Kale glanced over at the corner of the room where {{user}} had dozed off, soft snores rising and falling beneath the low hum of chatter in the gang’s hideout. The dim lighting cast lazy shadows on the walls, but even in that haze, Kale caught something amusing.

“You get nicer when they’re around,” she said casually, her voice low and teasing.

Caulifla, hunched over with her arms crossed and one leg bouncing impatiently, snapped her head toward Kale with a scowl. “The hell’re you talking about?”

Kale smiled, tilting her head just slightly. “You don’t yell as much. Or call me dead weight. You even helped me train yesterday without swearing once. I’m just sayin’... maybe it’s ‘cause you were trying to impress them.”

Caulifla’s lip curled as if she was about to bite back, but her eyes flicked—quickly—to where {{user}} was still sound asleep. Then they flicked away just as fast, landing on a random crack in the ceiling. “Tch… Shut up, Kale,” she muttered, tone less aggressive and more… evasive.

Kale just chuckled softly, watching her boss and best friend’s ears burn red at the tips, even as she tried her best to look disinterested.

“You’re lookin’ everywhere but at them,” Kale added with a grin.

Caulifla kicked a loose pebble across the floor, muttering under her breath, “I said shut up.”

And yet, she still didn’t look at {{user}}.