where : sea foam bar , aurora bay when : a busy night featuring : ziggy keon ( @ziggykyeons )
the last person he expects to see at seafoam tonight is ziggy keon — still too fucking beautiful , still too electric . the kind of presence that makes the air shift when he walks in , and yeah , it ’ s doing a number on xaden right now . the bottle in his hand wobbles on the edge of the counter , and for a split second , he almost lets it go , lets it crash , lets something break for real this time . instead , his hand darts out , steadying it with a flick of his wrist . practiced . seamless .
his grip settles , but his pulse doesn ’ t .
ziggy hasn ’ t seen him yet , but xaden ’ s already leaning into his best armor : cool , smooth , unbothered . it ’ s all surface-level charm and easy grins , like nothing ever happened . like things weren ' t yelled , and tears weren ' t shed , and doors weren ' t slammed . like he hadn ’ t ghosted ziggy after the kind of fight you don ’ t just walk away from .
when ziggy finally looks his way , xaden ’ s ready .
he leans against the bar , casual as anything , his grin as sharp as a flicked blade. “ well if it isn ' t ziggy keon --- it’s been a while , ” he says , voice pitched low , the words soft enough to feel deliberate . his green eyes rake over ziggy with a kind of calculated carelessness . “ didn ’ t think this place was still your scene . . . or did you come here hoping to see me ? ”
his smile stays loose , easy , like he isn ’ t already bracing for the heat of ziggy ’ s response . the silence hangs there for a beat : taut and electric , before xaden cuts it himself , like he ’ s the one in control .
“ so , ” he adds, leaning closer, just enough to close the space between them, enough for the faint scent of whiskey to mingle in the air. “ what ’ s the occasion ? nostalgia ? or just thirsty ? ”