Rea was losing. Badly.
Aster sat across from her at the coffee table, a smug grin on his face as he flipped over his winning hand. "Looks like I win again."
Rea groaned, throwing her cards down. "You cheat."
Aster smirked. "I win. Big difference."
She narrowed her eyes. "How do you even know how to play poker so well?"
Aster leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head. "Let's just say I had a very interesting education growing up."
Rea arched an eyebrow. "That sounds ominous."
Aster just shrugged, grabbing the deck to shuffle again.
They had been playing for nearly an hour now, the weight of earlier still lingering in the air, but neither of them acknowledged it. Rea knew Aster was trying to distract himself, and honestly, she was okay with that.
Because what else could she do?
She had never been great at comforting people. And Aster… he wasn't exactly the let's sit down and talk about feelings type.
So this—playing cards, tossing insults, pretending everything was fine—this was their version of normal.
Or at least, as close to normal as they could get.
Rea sighed, leaning on her elbows. "So what's the prize?"
Aster smirked. "If I win again, you have to call me 'King Aster' for the rest of the week."
Rea gave him a deadpan stare. "You wish."
Aster chuckled, shuffling the cards with practiced ease. "Scared you'll lose?"
Rea huffed, crossing her arms. "Fine. And if I win, you have to do whatever I say for a whole day."
Aster raised an eyebrow. "That's dangerous."
Rea smirked. "Afraid?"
He snorted. "You wish."
They played another round, and this time, Rea actually won.
Aster blinked at the cards, then at her. "Huh. Didn't see that coming."
Rea grinned. "Payback."
Aster sighed dramatically, leaning back against the couch. "Alright, Jones. What's my punishment?"
Rea tapped her chin, pretending to think. "You have to make me breakfast tomorrow."
Aster groaned. "That's boring."
Rea smirked. "Okay, then I'll make you do something really embarrassing at school."
Aster shot her a look. "Eggs and toast it is."
Rea laughed, shaking her head.
For a moment, it felt almost like things were normal.
Like Aster's father hadn't shown up.
Like there wasn't a storm waiting on the horizon.
But then—
Aster's phone buzzed.
Rea watched as he pulled it out, his smirk fading the second he saw the screen.
He didn't answer it.
He just stared at it.
Rea's stomach twisted.
"…Aster?"
Aster exhaled, tossing the phone onto the table, face unreadable.
"Jaxon."
Rea tensed.
Aster ran a hand through his hair. "He never calls me unless it's something bad."
Rea hesitated. "Are you going to answer?"
Aster let out a humorless chuckle. "Nope."
The phone buzzed again.
Then again.
Aster clenched his jaw before finally picking it up.
He put it on speaker.
"What do you want, Jax?"
There was silence for a second, then Jaxon's voice came through, sharp and taunting.
"Wow. You actually answered. I was starting to think you'd finally disappeared for good."
Aster's fingers curled into a fist. "Jaxon."
Jaxon sighed dramatically. "Dad's pissed, by the way. Said you embarrassed him."
Aster scoffed. "Like I give a shit."
Jaxon chuckled. "Yeah, that's what I told him. But you know how he is. He doesn't like when his little screw-ups don't follow orders."
Rea's stomach twisted at the way Jaxon said it. Like it was a game. Like Aster was just some thing their father had control over.
Aster's expression didn't change. "If you called just to lecture me, I'm hanging up."
Jaxon sighed. "Relax. I'm not here to drag you home. Actually, I like that you left. Makes things easier for me."
Aster rolled his eyes. "Touching."
Jaxon's voice turned amused. "But I did think you should know something."
Aster frowned. "What?"
Jaxon hesitated. "He's looking for you."
Rea's blood ran cold.
Aster's entire body tensed. "…What?"
Jaxon sighed, almost like he was bored. "You know how he is. He doesn't lose. And you walking away? That's a loss."
Rea looked between Aster and the phone, her stomach knotting.
Jaxon continued, voice smooth. "So. Just thought I'd warn you, little brother. You might wanna watch your back."
Aster's jaw clenched. "Go to hell, Jaxon."
Jaxon just laughed. "Already there, Aster."
Then the call cut out.
Silence.
Rea stared at Aster, heart pounding. "Aster…"
Aster exhaled slowly, setting his phone down.
Then he leaned back against the couch, closed his eyes, and muttered, "Well. That's just fantastic."