Saturday mornings were supposed to be slow.
I woke up later than usual, sunlight spilling through my curtains, my phone buzzing almost immediately.
Clavin: Emergency meeting. Mall. One hour.
I frowned. Emergency?
Before I could reply, another message popped up.
Xavier: Clavin says we're going shopping. I think he's bored.
I smiled.
Hinata: He's always bored.
Fine. One hour.
An hour later, the three of us were walking through the mall, the place crowded with weekend noise and laughter. Clavin took the lead like a guide who had absolutely no plan.
"Okay," he announced, "new rule. We split up for thirty minutes and meet at the food court."
"Why?" I asked.
"So you don't judge my fashion choices."
"I absolutely will," I said.
He grinned. "Exactly." And then he disappeared into a store.
That left me alone with Xavier.
The silence wasn't awkward—but it was noticeable.
"So," I said, tucking my hands into my jacket pockets, "where to?"
He looked around, then pointed. "That way."
We walked into a clothing store, racks of outfits everywhere. I picked up a jacket and held it up.
"What do you think?"
Xavier tilted his head slightly. "It suits you."
I blinked. "That was fast."
He shrugged. "You suit most things."
My heart stuttered.
I laughed it off. "Wow. Bold opinion."
He didn't seem to realize what he'd said. He just kept walking, pulling a sweater off the rack and handing it to me.
"Try this."
"Since when are you a stylist?"
"Since now."
I took it into the fitting room and came out a minute later. Xavier looked up—and froze.
It was subtle. Just a pause. A quiet inhale.
"…Yeah," he said. "That one."
Something warm curled in my chest.
As we continued shopping, it kept happening.
"You smile more when you like something."
"That color matches your eyes."
"You should wear your hair like that more often."
Each comment landed softly—but together, they added up.
I stopped walking and turned to him. "Xavier."
He looked confused. "Yeah?"
"…Are you flirting with me?"
His eyes widened—just slightly.
"I—what?" He paused, replaying everything in his head. His ears turned red. "I wasn't trying to."
I laughed, genuinely this time. "You're really bad at realizing things."
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry."
"Don't be," I said. "It's… kind of cute."
He went very quiet after that.
When Clavin finally reappeared, arms full of shopping bags, he looked between us and smirked.
"What did I miss?"
"Nothing," Xavier said too quickly.
I smiled to myself.
Because somewhere between racks of clothes and accidental compliments, Xavier had started flirting—
And neither of us wanted him to stop.