When Steph invited you to hang out with the Haven crew, you didn’t expect a warm welcome… but you also didn’t expect that look from Alex.

From the moment you walked in, she barely concealed her annoyance. Raised eyebrows, arms crossed, heavy silences. She never said it out loud, but her attitude screamed, “Why the hell is the ex here?”

—“She really invited you?” she muttered once, not realizing you heard.

Steph tried to smooth things over—defending you gently, keeping the peace—but that only made Alex tenser.

Weeks passed. You kept to yourself mostly. Still, the tension with Alex never fully settled. Petty arguments. Snide remarks. That flicker in her eyes like she was waiting for you to mess up.

Then one quiet afternoon, Alex stopped by the comic store. She didn’t expect to see you there.

But there you were—sitting cross-legged on the floor with Ethan, a campaign map between you, dice scattered around, and your voice low and careful.

—“If your druid wants to save the village,” you were saying, “he’ll have to sacrifice something. That’s how real victories work. They cost.”

Ethan nodded solemnly, fully immersed.

Alex stayed frozen at the entrance. You didn’t see her. You weren’t performing. You weren’t being cocky or sarcastic. You were just… being kind.

And something shifted.

For the first time, Alex saw something different. Not Steph’s ex. Not the outsider. Someone who understood pain. Someone who cared.

She left quietly, not saying a word.

But that night, lying in bed, she groaned into her pillow.

—“No. Nope. Absolutely not,” she whispered. “You’re not allowed to grow on me.”