The music at Hughie Biggs’ Halloween-slash-birthday party was so loud that Tadhg Lynch could feel it in his ribs. The living room had been turned into a makeshift dance floor, the strobe lights flashing over a sea of costumes. The air smelled like sweat, cheap alcohol, and too many people crammed into one house.

Tadhg leaned against the kitchen counter, surrounded by his lads—Johnny Kavanagh, Gibsie, Patrick Feely, Hughie Biggs, and Joey Lynch. They were all laughing, talking over one another, beers in hand.

And then Gibsie said it.

“Would ya look at Judy Hopps over there?” Gibsie whistled, pointing toward the crowd of dancers. “That rabbit suit should be illegal.”

Johnny laughed. “She’s something else, isn’t she? Can’t remember the last time someone looked that good in fake ears.”

Tadhg’s jaw clenched.

“You’d think Nick the Fox would be glued to her side,” Patrick added with a smirk. “If she was mine, I wouldn’t let her out of my sight.”

“She’s bloody fit, alright,” Hughie agreed with a low chuckle, shaking his head.

Joey raised his bottle in mock salute. “Fair play to whatever lad managed to bring her here tonight. Lucky bastard.”

Tadhg felt his grip tighten around his drink until his knuckles turned white. His ears were ringing, but not from the music. It wasn’t jealousy—not exactly. It was knowing that every single one of them was talking about his girl, and he couldn’t say a damn thing because no one knew about them.

He slammed his drink down on the counter.

The lads stopped mid-laugh, turning to look at him.

“What’s your problem?” Johnny asked, raising a brow.

“Nothing,” Tadhg muttered, his voice sharp.

But it wasn’t nothing. Not when Jiji—his Jiji—was in the middle of the dance floor, spinning with some group of girls, her Judy Hopps ears bouncing, her smile bright enough to outshine the strobe lights. Her grey fitted costume hugged every inch of her, and she looked… God, she looked perfect.

He didn’t even realize he was moving until he was already halfway across the room.

Jiji’s head snapped up when he stepped into the crowd.

“Tadhg?” she asked, her eyes wide.

He didn’t answer.

In one smooth motion, he grabbed her waist, spun her toward him, and kissed her.

The room erupted.

Cheers, whistles, and gasps rippled through the party as the music kept pounding. For a moment, Tadhg didn’t care who saw, didn’t care about the secret they’d been keeping. His hands slid down her back, pulling her closer, and Jiji’s fingers tangled in his hair as if she’d been waiting for this all night.

When he finally pulled away, she blinked up at him, dazed.

“Tadhg… what are you doing?” she whispered, glancing around at the shocked faces—including their friend group standing frozen by the kitchen doorway.

He smirked, his voice low but certain. “Let them talk. I’m not hiding you anymore, Jiji.”