Chapter Text
The apartment smelled like instant noodles (courtesy of Athena) and cheap air freshener.
The front door was bombarded with shoes, no one bothered to organize them on the shoe rack, and the radiator clanged like it had opinions on how they treated its home.
Vincent was perched on the arm of the couch, sipping lukewarm coffee, scrolling quietly through his phone.
Dakota was sprawled across the floor with headphones in, throwing a tennis ball (“Why do we have that?” “You think I know?" "Nobody here plays tennis!” “How about you like, shut up?”).
Yars had a crooked grin from somewhere near the window, pretending to read a book but probably texting a friend. Sevv was in the kitchen, quietly doing something with a pan that might have been dinner, or a bomb.
Suppp lounged in the corner, observing everything like a low-budget guardian angel.
The door clicked.
“Finally,” Vincent muttered, without looking up.
Aether pushed it open fully, backpack slung over one shoulder, jacket streaked with grime, and a bruise blooming along his jaw. “Heyyy ladies, how we doin’,” he said, voice sheepish.
A hush fell over the apartment, broken only by Dakota’s muffled laugh. “Took you long enough. We were starting to forget what you looked like.”
Ok, so he had a bit of a disappearing act? The world wasn't going to end!
Aether didn’t answer. He just dropped the backpack, kicked off his boots, and jumped onto the couch, hitting Vincent in the process,“Ow! You dick!”
“Cry about it,” Aether scoffed, scanning the room. Athena, sitting cross-legged on the window sill, barely lifted her gaze, but the faint twitch at the corner of her mouth said she was trying not to laugh.
Dakota finally slid down her headphones, letting them rest on her shoulders, “So… did you actually win a fight, did you lose like always?” she asked, grinning.
Aether scoffed,“ ‘Course I won,” he preened.
The apartment settled into its rhythm again: voices low, laughter occasional, footsteps and clatter filling the cracks.
The radiator huffed and coughed like it was tired of holding the apartment together.
Dakota had moved to the kitchen floor (“So, we just bought a table for nothing?”) , using a pizza box as a table for a half-eaten slice, while Vincent tried to keep a calm corner on the couch. Suppp leaned back in his chair, scrolling lazily, occasionally falling asleep on himself, constantly picking up his head.
Yars burst in through the hallway door like a storm. “Anyone seen my-” she paused when he saw Aether sprawled on the couch, mug in hand. “Oh. You’re back. Figures.”
"Well don't sound so happy about it,"
“Why would I act even remotely happy about seeing you?”
Aether rolled his eyes with a huff, deciding not to respond.
After a beat, Vincent snickered. “The fuck you laughing at, Geode?”
“Stop calling me that!”
“Mm. Nah.”
Outside, the city hummed low and constant, fog curling around the streetlights. Inside, they were loud, messy, and alive, the karaoke machine Aether had managed to somehow get now on, Athena singing horribly.
Family wasn’t always comforting, but it was enough for them.