From Frost to Flame

Part 38- A Quiet Morning

After breakfast, Porsche and Kinn decided to take advantage of the slow pace of the weekend and spend some time together. Pete, on the other hand, felt like he'd overstayed his welcome. It had been a long night, and the thought of heading home seemed appealing. Quietly, he stood up and started walking toward the guest room to pack his things, but Porsche's voice stopped him mid-step.

"Pete?"

He turned, slightly surprised. "Hmm?"

"Where are you going?" Porsche asked, brows raised.

"I'm just going to pack up. I think it's time I head home. It's already morning, so I should be going," Pete replied, his tone casual, but distant.

Before he could take another step, Kinn's cheerful voice broke the silence. "Pete, it's the weekend. Don't rush off. Stay with us for a while."

Porsche joined in, a playful grin tugging at his lips. "Come on, don't be in such a rush. It's a lazy day, and you've got no plans, right? Stay with us a bit longer."

Pete hesitated for a moment, glancing at the door. He didn't have anywhere else to be, not really. And the sincerity in their voices made it harder to walk away. With a small sigh, he gave in.

"Okay, fine. Just for a little while."

Despite the warmth in their voices, Pete couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness pressing at the edges of his thoughts. Vegas was nowhere to be seen. He hadn't caught a glimpse of him since breakfast, and though their earlier interactions had been awkward and tense, Pete still wondered where he had gone. But he pushed the thought away. He wasn't going to let himself dwell on someone who clearly didn't want to be around him.

Outside, the weather had shifted. Through the wide window, Porsche noticed the sky darkening as grey clouds began to roll in. The wind picked up, stirring the trees gently. It was gloomy, but not unpleasant—just moody enough to make the outdoors feel refreshing.

"Kinn, look!" Porsche's eyes lit up. "The weather's perfect for a walk in the garden. Let's go! I need to stretch my legs."

Kinn looked up from his phone and smiled. "Yeah, I could use a walk too. Pete, come with us. It's a nice day."

Pete hesitated again but nodded. Saying no would feel too stiff, too closed off. "Sure."

As they were about to head outside, Porsche suddenly halted, spinning around with mischief sparkling in his eyes. "Wait! The weather's nice, but I think we need something to drink first."

Kinn gave him a skeptical look. "We just had lunch an hour ago."

"Ayeee, Kinn! It was an hour ago!" Porsche exclaimed dramatically. "I need something to wake me up."

Kinn smirked. "Do you really need that? I can do that work for you, baby."

Porsche rolled his eyes at the teasing, but a grin still tugged at the corner of his mouth. He turned to Pete with a dramatically pleading expression. "What about you? Want something to drink?"

Pete glanced between them and nodded quietly. "Sure, I guess. Coffee sounds good."

Without warning, Porsche grabbed Pete by the arm and began dragging him toward the kitchen with playful urgency, not giving either of them time to react.

"Where are you taking him?" Kinn called out, clearly amused.

"I need company! You can go on ahead!" Porsche almost shouted, laughing as he disappeared down the hallway with Pete in tow.

Pete gave Kinn a quick, unsure glance, but Kinn simply shrugged and smiled, used to Porsche's impulsive nature. "Alright, alright. I'll head to the garden then. Don't take too long."he said as he turned and headed toward the garden.