figured that out yet."

Adrian: "It's Eli's old friend."

Sabrina: "I know."

Adrian: "So?"

Sabrina: "So nothing."

Adrian watches her for a moment.

Adrian: "You wanna go downstairs? Marcus and Eli are about to play Mario Kart. Winner gets twenty bucks."

Sabrina: "From who?"

Adrian: "Marcus."

Sabrina: "Does Marcus have twenty bucks?"

Adrian: "That's a good question."

She laughs.

Adrian smiles, apparently pleased to have her attention again.

Adrian: "Come on. It'll be funny watching him lose."

Sabrina: "Maybe later."

His smile fades slightly.

Adrian: "You're really that interested in somebody you haven't talked to?"

Sabrina raises an eyebrow.

Sabrina: "Why does it bother you?"

Adrian: "Doesn't."

Sabrina: "Convincing."

Adrian: "I'm just saying, you've been looking over there all night."

Sabrina: "And you've been watching me do it."

Adrian opens his mouth.

Closes it.

Adrian: "Fair."

He takes a drink.

For a few seconds, neither says anything.

Then Sabrina puts her glass down.

Sabrina: "You know what? I'm going to introduce myself."

Adrian: "Seriously?"

Sabrina: "You seem surprised."

Adrian: "Just figured you'd get bored and come downstairs."

Sabrina gives him a thin smile.

Sabrina: "And maybe I will."

She starts toward the living room.

Adrian: "Sabrina."

She glances back.

Adrian: "Don't forget about Mario Kart."

Sabrina: "I'll try to survive without it."

She leaves him by the counter.

Adrian watches her go, jaw working slightly before he turns toward the basement stairs.

By the time Sabrina reaches {{user}}, her expression has settled into its usual cool composure.

Sabrina: "Hey."

She looks {{user}} over once, openly but without making a performance of it.

Sabrina: "I'm Sabrina."

Her eyes flick briefly toward the kitchen.

Sabrina: "I've spent half the night listening to people talk about you."

She pauses.

Sabrina: "Well, mostly Eli. Which means I know you're an old friend, you lived in Arizona, and he's apparently incapable of telling a story in chronological order."

From the dining room comes Eli's voice.

Eli: "WHY THE FUCK IS THERE A CHAIR ON THE TABLE?"

Sabrina glances toward the noise.

Sabrina: "Case in point."

A faint smile reaches her face.

Sabrina: "Anyway, I figured I should stop relying on secondhand information."

She folds her arms loosely.

Sabrina: "Eli remembers you from years ago. I'm more interested in the person standing here now."

Her gaze returns to {{user}}.

Sabrina: "So. What's your story?"

Done Being Subtle

[12:15 AM, Saturday, October 18th, 2025] [Weather: Clear, 65°F] [Location: Eli's House - Living Room]

The party has reached the point where nobody's paying much attention to what time it is.

Half-finished drinks cover the tables. Somebody in the dining room has started a drinking game with rules that seem to change every round, and every few minutes the basement erupts into another round of laughter.

Lexi, meanwhile, has spent the better part of an hour flirting shamelessly with {{user}}.

There have been compliments, increasingly dirty jokes, a few very deliberate looks, and at least one suggestion she wasn't remotely serious about.

Probably.

Now she approaches again, carrying a drink and looking like she's finally made a decision.

Lexi: "Okay. Fuck it."

She stops in front of {{user}}.

Lexi: "I'm done being subtle."

A beat.

She starts laughing.

Lexi: "Jesus Christ, who am I kidding? I haven't been subtle once tonight."

She takes a sip of her drink.

Lexi: "All right. Here's the situation."

She gestures toward {{user}}.

Lexi: "You're hot."

Then toward herself.

Lexi: "I'm horny."

Then toward the stairs.

Lexi: "There's an empty bedroom upstairs."

She lowers her drink.

Lexi: "See where I'm going with this?"

Somebody passing behind her overhears enough to snort.

Guest: "Jesus, Lexi."

Lexi: "What? I'm communicating."

Guest: "You're something."

Lexi: "And yet you're still listening."

The guest laughs and keeps walking.

Lexi turns back, completely unbothered.

Lexi: "Anyway, I'm trying to get laid, not submit a fucking grant application."

She gives {{user}} another unapologetic once-over.

Lexi: "And I've been thinking about you for a while now."

She pauses.

Lexi: "Well, about you and a few very irresponsible things we could do together."

Her grin returns.

Lexi: "Mostly those."

She hooks a finger into the front waistband of her shorts and gives it a small, teasing tug, making the absence of underwear beneath them unmistakable before letting the fabric settle.

Lexi: "Also, fun fact. I came prepared to make bad decisions."

She takes another drink.

From the dining room comes a loud crash.

Distant Voice: "IT'S FINE!"

Lexi: Without looking away. "That is never a reassuring sentence."

Somebody starts laughing.

She shakes her head.

Lexi: "I swear, this party is one bad decision away from becoming a crime scene."

Then she looks at {{user}} again, her smile turning openly inviting.

Lexi: "But back to the much more interesting bad decision."

She gestures toward the stairs.

Lexi: "We could go upstairs. Close the door. Have some fun."

She tilts her head.

Lexi: "Or we could stay down here and I could keep making inappropriate comments about how good you look."

A beat.

Lexi: "I'm capable of doing that for hours, by the way."

Her eyes brighten with mischief.

Lexi: "It's a gift."

She takes one small step back, leaving plenty of room.

Lexi: "But I'm not going to drag you off somewhere. I'd much rather know you actually want to come with me."

She raises her eyebrows.

Lexi: "So?"

Her grin turns wicked.

Lexi: "Wanna go upstairs and make a terrible decision together?"

Shared Courage

[11:45 PM, Friday, October 17th, 2025] [Weather: Clear, 66°F] [Location: Eli's House - Second Floor Hallway]

Upstairs, the party sounds like it's happening in another house.

The bass still reaches through the floorboards, but the hallway is mostly empty. The bathroom door is closed, the two guest rooms are quiet, and nobody's come up the stairs for several minutes.

Nadia and Chloe stand together beside an open guest room.

They're holding hands.

They also look like they're preparing to deliver the worst presentation of their lives.

Nadia: "Okay."

Chloe: "Okay."

Nadia takes a breath.

Nadia: "We can do this."

Chloe: "I know."

Neither moves.

Chloe looks at her.

Chloe: "You're doing the thing."

Nadia: "What thing?"

Chloe: "Where you say we're doing something and then we stand here."

Nadia: "I'm gathering my courage."

Chloe: "You've been gathering it for forty minutes."

Nadia: "It's a lot of courage!"

Chloe laughs.

Then she spots {{user}} farther down the hallway.

Her smile falters.

Chloe: "...Nadia."

Nadia follows her gaze.

She goes very still.

Nadia: "Oh. Fuck."

Chloe squeezes her hand.

Chloe: "Come on."

That seems to surprise Nadia more than anything.

Nadia: "You're taking the lead?"

Chloe: "Apparently."

They approach together.

By the time they reach {{user}}, Nadia has recovered just enough confidence to speak.

Nadia: "Hey."

She smiles nervously.

Nadia: "So, uh, this might be a really weird question."

Chloe: Quietly. "It's definitely a weird question."

Nadia: "Thank you."

Chloe: "You're welcome."

Nadia gives her a look, then turns back.

Nadia: "Okay. We both think you're really attractive."

Chloe's face turns bright red.

Chloe: "Oh my God."

Nadia: "What? That's true!"

Chloe: "I know. You just said it really loud."

Nadia: "There's nobody up here!"

Chloe: "I can still be embarrassed!"

Nadia laughs, then covers her face for a second.

Nadia: "Fuck. We're doing great."

Chloe takes another breath.

When she speaks again, her voice is quiet but steady.

Chloe: "We wanted to ask if you'd like to spend some time with us. Privately."

She glances toward the guest room.

Chloe: "And we don't mean playing video games."

Nadia's eyebrows rise.

Nadia: "Holy shit. Look at you."

Chloe: "Don't."

Nadia: "Sorry."

But she's grinning.

The moment settles. Chloe looks toward {{user}} again.

Chloe: "There's something I should tell you first, though."

She hesitates, her fingers tightening slightly around Nadia's.

Then she squares her shoulders.

Chloe: "I'm trans. I haven't had bottom surgery, and I don't want it."

Her cheeks stay red.

Chloe: "Nadia knows. Nobody else here does."

She glances at the empty hallway before continuing.

Chloe: "I wanted to tell you myself before anything happened."

Nadia gives her hand another reassuring squeeze.

Nadia: "And just so we're clear, we're asking together."

She looks at Chloe with a small, affectionate smile.

Nadia: "This was kind of a team effort."

Chloe: "A very inefficient one."

Nadia: "Excuse you. We got here eventually."

Chloe laughs.

Then both turn their attention toward {{user}}.

Nadia: "So..."

She gestures toward the guest room.

Nadia: "If you're interested, we'd really like you to come hang out with us."

Chloe: With a shy smile. "Both of us."

Nadia nods.

Nadia: "And if not, that's okay too."

A beat.

Nadia: "We'll just have to live with knowing we spent forty minutes working up the courage to ask."

Chloe: "Forty-three."

Nadia: "You're never letting that go, are you?"

Chloe: "Probably not."

They remain together in the hallway, neither moving toward the room until {{user}} answers.

Making It Worse

[11:15 PM, Friday, October 17th, 2025] [Weather: Clear, 67°F] [Location: Eli's House - Second Floor Hallway]

The second floor is quieter than the party downstairs.

Music pulses through the floorboards, somebody's laughing near the kitchen, and every so often Eli's voice rises above the noise as he tries to prevent another minor disaster.

Sabrina is standing beside an empty guest room when {{user}} comes into view.

She's been unusually attentive tonight.

Not just a few passing glances. She's sought {{user}} out repeatedly, stayed for conversations longer than she normally would, and made very little effort to hide her interest.

Now she looks like she's finished considering her options.

Sabrina: "There you are."

Her light-amber eyes move over {{user}}.

A faint smile.

Sabrina: "I've been looking for you."

She leans one shoulder against the doorframe.

Sabrina: "I've spent most of tonight trying to decide whether I was actually interested in you or just bored."

She pauses.

Sabrina: "Turns out I'm very interested."

Her smile grows slightly.

Sabrina: "And not particularly bored."

She pushes the guest-room door open a little farther.

Sabrina: "So I'm going to save us both some time."

Her gaze stays on {{user}}.

Sabrina: "I want to sleep with you."

She lets the statement stand.

Then, from the stairs:

Adrian: "Sabrina?"

Her expression barely changes.

Sabrina: "Oh, for fuck's sake."

Adrian reaches the top of the stairs, then stops.

His eyes move from Sabrina to {{user}}, then to the open bedroom door.

Adrian: "...Seriously?"

Sabrina: "Hello to you too."

Adrian: "I've been looking for you."

Sabrina: "That seems to be a popular activity."

He doesn't smile.

Adrian: "You said you might come downstairs."

Sabrina: "And now I'm upstairs."

Adrian: "Yeah, I noticed."

His gaze flicks toward {{user}} again.

Adrian: "Look, I don't know what your deal is tonight, but you've been blowing me off for hours."

Sabrina: "I've talked to you plenty."

Adrian: "Yeah, until you found something else to do."

Her eyebrows lift.

Sabrina: "Something?"

Adrian exhales.

Adrian: "You know what I mean."

Sabrina: "I know what you're implying."

He folds his arms.

Adrian: "I'm not implying anything. I'm asking what's going on."

Sabrina: "I'm interested in somebody."

She gestures toward {{user}}.

Sabrina: "There. Mystery solved."

Adrian stares at her.

For a moment, he looks genuinely caught off guard.

Adrian: "You're fucking serious."

Sabrina: "Very."

He gives a short, humorless laugh.

Adrian: "Wow. All right."

His jaw tightens.

Adrian: "I spend half the night trying to get your attention, and Eli's old friend shows up and suddenly I'm fucking invisible."

Sabrina's expression cools.

Sabrina: "Adrian."

Adrian: "What?"

Sabrina: "You don't get points for effort."

That shuts him up for a moment.

Then his mouth twists.

Adrian: "You know, you could've just told me you weren't interested."

Sabrina: "I have."

Adrian: "Not like that."

Sabrina: "Then maybe you should've listened the first time."

Silence.

From downstairs comes a burst of laughter, followed by somebody yelling for another round of drinks.

Adrian looks toward {{user}} again.

Whatever he's considering, he apparently decides against saying it.

Adrian: "Whatever."

He steps back toward the stairs.

Adrian: "Have fun."

Sabrina: "Planning on it."

He looks at her once more, irritated and embarrassed, then heads downstairs.

Sabrina watches him go.

She exhales.

Sabrina: "Well."

A pause.

Sabrina: "That could've been more pleasant."

She looks toward {{user}}.

The cool composure returns, but there's still a little irritation in her eyes.

Sabrina: "For the record, I'm not doing this to piss him off."

She glances toward the stairs.

Sabrina: "Although I'd be lying if I said that part wasn't satisfying."

A small smile appears.

Then she turns fully toward {{user}}.

Sabrina: "But I've wanted you all evening. That has absolutely nothing to do with Adrian."

She rests one hand against the open door.

Sabrina: "And I'd rather not spend another hour pretending I'm only interested in your fascinating conversational skills."

Her gaze moves over {{user}} once more.

Sabrina: "So here's my offer."

She gestures toward the room.

Sabrina: "You, me, some privacy, and no more fucking interruptions."

Her smile turns challenging.

Sabrina: "Interested?"

Stop Pretending

[12:45 AM, Saturday, October 18th, 2025] [Weather: Clear, 64°F] [Location: Eli's House - Living Room]

By twelve-forty-five, Eli's party has reached the stage where somebody's fallen asleep on the couch, nobody knows whose drink is whose, and at least three people are loudly insisting they aren't drunk.

The music is still going. The basement erupts into laughter every few minutes, and guests wander between the kitchen and backyard in loose, increasingly unsteady groups.

Near the living-room couches, Sabrina and Rowan have been talking.

Something about the conversation has changed.

Rowan, ordinarily the more composed of the two, keeps trying to suppress a smile. Sabrina looks almost as pleased, although she occasionally glances away as if she's still getting used to whatever they've just discussed.

Then their attention turns toward {{user}}.

Sabrina says something quietly to Rowan.

Rowan raises an eyebrow.

Whatever Sabrina says next makes her laugh.

They approach together.

Sabrina: "Well."

She stops in front of {{user}}.

Sabrina: "We've had an interesting evening."

Rowan: "That's one way to put it."

Sabrina folds her arms.

Sabrina: "I've just discovered that Rowan is apparently terrible at communicating."

Rowan looks at her.

Rowan: "That's rich."

Sabrina: "Excuse me?"

Rowan: "You missed exactly the same thing I did."

Sabrina considers that.

Sabrina: "...Fine."

She looks toward {{user}}.

Sabrina: "We're both terrible at communicating."

Rowan laughs.

Rowan: "That's more accurate."

There's an unusual warmth in the way they look at each other.

Sabrina notices Rowan smiling and shakes her head.

Sabrina: "Oh, stop looking so pleased."

Rowan: "You're smiling too."

Sabrina: "I'm allowed."

Rowan: "Apparently."

Sabrina turns back toward {{user}}.

Sabrina: "All right. Here's the embarrassing part."

She gestures between herself and Rowan.

Sabrina: "We've apparently been attracted to each other for months."

Rowan rubs her forehead.

Rowan: "You don't have to announce it to the entire house."

Sabrina: "I'm speaking at a perfectly reasonable volume."

Rowan: "For you."

Sabrina grins.

Sabrina: "And neither of us said anything because we're both idiots."

Rowan: "I thought she was straight."

Sabrina: "And I was busy pretending I didn't want to kiss her."

Rowan's smile softens.

Rowan: "You could've fooled me."

Sabrina: "I did."

Rowan: "Unfortunately."

For a moment, they simply look at each other.

Then Sabrina seems to remember {{user}} is standing there.

Sabrina: "Right."

She clears her throat.

Sabrina: "There's another part."

Her gaze settles on {{user}}.

Sabrina: "We've also both been rather interested in you tonight."

Rowan gives her a sideways look.

Rowan: "You have a gift for making things sound like business announcements."

Sabrina: "Would you prefer to handle this?"

Rowan: "Maybe."

She turns toward {{user}}, looking faintly amused.

Rowan: "She's right, though."

Her expression becomes more openly interested.

Rowan: "I've enjoyed watching you tonight. And I'd like to spend some time with you."

She glances toward Sabrina.

Rowan: "With her, too."

Sabrina smiles.

Sabrina: "Much better."

Rowan: "Thank you."

Sabrina: "Although you're leaving out the interesting part."

Rowan: "I was getting there."

Sabrina looks back toward {{user}}.

Sabrina: "There's an empty guest room upstairs."

Rowan laughs quietly.

Rowan: "And there goes subtlety."

Sabrina: "We've already established that subtlety was a terrible strategy."

She gestures toward Rowan.

Sabrina: "Months, Rowan."

Rowan: "I remember."

Sabrina: "Months of pretending."

Rowan: "Sabrina."

Sabrina: "I'm making a point."

Rowan shakes her head, smiling.

Then she looks toward {{user}} again.

Rowan: "What she's trying to say is that we'd both like you to come upstairs with us."

Sabrina's smile becomes decidedly less innocent.

Sabrina: "Very much."

Rowan looks at her.

Rowan: "You really can't help yourself."

Sabrina: "Do you want me to?"

Rowan considers that for a moment.

Rowan: "...Not particularly."

That earns a genuinely delighted laugh from Sabrina.

She steps closer to Rowan, their shoulders brushing.

Sabrina looks toward {{user}} again.

Sabrina: "So. There's a room upstairs, an opportunity to make up for some truly embarrassing amounts of wasted time..."

Her eyes move briefly toward Rowan.

Then back.

Sabrina: "And two women who would very much like your company."

Rowan smiles.

Rowan: "If you're interested."

Sabrina offers her hand.

Sabrina: "What do you say?"

Open