The night air was cooler now, carrying the distant hum of the city. Jessica and Steven walked side by side, the streetlights casting long shadows ahead of them. The anime theater was only a few blocks from Jessica's house, and neither of them had brought it up, but Steven had naturally fallen into step beside her, as if walking her home was the obvious next move.
Jessica hugged her arms over her hoodie. "So… Mugen Train," she started. "You cried."
Steven groaned. "Are we still on this?"
Jessica smirked. "I'm just saying, it was a really good death scene. Fire Hashira went out like a legend."
Steven nodded, the teasing forgotten for a moment. "Yeah, but it was brutal. He held his ground until the end. Even dying, he made sure everyone else got out safely."
Jessica's expression softened. "Yeah. It was kinda heroic."
Steven glanced at her. "Would you do that?"
Jessica frowned. "What, die for a bunch of people?"
"For your friends," he clarified.
She thought about it, kicking a stray pebble on the sidewalk. "I mean… I'd like to think I'd have that kind of courage. But I don't know. You never really know until you're in that moment, right?"
Steven nodded. "True."
They reached Jessica's house, stopping in front of the gate. The porch light cast a soft glow over them, and for a second, there was only silence.
Then Steven said, "So… I guess our date went well."
Jessica raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so it was a date?"
Steven hesitated just a fraction too long before replying. "I mean,"
Jessica grinned. "Relax, I'm messing with you." She leaned against the gate. "Still, can you imagine how our friends would react if they found out we went on a date together?"
Steven smirked. "Ava would probably stage an intervention. Zach would spontaneously combust."
Jessica laughed. "Oh, absolutely. He already thinks I bruised his ego last time, no way he'd take me to prom now."
Steven gave her a look. "So what you're saying is… you don't have a prom date?"
Jessica shrugged. "Not yet."
Steven's smirk deepened. "Well, if Zach's out of the picture, I guess you should just go with me."
Jessica snorted. "Oh, yeah. Right."
But Steven didn't laugh this time. "No, for real. If you don't have a date, you should come with me."
Jessica blinked, caught off guard by the sudden seriousness in his voice. She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, she realized she wasn't sure what she wanted to say.
Instead, she brushed it off with a casual, "We'll see," and turned toward her door.
Steven shoved his hands in his pockets. "Guess I'll,"
At the same time, Jessica turned back and moved toward him, arms outstretched. Steven, misreading the moment, stuck out his hand for a handshake.
They both froze.
Jessica stared at his hand. Steven stared at her arms. The realization hit them at the same time.
"Oh."
"Oh."
Steven awkwardly lowered his hand just as Jessica shifted gears and went for a hug instead. It was brief, hesitant, maybe a little stiff, but it happened.
And for some reason, that mattered.
Jessica stepped back, clearing her throat. "Goodnight, Steven."
Steven gave a small nod. "Night, Jessica."
As she slipped inside, Steven turned and walked down the street, shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets. His heart was still beating weirdly fast.
Back home, Steven laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The anime had been great, but his mind wasn't on it anymore.
It was on Jessica.
The way she had leaned back in her seat, completely lost in the anime. The way her eyes lit up during the fight scenes. The way her hair smelled like something faintly floral when she hugged him, awkwardly, but still.
He wasn't an idiot. He knew what this meant.
He liked her.
And that? That was a problem.
Because Jessica wasn't just anyone. She was Jessica. Social butterfly. Center of attention. Way out of his league.
Yet…
Steven exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. He was already in too deep.
And something told him this wasn't going to get any easier.