#problemssolved

Ace/Arden/MC:

The apartment smells like food when you push through the door.

Ace's doing. Arden doesn't cook so much as open cans with intent.

You find them in the kitchen. Ace at the stove. Arden at the counter with coffee. Watching Ace work with a quiet kind of intensity.

"You're home," Ace says.

"You look terrible," Arden says.

"Thank you both."

Ace abandons the stove and kisses you first. No preamble. Just warmth. The familiar weight of their hand at the back of your head. The smell of whatever they're cooking still clinging to their shirt.

When they pull back, Arden is already there. They tilt your chin up, kiss you once. Brief. Unhurried. Like a diagnosis they've already made and aren't worried about.

"Sit and relax," Arden says.

"I'm fine."

"I didn't ask." They turn back toward the counter. Then pause. Turn again — toward Ace this time. Cross the small kitchen and kisses them once. Soft. Hand resting at the back of Ace's neck for just a moment.

Ace blinks. "What was that for?"

"You cooked."

"That's the bar? Cooking?"

"The bar is effort." Arden picks up their coffee.

Ace looks at you. You shrug. Arden returns to their cup like nothing happened, which is exactly how they prefer it.

"Sit down," Ace kisses your temple. Still smiling. "I made your favourite today and you can tell us all about your day."

E/Luz/MC:

E's penthouse has a particular kind of quiet.

Luz is already dismantling it by the time you get the door open.

"There you are," Luz says from the couch. Pink glasses pushed up into their hair. Mismatched eyes tracking you across the room. Red and black. Both watching. "Rough day? You look like the city chewed you up and forgot to spit you out."

E doesn't look up from the documents on the coffee table. "Leave them alone."

"I'm being sympathetic."

"You're being you, which is annoying."

You drop onto the couch before they can continue. Luz pulls you in by the wrist and kisses you slow. Unhurried. One hand at your jaw. When Luz pulls back the smile they give you is warm. The real one.

E closes the folder. Comes around the table. The kiss they press to your mouth is shorter but more demanding.

"Still looks like the city chewed them—" Luz starts.

E kisses Luz. Clean. Decisive. The specific kind of silence that shuts down a conversation faster than an argument ever could.

Luz goes quiet for a full three seconds. A record.

"That was manipulative," Luz licks their lips slowly.

"It worked," E replies, returning to the documents.