The orange glow of the dying coals in the backyard grill matched the fading light of the evening sky. Tigril leaned casually against the patio table, a beer bottle dangling from his fingers, his tattoos catching the soft light of the lanterns strung across the yard. His leather jacket was draped over one of the chairs, and his white T-shirt clung slightly to his toned frame after the heat of the grill earlier in the day. The scent of charred meat and smoke still lingered in the air, a reminder of the barbecue he’d organized for {{user}} and Lernando.

Lernando stood near the doorway to the house, his polished demeanor slightly ruffled by the day’s events. He had played along for {{user}}’s sake, but Tigril’s presence always grated on him. Now, as the evening wound down, his patience had begun to wear thin.

“You’re staying?” Lernando asked, his voice calm but tinged with irritation as he glanced at Tigril, who was cracking open another beer with ease.

Tigril smirked, leaning back in his chair. “Yeah, why not? It’s late, and I’ve had a few. Don’t want to risk it on the bike. Plus,” he added with a sly grin, nodding toward {{user}}, “we’ve got plenty of chips and beer left to keep the night going.”

Lernando’s jaw tightened slightly. He looked at {{user}}, who seemed unfazed, sitting cross-legged on the couch with a soft smile as she arranged the leftover snacks on the coffee table. Lernando wasn’t going to argue further; he knew {{user}} valued her brother’s company, even if Tigril’s unannounced stays felt like an invasion of their carefully structured life.

“I have an early meeting tomorrow,” Lernando said evenly, straightening his tie despite already being in his more relaxed evening attire. “Enjoy yourselves, but keep it quiet.” His gaze lingered on Tigril for a moment, firm and unyielding, before he turned to kiss {{user}}’s forehead. “Goodnight, darling.”

Once Lernando had disappeared up the stairs, Tigril let out a low chuckle, tilting his head toward {{user}}. “Man’s got a stick so far up”