CHAPTER 61: CHAPTER 61: EASY, DOLL. YOU’LL CHOKE.

The restaurant was warm and bright, filled with quiet music and soft chatter from other customers. The smell of grilled meat and butter filled the air, and everyone was already laughing before they even sat down.

Oliver pulled Athena’s chair out for her like the gentleman he was, and of course, Felicia had to make it a big deal.

"Ugh, look at that," Felicia whispered loudly to Leo. "My future boyfriend better take notes."

Leo smirked. "Please, your future boyfriend is probably still stuck at the bus stop counting coins."

Felicia gasped dramatically and smacked his arm. "Rude!"

The table burst into laughter, even Levi who tried hard to stay composed nearly choked on his drink.

Oliver chuckled softly, glancing at Athena. "You have fun friends," he said.

Athena smiled shyly. "Yeah, fun and loud."

"Hey!" Leo gasped, pretending to be offended. "Loud is my love language."

Levi groaned, "Your love language is chaos."

"Chaos is love," Leo said with a wink, placing a hand on his chest like he was in some tragic romance drama.

Levi spoke. His voice calm. "Leo, please stop before I lose my appetite."

That made everyone burst into another round of laughter.

When the waiter came, Everyone placed their order and Leo ordered the most expensive drink on the menu without even blinking.

Felicia blinked at him, "You sure you can pay for that?"

Leo grinned. "I’ll use Levi’s card."

Levi turned so fast, his expression dead serious. "Try it, and I’ll end your bloodline."

That made Oliver laugh, a low, calm sound that drew everyone’s attention for a second.

Felicia leaned her chin on her hand and smiled. "So, Oliver, how did you and Athena meet? I need the full fairytale version, please."

Oliver’s gaze slid toward Athena, and for a second, everything else at the table faded.

Athena’s face turned pink immediately. She looked down at her fingers, tracing invisible patterns on the tablecloth like they suddenly became the most interesting thing in the world.

Alaric almost rolled his eyes as he muttered something under his breath and Armand almost laugh.

Oliver smiled a little, the corner of his mouth curving as he studied her. He knew that look, shy, nervous, completely unprepared for attention.

"Hmm," he said, leaning back in his seat, "it’s... complicated."

"Complicated?" Leo repeated, his brows rising. "Bro, what did you do? Accidentally fall in love with your cousin or something?"

Felicia gasped dramatically. "Leo!"

Levi nearly spat out his drink. "Dude, what the hell..."

Oliver laughed softly, shaking his head. "No, nothing like that." His voice dropped slightly, calm and warm. "Our dads were close. Family friends. I’ve known her since she was a kid."

Felicia’s eyes widened. "Oh my God, childhood friends to lovers? I knew it. My favorite trope!"

Athena groaned quietly and buried her face in her hands. "Please stop calling my life a trope."

Leo leaned forward, grinning. "So, you mean, you were like her childhood hero? The older guy she couldn’t resist?"

"Leo..." Athena warned.

Oliver chuckled, glancing at her again, his eyes softer now. "More like the annoying guy who wouldn’t stop visiting," he said. "She barely spoke to anyone back then. But somehow, she started talking to me."

That quiet hush hit the table, the kind that sneaks in between laughter when a story turns real for a second.

Oliver didn’t look away from Athena. His hand reached out without thinking, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "I guess we just... stayed close after that."

Athena’s breath caught. Her lashes fluttered, and she muttered, "You’re embarrassing me."

"Good," he said with a teasing smile, his fingers lingering by her cheek for a moment longer before pulling back.

Felicia slapped the table dramatically. "Oh, I can’t. That was so cute it gave me diabetes."

Leo laughed so hard he had to clutch his stomach. "Man, you’re smooth. You’ve been practicing that line, haven’t you?"

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "You think I need practice?"

"Touché," Leo said, holding up his drink in mock salute.

Levi smirked. "You’re dangerously good at this. I almost fell for you myself."

That made Athena choke on her drink. "Levi!"

Felicia fanned herself. "Honestly, I get it. Look at him, he’s like one of those book boyfriends that ruin real men for us."

Athena’s face turned crimson. She shoved Felicia lightly. "Can you not?"

But Oliver just laughed again. His hand dropped under the table, lightly resting on her thigh. Not possessive. Just warm. Just there.

Athena froze, her heart skipping several beats.

He leaned closer, close enough for her to hear the teasing drop in his tone. "You okay?"

She nodded stiffly. "I...I’m fine."

She wasn’t.

Leo noticed and grinned. "Oh no, she’s blushing again. Somebody get a fire extinguisher!"

"Leo, I swear I will stab you with a fork," Athena shot back, grabbing the silverware dramatically.

Levi burst out laughing. "You’d actually do it too."

"Yup," Oliver murmured, smiling faintly. "That’s my girl."

Felicia squealed and hit the table again. "Oh my GOD, he said that’s my girl! You two are literally killing me right now."

Athena covered her face, half laughing, half dying inside. "You people are impossible."

"Admit it," Leo said, grinning. "You like the attention."

"Do not," she muttered.

Oliver turned to her again, his tone low but playful. "You do."

Her eyes snapped to him, heat rising to her cheeks. "Stop it."

He smiled, brushing her hair aside again. "Can’t."

The rest of the table exploded in laughter and exaggerated groans.

"Ugh, stop being so perfect!" Felicia said, dramatically throwing her napkin at him.

Leo leaned back, shaking his head. "If this turns into a kissing scene, I’m walking out."

Armand finally spoke up, voice calm and dry. "Then stand by the door. It’s only a matter of time."

That sent everyone laughing again, including Oliver who hid his smile behind his glass while Athena glared at everyone in defeat.

The waiter finally came back, pushing a cart loaded with steaming plates. The smell hit the table first, rich, buttery, and mouth-watering.

Felicia gasped dramatically, practically bouncing in her seat. "Finally! I was about to eat the napkin!"

Leo clutched his stomach, groaning like he’d been starved for days. "Bro, I sword if my food didn’t come in the next five seconds, I’m chewing the tablecloth."

"Go ahead," Levi muttered, deadpan. "Maybe it’ll improve your personality."

"Rude," Leo said, pointing his fork at him, "but fair."

Everyone laughed as the waiter placed plates in front of them, pasta dishes, sizzling steak, seafood, and one particularly big bowl of carbonara that was set in front of Athena.

Oliver chuckled. "That’s yours, doll."

Athena blinked. "This? It’s huge."

"It’s perfect," he said easily, reaching over to stir the pasta with the fork and spoon like it was second nature. "You like creamy stuff, right?"

"Oliver!" she gasped, instantly turning red.

"What?" he said, his tone perfectly innocent but his eyes glinting with mischief.

The table went quiet for half a second before Leo practically howled.

"Oh my GOD, dude! You can’t just say stuff like that in public!"

Felicia choked on her drink, coughing and laughing at the same time. "I swear, you two need parental supervision!"

Athena covered her face. "That’s not what he meant!"

Oliver just smiled, twirling the fork slowly and offering her a bite like he didn’t just drop verbal chaos into the group. "Say ah."

"I can do it myself," she muttered, refusing to look at him.

"Sure you can," he said smoothly, leaning in closer. "But I like feeding you. So humor me, yeah?"

Her cheeks were crimson now, her fingers fidgeting on her lap. "Oliver, stop saying things like that..."

He grinned, voice dropping just enough for her to hear. "If I don’t say them to you, should I say them to someone else?"

Her head snapped up instantly. Her glare was fiery enough to kill him on the spot.

"Ohhh...someone’s jealous!" Leo sang, immediately catching it.

Felicia gasped. "Athena? Jealous? Nooo way!"

Levi smirked, clearly enjoying the show. "You should see her face right now."

"Shut up!" Athena groaned, wanting the ground to swallow her whole.

Even Armand was trying not to laugh, looking away like he was deeply interested in his steak but his shoulders were shaking.

"You guys are the worst," Athena muttered. "I swear, I’m going to..."

Before she could finish, Oliver chuckled softly and pulled her closer with one arm. "Easy, doll. You’ll choke."

That was it. She gave up. Completely.

She buried her face into his chest, hiding her red face from everyone as laughter filled the table again.

Felicia squealed, actually clapping her hands. "Oh my God, that’s so cute I can’t breathe!"

Leo was practically doubled over. "This is better than a movie! I’m third-wheeling but I don’t even care!"

Levi chuckled under his breath. "Poor girl’s about to melt."

Oliver brushed his fingers through Athena’s hair lightly, his voice low but warm. "Alright, enough of the teasing," he said, giving the group a playful warning look. "That’s my girl you’re laughing at."

"That’s my girl!" Felicia repeated in a singsong voice, smacking the table with joy. "I’m keeping that line in my heart forever!"

"Please don’t," Athena mumbled into Oliver’s chest, refusing to lift her head.