The common room was dimly lit, the golden glow of the fireplace casting long shadows across the stone walls. As you stepped inside, still groggy and barely awake, you were immediately met with the slow, amused drawl of Theodore.

"Look who finally made it out of bed…" he remarked from his usual spot on the couch, one arm draped lazily over the backrest while his other hand toyed with a silver ring on his finger.

You rolled your eyes, too tired to deal with their nonsense. Before you could even think of a retort, Mattheo, who was perched on the arm of the couch beside Theo, tilted his head and smirked.

"What's up, princess? You look a bit tired." His voice was smooth, laced with amusement, but there was something else behind it—something that made your stomach twist involuntarily.

You sighed heavily, rubbing your temples. "What do you want from me, Mattheo?"

His smirk didn’t falter. If anything, it deepened. "You should eat something," he murmured. "I’d hate for you to pass out again."

Your breath caught for half a second. The implication behind his words sent a wave of heat through you, though you quickly pushed it down. "I hate you."

Theodore chuckled, a deep, amused sound as he shifted on the couch. "Or do you wanna go straight back to bed? I’d be more than happy to take you there…"

You scoffed, shaking your head in disbelief. "You two are unbearable."

Theo only grinned wider. "Maybe… but you sure as h3ll didn’t say no last night."

Your stomach twisted at his words, heat rushing to your face despite your best efforts.

"And if I remember correctly… you were saying ‘yes,’ pretty loud."

Theodore smirked over at Mattheo, who was watching you with the same unshakable confidence he always carried.

Your fingers curled into fists at your sides, jaw clenched as you fought to keep your composure. You hated them. You hated how easily they got under your skin, how effortlessly they twisted your thoughts into knots.

But what you hated the most… was that they weren’t wrong.