CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 61: THANK YOU FOR EMBARRASSING ME.

After the meal. They left the restaurant and they’re now outside and beside their cars.

It was Felicia who first clapped her hands. "We should go somewhere else. It’s still early. Something fun."

Levi leaned back against Leo’s car, tossing his keys in the air. "Fun, huh? Define fun."

"Something that doesn’t involve sitting and talking," Felicia replied, rolling her eyes.

Leo grinned. "Then I vote amusement park. I want to see Armand’s face on a ferris wheel."

Armand gave him a flat look. "You’ll never see it."

Felicia laughed and turned to Athena. "What do you think?"

Athena just smiled, her eyes glinting under the streetlight. "I think watching you three argue is the fun part."

That earned a round of groans and laughter, but in the end, the decision was made. Amusement park.

They split up soon after, the golden sky air colder now, brushing against their skin like whispers.

Armand didn’t say much when Felicia hopped into his car uninvited, she simply flashed him a daring smile, and he sighed, starting the engine. Alaric mounted his motorcycle, the hum of it sharp against the quiet.

Levi and Leo took Leo’s car, music already thumping as they pulled out first, arguing about who would drive back later.

That left Athena standing by the curb with Oliver.

He leaned against his white car, the cold wind catching his hair as he looked at her. "Guess it’s you and me again."

"Looks that way," she said softly.

He opened the door for her with that lazy charm that always came too easily to him. "Good. I don’t share well anyway."

She didn’t answer, but the way her lips twitched gave her away. She slid in, and the door clicked shut.

The ride was quiet at first, the kind of silence that wasn’t awkward, just heavy with things neither of them said. The streets now glowed with neon reflections from passing signs, and the city seemed to breathe slower at night.

Cold air drifted through the half-open window, brushing Athena’s hair across her face. Oliver glanced over and reached to tuck a loose strand behind her ear, his fingers grazing her skin lightly.

"Cold?" he asked, voice low.

"A little."

"Good thing I run hot." He said it like it was nothing, eyes still on the road, but the corner of his mouth tugged slightly, betraying the tease hidden beneath.

Athena stared at him, trying not to laugh. "That supposed to be about body temperature?"

He shrugged innocently. "What else would it be about?"

The smirk he wore made it clear he knew exactly what he was doing.

~~~

The amusement park was alive, lights blinking, machines humming, and laughter echoing everywhere.

Felicia’s voice rose above it all the second they stepped in.

"Okay, we need to hit the cotton candy first!" she declared like a general giving an order.

Leo raised a brow. "Didn’t you just say that ten minutes ago?"

"I meant it the first time, and I mean it now," she said with a grin, already dragging Athena toward the stall. "Come on, baby girl, let’s ruin our dinner properly."

Athena laughed helplessly as she was pulled away. "Felicia!"

Oliver shoved his hands in his pockets, watching them go with a small smile. "She’s going to bounce off walls all night," he said.

Levi chuckled. "You sound like you’re not ready for that chaos."

"Oh, I am," Oliver said, smirking. "I just pity whoever’s standing near her when the sugar hits."

Meanwhile, Armand and Alaric walked behind them, looking like they regretted every life decision that led them there.

Armand sighed. "Why do I feel like we just adopted five toddlers?"

Alaric didn’t even blink. "Because we did."

Well no one forced you.

Leo clapped his hands together. "Okay, but after cotton candy, we’re doing the shooting booth. I’m going to win something awesome, maybe a bear. A big one."

Levi grinned. "For who? Yourself?"

"Self-love, my friend," Leo said proudly. "It’s 2025."

That earned a loud laugh from Felicia, who turned around mid-bite of pink cotton candy. "He’s lying. He wants to win something to show off in front of Athena."

Leo gasped dramatically. "Felicia! Don’t expose me in front of her man!"

Oliver raised a brow, smiling in a quiet, warning manner that made Leo instantly take a step back.

"Just kidding," Leo said quickly, hands up in surrender. "Totally kidding."

Athena laughed so hard she almost dropped her cotton candy. "You guys are insane."

"Insanely fun," Felicia corrected, twirling a strand of pink sugar. "Come on, let’s play."

They made their way to the shooting booth. The air buzzed with the sound of clinking pellets and prizes rattling on strings. Leo picked up a toy gun, narrowed his eyes, and missed his first shot so badly that even the booth guy looked offended.

Felicia howled with laughter. "Oh my God, Leo! My grandma could do better blindfolded."

"Excuse me, that was a warm-up shot!" he protested.

Levi hit the target on his second try, earning a small stuffed bunny, which he proudly threw at Felicia. "For the loudest mouth in the park."

She snatched it midair. "I’ll take it!"

Armand tried once, hit the bullseye without even flinching, and handed the gun back wordlessly.

Leo blinked. "Okay, show-off. We get it. You’re cool."

Armand smirked. "You just suck."

Felicia was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. "You guys are ridiculous."

Oliver, who’d been standing next to Athena the whole time, leaned closer and whispered, "Want me to win you something?"

She smiled shyly. "You don’t have to."

"I know," he said softly, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "But I want to."

The group fell into mock gagging sounds immediately.

"Oh, get a room!" Leo yelled dramatically.

Felicia squealed, "No! This is the room!" and burst into laughter again.

Athena’s face turned crimson. "You guys are unbelievable."

Oliver chuckled and just wrapped an arm around her waist, whispering against her ear, "Let them talk."

Her heart raced so fast she forgot to breathe for a second.

Oliver finally took the gun from Armand, who handed it over like he was surrendering a crown.

"Show us how it’s done, old man," Leo teased.

Oliver just smiled faintly, adjusted his sleeves, and without a word, aimed.

Pop.

Pop.

Pop.

Three clean hits, straight through the center of the targets.

The man at the booth blinked. "Sir, that’s... impressive."

Oliver lowered the toy gun like he’d just returned from a war he already knew he’d win.

"I’ll take that big one," he said, pointing at the oversized brown teddy bear hanging at the very top.

Athena’s jaw dropped. "Oliver..."

But it was too late. The vendor handed over the massive bear, and Oliver turned toward her with that slow, teasing smile that could melt her into the ground.

"For you," he said softly, placing it in her arms.

The bear was so big it nearly swallowed her whole. "It’s... huge," she muttered shyly, trying not to meet his eyes.

"That’s the point," he said with a smirk, leaning closer. "So no one else gets to hold you."

Her eyes widened, and her face flushed crimson in an instant. "O–Oliver!" she stammered, gripping the teddy tighter as if to hide her face behind it.

He chuckled lowly, brushing his thumb along her jaw for a split second. "You’re cute when you get all flustered, you know that?"

She hid half her face behind the bear. "Stop saying stuff like that..."

"I can’t," he murmured, just loud enough for her to hear. "It’s true."

Alaric, standing a few feet away, muttered something under his breath, something low and sharp, almost a growl.

Armand’s sharp hearing caught it. He turned slightly, smirk tugging at his lips. "Careful," he said quietly, just for Alaric. "You’re glaring a little too hard."

Alaric didn’t respond. His eyes stayed fixed on Athena, jaw tight.

Meanwhile, Felicia clasped her hands together dramatically. "Oh my God! I’m jealous! I want a man who wins me a bear the size of a fridge!"

Levi snorted. "The only bear you’d get is Leo in a costume."

"Hey!" Leo shot back immediately, feigning offense. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

Levi grinned. "Means you’re better at talking than aiming, Romeo."

He smacked the back of Leo’s head lightly, and Leo groaned. "Bro, what’s with you and physical assault?"

Felicia was already laughing so hard she could barely breathe. "You guys are chaos."

Oliver just smiled faintly, wrapping an arm around Athena’s shoulder. "Let them be," he said softly. "They make good noise."

Athena looked up at him, still shy, still pink, and somehow, she smiled wider than before.

The bear pressed between them, her voice came out soft. "Thank you, Oliver."

"For what?" he asked.

"For embarrassing me," she said quietly, but there was laughter in her eyes.

He leaned close, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Anytime, doll."

The group broke into laughter again as Leo grabbed Levi in a mock chokehold and Felicia tried to stop them while laughing even harder.

The lights flickered above them, painting everything gold and wild, and for a moment, it was just laughter, teasing, and unfiltered warmth.