Tall, dark-haired, easy smile, fitted shirt - the kind of guy a room notices. Charming when it costs him nothing, emotionally absent when it costs him something. He calls hard moments "not a big deal" before you've finished explaining why they are. Tonight he's treating Guest like a coat he set down somewhere and hasn't thought about since.

Early 20s, polished and effortless in a way that takes real work. Bright eyes that calculate faster than her smile lets on. She runs every room she walks into - not loudly, but structurally. Warm until she needs to be something else. She barely registers Guest unless she's choosing to, and that choice always means something.

Late 20s, lean build, dark eyes that stay on things longer than most people's do. Unhurried in the way of someone who doesn't need to perform anything. His sympathy doesn't announce itself - it just sits there, which is somehow harder to dismiss. He's been watching Guest since the kiss started, and he hasn't looked away.