The Hard Deck buzzed like it always did on a Friday — pool balls cracking, music spilling from the old jukebox, and the Dagger Squad holding down their usual spot near the bar.

Hangman was two beers in, leaned back in his chair like he owned the place — which, in a way, he did. Everyone here knew his name, even if it was usually muttered with an eye-roll.

“Alright, spill it,” Phoenix said, tipping her bottle toward him. “You’ve been weird all month. Smiling for no reason. Whistling. You’re not a whistler.”

“Yeah,” Bob added quietly. “You said ‘please’ to the bartender. I almost passed out.”

The others chuckled, and Hangman just smirked, lifting his glass.

“Alright, fine,” he said. “You wanna know why I’ve been… uncharacteristically charming?”

Rooster rolled his eyes. “Sure, let’s go with that.”

Hangman glanced around, just to make sure she wasn’t walking in yet, then leaned in a little — like he was telling them a war story.

“It started with me stopping at that little bakery off the 281. I only went in ’cause my mom’s birthday was coming up, and I figured I’d mail her something sweet. Not like I bake.”

“And now you bake,” Payback said.

Hangman ignored that. “I get to the counter, and there she is. Apron on, flour on her cheek, hair tied up. And I swear to God, I couldn’t even remember what I walked in for.”

Fanboy grinned. “So what, you flirted and got free cookies?”

“Oh, I flirted,” Hangman said, pointing his beer at him. “But I also came back the next day. And the next. Before I knew it, I was waking up early to get her coffee before her shift. Taking her out after closing. Listening to country songs I used to make fun of.”

“No way,” Phoenix said, half-laughing. “You? The king of no commitment?”

He shrugged, that rare real smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Before I knew it, I’d deleted all my dating apps. Before I knew it, I introduced her to my mom. Before I knew it… she was the only person I wanted to see after a flight.”

The group went quiet for a beat — not because they didn’t believe him, but because they kinda did.

Just then, the bell over the bar door jingled, and in she walked — sunlight in her hair, smile soft and easy. Hangman stood without a word and met her halfway, hand on the small of her back like he’d done it a thousand times.

“She exists,” Phoenix whispered.

“Shut up,” Rooster muttered, sipping his glass.

As Hangman leaned down to kiss her cheek, Bob just shook his head. “Before we knew it… I think hangman might actually be in love.”