His answer is a smirk.
"Fine." I tip my glass toward him. "Never have I ever... been argued into doing inventory against my will."
His mouth twitches. We hold eye contact.
After a second, I can't help the smug little smile that creeps across my face as he drinks. Ha. That's what you get.
Felix wipes imaginary sweat off his forehead. “Okay, okay, my turn before the unresolved tension kills us all,” he says. “Never have I ever… believed in love at first sight.”
He takes a tiny sip.
No one else moves.
“You’re all liars,” he complains.
I look down into my drink instead of his face. “What’s with the sudden mood whiplash?” I ask lightly.
He shrugs. “I’m merely trying to restore some harmony to the conversation.”
“Right,” I say. “Well, if you don't mind, I'll bring things back to basics. Never have I ever… eaten an entire pizza by myself.”
All four of us drink.
“What I’d give for a pizza right now,” Liam says, wistful.
“That would be the ultimate act of self-care,” I agree.
After that the questions get dumber. Never have I ever cried during a Disney movie (I drink, Felix drinks, Liam drinks; Silas does not, but he looks suspiciously misty when Felix mentions Mufasa). Never have I ever googled my own name (Felix drinks three times).
“Alright, don’t get mad but,” Felix says, swirling the liquor in his glass. “Never have I ever… taken scent blockers.”
The energy shifts and all three of them look at me.
I roll my eyes. “It’s not some dark secret, you know.”
I drink.
“Yes,” I add since everyone seems to be waiting for an answer. “I take DuoBlocks. Yes, it’s for work. No, it’s not a big deal.”
“I know it’s common,” Liam says, brow furrowing, “but isn’t that rough on you?”
"Maybe," I say. "But have you ever tried running a negotiation when an alpha's deliberately crowding your space? Last month opposing counsel spent an entire deposition standing too close to my table, but not quite enough to formally complain about. I wanted to stab him with my pen."
Felix makes a face. “Gross.”
“Exactly. So now I take the pills, and I smell like lukewarm tap water to everyone.” I shrug. “Neutral. Invisible. Very efficient.”
“That’s fucked up,” Silas says.
There’s real anger there. Enough that I blink.
“Excuse me?”
“You shouldn’t have to medicate yourself just to go to work without being harassed,” he says, jaw tight. “That’s not on you. That’s on them.”
Heat pricks the back of my neck at his sudden protectiveness. He notices my expression and looks away, clearing his throat. “I mean. It’s unprofessional. Of them. It’s weak.”
"Silas has feelings," Felix stage-whispers.
