Marcus's house didn't look like somewhere teenagers studied.
It looked curated.
Glass panels, polished stone, too clean.
Jake whistled low as they stepped inside.
"Every time I come here I feel poor."
"You are," Marcus replied casually.
Bruce nudged him. "He says that every time."
Sable paused just inside the doorway.
Not visibly.
Just long enough to measure.
Big spaces, expensive quiet, no clutter.
Different from rooftops, different from temporary rooms, different from boxes in closets.
She almost said no earlier.
She almost texted Rax:
Maybe next time.
Attachment wasn't efficient.
Attachment complicated exits.
But he'd looked at her — not pushy — just…
"Come if you want."
Casual..too casual.
And she'd found herself saying yes.
That unsettled her more than anything.
-
Jake walked slightly too close.
Not touching.
But close enough to crowd.
"You know Marcus has a literal theater downstairs, right?"
"I know," she said evenly.
"You ever been somewhere like that?"
Raxian noticed the shift in her shoulders.
Subtle.
But present.
He slowed his pace slightly, placing himself between them without making it obvious.
Jake frowned faintly.
"Bro, I'm just talking."
"I know," Rax said.
Tone neutral.
But firm.
Logan noticed.
Ava noticed.
Tess definitely noticed.
Jake fell half a step back.
Not defeated.
But aware.
-
The stairs lit automatically as they descended.
The basement opened wide.
Huge monitor dominating one wall.
Curved couch wrapping around the space.
Bruce stopped mid-step.
"That could fit in a cinema."
Jake flopped onto the couch immediately.
"Movie night at Marcus's, we're never leaving."
Marcus smirked.
"Study first."
Tess dropped her bag onto the table.
"Yes. Study."
Jake groaned dramatically.
Sable stayed near the stairs for half a second longer.
Then moved forward.
Not claiming space.
But not shrinking either.
Raxian watched her more than the screen.
He never expected her to agree to this.
Never expected her to step into the noise willingly.
The fact that she did—
Felt impossible.
"Sit," he said quietly.
She did.
Next to him.
Not in the middle.
Not at the edge.
Balanced.
Jake noticed.
He masked it with a grin.
"So, Quiet— sorry, Sable."
She glanced at him.
"Yes."
"You good at math?"
"Yes."
Jake blinked.
"…Of course you are."
Bruce laughed.
Marcus dimmed the lights slightly.
Pulled up a shared document on the massive screen.
Study mode.
Or something resembling it.
Marcus leaned closer to Tess.
"You want to go over the practice questions upstairs?"
It wasn't subtle.
Tess froze.
"Upstairs."
"Yes."
"For math."
"Yes."
Bruce snorted.
Jake choked on air.
Sable didn't react.
But she noticed Tess look away too quickly.
Marcus didn't deny it.
Didn't pretend.
Just smirked faintly.
Raxian leaned back slightly.
He glanced sideways at Sable.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
She met his gaze.
"Yes."
Not defensive, not guarded.
Just..present.
And for the first time in a long time—
She didn't feel temporary.
That scared her.
Because wanting to stay was dangerous.
And sitting here—
Between Raxian and the noise—
She didn't want to leave.