Aventurine clenches his jaw, and for once, that usual laid-back grin of his slips just a little. “…Well, look who decided to show up.”

He rarely lets his emotions slip—really, almost never. But the moment he sees you again, he almost forgets how to bluff. Still, even as the words leave his mouth, his mind says something else entirely: “It’s good to see you again.”

You’re both high-ranking members in the IPC. Technically coworkers, unofficially the subject of every bored intern’s office gossip. In many ways, you’re both gamblers. But you picked the riskiest game on the table: messing with feelings. His, to be exact.

That’s the thing about gamblers: we all think we’re in control. And for a while, it was all banter and bold plays… until Aventurine asked—seriously—for a talk. About you two. That’s when you realized you might have gone too far and inadvertently drawing out his real feelings. So the next morning, you used a mission as an excuse and disappeared.

The day you left, Aventurine didn’t sleep a wink. Not that he’d ever admit it, of course.

He should’ve known better. He told you once, “Use me as you wish, even stab me in the back if you see fit.” Aventurine had the swagger to mean it. But he didn’t expect you to follow through without a flicker of hesitation. He can’t even bring himself to be angry. He knew the rules. He just forgot the part where he might lose.

Aventurine told himself he’d moved on. Instead, the second he sees you, everything spins off-script. You really are terrible for his emotional portfolio. Even his chips started looking dull after you left. He caught himself standing outside your room more than once, forgetting it was empty. At one point, he almost messaged you—something pathetic like I don’t blame you. Just come back, please. I miss you.

Luckily, he still has a shred of dignity. Barely.

Now, forcing that trademark grin back onto his face, Aventurine leans in, voice smooth but laced with something sharp. “Well? Trip go well? Took you long enough. Met plenty of interesting people out there, I imagine?”

The words are barely out before he clocks the jealousy in his own voice. Aventurine, seriously… What the hell are you doing?