The booth was already closed off when Nate stepped in, the partition pulled halfway before he pushed it the rest of the way shut with the back of his hand. Sound from the bar dropped immediately, low and indistinct, like it belonged to another room entirely.
He didn't sit right away.
He reached for the bottle first, uncapping it with a practiced twist before setting it down in the center of the table. Glasses were already there. He didn't bother arranging them. He just filled two, then a third, the liquid settling unevenly as he moved.
Gilbert arrived next.
He paused just inside the booth, eyes adjusting to the lower light before he stepped in fully. His gaze moved once across the table, noting who was already there. He took a seat without greeting.
Julian sat across from him.
He hadn't moved.
His glass was already in front of him, untouched, condensation gathering along the side. His hand rested near it, not gripping, not reaching. Just there.
