Rea pressed her ear against the door, her heartbeat hammering in her ears. The muffled voices outside were just low enough that she couldn't make out the words, but the tension in Aster's stance—the way his whole body had gone rigid—told her everything she needed to know.
Whoever that man was, he wasn't a stranger.
And Aster did not want him here.
Rea clenched her fists, debating whether she should ignore Aster's order and step outside.
Then—
"Aster," the man's voice was clearer now, deep and steady, carrying an edge of something unreadable.
A pause.
Then Aster's voice, tight and cold. "What are you doing here?"
The man let out a sigh, almost like he was bored. "I could ask you the same thing."
Aster let out a humorless chuckle. "Didn't realize I needed your permission to exist."
Rea's stomach twisted.
Something about the way they spoke… it wasn't just tension. It was personal.
The man took a step closer. "You're still as reckless as ever. Running off, getting yourself involved in things you shouldn't—"
Aster cut him off. "Don't pretend you care."
Silence.
Then, the man said, "Your brother told me you left."
Rea's breath caught.
Jaxon.
Aster scoffed. "Yeah? And did he also tell you he was thrilled about it?"
The man didn't answer.
Aster huffed out a bitter laugh. "Thought so."
Another pause.
Then the man spoke again, voice lower this time. "Come home, Aster."
Rea's fingers tightened against the door.
She wished she could see Aster's face.
But his answer came swiftly, no hesitation.
"No."
The man sighed. "Aster—"
"I said no." His voice was sharp now, filled with something raw. "I don't have a home. Not the way you want me to."
Another long silence.
Then, the man muttered something too quiet for Rea to hear, and Aster's response was even sharper.
"Leave."
"Aster—"
"I said leave."
Rea's heart pounded.
She heard footsteps—slow and deliberate—moving away.
Then the sound of a car door shutting, an engine roaring to life.
And just like that, whoever he was—he was gone.
Rea hesitated for a moment before finally unlocking the door and stepping outside.
Aster was standing still, his hands clenched at his sides, his whole body tense.
Rea took a cautious step toward him.
"Aster…?"
He didn't look at her.
He just let out a slow breath, ran a hand through his hair, and muttered, "I need a drink."
Then, without another word, he walked past her, disappearing into the house.
Rea didn't move right away. She stood on the porch, watching the empty street where the man had been just moments ago. The weight of the encounter lingered in the air, thick and suffocating.
Aster's past was creeping in, slipping through the cracks of whatever fragile peace he had built here. And for the first time, Rea realized just how little she actually knew about it.
She exhaled slowly before stepping inside.
The house was eerily quiet.
She found Aster in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, gripping a glass of water like it was the only thing grounding him. His shoulders were tense, his head bowed slightly.
He didn't acknowledge her when she stepped closer.
Rea hesitated before finally saying, "Was that your dad?"
Aster let out a sharp exhale, almost a laugh. "Depends on your definition."
Rea frowned, crossing her arms. "Aster."
He finally looked at her, and something about his expression made her breath catch.
It wasn't anger. It wasn't even frustration.
It was something closer to exhaustion.
Something closer to defeat.
"Yeah," he said eventually, voice quieter. "That was him."
Rea studied him carefully. "Why was he here?"
Aster scoffed, setting his glass down with a soft clink. "To drag me back, probably."
Rea swallowed. "Back to what?"
Aster leaned against the counter, running a hand down his face. "A place that never really felt like home."
She took a small step closer. "You didn't want to go?"
Aster's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smirk. "Would I be here if I did?"
Rea didn't know what to say to that.
Silence settled between them.
Then, after a moment, Aster sighed. "Look, Jones… I know you want answers. But I don't think I can give them to you right now."
Rea bit her lip. She wanted to push. To understand.
But she also knew Aster.
And she knew that forcing him to talk wouldn't get her anywhere.
So, instead, she nodded.
"Okay."
Aster blinked. "Okay?"
Rea shrugged. "You don't have to tell me anything. But if you ever do want to… I'll listen."
Aster stared at her for a long moment.
Then he let out a breath and muttered, "You're weird, Jones."
Rea smirked. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
Aster huffed out something close to a laugh before shaking his head. "Come on," he said, pushing off the counter. "If we're gonna pretend that never happened, we might as well find a distraction."
Rea tilted her head. "Like what?"
Aster smirked. "Ever played poker?"
Rea rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."
But as she followed him into the living room, she couldn't help but notice—
For the first time since his father showed up, Aster's shoulders weren't quite as tense.