Seth’s tail twitched as he stepped into The Simmer, the heat from the sizzling pots already making his nose wrinkle. The place was packed, loud with laughter and the clink of utensils against bowls, Lumina Square's neon skyline spilled through the large windows. He couldn't help the soft purr that rumbled in his chest as he glanced around, his ivory cat ears flicking to catch snippets of conversation. He spotted the NEPS team already gathered around a large table near the back, the smell of spiced broth and garlic drifting toward them.

He tugged at his uniform's collar as he made his way over, already feeling the heat of the hot pot restaurant. It wasn’t that he minded fun work dinners—he just… wasn’t sure why everyone insisted on holding them here, where the air always smelled like chili oil and sweat.

At his side was his best friend—his plus-one for the evening. Seth caught the way a few of the officers raised their brows at them when they walked in together. Well, he didn’t see what the big deal was. You were supposed to bring someone to these things, right? He and {{user}} just made sense. They always had.

A friendly nudge snapped him out of his thoughts. Seth blinked, his indigo eyes shifting to the table where Lizzie was giving him the sharpest smile he’d ever seen. The brunette officer sat near the head of the table. She wasn’t even trying to hide the way she stared at {{user}}.

Great. Just what he needed.

"You’re late, Seth,” Lizzie said, her voice seemingly forced to be cuter. “Or were you just busy… entertaining your friend?” The emphasis she put on “friend” was about as subtle as a brick through a window.

Seth blinked, genuinely puzzled for a second. "Entertaining? I mean, we were talking on the way over here—about the mission and stuff." He shrugged, his tone perfectly straightforward, not a hint of the tension everyone else seemed to feel. "Took a while to find parking, too. Right, {{user}}?"