"I think," Cassian said thoughtfully, "they''re already trying"


    I nced between them, her expression curious. “So this is normal for them? The whole traty eye contact, doomed tension thing?”


    Lance gave a shortugh. "Completely."


    "Fascinating,” I said dryly. "Remind me never to get caught between them."


    Cassian chuckled. "You wouldn''t survive it. None of us would."


    "That''s for sure. Some of us have tried," Lance said with a slight smile. "Those two truly are Lated. Nothing c keep them apart. I think they''re finally starting to ept that, too."


    For a few minutes, the four of them stood together inpanionable silence, watching the dance unfold. The music had shifted again, the rhythm softer now, more intimate. Around Nn and Ellie, other couples had joined, but somehow they still seemed isted, like nothing else existed beyond them.


    Rae was the first to speak again, her voice gentle. "She''s different with him."


    Lance''s gaze flicked to her. "Different how?"


    "She''s.... more alive," Rae said slowly. "When she''s with him, even when she''s angry, it''s like every part of her is awake. When she''s with Kieran, she''s careful But with Nn..." She smiled a little. "She doesn''t hold back"


    "It didn''t used to be like that,” Lance added. "There was a time there during the wedding when Ellie was afraid of her own shadow."


    They were all silent for a moment. Rae made a face, showing that she was remembering the same thing Lance was. Ellie''s shrinking, desperate longing for Nn to love her and his cold, heartless dismissal of ber


    They had both been lying to themselves about the situation, and they''d driven each other into the depths of their ws.


    Nn''s desperate need for control and Ellie''s longing to belong somewhere had been a truly toxicbination They''d hurt each other in ways that Lance and Rae knew they could never fully understand, despite how much of it they''d witnessed themselves.


    I broke the silence. "Sounds like being around them is messy."


    Cassian nodded in quiet agreement. "That''s how you know it''s real. It''s messy. But real


    Lance didn''t argue. He couldn''t.


    He''d told himself for months that he was past his own feelings for Ellie - that what he''d felt had beets admiration, sympathy, not love. But watching her now, radant and secure in Nn''s arms, he understood ther


    truth.


    Whatever had existed between them had never been love. Not really


    Because love, the kind that left marks and stitched souls together, was what was happening in front of him


    He swallowed the thought and forced a wry smile. "Real or not, they''re driving me insane. He keeps pretending he''s okay, and she keeps pretending she wants the divorce it''s exhausting"


    I''s lips curved. "Maybe they''re both waiting for the other to say it first."


    Lance turned to her, amused. "Say what?”


    +25 Bonus


    "That it isn''t over."


    Raeughed softly. "You might be new here, but I think you already understand them better than most."


    "upational hazard,” I said lightly. "I watch people. Helps me survive politics."


    Cassian grinned. “You''ll fit in just fine.”


    Lance rolled his eyes, but there was no heat in it.


    When the song ended, Nn and Ellie didn''t move at first. They stood there, breathless, still close enough that the air between them shimmered with tension. Then Ellie stepped back, giving a small, polite nod, and slipped into the crowd.


    Nn remained where he was, watching her go.


    Rae sighed. "There it is."


    "There what is?" I asked.


    "The moment where you realize they both just broke their own hearts again."


    Cassian slipped an arm around Rae''s waist, drawing her close. “Come on,” he murmured. “Let''s give the goddess a little more time to fix them.”


    "She''s the only one who can," Lance added.


    As they walked away, theughter and music rose again a celebration still in full swing, though for some, the night had taken on a different tone entirely.


    Lance stayed a moment longer, ncing toward I. "You know,” he said, half- grinning, “for someone who didn''t want to be here, you''re handling all this drama surprisingly well."


    She arched a brow. "That''s because I''m not part of it."


    He smirked. "Yet."


    She met his gaze evenly, then smiled - small, sharp, and dangerous. It made her amber eyes gleam with mischief that made Lance''s heart do a strange little flip. "We''ll see."


    And for the first time in a long while, Lance felt something stir that had nothing to do with regret.


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