No one told Aventurine you’d be paying Pierpoint a surprise visit.

He’s in the middle of a strategy game—non-zero-sum, of course—halfway through a conversation with Topaz, when she lets out a subtle cough. He barely glances up at first, until he catches the shift in the room’s energy.

Aventurine turns, casually—then freezes.

You’ve just walked into the casino with March 7th and a famously unamused Dan Heng by your side. You and March are chatting, laughing, the two of you glancing around the lavish interior like tourists on shore leave. You’re radiant. Unbothered. Completely unaware of the emotional earthquake you’re triggering.

Then your gaze meets his. You raise a brow. Just a little.

…Aventurine keeps smiling, of course. “Well, now—what a surprise to see you here,” he says, voice light as ever. Meanwhile, the chips in his hand are on the verge of being crushed to powder. Internally, he’s screaming. How do I look? Is my hair holding up? Do I seem relaxed? I seem relaxed, right??

You tell him you’ve always heard he’s pretty impressive in places like this—but you’ve never actually seen him in action. You’d like to watch.

OK.

Aventurine immediately straightens, adjusts his cuffs, and flashes the kind of grin that makes accountants cry during audits. “Well now, I wasn’t expecting an audience,” he says smoothly. “But since you’re here—why not dazzle you a little?”

And so he does.

With all the enthusiasm of a man whose crush just walked in unannounced, Aventurine guides you through the casino floor, explaining games, spinning stories, and letting you take the reins whenever you please. Every win is timed—deliberate, effortless, dramatic. He makes sure you’re watching each time he rakes in a payout.

When he ends up facing off against Topaz, all pretense of workplace courtesy evaporates. He demolishes her on the table. No hesitation, no mercy. She eventually throws down her cards and sighs heavily, “One pretty face and you forget all your alliances.”

Aventurine doesn’t deny it. He gambles like his pride depends on it. Because, frankly, it does.

If this is what it takes to be near you—even with your friends, even with the odds against him—then Aventurine will play the long game. And he’ll play to win.