She muttered under her breath, "Wouldn't it be crazy if one day even the official base just ... shut down out of nowhere?" Natalie's hand froze halfway as she reached for a dish. After a second, she frowned, thinking back. In her previous life, at least until her death, the official base had still been standing strong. She and Cassian weren't planning to move there yet, but the thought had been on her mind for a while. It was just that the Evernight following the Frostfall was too dangerous. Inside the official base, it would be much safer. Greenhaven Mountain was remote to begin with, and combined with the Eternal Night, it would be a paradise for sinister gangs. Add in the mutant beasts that roamed the dark, and the place would be unhabitable. The reason she was advising Olivia and the others to buy property there so early was that, in her recollection, housing prices at the official base skyrocketed later on, becoming incredibly scarce and costing several times more. It was best to get in early. Once the house talk wound down, the group went back to eating, laughter filling the space. After dinner, no one really wanted to leave. Entertainment had become a rare luxury in the apocalypse. When someone hosted a gathering like this, you held onto it for as long as you could. They enthusiastically huddled together to play a game of Truth or Dare. Natalie hadn't intended to join, initially just keeping them company from the sidelines. But she hadn't expected the very first round to land on her and Cassian. Olivia's eyes gleamed with mischief as she leaned forward. "Okay, lovebirds. Describe your relationship in four words." Natalie and Cassian exchanged a glance. Without hesitation, Natalie said, "Grew into love." But at the same moment, Cassian said, "Love at first sight."The room went silent for half a beat. Even Natalie looked at Cassian in surprise, seemingly not expecting that answer. Then Olivia practically squealed. "Oh, no way! You have to explain that!" Natalie glanced around at the circle of faces — all of them practically glowing with curiosity. The only one who looked remotely uninterested was Dominic, who was too busy shoving snacks into his mouth to care about adult drama. Natalie couldn't help laughing. "What's there to explain? 'Grew into love' just means ... " She thought for a moment and offered a simple translation. "You spend a lot of time together, and feelings gradually develop." A couple of people nodded politely, but the room clearly wanted more — and their eyes shifted straight to Cassian. "Your answers don't match!" Harold was the first to speak up, egging them on. "Looks like Cassian was the one who fell first!" "Yeah!" Nadia chimed in, nearly bouncing with excitement. "We need to hear Cassian's version of events!" Even Roderick found some courage. "Love at first sight? That explains why you were acting so strange back then, Cassian ... " Olivia's grin widened. "Weird? Spill it, Roderick. What kind of weird?" The only one not adding to the noise was Mrs. Dunn, who calmly reached over and pulled a plate of macadamia nuts closer, like she was settling in for the show. Everyone's eyes were on Cassian now, expectant and teasing. Before Roderick could elaborate, Cassian, mimicking Natalie's casual tone, offered his own deadpan translation, "It means exactly what it sounds like. I liked her the first time I saw her.""Ooooh!" "Wow!" A chorus of teasing sounds filled the room. "Liked her the moment he saw her!" Natalie's face didn't usually betray much, but her ears felt a little hot. The first time? Her mind instantly rewound to that moment—the first time they met. It was on Roderick's trade ship. Lucky had thrown herself straight into Cassian's arms, tongue lolling, tail wagging. Natalie had only looked up because the man holding her dog had been ... unfairly handsome. He had feelings for her then? But he had completely ignored her back then. So aloof! You couldn't see a single hint of any budding interest. She fought a grin. What a stealthy little flirt. She had always thought their feelings developed during their time together at Cassiland Base—that was certainly true for her. Turns out, he'd been harboring thoughts way earlier than she'd realized. Before Natalie could finish her thoughts, Harold teased from the side, "Idol, you were clearly a step behind! Not as deeply smitten as Cassian here!" Him, deeply smitten? Natalie snorted. "Please. Love at first sight is just code for ‘looks hot enough to notice.' ‘Grew into love' means actual feelings." That earned a fresh round of laughter. Even Dominic, still munching on chips, looked up. "Mom, what does ‘love at first sight' mean?""Shush!" Nadia said quickly, smacking him lightly on the shoulder. "Kids shouldn't butt in when adults are talking!" But Cassian just smiled and said in his usual calm, matter-of-fact tone, "It means I thought Natalie was pretty the first time I saw her." Dominic blinked, then wore an expression of sudden understanding and declaredly solemnly. "I get it! I like Natalie for her looks too!" The room burst into laughter. Nadia doubled over, laughing until she wheezed. "You silly boy, that's not how that phrase works!" Dominic pouted, confused. Adults really were impossible to understand. Nearby, Lucky came over and nudged his side with her nose. See? See? Humans talk so weird! It took a good few minutes before the teasing subsided. Finally, the crowd let Cassian and Natalie off the hook, moving on to the next round.