Now what?

Now what?
Archie POV

The house felt… too quiet.

And I didn’t like it.

Not when half of our people were out there doing God-knows-what, stalking suspects like we were suddenly part-time detectives.

I slumped deeper into the couch, one leg thrown over the armrest, absentmindedly stroking Zora’s kitten curled up beside me.

“You’re lucky you stayed back,” I muttered to the little thing. “Out there, it’s stress. In here? Peace. Food. Luxury.”

The kitten blinked at me like it didn’t care.

Rude.

I looked up just as Elsie walked back into the living room, a carton bag in hand, smelling like heaven itself.

My eyes followed the bag.

Then followed it some more.

“You aren’t gonna give me some of your orders?” I asked, already knowing the answer but trying my luck anyway.

Elsie paused mid-step, slowly turning to look at me.

“…Excuse me?”

I sat up a little, gesturing lazily.
“I mean, sharing is caring, right?”

She scoffed.
“Why didn’t you place your own order if you knew you wanted chicken?”

I blinked.
“Because I didn’t know you were ordering in the first place.”

“That sounds like a you problem,” she shot back immediately, walking over and dropping herself right onto Damon’s lap like she belonged there—which, annoyingly, she did.

She opened the carton slightly, the smell hitting the room again.

“Baby, you want some?” she asked sweetly, holding up a piece for Damon.

I let out a dramatic scoff.
“You’re actually crazy.”

Damon didn’t even look at me.
“You don’t talk to my woman like that, Archie.”

“Oh please,” I waved him off. “Your woman is stingy.”

Elsie gasped.
“I am not stingy!”

“You are!” I pointed at her. “Look at me—starving, neglected, abandoned—”

“You are none of those things,” she cut in.

Before I could fire back—

Sable walked in.

Calm. Unbothered. Holding another carton bag.

She walked straight up to me and handed it over.

“Here. Is that enough to stop the noise?”

I blinked.

Opened it.

Chicken drumsticks.

A lot of them.

My eyes lit up immediately.
“…Wow.”

I looked up at her like she had just saved my life.
“Thank you. I take back everything I said about this house being unfair.”

Sable only smiled faintly before reaching down and picking up the kitten from beside me.

“Come here,” she murmured softly. “I’ve got something better for you too.”

Traitor.

I watched her walk toward the dining area with my former emotional support animal.

“Even the cat left me,” I muttered, shaking my head before grabbing a drumstick.

First bite?

Heaven.

I leaned back into the couch, chewing peacefully now, mood instantly restored.

“See? This is what I’m talking about,” I said, pointing the chicken at Damon. “This is the life. No stress. No stalking. Just vibes.”

Damon chuckled lowly.
“You say that now.”

I shrugged.
“I will continue saying it.”

A beat passed.

Then the silence crept back in again.

I glanced toward the door.

“…You heard from Killian?”

Damon nodded.
“Yeah. About thirty minutes ago. They said they’d be home soon.”

I hummed, not fully convinced but choosing not to overthink it.

Still…

I checked my phone.

Nothing.

I clicked my tongue lightly, pushing the thought away and going back to my food.

A few minutes later—

The front door burst open.

“WE’RE BACK!”

Zora’s voice filled the house before she even fully stepped in.

I turned my head immediately.

And there they were.

Dove right behind her, looking way too calm for someone who had definitely caused chaos outside.

Elsie shot up from Damon’s lap instantly.
“Oh my God—you guys are back! How was it? Where are the others??”

Zora didn’t even answer.

She walked straight past her—

Reached into Elsie’s carton—

And grabbed a drumstick.

Just like that.

Casually.

Elsie froze.

Her jaw literally dropped.

“…Zora.”

Zora took a bite.
“Hmm?”

“That’s… my food.”

Zora shrugged, chewing.
“Our food.”

I burst out laughing so hard I almost choked.

“YES!” I pointed at Zora. “That’s exactly what I said earlier—sharing is caring!”

Elsie looked betrayed.
“You—both of you—are unbelievable.”

Dove laughed, shaking her head.
“You should’ve ordered extra.”

Zora was already walking off, unbothered, licking her fingers.

Then—

“Meow.”

Her head snapped toward the sound instantly.

“Oh my baby!”

Just like that, she abandoned the chicken situation and headed straight for the dining.

I followed her with my eyes as she scooped up her cat from Sable’s arms.

“Did you miss me?” she cooed, pressing her face into its fur.

The cat meowed again like it had been waiting all day.

Sable smiled softly.
“How was it?”

Zora sighed dramatically.
“Stressful. Chaotic. I almost died. I had to fake it, that I'm some fan of Fiona.”

Dove leaned against the counter.
“She’s exaggerating.”

“I am not,” Zora snapped, then immediately softened, going back to baby-talking her cat.

“Did Auntie Sable take care of you? Yes she did…”

I shook my head.

“This house is ridiculous.”

Then—

The door opened again.

Killian and Jason walked in.

Right behind them—Hera.

Then Astrid.

One by one, they all filtered in, the house slowly filling with noise again.

Relief settled in my chest.

Everyone was back.

Good.

I stood up slightly, scanning the room.

Wait.

“…Hold on.”

Something felt off.

I looked around again.

Counted mentally.

Then frowned.

“Where’s Odin?”

Silence.

Everyone paused.

Looked around.

“…He’s not with you guys?” I asked, a bit sharper this time.

Killian frowned slightly.
“He was with Riven—”

Before he could finish—

The door opened again.

Laughter echoed in.

Odin walked in.

Riven beside him.

Both of them mid-conversation.

“I’m telling you, the guy was scratching his head like he forgot his own name—”

“And the way you almost waved at him like you knew him—”

They both stopped when they noticed the room staring at them.

A beat.

Then everyone exhaled.

“Oh thank God,” I muttered under my breath.

Astrid shook her head lightly.
“Glad you’re back. Archie was already worried.”

I didn’t even deny it.

I walked straight to Odin.

No hesitation.

Wrapped my arms around him.

“I missed you.”

He blinked, clearly caught off guard.

“…You didn’t want to come with us,” he pointed out.

I sighed dramatically against him.
“That doesn’t mean I didn’t miss you.”

A small smile tugged at his lips.

Soft.

Fond.

He reached up, tapping my forehead lightly before pressing a gentle kiss there.

“Drama king.”

I huffed.
“Say that again and I’m not hugging you next time.”

He chuckled lowly.

“Yeah, sure.”

And just like that—

Everything felt right again.