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“Appa.”

No response.

“Appa.”

Still nothing.

“Appa!”

“Hmm?” Without taking his eyes off the television, he reached for the remote and finally paused the game. “Oh! Peanut!” He stood and wrapped her in a quick hug before noticing the towering figure behind her. “You must be Asterion.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, sir.” The minotaur inclined his head respectfully.

“The pleasure’s mine.” Jae offered his hand without hesitation. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Asterion shot Ria a questioning look.

“Only good things,” Jae continued, glancing toward the frozen screen where the point guard was still mid-dribble, “I’d love to sit down and get to know you…but this game isn’t going to rewatch itself.”

“I knew it,” she laughed.

“They finally won the championship.” Jae grinned unapologetically. “You don’t rush history.”

He looked back at Asterion. “We’ll talk later?”

“I’d like that.”

“Excellent.” With another nod, Jae reclaimed his seat, unpaused the game, and was immediately lost once more in the final quarter.

She smiled. “Some things never change.”

They left him to his beloved replay and returned to the front hallway, where their bags still rested by the door. As Asterion picked them up, Ria gestured toward the wall where photographs covered nearly every inch.

“There I am at five,” she said, pointing to a picture of herself covered in flour beside her mother. “That’s my middle school graduation…high school…”

He studied each one with interest. “You’ve always smiled the same way.”

“I have?” She blinked.

“Aye.” He pointed to a photo of a gangly teenager with braces. “Different haircut.”

“Thankfully,” she laughed.

“But the smile is the same.”

She hadn’t expected him to notice that, and the simple observation sent an unexpected warmth spreading through her chest. Smiling to herself, she led him upstairs to the guest room and pushed open the door. A neatly made bed occupied one side of the room, while a folded pullout couch rested beneath the window, the space tidy and inviting despite its simplicity.

“This is where you’ll be staying.”

He stepped inside, setting their bags on the floor. “And yours?”

“This way.”

She led him one door farther down the hall and paused in the doorway. The room had become more of a time capsule than a bedroom. The shelves still held novels she’d loved in high school, framed photographs with old friends, and souvenirs from family vacations. A faded corkboard hung above the desk, crowded with ticket stubs, postcards, and handwritten notes she couldn’t quite bring herself to throw away. To her, it looked unmistakably like the room of someone in her early twenties.

She glanced at Asterion, suddenly wondering what he saw. He wandered in without saying a word, his broad frame somehow making the room seem smaller. He picked up a framed photograph of Ria with her parents, then smiled at a row of well-worn fantasy novels before setting them back exactly where he’d found them. Finally, he turned to face her. There was something thoughtful in his expression, but it was the look in his eyes that caught her attention.

“Witch.” The word was soft, almost a murmur, but she knew immediately what he meant: come here.