Lucian's fingers brushed off invisible dust from his palm, his smirk lazy but sharp. "So…" he drawled, looking at the grocery bag Cassian was clutching. "Having a barbecue feast, I suppose?"
Cassian laughed nervously, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Y–yeah, just… mood, I guess."
Lucian's eyes flickered, amused. "That's great," he said casually. Then, after a beat, his lips curved into something softer almost wistful. "Wish I was in your university too. Would've loved to crash that barbeque of yours."
Cassian's first instinct was to respond politely You can come if you want because that's just how he was built. Too kind. Too reflexively accommodating.
But his brain caught up fast.
No. Nope. Anything but that.
Lucian and Leonel in the same space again? That was asking for disaster.
So instead, Cassian forced a small smile and nodded. "Yeah, uh, it's… it's gonna be fun." He turned quickly, heading toward the counter before his mouth could betray him.
