(Amaia)

Everyone excitedly shows me their purchases as we sit down in a small area where wooden chairs and tables have been installed.

Mintaka has bought a new guitar. He is already strumming on it, making pleasant music for us under the dark sky and lantern-lit place. His music is nothing less than magic. With how my eyes see him, surrounded by that golden halo and that oceanic scent always crowding my brain, it’s an absolute pleasure to watch my mate.

Kacir has bought clothes and a new chess set.

"I am going to teach you how to play chess. No one plays with me," he says sadly while showing me his chess set.

It has been carved from black and white marble. The pieces are deftly shaped, especially the black marble ones. I pick up the black rook and twist it in my hand.

"I can play with you," I tell him with a smile and he beams.

"I want to learn too, although it bores me to death," Rahria quickly says but her voice holds adoration for Kacir.

His gaze slips from me towards her, surprise and vulnerability flash in it. No matter how much he tries to hide it, he is so desperately in love with her.

"I will teach you and hopefully make it less boring."

"That will be awesome," she says, flashing him a reserved smile. I have seen her offer only to him.

The moment feels so personal that I look away and find Saiph leaning against the table behind us with his arms neatly folded over his chest. His head is turned as he watches for any potential threat. The orange glow of the lantern accentuates his angular jaw.

"I am back," Alnitak announces and my head turns to watch my mate. He rushes towards us, holding food for everyone with an ever-present grin on his face.

My heart warms whenever I see him and he never fails to fill me with his affection.

"Come come, you owe us all money for our purchases." Mintaka waves his guitar at him while Rahria shows him the large bag of makeup and other accessories she has bought.

"Yeah yeah!" He comes and flops himself beside me, placing the plate of shawarma and fries in front.

The tantalising smell fills my nostrils and my belly grumbles. He distributes them to everyone while Faeln places lemonade bottles in front of us.

"Perfect! I am starving after all that shopping." Rahria rubs her hands together and picks up a fry to toss it into her mouth.

Alnitak turns and extends one plate towards Saiph.

"No, I don’t eat while on duty," the muscular man firmly says.

"Come on, mama is not here. You can pull that stick out of your ass and relax for once," Mintaka snorts before stuffing his mouth with shawarma.

"Yeah! Even Faeln is eating. There is no danger here," Alnitak points with his head towards Faeln who is generously eating his fries.

"Danger is present all the time and with you idiots, I can’t relax," he says without even moving a muscle. His words appear so effortless and yet they are taunting.

Rahria spills out her drink while Kacir lets out a tiny snort, and even Faeln is biting his lower lip to not laugh aloud.

"Saiph being brutal as always," Rahria says. She wipes her mouth with a handkerchief, which Kacir has extended to her like the gentleman he is.

"Your humour is as dry as the Sahara Desert, maybe take some pointers from me." Alnitak places the plate back on the table seeing that Saiph has no intention of accepting it. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"I am good," he answers, his eyes waver to me for a split second before he looks away again.

He is not someone ordinary; they seem to have known each other for a long time.

I place the handkerchief that Saiph has given me in my lap and begin eating. Once we have eaten, I grab the bag containing the gifts I bought for my friends and open it.

Taking out the miniature metallic guitar, I extend it towards Mintaka.

"Here! I bought this for you." He straightens his relaxed posture and stares at the tiny guitar, painted red and black.

"Thanks Amaia, I like it." He accepts with his two fingers going to his forehead and extending them towards me like a salute.

I had been extremely apprehensive about buying that for him; I wasn’t sure how he would take it, but he is cool.

"I am glad to hear that."

Reaching in the bag again, I extract a pink plushy which looks like a she-wolf and extend it towards Rahria.

"For you."

Her hand holding a fry freezes as her eyes widen and she stares at me.

’I haven’t grown a horn, have I?’

"For me?" She asks, dumbfounded.

"Yes, I thought you would like it. Girls love plushies."

She quickly wipes her hands on the handkerchief and accepts it from me.

"You didn’t have to but I love it. Plushies are for life." She hugs it to her chest making the boys cackle at her action.

"She is a simp for pink and soft stuff," Kacir says, watching her and I give him a nod. A smile remains on my face and I know why Kacir keeps bringing pink stuff for me.

Rahria then places it in her bag and extracts a large makeup kit from it, the size of a dinner plate.

"I don’t like being in debt so here you go." She holds it out for me.

"Ooooooh!" Both twins go with their hands on their open mouths. Kacir affectionately watches her.

I don’t even use makeup, it’s a rarity I could never afford, nor did I have anyone to teach me.

"Thanks, Rahria, but I don’t think I will be able to do justice to it. I don’t know how to use makeup," I reluctantly tell her, and her smile turns to a scowl.

"What? You can’t be serious. Ho...?" Kacir reaches out and presses her hand and she halts, maybe remembering that I am an orphan and had no one to teach me.

Silence falls over but she speaks again. "I will teach you. I am an expert when it comes to makeup. Keep it."

"No one better to give make-up tips than Rahria." Alnitak squeezes my shoulder. I smile and accept the gift from her.

"Thank you. I appreciate."