The Clam was louder than it looked from outside.
Its low beams sagged with age, and a haze of pipe smoke filled the air. Somewhere near the back, a fiddler played fast and sharp, trying to outpace the rising chatter of the crowd. Laughter swelled like the tide. Glasses clinked. Plates scraped. Boots shuffled across uneven floorboards.
Kael lingered near the door, scarf half-off, his eyes scanning around until he spotted Bran waving him over from a battered round table tucked in the corner. Miren and Lys flanked him, both with drinks in hand.
"There he is!" Bran called. "The star of the show!. We were taking bets on whether you'd show up."
"You bet against me didn't you?" said Kael as he slid into the last seat.
"Absolutely" Bran grinned. "I owe Lys three crescents."
"Drinks are on you then" she said, raising her glass.
Kael chuckled, his shoulders relaxing as the warmth of the room enveloped him. For the first time in a while, he didn't feel like a guest trying not to overstay. Just... part of something
"So" Bran leaned forward, eyes glinting with mischief, "on a scale of 'minor disaster to 'burn the whole set down' how'd you rate rehearsal today?"
"Somewhere between a small fire and an existential crisis." Lys replied dryly, tipping her drink.
Kael raised a brow. "Is that because of Bran's spoonplay or the collapsing curtain?"
"Both" Miren muttered, not even looking up from her glass. "But mostly Bran."
"I was acting." Bran declared, puffing his chest out. "You've clearly never seen the ancient technique of the double-soup-spoon defense."
"Oh no" Lys groaned.
"Too late." Bran grabbed two empty spoons from the table and stood, swaying slightly. "Behold, everyone! Witness the true art of combat," he said as he striked a wide-legged stance. "The Duel of Forks Crossing!"
"They're spoons," Kael said, hiding a grin.
"What a plot twist!" Bran shouted, lunging at an invisible foe. He jabbed one spoon forward, twisted, twirled, and accidentally bumped into the hanging lantern overhead. It swung wildly, nearly taking out Lys's drink and sending the nearby napkins fluttering.
"For the love of God sit down before you set your shirt on fire!" Lys cried, half-laughing half-crying."
But she was already doubled over, coughing mid-giggle as Bran bowed dramatically and clutched at his chest like he'd been mortally wounded. "Alas, I am slain by unconstructive criticism."
Kael couldn't help it, though his laugh came out uneven, a little too quick and a bit strained. It wasn't quite right, like he wasn't used to letting go. Even Miren cracked a smile at the slight awkwardness, while Bran collapsed across the bench like a fallen knight.
"Your next performance better be that committed, " Lys said, wiping her eyes.
Bran held up a spoon. "Only if Kael joins me for the encore."
Kael raised his hands in surrender. "I'll stick to being the silent background presence. Thanks."
"Coward" Bran muttered, grinning.
Kael, seeing this, chuckled.
By the time the drinks thinned out and the music shifted to a slower tempo, the group began to scatter. Bran disappeared toward a card table in the back with promises of winning his money back. Lys struck up a conversation with the bartender about staging lights and whiskey brands. Kael stepped outside for some fresh air.
He leaned against the alley wall beside The Clam, staring up at the narrow slice of the night between the buildings. Cold wind nipped at his ears. Somewhere nearby, a cat knocked over a bottle. He was about to head back in when he heard footsteps behind him.
"Wantin' a break from the noise?" Miren asked.
He turned. Her coat was drawn close, cheeks pink from the warmth inside and the sudden bite of cold out here. Her coat was drawn closed, the fur lining tickling her cheeks now pink from the cold.
"Yeah. Got a little too loud."
She nodded and leaned beside him, hands in her pockets. The silence between them wasn't awkward—just there, soft and solid.
"I'm glad you came" she said after a while.
"I almost didn't."
"I know" she said simply. "That's why I'm relieved."
Kael didn't say anything. He watched his breath fog up in the air.
She continued, voice quieter now. "I don't trust people easily. I used to but... it ended poorly."
Her eyes didn't meet his. She stared forward, at the opposite wall, as if the bricks were safer than the conversation.
"Everyone seems to think I'm the cool, quiet one. Bran talks so much, he fills the space for both of us. And Lys is... Lys. But me?" She shrugged. "I keep people at a distance. It feels safer that way."
Kael looked down at his hands, at the scars near the knuckles. "Yeah. I get that."
She turned slightly toward him, finally meeting his eyes. "But I don't want to stay that way. I'm trying. That's why I invited you."
A soft moment passed.
"Thanks" Kael said, his voice cracking just a little. "For trying."
They stood in silence again. But this time, it felt like something had shifted. A tiny stone turned over and a weight shared.
Miren gave him a faint smile, almost sheepish.
"I also wanted to see if you'd embarrass yourself drunk," she added. "So far I'm disappointed."
Kael grinned. "You haven't seen me try to dance yet."
"God help us all."
They both shared a long silence as Miren seemed to be contemplating hard on something "Kael… have you ever noti-"
The door creaked behind them. Bran's voice echoed out. "Oi. lovebirds! I need help losing at cards!"
Miren rolled her eyes. "You coming?"
"Yeah," Kael said. "Wouldn't miss any single moment of it."
As they stepped back inside, side by side, as a wave of warm air rushed to meetthem. But this time, Kael didn't feel suffocated under the heat. He felt steadier. Not better but reassured.
The table was a mess —cards scattered like shrapnel, crumbs everywhere, and Bran slumped over with a pair of still and soulless eyes.
"Finally" he groaned. "They were killing me every round only to revive me for the next one! Lys cheats while Miren's off gallivanting with our guest star."
Lys, completely unbothered, flicked a card at his head. "If I cheated you'd have lost faster."
"I demand a rematch" Bran said, perking up. "Kael you're my partner. We'll bring honor to this table."
"I literally just sat down," Kael said, laughing.
"No better time to start," Bran declared, already dealing cards. "Miren you and Lys—try not to cry when we sweep you."
Lys raised an eyebrow. "We'll see how cocky you are in ten minutes."
Kael took his hand and glanced at Miren, who'd slid into the seat across from him. She met his eyes briefly, expression unreadable, but slightly softer than before. and gave the smallest nod.
The game began in earnest. Bran played like he was performing in front of a crowd, narrating every move with wild hand gestures and completely unfounded confidence.
"I summon the spirit of luck itself!" he shouted, slapping down a two-of-hearts.
"Brilliant," Miren said dryly. "You're one step away from summoning the next year's worth of misfortune."
Kael shook his head. "I don't even know the rules."
"Don't worry" Lys said, eyes glinting. "Neither does Bran."
The rounds passed in a blur of laughter, light jabs, and occasional groans of betrayal. The room blurred into the safe glow of firelight and shared comfort. It didn't matter who won, only that they played.
Somewhere in the middle of it, Bran reached for another card and knocked over a half-full mug. The liquid rushed across the table toward Kael's lap.
He yelped and jumped back just in time.
"Oh no!" Bran cried, grabbing a rag and smearing the mess wider.
Kael couldn't stop laughing, even as he tried to block the splash with his elbow. "You're a menace."
"I prefer 'agent of chaos,' thank you," Bran said, totally unapologetic.
When the mess was cleaned and the laughter settled into contented quiet, Kael leaned back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head. The weight he'd been carrying. The silence, the tightness in his chest felt lighter.
Lys looked over at him, brow raised. "Not bad for a first night."
Kael smiled. "Yeah. Not bad at all."
The game wore on, and Kael felt the weariness from the road beginning to fade away with each passing laugh. It wasn't just the cards or the drinks, it was the ease in the room, the sense of belonging he hadn't realized he'd missed. For a while, it was enough.
But as the night deepened, a strange weight began to settle over him again, a familiar gnawing feeling that something wasn't quite right. He found himself stealing glances at Miren across the table, her quiet focus on the game betraying the same distant expression he knew too well.
Kael's smile faded just a little. He couldn't help it; the unease in her posture, the way she wasn't entirely part of the group, tugged at something inside him. He had learned long ago how to mask it and how to hide the part of him that wanted to ask the questions no one wanted to answer but with Miren, it wasn't that simple.
Bran's voice broke through his thoughts. "Kael! Are you planning to play or just stare at the cards all night? We've got GAMES TO LOSE HERE! "
Kael blinked, surprised at how long he'd been lost in his own head. He chuckled softly, shifting in his seat and focusing back on the game. "Right, right. I'm in."
The group continued, but Kael found his mind drifting. He couldn't ignore it any longer. He'd seen it in her before—when she was watching the others, or when something, just something, felt off. But he didn't know her well enough yet. Maybe he never would.
The clink of glasses and the rustle of cards faded into a quieter corner of his thoughts.
As the night wore on and the laughter began to dim, Miren stood up with a stretch. "Alright, I'm out" she said, her voice light but carrying a certain weight. "Someone else is going to have to deal with Bran's dreadful card skills for a while."
"Leaving already?" Kael asked, the disappointment he didn't expect slipping into his tone.
She looked at him for a moment before shaking her head. "Yeah. Got some things to think about." Her voice softened. "You coming?"
Kael looked at the group, who were too busy squabbling over the next round of cards to notice. Then back to her. He hesitated, the urge to be alone with her pulling at him, but he masked it with a grin. "Sure."
He followed her out the back door, the cool night air hitting his skin. The quiet outside was a sharp contrast to the bar's lively noise, and for a moment, the world felt suspended—no expectations, just the sound of their footsteps.
They stopped by the railing of the balcony, the view of the alley below stretching out into the darkness.
Miren leaned against the railing, her eyes focused on the stars above but Kael noticed the way her jaw tightened, the way she didn't let herself fully relax. It was in the small subtle things—like she was holding herself together just barely.
"Something on your mind?" Kael asked, his voice softer than he intended.
Miren let out a quiet sigh, looking sideways at him. "Nothing new," she said, though her words didn't carry the usual edge. "Just... not everyone's cut out for a crowd."
Kael nodded, trying to put it together. "I get that."
She glanced at him, her gaze steady. "I know you do. Not everyone can stand being around people for too long. Some of us are more... comfortable on the sidelines."
Kael's gaze softened. "I wouldn't say that about you."
She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What would you say about me then?"
Kael opened his mouth, unsure how to answer and then smiled. "That you've got your own way of fitting in. It's not about the crowd but about where you stand."
Miren's lips twitched upward. "Well I stand out here more than I do in there."
"Fair enough," Kael said, taking a step closer. "So what's really been bothering you?"
Her eyes flickered to his, the unspoken question hanging between them for a moment. "It's not... that simple," she muttered. Then, more softly, "I don't trust people easily, Kael. And it's hard sometimes to be around others when you know they could betray you without a second thought."
The admission hung in the air, heavier than the night. Kael leaned against the railing beside her, quiet for a moment. He understood that trust had never come easy and he learned early not to give it away for free.
"I don't trust people easily either" he said finally. "But that doesn't mean we're all out to hurt each other."
Miren gave him a faint smile but there was something fragile in her guarded expression. "Maybe not. But it's still hard to remember that sometimes."
Kael didn't know what to say to that so he didn't say anything. Instead he just stood there with her in the quiet, the night stretching on.
And for once, he didn't feel so lonely.
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