The problem started three days later.
"This is temporary," Nancy said firmly.
Leo stared at the two of them standing outside the largest cabin in the settlement with enough supplies to survive a small apocalypse.
Again.
"You said that six boxes ago."
Kai looked offended.
"We travel light."
"You brought three blankets."
"One is emotional support."
Nancy pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Can we please focus?"
The original cabin Nancy stayed in had partially collapsed after an unfortunate "structural disagreement" involving recovering wolves and celebratory drinking.
Which meant—
temporarily—
Nancy and Kai were moving into the Alpha house together.
Leo took one long look at them both.
Then at the cabin.
Then back at them.
"This is either going to fix your unresolved tension or kill all of us."
"It's not unresolved," Kai said immediately.
Nancy looked at him.
"Oh?"
Kai opened his mouth confidently.
Then paused.
Leo pointed dramatically.
"See? Tension."
Nancy walked past both of them before she had to acknowledge the warmth rising to her face.
The Alpha house was bigger than she expected inside.
Large windows.
Warm wooden walls.
A fireplace already crackling softly.
It felt strangely domestic.
Dangerously domestic.
Nancy set her bag down carefully.
"…Why does this feel like a trap?"
"Because you have commitment issues," Nyra answered instantly.
"I hate how emotionally aware you are."
Kai dropped the supplies near the kitchen area and looked surprisingly pleased.
Nancy narrowed her eyes immediately.
"You like this way too much."
"I almost died," he reminded her calmly.
"I deserve happiness."
"That's manipulative."
"That's survival."
Leo gagged loudly from the doorway.
"You know what? I'm leaving before whatever this is becomes contagious."
"Coward," Nancy called after him.
"Alive coward."
The door shut behind him.
Silence followed instantly.
Nancy became aware very quickly—
that she was alone with Kai.
In one house.
For an unknown amount of time.
The bond reacted immediately to the realization.
Warmth flickered between them.
Kai noticed too.
Unfortunately.
His mouth twitched slightly.
"You're nervous."
"I fought an ancient cosmic entity."
"And yet this is scarier?"
"Yes."
"That's honestly devastating for me."
Nancy tried to ignore the fact that he looked unfairly attractive while smiling like that.
Instead, she focused on unpacking.
Very aggressively.
For approximately six peaceful minutes.
Then disaster struck.
"Nancy."
"What?"
Kai stood in the middle of the room holding something carefully.
Her sweater.
The oversized dark sweater she slept in.
The very comfortable one she absolutely did not want him emotionally perceiving.
"You packed this?" he asked innocently.
Nancy snatched it instantly.
"Give me that."
"You sleep in my hoodies but draw the line at sweaters?"
"That information was confidential."
Kai grinned.
Nancy realized too late—
living together was going to give him entirely too much power.
Things somehow became worse during dinner.
Mostly because neither of them knew how to act normal.
Kai cooked.
Which Nancy discovered far too late was attractive for reasons she deeply resented.
"You're staring again," he said without looking up.
"I'm assessing survival risk."
"From soup?"
"You're smug enough to poison me."
"Hm."
Nancy narrowed her eyes.
"That sounded guilty."
Kai laughed quietly.
The sound did dangerous things to her heartbeat.
The bond pulsed warmly again.
Closer now.
Comfortable.
And that was somehow the problem.
Because Nancy realized with growing horror—
she liked this.
The peace.
The teasing.
The simple domestic normalcy.
After spending so long surviving—
being happy felt unfamiliar enough to be frightening.
Kai seemed to notice the shift in her expression.
His voice softened slightly.
"You okay?"
Nancy hesitated.
Then surprised herself by answering honestly.
"I don't really know how to do this."
"Do what?"
She looked around the cabin.
"This."
Her voice became quieter.
"Living without waiting for everything to fall apart."
Kai stared at her for a moment.
Then crossed the room slowly until he stood directly in front of her.
"You don't have to figure it out alone."
The bond warmed instantly between them.
Steady.
Certain.
Nancy looked up at him.
Too close suddenly.
Very, very close.
Kai's gaze dropped briefly toward her lips.
Nancy's breath caught.
The air shifted.
And then—
A loud crash exploded from the kitchen.
Both of them jumped violently.
Nancy turned sharply.
Smoke poured upward from the stove.
Kai blinked once.
"…I forgot the soup."
Nancy stared at him.
Then burst into helpless laughter.
Kai looked personally betrayed by the universe.
And somewhere outside the cabin—
Leo could be heard yelling:
"I KNEW IT."