CHAPTER 260: MOVIE NIGHT

Leaning back on the wall of the dimly lit hallway just outside the living room, Elize exhaled softly with her back pressed against the cool surface as Brandon gently leaned into her.

The quiet sounds of laughter and clinking glass filtered up from downstairs, where Eira, Dhayun, Yverine and Ravene were arranging the snacks and setting up the projector for movie night.

A soft giggle escaped Elize’s lips as Brandon wrapped his arms around her waist and nestled against her like a boy seeking comfort.

She hugged him back warmly, her hand gently stroking through his hair "Kael..."

He smiled at the sound of his name on her lips and placed a sweet kiss on her cheek, murmuring, "Aunt Elize..."

She let out a sigh of affectionate exasperation, "The girls downstairs are preparing movie night and snacks and drinks... and here you are, having a little secret romance with me?"

"I know," Brandon whispered against her collarbone, not even pretending to be apologetic.

He tilted his head up to look at her, "But I wanted to be with you."

Elize’s heart gave a quiet flutter.

"...You always know how to make a woman feel wanted," she teased gently, her fingers brushing along his jaw.

She didn’t resist when he leaned forward again and lifted her chin with gentle fingers before their lips met in a soft, tender kiss.

Her arms circled around his shoulders as their lips brushed again and again softly.

"Mmm..." she whispered between breaths, resting her forehead against his.

Brandon smiled faintly, brushing a strand of blonde hair from her face. "I like being near you."

"You’re very good at being near," she murmured with a soft smile.

He chuckled lightly, kissing her nose "Well... we don’t get many moments like this."

"That’s because your harem’s expanding like wildfire," she quipped teasingly, tapping his chest with a finger.

Brandon groaned playfully "Please don’t call it that..."

Elize laughed and kissed his cheek again "I’m teasing, dear. I know your heart. I wouldn’t be here otherwise."

They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, listening to the faint sounds of Ravene calling from below:

"Brandon! Elize! Come down already! You better not be making out upstairs while we do everything!"

Brandon winced "She knows."

Elize raised an eyebrow in amusement "Of course she does. You’re not exactly subtle."

He chuckled and reluctantly began to pull away.

Elize straightened herself, giving him one last quick kiss before smoothing down her dress.

As they turned toward the stairs, Brandon slipped his hand into hers and laced their fingers together.

"You know," he said as they walked, "once the movie starts, come and sit next to me."

Elize gave him a sidelong glance, "You’ll have Eira on one side and Ravene on the other. And probably a fight over who gets to hold your arm."

"I have two arms," he shrugged innocently.

"Mm. And one heart," she whispered.

Brandon slowed for just a second, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Then it’s a good thing you already have a big part of it."

Elize smiled softly and her cheeks warmed a little at his words "You’re getting smoother by the day."

Hand in hand, they descended the stairs, stepping back into the warmth and light of the living room, where pillows were already scattered across the couches and the smell of popcorn and wine lingered in the air.

Eira turned from the couch, eyes narrowing slightly "Took your time."

Ravene, already sprawled on one end with a drink in hand, looked up at them.

Dhayun looked at their intertwined hands and didn’t think much about it since she knew they were close.

But Yverine had a different thought process ’Are they...’

However, she shook her head ’No, No, what am I thinking.. she is his Aunt.’

---

The TV screen flickered quietly at the front of the room and the speakers hummed with background dialogue from the movie.

Ravene was leisurely sprawled on one of the longer couches.

A bottle of chilled beer dangled from her hand, condensation dripping down to her wrist as she sipped it slowly, her eyes only occasionally flicking toward the movie.

Across the room, Brandon was sitting with his back slightly slouched against the couch’s armrest, one leg bent lazily at the knee, the other extended just enough to comfortably rest beside Eira, who was practically molded into his side.

She leaned onto him and her left hand was sliding through the loose hem of his T-shirt as her fingers slowly trailed along the firm ridges of his abs.

Every so often, her nails would lightly graze the lines of muscle, and Brandon would exhale slowly.

On his other side, Elize sat with her head resting softly against his shoulder.

A half-full glass of wine was in her hand, and she took occasional sips from it, but her real focus was on him.

Every few minutes, she would tilt the glass toward Brandon’s lips, and he would lean over slightly to take a small drink from her hand.

Both of them whispered to each other in low voices, soft little comments about the movie’s plot holes, a particularly cheesy line delivery, or how the fight choreography wasn’t half bad.

Elize giggled quietly once when Brandon leaned closer and said something snide about the villain’s ridiculous hairdo, making her hide her smile behind the rim of her glass.

Yverine and Dhayun sat together on a smaller couch just adjacent to them.

Yverine had a bowl of popcorn resting beside her, untouched for the past ten minutes.

Dhayun was sitting close to her and neither of them was truly watching the screen.

Their gazes would periodically drift toward Brandon and Eira, who is attached to him.

Yverine’s lips thinned slightly when she saw Eira playing with his abs ’Damn it, I also want to do it... playing with his abs.’

She wasn’t the type to admit envy out loud, especially not over something so trivial, and yet... her stomach tensed in a quiet, uncomfortable way.

Beside her, Dhayun’s reaction was the same as she watched Brandon and Eira quietly.

Sitting on her couch, Ravene looked at Dhayun and Yverine ’A better movie is running here than the one on the TV.’

’Let me add some spice.’

She looked at Eira and spoke "Eira, come here... let me teach you to drink beer."

Eira looked up, blinking softly. "Huh? I mean... sure?"

She stood, slightly flushed, and made her way over to Ravene’s couch, sliding in beside her.

As she sat down, Ravene wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in close and lifting the beer bottle to Eira’s lips.

"Now, sip gently. Let it wash over your tongue... and don’t wrinkle your nose. You’re not drinking poison."

Eira hesitantly took a sip, her nose still scrunching up "Eugh... Bitter."

"Good girl," Ravene chuckled and handed her a different bottle. "Now try this. It’s milder."

Meanwhile, Dhayun and Yverine’s eyes narrowed as they saw the vacant space beside Brandon.

They looked at each other, and they knew they both are craving that spot.

Both of them slowly reached their hand out and began to play rock, paper, scissors.

"Paper."

"Paper."

Tie.

"Rock."

"Rock."

Tie again.

Dhayun narrowed her eyes and Yverine leaned forward.

"Scissors."

"Paper."

Seeing the scissors gesture in her fingers, Dhayun smiled ’I won...’

Yverine clicked her tongue ’Tch...’

Dhayun was about to stand-

But before that, Brandon himself stood up and came to them before softly sitting between them. nestling comfortably with an exaggerated sigh of contentment, "Haa... Noona, Sister Yve, are you enjoying the movie?"

Dhayun stiffened for a moment "Movie? Ah... yeah... I am enjoying it. Very nice."

With a slow nod, Yverine replied "Yeah...it’s good."

Across them, Ravene nudged Eira with her elbow "See there."

Hm? Eira turned her head and saw Brandon sandwiched between two women.

She couldn’t help but giggle and took another sip of her beer "Eugh, this sucks... bweh."

Ravene: -_-

Elize also watched them silently and her gaze lowered ’I hope everything goes well...’