Dante didn't move right away.
He stood there, shoulders steady, breath even, like nothing had happened.
Like he hadn't just been pulled into something that shouldn't exist and forced his way back out.
"I'm fine."
The words still hung in the air.
Too clean.
Too controlled.
The girl didn't buy it.
Victor definitely didn't.
And Camille
Camille went quiet.
Not because she believed him.
Because she was checking.
Watching.
Listening to something deeper than his voice.
"…Dante," she said slowly.
His gaze flicked toward the console.
"What?"
A pause.
Longer than it should've been.
Then
"Say something else."
The girl frowned. "That's random."
"It's not," Camille said.
Dante's expression didn't change.
"What do you want me to say?"
Another pause.
Camille hesitated.
And that hesitation
It wasn't doubt.
It was concern.
"Anything," she said finally.
Dante exhaled softly.
"This is getting unnecessary."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
There.
A shift.
Small.
But real.
