I appreciated his confidence, but my stomach still fluttered with nerves. Meeting Christian's friends felt like a big step, a glimpse into a part of his life that I hadn't yet been privy to. I knew how close he was with his crew, the people he worked with and trusted, so I wanted to make a good impression.

“Hey, guys!” Christian called out, catching their attention. “I want you to meet someone.”

All eyes turned to us as we reached the table. Christian gently nudged me forward, his hand resting reassuringly on the small of my back.

“This is Y/N,” he said, his voice full of pride. “My girlfriend.”

The group greeted me with warm smiles and enthusiastic hellos, and I couldn’t help but relax a little. They seemed friendly, welcoming even. Christian introduced each of them one by one—there was Live, Cream, and several others.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you,” Live said, extending his hand with a grin. “We’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Yeah, Christian doesn’t shut up about you,” Cream added, teasingly nudging Christian, who just rolled his eyes with a grin.

I laughed, feeling my nerves start to melt away. “All positive things, I hope?”

“Of course!” Live said, patting the seat next to him. “Come, sit down. We’ve got plenty of room.”

Christian and I slid into the booth, and the conversation quickly resumed. I listened intently as they joked and shared stories, their camaraderie evident in every word. It was easy to see why Christian cherished these people—they were like a family, a close-knit group that had each other’s backs no matter what.

As the night wore on, I found myself slowly being pulled into their world. They were funny, down-to-earth, and full of energy. They asked me questions about myself, genuinely fascinating in getting to know me, and shared stories about their adventures with Christian.

Christian whispered in my ear at one point, his arm wrapped casually around my waist.

I smiled up at him, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. “I can see why you care about them so much.” I whispered.

“They already like you,” he said softly, his eyes shining with affection. “But then again, who wouldn’t?”

Before long, I was laughing along with the group, feeling more at ease than I ever expected. We talked about everything from music to travel, and I even got to hear a few embarrassing stories about Christian’s past that had me in stitches.

Eventually, the night began to wind down. The bar had emptied out a bit, and the energy had shifted to a more relaxed, mellow vibe. Christian’s friends started making their goodbyes, one by one, each of them giving me a warm farewell.

“It was great meeting you, Y/N,” Cream said as he gave me a quick hug. “You’re welcome to hang with us anytime.”

“Thanks,” I replied, feeling genuinely touched. “I’d love that.”

Once everyone had left, Christian and I were the only ones left at the table. He glanced at me, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

“See? I told you it’d be fine,” he said, leaning in to kiss my temple.

I smiled, leaning into his touch. “You were right. They’re amazing, Christian. I really enjoyed tonight.”

He pulled me into a hug, his arms wrapped tightly around me. “I’m glad you did. It means a lot to me that you got along with them.”

I hugged him back, feeling a sense of contentment settle over me. Meeting his friends had been nerve-wracking, but now that it was over, I realized it was a huge step in our relationship—a step that brought us even closer.