As the night stretched on, the vibe in the safe house began to lighten. Their talk shifted from serious plans to lighthearted banter, a rare slice of normalcy amid their usual whirlwind. Raven found herself stealing glances at Dante again, noticing how he mindlessly rolled a coin between his fingers.
She realized she had never really seen him at ease—not truly. Even now, it was clear his mind was racing, his thoughts a mystery. "You good over there, broody?" she teased, a playful smile on her face.
Dante flicked the coin into the air, catching it effortlessly without even looking. "Define 'good'."
"Not actively plotting my demise," she replied cheerfully.
He let out a snort. "Then I guess I'm fine."
Lucas, always the troublemaker, leaned in with a mischievous grin. "Oh, come on, Dante. We all know you have a soft spot for our dear Raven."
Dante's face remained impassive. "Lucas."
"Yes, big brother?"
"Shut up." Lucas wiggled his eyebrows at Raven, who couldn't help but grin. "Aw, Dante. If I didn't know better, I'd say you actually like me."
Dante locked eyes with her, something unreadable flickering in his gaze. "I don't dislike you." Raven blinked, taken aback.
That was… surprisingly close to a compliment. Meanwhile, Lucas was reveling in the moment.
"Oh, this is just too good." Valerie, who had been observing the whole exchange with barely concealed amusement, finally pushed herself off the table. "Alright, you goofballs. We should probably get some sleep before the next disaster finds us."
"Sleep is for the weak," Lucas declared dramatically, throwing his hands up. Valerie rolled her eyes.
"And yet, you're always the first to whine in the morning." Lucas gasped, clutching his chest in mock horror.
"How dare you—" Dante grabbed the nearest pillow and hurled it at him, hitting him square in the face. Lucas sat there in stunned silence for a moment. Then, slowly, he turned to Raven. "Tell my story," he whispered dramatically before slumping over onto the couch.
Raven burst into laughter, shaking her head in disbelief. As the group finally settled in for the night, the weight of everything they had uncovered hung in the air. The Calloways were still a looming threat, and Lucas's grand ambitions only made things more complicated.