Russian Roulette Pt. 3

Dinner had ended on full stomachs and even fuller plates.

Lana had tried to sneak away the moment Chloe mentioned the word "dishes," but Alice snagged her collar like it was second nature. Chloe was already gathering the leftovers with a cheery hum, while I started stacking the dirty plates at one end of the table.

"Alright," Alice said, tying a silky apron around her waist like it was a battle uniform. "Who's brave enough to help me with the dishes?"

"Not it," Lana quickly said, followed by Chloe saying the same thing.

That was when Alice turned to look at me. "Well, looks like you're stuck with me this time, darling."

"Oh wow. I'm so~ excited..."

"As you should be. Come along."

We made our way to the sink while Chloe and Lana started wiping down the table behind us, bickering over the best way to fold napkins. Alice rolled up her sleeves in a surprisingly efficient motion, grabbed the sponge, and handed me a towel.

"I wash, you dry."

"Sounds easy enough."

We fell into a rhythm—plates, then bowls, then silverware. The sound of running water, the occasional clatter, and the lingering scent of curry filled the kitchen space around us.

"Honestly, I don't even remember the last time I did the dishes," I scoffed.

"Pfft, seriously?"

"Yeah. I mean, instant ramen usually comes in a bowl. At least, the ones that I usually get."

"Well, you'll have to get used to washing dishes now."

"Huh? Why is that?"

"We're gonna be cooking pretty much every night. That, or we go out to eat."

"W-wait, what? But that means..."

"Exactly what you're thinking. As long as we're here, no more unhealthy meals for you."

I'm not too sure whether or not I should be glad. On one hand, I get to eat delicious food every day now. On the other... that cabinet over there, where stacks upon stacks of ramen are stashed.

No matter what, I can never reveal it to them.

When we finished the last fork, she handed it to me gently, then reached her arms in the air for a stretch.

"Phew. We did good tonight."

I chuckled, pouring some wine into a glass from a nearby bottle. Then, I handed it to her with a smile, catching her off guard.

"Ho~ Is this my reward?" she smirked.

"Hah. I guess you could see it like that."

"I suppose I can't refuse, now can I? Though, I would've preferred something much more... intimate."

My body froze. "L-like what...?"

"Like..."

Suddenly, a loud bang made both of us flinch.

“Chloe! Chloe, no—don't stack the lids like that! It'll fall over!”

“But I saw a video where they made a tower—wait, ah—!”

We turned just in time to see a stack of pot lids sliding off each other like a loose game of Jenga. They clattered onto the floor, each one louder than the last.

Chloe stared down at the mess, frozen mid-motion, holding the last lid in her hands as if she were trying to hide.

All the while, Lana was laughing way too hard. "Hey! Hey! Aikami! Did you see that?"

"...I did."

"S-sorry, Aikami... I was just trying to be efficient," Chloe mumbled, cheeks puffed in red.

"And in what way is that—wha... Lana... What the hell are you doing?"

By the time I came to realize it, she had already moved on to the silverware... only she was balancing spoons on her fingers like it was a circus act.

"Check it, Chloe. I'm the spoon wizard.”

"L-Lana! Don't juggle them! You're going to break something!"

"Relax! I have amazing reflexes. Watch this—"

Clink.

"…Oops."

I sighed, grabbing the dish towel and tossing it over my shoulder.

"Hey," I called out. "Can we please not turn my apartment into a demolition zone? Some of us live here, you know."

Chloe scrambled to start picking up the lids, shooting me a panicked look.

“S-sorry! I promise I'll fix it! I'll even polish them—!”

"Chloe, no one polishes pot lids," I said flatly.

Alice chuckled. "Let them be. It's your fate now."

"...Fate kind of sucks."

She shot me a glare. "Hey."

"Haha, I'm kidding."

But despite all the noise and borderline property damage, I found myself smiling. The chaos behind me, the calm beside me… it was all strangely comforting.

Eventually, the storm calmed.

The last pot lid clinked back into place—thankfully, not polished—and the dishes finally stopped piling up. With a clean sink, a wiped-down counter, and no further casualties reported, we all gave in to the comfortable fatigue that followed a good meal.

"Ugh... I can't move," Lana groaned, dramatically flopping onto the couch like she'd just survived a war.

"We didn't even make you do the hard part," I said, tossing a dish towel onto the kitchen counter.

"Exactly. I saved my strength for the most important part: digesting."

Chloe giggled as she curled up next to her, hugging a cushion to her chest.

Alice was the last to join us, casually carrying two wine glasses in one hand and the bottle in the other, already opened—of course.

"Well-earned rest calls for proper reward," she said smoothly, setting the glasses down on the coffee table with a soft clink.

I raised an eyebrow. "You planned that ahead, didn't you?"

"Naturally."

The lighting in the room was dim now, soft and warm. The window curtains were drawn, the streetlights casting a gentle orange hue through the gaps. The atmosphere had shifted. No more clattering or shouting—just the occasional whisper of cushions shifting.

I sat back next to Chloe, an arm draped lazily along the siderest.

This... isn't bad.

"We should do this more often," I muttered aloud without really meaning to.

Chloe nodded softly. "Yeah... I'd like that."

"Same," Lana added, though it came out muffled—she was upside down on the couch now, for some reason.

Alice reached for the bottle, swirling the wine inside with a glint in her eye. "Then let's make sure tonight ends right. Care for a glass, Aikami?"

She  poured without waiting for my answer, then handed it to me with that signature smile—confident, teasing, and refined.

I took it cautiously. "You're awfully generous tonight."

"Call it gratitude. Or maybe I just like seeing you relaxed."

I raised the glass and gave her a dry look. "Or maybe you just like wine."

She chuckled, eyes narrowing in amusement as she poured her own glass and took a seat on the armrest right next to me.

I glanced back, hoping to not get stuck in another live performance situation. Thankfully, Chloe and Lana were still lounging, caught up with a random video on social media.

"You anticipated this, didn't you?" I scoffed.

"Of course. I'd rather spend my time with you... unbothered. But..." She leaned in and whispered. "Rare are the moments that I get to have you all to myself."

I almost choked as I went in for a sip. Meanwhile, Alice was looking all too pleased with herself.

"Quit making jokes like that..." I mumbled.

"Fufu~ And whoever said it was a joke?"

Keeping her eyes on me, she drank the whole glass before letting out a satisfied sigh. Then, she refilled it halfway.

"So many things bore me. So many people too. Mortals and immortals, they're all so bland. But you..." Her gaze flicked to me. "You're interesting. Very much so."

U-um... Thanks, I guess?"

She smirked and leaned in just slightly. "I meant that in a good way. It's rare for me to enjoy someone's company without needing to pretend. So thank you, Aikami… for being genuinely fun to be around."

She said it with that same smooth grace of hers, but… something was off. The tilt of her smile was too soft. The flush on her cheeks was subtle—but noticeable. Her legs had shifted inward, her fingers tightening slightly around her wine glass.

I stared at her, eyes narrowing just a bit. "Wait a sec... Are you tipsy?"

She blinked. "What? No. I don't—"

Then her voice hitched just slightly, the tiniest wobble in her otherwise perfect composure.

"…Okay. Maybe just a little."

I grinned. "So that's how I beat you, huh? The thing you enjoy the most."

"You didn't 'beat' me. I merely—"

"—Lowered your defenses?"

She gave me a slow look. A long one. Her lips parted like she was about to come back with something sharp, but… she didn't.

Instead, she turned her head away, hiding half her face behind the wine glass as she took another sip.

"...You're more dangerous than I thought, Aikami."

Her voice was quiet this time. Almost a whisper.

Was that a joke?

I wasn't sure. But the way her shoulders sank just a little... the way she suddenly refused to look at me again…

Something about it made my chest feel tighter than it should've.