The Card's Legacy

As they stepped outside, the laughter and chatter of the others filled the cool night air. Caroline paused, her shoulders relaxing just a fraction. Lucius handed her a drink and stayed beside her, leaning against the tree. She sighed, finally glancing his way. "Shouldn't you be back there, entertaining everyone with your... whatever it is you do?"

Lucius smirked. "Oh, you mean my charm? My wit? My undeniable good looks?" He waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, they can survive without me for five minutes. Figured I'd stay for a bit to stop you if you start brooding out here."

"I'm not brooding," Caroline shot back, though the irritation in her tone made Lucius raise an eyebrow.

"Uh-huh. And I'm a saint," he said, taking another sip of his drink.

She rolled her eyes but didn't respond, letting the quiet settle between them. For a moment, it was just the sound of the wind rustling through the trees and the occasional crackle of the fire. Lucius didn't push, which, surprisingly, made her feel less annoyed.

"You're good at getting under people's skin," she said finally, her voice softer now.

Lucius grinned. "It's a gift. But if it makes you feel better, I'm not just here to bug you. Thought you might want some company."

Caroline raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Why not?" he countered. "Besides, you looked like you needed someone to remind you how to have fun. And, lucky for you, I'm a certified expert in that department."

She shook her head, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. "You're impossible."

"And you're predictable," he shot back, his grin returning. "But hey, opposites attract, right?"

"Lucius," she warned, but there was no real heat in her voice.

He laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll behave. For now."

They lapsed into silence again, the sounds of the night filling the space between them. The distant laughter and crackling fire from the others felt like a world apart. Lucius leaned against the railing, stealing a glance at Caroline. She seemed lost in thought, her usual sharpness softened under the glow of the moonlight.

He tilted his head, considering whether to break the quiet, but something about the moment made him hold back. Then, with a mischievous grin tugging at the corner of his lips, he finally spoke. "You say you don't trust me, but you're still talking to me," he said with a wink. "So what does that say about you?"

"It says I have terrible judgment," Caroline muttered, though the edge in her voice was gone.

Lucius chuckled, leaning back against the railing. "Fair enough. But seriously, you've been wound up tighter than Alaric's hold over my neck. You're allowed to let go for a bit, you know. Hope's fine, and no one's going to blame you for taking five minutes to breathe."

Caroline hesitated, her fingers brushing the edge of the railing. She hated how reasonable he sounded, especially since she'd been telling herself the same thing for hours but couldn't quite believe it.

"Five minutes, huh?" she said, glancing at him.

"Start with five. See where it takes you," Lucius replied, his grin softer now, less teasing.

She sighed again but didn't argue. Instead, she reached for her drink, taking a small sip as her gaze returned to the trees. Lucius didn't say anything more, just stood there beside her, letting the quiet stretch out. It wasn't awkward or forced, just... easy.

"You're not as bad as I thought you'd be," Caroline admitted after a while, her voice almost too low to hear.

"Careful," Lucius said with a mock-serious expression. "Say something like that too loud, and people might think you actually like having me around."

She shook her head, hiding her smile behind her drink. "Don't push your luck."

Lucius laughed, the sound warm and unguarded. "Wouldn't dream of it."

The fire crackled in the distance, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Caroline let herself relax just a little. She sighed, finally glancing his way. "Shouldn't you be back there, entertaining everyone with your... whatever it is you do?"

Lucius smirked. "Oh, you mean my charm? My wit? My undeniable good looks?" He waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, they can survive without me for five minutes. Figured I'd come see what's got you brooding out here."

"I'm not brooding," Caroline shot back, though the irritation in her tone made Lucius raise an eyebrow.

"Uh-huh. And I'm a saint," he said, taking another sip of his drink.

She rolled her eyes but didn't respond, letting the quiet settle between them. For a moment, it was just the sound of the wind rustling through the trees and the occasional crackle of the fire. Lucius didn't push, which, surprisingly, made her feel less annoyed.

"You're good at getting under people's skin," she said finally, her voice softer now.

Lucius grinned. "It's a gift. But if it makes you feel better, I'm not just here to bug you. Thought you might want some company."

Caroline raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Why not?" he countered. "Besides, you looked like you needed someone to remind you how to have fun. And, lucky for you, I'm a certified expert in that department."

She shook her head, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. "You're impossible."

"Yeah, but you're still talking to me," he said with a wink. "So what does that say about you?"

"It says I have terrible judgment," Caroline muttered, though the edge in her voice was gone.

Lucius chuckled, leaning back against the railing. "Fair enough. But seriously, you've been wound up tighter than a watch spring. You're allowed to let go for a bit, you know. Hope's fine, and no one's going to blame you for taking five minutes to breathe."

Caroline hesitated, her fingers brushing the edge of the railing. She hated how reasonable he sounded, especially since she'd been telling herself the same thing for hours but couldn't quite believe it.

"Five minutes, huh?" she said, glancing at him.

"Start with five. See where it takes you," Lucius replied, his grin softer now, less teasing.

She sighed again but didn't argue. Instead, she reached for her drink, taking a small sip as her gaze returned to the trees. Lucius didn't say anything more, just stood there beside her, letting the quiet stretch out. It wasn't awkward or forced, just... easy.

"You're not as bad as I thought you'd be," Caroline admitted after a while, her voice almost too low to hear.

"Careful," Lucius said with a mock-serious expression. "Say something like that too loud, and people might think you actually like having me around."

She shook her head, hiding her smile behind her drink. "Don't push your luck."

Lucius laughed, the sound warm and unguarded. "Wouldn't dream of it."

The fire crackled in the distance, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Caroline let herself relax—just a little.