🦃 A seat at the table

Thanksgiving has arrived, and MC and Cam find themselves invited to Ardent's apartment for his annual dinner. Hope you enjoy~ Word Count : 5531

The sound of condiments being pushed around in the fridge and the sight of Cam’s red hair popping up from the door is all the hint you need at what he’s planning.

“Cameron Clarke, step away from the fridge right now.”

He whispers a curse, bumping his head on the fridge door as your voice catches him off guard. “I wasn’t doing anything.”

“I think you forgot who you’re talking to. This happens every holiday.”

He sighs, sheepishly looking your way. “It just feels weird not taking somethin,” he mumbles, his hand lingering near the fridge door before he pulls it back like he’s been caught red-handed.

“You’re taking yourself that’s more than enough.”

No matter how many times you’ve told him over the years, he’s never trusted that his presence alone was enough for some people, you included. Which makes the reddening hue that begins to tint his features much more charming.

“Besides, they’ll thank us once they find out what happens when you cook.” You tease as you look yourself over in the mirror one final time.

Cam gasps, walking over to playfully shove you. “Hey, I heard that.” His phone beeps, alerting him to a notification. A warm, private smile spreads across his face as he replies to the message. It’s a look you’ve seen countless times – but it’s always different when it’s not for you. You don’t have to ask who he’s texting, if it’s not you then it’s G and If it isn’t G it’s Em…unless.

If it was someone else, someone more important to Cam, he’d tell you. Right?

Your own phone suddenly feels heavy in your pocket. You pull it out, sending Em a quick “Happy Thanksgiving.” G’s name hovers in your mind, as you try to recall the last time you received a text from them. Before the fallout? After graduation? Would it still be there on your old phone, tucked away in a box? Out of sight, out of mind.  The thought still lingers as you glance at Cam, wondering who’s on the other end of that smile.

“Alright, guess we should go.” Though he says the words, he still spends another minute fussing with his hair in the mirror by the door. It doesn’t take long until he decides fixing it is a lost cause and opens the door for you.

“Ever the gentleman.”

“Always for you, Red.” He replies.

Your destination is none other than Ardent’s apartment. Which, for better or worse, is right across the hall from your own. It’s hard to fight that little ball of annoyance in your gut, the one reminding you of your run in on the street. That cake that smeared against your new shirt. Recently bought in hopes of impressing the interviewer. What a joke.

The sound of the door opening pulls you from your thoughts. Ardent stands there, leaning against the frame. That ever-present scowl plastered on his face, his scarred lip only adding to his rough look. “Oh, great, it’s you two,” he drawls, stepping aside with an exaggerated sigh. “Forgot we invited trouble to dinner.”

There’s a brief flicker of something else in his eyes when he sees you – annoyance, sure, but something else rest in those dark brown depths and it’s quickly buried when he notices you looking.

He steps aside, giving you just enough room to brush past him. “Try not to knock anything over while you’re here. I’d hate to have to clean up after another one of your messes.”

“That’s it,” you shoot back, already stepping inside. “When I see your niece, I’ll apologize to her about that cake just so you’ll shut up.”

For the briefest moment, you see his eyes soften at the mention of his niece, his scowl easing just enough for a glimmer of something else to break through. He gives a small nod, almost imperceptible, before clearing his throat.

Ardent's voice drops to a mutter, just loud enough for you to hear. “Nice jacket. Not that it matters.”

You shoot Cam a look, wondering if he heard it too. Ardent Pine, trying to be civil? Maybe this day wouldn’t be so bad after all. His attention is quickly pulled to Cupid. Perched lazily on top of Ardent’s couch, as soon as she notices Ardent watching, she yawns and then stretches. Ensuring her claws sink deep into the fabric of the couch, her eyes twinkling at Ardent as she slowly rakes them against it.

“Hey! Stop that, you little —” Ardent cuts himself off as Cupid looks up lazily, her claws still firmly embedded in the couch. He mutters something under his breath, in Greek, you think. One of these days you might brush up on the language. Imagine how annoyed he would be if you learned just enough to call him an old man. Now that would be fun.

 “Did you see that?” Comes a voice to your right, trying and failing miserably to whisper.

“What?” An even more familiar voice asks in turn.

“Ardent was nice.”

“What..are you sure?”

You turn your head, spotting M first—scribbling something in a notepad. And then G...the sight of them is like a misplaced memory come to life, equal parts familiar and strange. This isn’t the first time you’ve seen them since that little meeting outside the café. But it still feels as if they’re pulled straight from your past. Back when things were simpler, and you hadn’t yet been snared into Chris’ trap.

Maybe it was naive of you to expect Ardent to only invite you and Cam to Thanksgiving dinner. But these two, you didn’t expect to see here. While you know little of M, you expected an author to have big plans for a holiday. And G..when did they stop spending the holidays with their family?

They must have felt your gaze, as both turn to look at you. M’s smile is so easily given, you wonder how deep it truly goes. But the way their eyes light up is enough to let you know it’s a real smile.

G’s lip quirks just slightly and you’re unsure if that’s good or bad. They nod in your direction, and you open your mouth to greet them until you hear Cam. “Gigi!” He says, his voice filled with warmth as he steps beside you to pull G into a hug. Causing them to grumble under their breath and nearly spill their drink.

You can’t help but look at them, you’ve seen them hug countless times in the past. Even being pulled between them and squished until you feared you would lose your breath. But now, you’re an outsider looking in.

“It’s good to see you,” G says, voice low and their words somewhat tense as they finally pull away from Cam. Their hand tightens on the handle of their cup, their eyes taking in Cam but every so often drifting to you and quickly away.

Cam must notice the tension between you, as you’re unable to pull your gaze away. Your mind is caught between memories of the past and now, bleeding into each other yet your place in it has changed.

“Just me?” He asks, placing a reassuring hand on G’s shoulder. His other hand grips the bottom of your jacket. Comforting in a way.

G fumbles for their words as they look from Cam to you. Finally meeting your gaze, their brows pull tighter together. You don’t expect them to speak, so used to them closing their mouth and walking away. But surprisingly they do.

“Hello.”  One word, paired with a steely gaze. Something flickers in the depths of those eyes, something you’d seen before. Years ago. Was it before, when you were stuck being partners in class? Petty arguments and late nights that allowed your relationship to bloom. Or was it after when that fragile relationship crumbled into dust?

Even though it’s one measly word, you can feel the tension in your shoulders dissipate slightly. Your lips feel dry, and your hands slightly shaky. “Hello.” You manage to say, trying not to get lost in the fog of memories the three of you share.

The sound of someone clearing their throat causes the three of you to break away from whatever it is that’s happening. As G turns to M, you notice the flicker of a smile on their lips as they motion them to come closer.

“This is – “

“H-hello again,” M stammers, their voice soft but genuine, cutting G off mid-sentence. A slight blush creeps up their neck as they offer a small, reserved smile. Their eyes flicker between you and G, clearly nervous but still trying to hold it together.

M’s gaze drops to the floor for a moment, and when they glance back up, the shyness in their expression is almost palpable. "I—I didn’t expect to see you here," they say quietly, their cheek now the same color as their neck. Their words are hesitant as if they’re weighing each one carefully, afraid they might say the wrong thing, much unlike your last meeting.

You quickly notice Cam and G eyeing the two of you curiously. “Hi. It’s nice to see you again.” Your eyes catch the way M nervously nibbles on their lip, a nervous habit. It’s clear they’re just as easily flustered now as they were on the bus.

Which reminds you, “Ah, your book.”

For a moment, M looks at you, confusion flickering across their face until the realization hits. The book they gave you on the bus wasn't just any ordinary book, it was a best selling erotic novel. Their eyes widen, and they take a step back, clearly caught off guard. “I-it was n—f—”

“Mar,” G murmurs softly, reaching their hand out to steady their friend as they nearly bump into Ardent’s table behind them.

“Fuck, fuck.” They say, voice higher pitched before they open their mouth to speak again. Ah, there they are.

 “Nothing, don’t mention it. In fact, I don’t even know what was in that book. I’m hungry.” M’s words tumble out in a rush, and the speed at which they speak leaves you unsure of what you just heard.

Before you can say anything, M quickly mutters, “Bye,” in a voice almost too soft to catch. They bend at the waist in a half-bow, freezing mid-motion when they realize what they’re doing. A beat of hesitation hangs in the air before they quickly straighten and head off toward the kitchen.

The awkwardness is quickly broken by Cam’s loud laughter. “I didn’t know you two knew each other.”

“Wait, how do you know them?” You ask, raising a brow at him.

“Oh, the day you sa—Ow! Shit! What did you do that for?” Cam yelps, his voice sharp with surprise. He takes a step back, rubbing his foot before sending a death glare to G.

G doesn’t miss a beat, shooting a quick, almost warning glance at Cam. He waves G off, intent on telling the rest of his story. Without saying a word, G firmly steps on Cam’s foot again, deliberately enough that Cam stumbles.

“Shut up, Cam,” G mutters, their voice low and insistent.

Cam winces, but only lets out a half-laugh, ignoring the subtle tension. “Ow, alright! Damn, I’ll shut up,” he says, shaking his head, his grin quickly turning into a pout.

You look between them, your confusion growing as Cam rubs his foot dramatically. Now you’re even more curious about when they met. Maybe you can get it out of him after a few drinks.

You nearly miss the brief exchange between G and Cam—a look that seems to speak volumes, but it’s gone in an instant leaving you unable to decipher it further.

“I—I’m gonna grab something to drink,” G mutters, their tone now a little too casual as they move away from the group. They don’t meet your gaze, clearly avoiding your questions, and you’re left standing there, wondering what just happened.

“After what happened last time, I’d say stick to water,” Cam grumbles, bending down to rub his foot.

“What was that for?” You ask, looking at Cam with confusion after the weird exchange with G.

Cam shrugs, deliberately avoiding your gaze, his posture seems almost casual if not for how tense his shoulders are. Before you can press him further, a knock at the door interrupts you.

Ardent opens it as he gently cradles Cupid in his arms. "Would you move?" someone grumbles, a familiar shade of blonde hair walking into the room while holding a container of food. Kara. "So help me, if I drop this on my new shoes, I’ll kick your ass," She warns, glaring at Ardent whose attention quickly goes to the person behind her.

"Isaac?" You hear yourself ask, surprised by his sudden appearance.

Ardent glances at you, then back to Isaac. “Well, look who we have here.” They say playfully as they make their way over to you. Isaac eyes you up and down with an appreciative smirk, their gaze lingering for a moment longer than necessary. “And you said you weren’t a model.”

Cam doesn’t miss a beat, tension flickering across his features as he gives Isaac a tight smile. He then pulls at your jacket, his touch a little too quick, like he’s trying to get your attention away from Isaac. “Here, let’s go hang your jacket up,” he says.

You raise an eyebrow. “Uh, okay? I don’t think that’s a two-person job, but—”

“Course it is. You take it off, I hang it up. Think of it like a bonding experience.” Cam grins.

“Fine. Then you think about washing the dishes after I cook as a bonding experience.”

“Now that’s just mean, you really want these gorgeous things to get all dry and – “

“Mc!”

You stop mid-step, turning as Kara strides across the room, a wide smile on her face. Her hair trails behind her, swishing in tune with her hips. “I heard you might come. Glad you did.”

You glance at Cam briefly, silently questioning whether he was the one to tell Kara you would be here, only for him to shake his head. “How did - ”

“Alright!” Ardent interrupts, smacking a hand on the kitchen island to get everyone’s attention. “What do you say we watch something or play a game while the turkey finishes up?”

While Kara doesn’t look happy about who’s saying the words, her enthusiasm is undeniable about playing something. “Poker could be fun. I’m more than willing to give you a chance to earn back your money from last time.”

Looks like you’re not the only one who can cause Ardent to scowl.

“Whatever you do,” Cam whispers, his mouth close to your ear. “Never play cards with Kara. She used to date a shark. You’re just asking to go bankrupt.”

“Really?”

Cam nods as the others begin to make their way to the living room, chatting amongst themselves.

“You’re not allowed to pick a movie; we talked about this,” M interjects, taking a step toward Ardent as they point a finger at him.

Ardent chuckles as G grabs their friend, reigning them back. “Then party game it is.”

M attempts to flip Ardent off, stopping once they realize the attention they’re getting.

While some don’t want to play, in the end, everyone agrees to join in. The idea of doing something is better than sitting around waiting for food. Since Cam and you are new to this little group, Ardent decides to let the two of you choose the game.

A half-hearted attempt at deciding who goes first with rock-paper-scissors devolves quickly. Cam insists on “tnt” because “it matches my hair,” M picks “Spock,” and Kara goes with “tornado.”

It’s G who breaks the chaos, launching into a logic-based explanation about game mechanics. This spirals into a five-minute tangent with Ardent about a recent book they've started reading for book club. Meanwhile, Isaac leans over to show you photos of plants he thinks would thrive in the small yard in front of the apartment.

Eventually, the game kicks off, and when it’s Cam’s turn, he leans back against the cushions, looking so relaxed you could almost believe this is his apartment.

“Kay, my turn. Let’s see…” He holds up a finger for each one. “I’ve never been arrested. I got a piercing when I was drunk. And when I was pledging a fraternity, they decided to haze me by duct-taping me to the wall of a building.”

Kara rolls her eyes, handing a bottle of water to Isaac. “The lie has to be that you were arrested. You’re a Clarke so – “

Isaac interrupts her by a pat on her knee, then takes the water. Only causing her to shoot him a confused look as Cam shoots Isaac a soft smile.

Isaac takes a sip, grinning at Cam before replacing the lid on their water bottle. “The duct tape story is way too wild to be fake. I’m going with the piercing.”

You pause mid-sip of wine, squinting your eyes at Cam. One advantage of knowing each other for so long, you know most of the stories. Making it easy to pick out the lie. “Wait a minute – you were…I call bullshit. The arrest is the lie. G and I bailed your ass out!”

Kara quickly snaps her head toward Cam, her jaw-dropping. “Wait, what!? You were arrested? How did I not know about this?” She then turns her attention to you pointing a manicured nail in your direction causing you to shrug.

Cam grins sheepishly, his fingers playing with the strands of hair that graze against his neck. “I mean, it’s not exactly something I advertised.” He murmurs. Especially not around his parents, which is normally where he sees Kara.

It’s now your turn to tease him, and Cam must sense it as he looks at you. “You should have advertised it. Go ahead, Cam.”

“Red, c’mon. “ He grabs your elbow as it pokes against his ribs. He tries to hide his smirk, but it’s no use. You can see that mischievous glimmer in his eyes, and he knows it when you return the smile.

“Tell her why you were arrested.”

Kara’s blue eyes widened a fraction, her curiosity peaked. “What did you do?”

You can’t help but feel like this is how things should be between siblings. Even though Kara and Cam’s relationship is distant, her genuine curiosity about Cam’s past misadventures feels natural. Like she’s truly eager to learn more about her big brother. It’s a stark contrast to what your bond with Jade has become.

Cam hesitates, then grins. “I was arrested for..uh, let’s just call it artistic expression.”

Isaac chuckles, leaning against Kara as he leans closer. “Give us context Clarke.”

You can spot the tip of Cam’s ear, a nice red shade. The way he pokes his index fingers together, sending you a sheepish look, only causes you to burst into laughter.

“He volunteered as a nude model for an art class – except it wasn’t voluntary – “

“He was dared to do it,”  G adds, deadpan. A faint glimmer of amusement in their dark eyes as they finish your sentence.

M covers their face with their hands as they stare at Cam, their voice coming out muffled. “You WHAT!?”

Cam begins to laugh nervously, his hands raised in defense.  “Hey, I did it for the art!”

The look he sends the rest of you causes you to snort. Which then causes the glare Ardent has been giving everyone to crack, his face softening as he tries to hide a laugh. “It was going fine,” you pause, feeling G’s gaze as they watch you tell the story.

 “It was going fine until someone, according to Cam, drew a less-than-accurate version of him.”

“Wait, what do you mean ‘less than accurate’?”

You grin at Cam, who now looks towards the kitchen trying to ignore the conversation. “They drew his…uh..little Cam-“

A loud scoff comes from your side, as Cam shoots you a look. While he looks somewhat offended at your choice of words he also looks amused. “We’re not calling it that.”

“Why not? It’s a very respectable name.” G teases causing Cam to try and attempt to flick them on the forehead.

“Call it something else!”

“Wha – you call it something else-“

“Cock and member are quite acceptable. Or, you can go with a rod, shaft, or even phallus. Depends on the tone you want to..” M’s voice fades out. The room is now quiet as they quickly stop listing euphemisms. The writer in them had just come out, their bashfulness all but forgotten, until now as they realize that was said in a room full of people.

The quiet is quickly broken by Ardent’s laughter, full-bodied, and deep. He pats M on the back as if to alleviate their embarrassment. “You can continue your story.”

M sinks into themselves, pulling at the loose strings on the hem of their pale orange sweater.

“Okay…member. They drew Cam’s member and it was tiny.”

“Oh my God.” Kara groans, covering her face with her hands. “I didn’t just hear that, I didn’t hear those words come from your mouth.”

“Look, I just…There was no way I was going to let that slide, alright? I had to defend my…”

“Hancock.” Isaac quips.

“Honor!”  Cam yells in return.

G huffs a laugh, turning to Cam. “By yelling that they got it wrong, and demanding a redo in the middle of class?”

Isaac and Kara both begin to laugh. Isaac trying to wipe away the tears from their eyes as Kara bends over, trying to hide how hard her body shakes with each chuckle. “You’re kidding.”

Even M has joined in on the laughter, forgetting their slip-up from before.

You catch G’s eye, at first, you expect them to look away. But they hold your gaze. Eyes full of nostalgia as the two of you smirk at the memory of that night. For a moment you forget yourself, nudging G with your arm. A simple action, one your body does on auto-pilot, and much to your surprise - they smile back at you. A fleeting expression that feels warmer than it should.

Kara watches, leaning her hand between the two of you to sharply interrupt as she catches G’s smile. “You two knew about this?”

Sheepishly you turn to her, feeling as if you were caught doing something you shouldn’t have. “Uh, yeah. G and I were together at the time, we got the call to bail him out.”

“And no one thought to mention this?”

Cam jumps in quickly, trying to steer the conversation “In my defense, I was standing up for myself. They did me wrong!”

“The artist wasn’t the only one making you look small that day. Campus security didn’t let you live it down.”

“Honestly, I’m just surprised you didn’t get arrested more,” Ardent adds, stroking Cupid’s hair with a scarred hand.

Cam turns to you and G, trying to fight the color filling his cheeks. “You have to admit that was iconic though.”

“Are you joking? That was embarrassing, I don’t know how we got the cops to not press more charges.”

The laughter begins to die down, which is enough of a warning that the game is done. M quirks a brow, shifting in their seat until finally says what’s on their mind “If that’s the lie then that means…you did get a piercing while drunk.” They say, thrumming a pen against their note pad.

You would be lying if you said you weren’t curious as well. It couldn’t be the ones in his ears, you were there for those. “So..where is –“

Cam cuts them off, quickly standing to get some distance between everyone. “And that’s enough about that!”

M blushes, ducking their head once again a small smile on their face. “Wow.” They whisper, jotting something down in their notepad once again.

“Alright, turkey should be done, so let’s eat,” Ardent says standing slowly from the chair. He’s still cradling Cupid, softly stroking her fur. His movements are uncharacteristically gentle. Out of everyone in the room, he’s the last person you’d expect to be so gentle.

Just as he’s about to set her down his cell phone rings, causing Cupid to jolt awake and dart off.

 “Cupy!” He yells after her, but she’s already disappeared into what you assume is his bedroom.

“Shit, let me take this, then we can eat.” He grumbles, stepping into the hallway to answer the call.

“I’ll get Cupid.” M offers quickly, hurrying after the feline.

Isaac excuses himself making his way to the bathroom. Leaving you with Cam, G, and Kara.

“So…how have you been?” Kara asks, her voice hesitant as she tries to make polite conversation with Cam.

“Good. You?’

“Good. Oh, Mom and Dad flew out, so if you tried to reach them –“

“It’s fine, Kara. They never call. I wouldn’t expect them to just because it’s a holiday.”  

Cam rocks on the back of his heels, avoiding Kara’s gaze – and yours – as she tries to sense how he’s feeling.  

“Be back.” He whispers, heading toward the kitchen.

“You okay?”

You glance at Kara, surprised to realize G is talking to her. She smiles softly, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.

You say nothing, your gaze following Kara and G’s as they watch Cam disappear into the kitchen.

“Yeah. I’ll be right back,” Kara says, following him leaving you and…G.

The silence that follows is thick, almost oppressive. You try to ignore the way G keeps glancing at you – looking, frowning, then looking away again. By the sixth time your patience snaps.

 “Is there something on my face?”

“What?”

“You keep looking.”

“I didn’t…” G straightens, but this time, they don’t look away. Their gaze lingers, soaking in your presence just as you had done earlier. “I guess I did.”

“So?”

“What?”

You gesture to your face, “Is there something wrong with it?”

G sighs, rolling their eyes as they do so. “I wish,” they mutter.

“Hey!”

Their lips twitch, threatening a smile, but it’s quickly suppressed. Before either of you can say more, a loud bang echoes from the kitchen, followed by Cam and Kara’s gasps.

You and G exchange wide-eyed looks, realization hitting at the same time. “Clarke’s.” You say in unison, as the two of you rush to the kitchen.

 The kitchen, for lack of a better word, is a disaster. Butter streaks the floor and what looks like a roasting pan is precariously balanced. Half-on, half-off the oven door. Kara and Cam both freeze, potholders still in hand, looking like deer in headlights.

They both raise their hands in unison. With a deep sigh, G points at them, and then to the door. “Out.” They say, voice stern.

“But we didn’t-”

“Out.” You echo, arms crossed as you nod toward the door.

“Fine.” They say, handing the two of you the potholders and heading back into the living room.

G takes one side of the pan, and you the other. Each hoisting it up so that the oversized turkey doesn’t slosh hot butter onto the floor even more than it has.

“Ardent would have been pissed if they messed up dinner.” Says G, as they set their side of the pan onto the cooktop.

“As he should be, imagine how long it took to cook this thing.”

“He gets up before dawn to start on everything. This thing has probably been slow roasted since then.”

You shoot G a look, this is the most they’ve talked to you since…well everything. So freely, as if the past few years didn’t happen.

“You seem close. All of you.”

“I guess. He kind of took us all under his wing when we moved in.”

You nod at G, placing the potholders on the countertop. “That’s nice.” And you mean it, though you can’t deny that small feeling in your chest that you’re…what? Missing out? Replaced? Maybe envy is the right word, or maybe all of them are.

“I swear, the Clarke’s have been cursed. It’s like whenever they step into a kitchen something bad is going to happen.” G continues speaking, taking the baster and covering the turkey in the mix of butter and herbs.

“I know, right? Cam isn’t allowed to cook at home. I don’t think Ardent would like him burning this place down.” You joke and for once, G laughs. A full laugh, one showing off the smile that they hate. The kind they so often hide behind a slender hand, a smile that causes the corners of their eyes to crinkle.

Your breath catches briefly, because for a moment, it feels like it used to. A joke among friends, something so natural and carefree. The sound of G’s laugh brings back so many memories. Too many for you to think of just one.

 “You know, Chris used to…” G’s voice trails off, realization dawning on them as if they’ve been splashed with cold water. That carefree jovial bubble bursts. The tension seeps back in as they look at you, and your stomach knots. The name hitting harder than you’d like to admit.

“We didn’t –“

Before you can finish, Ardent’s voice cuts you off as he walks back into the apartment. “Who’s ready to eat?”

“Excuse me.” G whispers, quickly walking past. And just like that, their walls are back up.

“I’m ready, oh and Cupid might have scratched up your bedding.” M says, holding Cupid with utmost care.

“What?”

“It’s your fault for scaring her,” Isaac says as they exit the bathroom.

“I didn’t – “

“Ardent, you know how she is about the phone.”

It seems even Ardent and Isaac are on friendlier terms than you realized. Was it just you and Cam who were the odd ones out? No, if anything, Cam is on good terms with almost everyone here too, well except for Ardent.

Before you can delve even deeper into your thoughts, some darker than they should be on a night like tonight, the others begin to join you in the kitchen. Where you stand, gazing at the turkey.

“Someone’s hungry,” Ardent says, grabbing an apron and tying it on.

Ardent Pine in an apron. An image you didn’t expect, but somehow very fitting.

“Astute observation, old man.” You reply, stepping away so that he can grab the several dishes and begin placing them onto the kitchen island.

You don’t miss the way he scrunches his nose, or the vein in his forehead that’s much more apparent than it was before.

If you doubted his capabilities in the kitchen before, you don’t now. There were more dishes than the seven of you could finish. Honestly, more than twenty people could finish.

“Why did you make so much food?” Cam asks, rubbing his stomach as he fills up two plates for himself.

Ardent doesn’t say anything at first, handing Isaac a plate of food without even needing to ask what he wants. “Because people need to eat.”

“We’re not going to eat all this.” G motions to the multiple dishes.

"It’s not just for us," Ardent mutters, his gaze briefly fixed on the turkey as if it holds the answer.

“It’s not?” Kara asks, placing a small serving of sweet potatoes on her plate.

“No.”

Now it’s M’s turn for a question, “Then who?”

Ardent doesn’t say anything, handing you a plate of food before he serves himself. “Can’t we just eat without everyone hammering me with questions?”

“I didn’t hammer you with any.” You mumble as G gives you your cutlery.

“Don’t,” G says their tone firm.

Were you not meant to take the silverware? “What?”

“Not you, him.” G points toward Ardent.

Ardent raises his hands in defense, “I wasn’t going to say anything.”

“Liar,” M adds.

You would hate to admit it to Em, but this dinner was up there as one of the best you’ve had. Cam nearly choked on a bite of his dinner roll when he learned that Ardent even made the yeast rolls. It wasn’t hard to see Cam’s resentment form, knowing that Ardent could cook, and he was not even allowed to boil ramen.

The conversation flowed easily, even the small lulls in conversation weren’t bad. It wasn’t uncomfortable, not like when you were stuck around Chris and their family for Thanksgiving. You were expected to dress to impress and answer any questions they sent your way. Hell, even your parents’ house wasn’t this comfortable during the holidays. However, that could have been because your parents would end up fighting, and Jade’s conquest of the week would always end up ruining it.

Despite the distance between you and G, and the fact that some of the people here are mere acquaintances. It was comfortable and calming in a sense.

You could just imagine what it would be like to have dinner together on the holidays. The thought didn’t scare you, in fact, it was a welcome one. Unlike the many dinners you say through at the Clarke family estate.

 You wonder if Cam feels the same, as your eyes meet across the table. He smiles at you as he digs in for another bite of garlic mashed potatoes. Maybe living here won’t be so bad after all.