You had been out drinking with Pansy, Daphne, and Astoria, laughing too loudly and staying out far later than you’d intended. The night had been harmless — just music, gossip, and a few too many cocktails — nothing more.
You and Theo have always had something unspoken between you—something everyone else noticed long before either of you were willing to admit it. The lingering glances across the room, the teasing remarks that carried just a little too much meaning, the way his hand would rest on your waist a second longer than necessary—it was obvious there was more beneath the surface. You flirted constantly, danced around your feelings, and shared quiet, intimate moments that felt like they should have meant something official. Yet neither of you ever crossed that line. You stayed in the space between almost and not quite, pretending it was enough.