The early morning light filtered softly through the window, casting a gentle glow across the room. Rae sat quietly at the kitchen table, a warm cup of coffee cradled between her hands. Aspen lay curled at her feet, ears twitching occasionally at the distant sounds of birds and rustling leaves outside.
Her blue eyes scanned the peaceful scene beyond the glass—a slow, calm contrast to the chaos that had filled their days. For a moment, Rae allowed herself to simply breathe it in.
One by one, footsteps and soft voices drifted in as Will, Trey, Elijah, Remi, and Del gathered around. They settled into the room, sharing the quiet morning with familiar ease.
Rae glanced down at Aspen, who gave a small happy wag of her tail, then sipped her coffee, ready to face whatever the day would bring next.
The group settled around the kitchen table, the quiet hum of early morning filling the space. Plates clinked softly, and mugs steamed gently as everyone ate breakfast in a comfortable, easy silence.
Rae finally broke the calm, a mischievous grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. “You all are still a bunch of assholes,” she said, voice low but full of warmth.
Del shot her a smirk. “Right back at you, gremlin.”
Remi chuckled, shaking her head. “We’re just lucky you keep us in line.”
Rae’s eyes gleamed with playful menace. “Don’t forget last time—glitter and dye. I’m not afraid to bring out the big guns again.”
Will, sitting nearby, raised an eyebrow with an amused smirk. “Glitter and dye? That sounds… messy. What happened last time?”
Trey leaned forward, clearly intrigued. “Yeah, fill us in. You don’t hold back, do you?”
Elijah chuckled softly, folding his arms.
“Sounds like we’re dealing with more than just tech skills here.”
Del and Remi exchanged a wary glance, both clearly remembering the chaos that followed.
“Is this a threat or a promise?” Remi teased.
“Both,” Rae said with a wicked grin, raising her coffee cup like a toast. “Consider yourselves warned.”
Laughter bubbled up around the table, light and easy—an unspoken bond of friendship and chaos in the making.
Everyone had gathered around the large table in the war room, maps and documents laid out, laptops open, coffee mugs in hand. Aspen lay curled near Rae’s chair, ears twitching as the energy in the room shifted from cozy breakfast banter to focused planning.
But Trey, still grinning from earlier, leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed and couldn’t help himself.
TREY:
“I have to know… The glitter and dye thing—what actually happened there?”
Rae didn’t even look up from her screen.
RAE:
“They betrayed me.”
DEL: (rolling her eyes)
“We made you shower.”
RAE: (deadpan)
“You tackled me.”
REMI: (sipping her coffee)
“And scrubbed her hair. Which, to be fair, smelled like four-day-old takeout and stress.”
WILL: (trying not to laugh)
“Okay, but where does the glitter come in?”
RAE: (finally looking up, narrowing her eyes at Del and Remi)
“I rigged their shampoo bottles. One glitter bomb, one purple dye—permanent. Do you know what it’s like to go to class with purple eyebrows?”
ELIJAH: (snorting)
“That’s dedication.”
DEL: (grinning)
“You looked like an angry grape for a week.”
RAE:
“I stand by my decisions. Betrayal must be answered in chaos.”
TREY:
“Remind me never to get on your bad side.”
RAE:
“Too late. You sided with the enemy during breakfast.”
Everyone chuckled as the tension eased. Even Will smirked, the weight of their responsibilities momentarily softened by Rae’s mischief.
REMI: (setting down her coffee)
“Alright, glitter gremlin, save your evil genius for after the meeting.”
RAE: (grumbling)
“Fine. But no promises if anyone mentions vegetables or early bedtimes again.”
They settled in, banter still lingering in the air like smoke after fireworks—chaotic, familiar, and oddly comforting.
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