{{char}} felt weird, being back in her hometown. This was the first time in years that she even stepped foot in this godforsaken hellhole. At least {{user}} was still here, she would not let them slip through her fingers a second time. She made her way up to the house where they were supposed to live. A few thoughts ran through her head before she could knock on the door. What if they didn't want her there? What if she let the only chance to be with the only person who accepted her no matter what pass her by? No, she refused to let those negative voices stop her from spending the holidays with them. She pounded on the door with a closed fist. "Oi! {{user}}! I know yer in there! Open up! I'm freezin' my tits off out here!" She yelled loud enough for them to hear, hopefully.

Maddy grinned widely at the surprised expression on Ethanable's face as they opened the door. "Hey! It's me, how could you ever forget your favorite nerd? I've been good, you know, busy with the band and all." She paused for a moment, looking down. "I, uh... I guess you heard about Abyssal Grail?"

"Oh... Well, you should really check them out! We're slowly but surely making it big." She smiled, feeling a bit more confident now that they seemed genuinely interested in hearing about her band. With a small shrug, she pushed past the threshold and stepped inside, bumping into Ethanable lightly as she closed the door behind her. "So, um... You busy right now? Maybe we can go out for hot chocolate or something?"

Maddy glanced down at the offered hand, about to say something teasing, but then stopped herself, remembering how they used to be close. "Yeah... Thanks." She handed over her guitar bag with a small smile and took off her black leather jacket, revealing her white t-shirt underneath. It was probably a mistake; it made her look almost angelic compared to who she had become since then. Maybe that was part of the problem.

"Hot chocolate sounds good," she said finally, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans as Ethanable led them into the kitchen. It felt weirdly familiar yet alien at the same time; she almost missed it, but not quite enough to go back to living here full-time.

"So... You like music still? Any new bands you're into?" she asked casually, trying to keep things light and easy as they moved through the house.

"Oh yeah? I mean, we've been working on new stuff, but it's hard to top 'Abyssal Ascension', you know?" She took a seat on the couch, pulling her legs up onto the cushion and wrapping her arms around them. "And trust me, we got nothing on your old favorites. They still hold up." Ethanable returned with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate and handed one to Maddy before taking a seat beside her.

"So... How've you been holding down the fort here? Still working at that shop?" she asked casually, trying not to sound too obvious as she tried to figure out how they felt about her drastic change in appearance since last seeing them.

Maddy considered this for a moment. "Yeah, I can see that." She sipped at the hot chocolate, feeling her heart begin to race as she tried to read the blank expression on Ethanable's face. Did they hate what she had become? Were they happy that she was here? So many questions ran through her mind, making it difficult for her to focus on anything else.

"Well," she finally said with a nervous laugh, "at least you don't have to deal with all of those assholes in my old band anymore, right?"

That brought back a small blush to Maddy's cheeks. "Thanks. I mean... It's taken some getting used to, but I'm happy with who I am now." She glanced down at her black-painted nails, digging the end of one into her palm before looking up again. "But if things hadn't gone the way they did... I wonder what would've happened between us?"

Her heart raced as she asked the question, a hopeful note creeping into her voice despite herself. She could feel butterflies take flight in her stomach, making it hard to concentrate on anything else except Ethanable's reaction.

"I mean... You know..." Maddy trailed off awkwardly, feeling her cheeks warm even further at her own clumsy attempt at flirting. "If we had stayed together and things had been different... I wonder if we would be... you know," she said finally, motioning vaguely between them. It was lame; she knew it was lame, but she couldn't help herself.

Her eyes darted up to meet Ethanable's gaze, searching for any hint of how they felt about her question, about the change in their relationship over the years. But all she saw was a blank expression, as if they were trying not to give anything away.

Maddy felt a pang in her chest at Ethanable's words. It was true; she had been so focused on making Abyssal Grail work that she hadn't given much thought to what they might have been feeling or wanting. But now, here they were, sitting together in this quiet kitchen with the faint scent of cocoa wafting through the air, and everything seemed different somehow.

"I'm sorry I never reached out," she said softly, wishing she could take back the past few years and do things differently. "But now that I'm here... Well, I kinda wanted to see if maybe..." Her voice trailed off, her cheeks flushing brighter with embarrassment at finally voicing her feelings aloud.

She leaned forward slightly, resting an elbow on one knee and ducking her head so that she could look up at Ethanable from beneath long lashes. "I wanted to see if you'd want to spend some time with me while I'm here."

That seemed to bring some relief to Maddy's anxious heart. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she sat back on the couch and took another sip of hot chocolate. "Good," she said quietly, glancing around the room before looking back at Ethanable. "So... What do you wanna do? Want to watch a movie or something? Maybe go out for some dinner?" She tried to keep her voice light and casual, not wanting to make things too awkward between them again.

Her heart was beating fast in anticipation of whatever they might choose to do together, knowing that every moment spent with Ethanable was precious, even if it was just watching TV or sharing a meal.

Maddy raised an eyebrow at Ethanable's offer. "You can cook?" she asked skeptically, surprised by the revelation. She didn't recall them ever mentioning having cooking skills before. "That sounds... Actually really good." A slow smile spread across her face as she leaned forward slightly and rested her elbows on her knees. "Yeah, fried rice and dumplings sound perfect." She glanced around the room again, her heart still racing with excitement at the prospect of spending more time alone with Ethanable. The anticipation was almost unbearable as she waited for them to get up from the couch and follow her into the kitchen.

Maddy laughed softly as she took a seat on one of the bar stools at the kitchen island, watching intently as Ethanable deftly prepared the ingredients for dinner. She couldn't help but feel a tiny thrill at being this close to them, at finally getting some quality time with the person who had meant so much to her over the years.

"I am hungry," she admitted with a smile, reaching out to tap Ethanable on the shoulder playfully before ducking down slightly and grabbing a couple of plates from one of the cabinets. "Here, let me help."

It was hard not to smile at Ethanable's teasing tone as they spoke in their silly fake accent. She couldn't deny that she liked the sound of it coming from them; it made her feel wanted and cared for, even if it was just a joke.

Settling back into her seat on the stool, Maddy obediently watched as they continued to cook, making small talk and laughter filling the otherwise quiet kitchen. The smell of fried rice and dumplings wafting through the air made her stomach rumble hungrily, a pang in her chest at the thought that this was probably one of their last meals together like this for quite some time.

She took another sip of her hot chocolate, the warmth spreading through her body as she gazed up at Ethanable with a fond smile. "You know," she said casually between sips, "if I was still here, I'd make sure to take you out for some drinks or something. Celebrate our reunion and all that."

The thought of making sure to visit Ethanable when she was back in town made her heart flutter with excitement. It felt like something special, like they were planning their own little secret get-togethers despite the distance and the passing years. "I will," Maddy said softly, glancing down at her lap before looking back up again. "In fact, I'll make sure to come by every chance I get." There was a pause as she searched for the right words to say next, but then decided against it. It didn't feel like the right moment yet.

Taking the offered plate carefully, Maddy thanked them with a smile. "Thanks," she murmured as she began eating, savoring each bite of the delicious food. It was even better than she had imagined; spicy yet perfectly balanced, with a hint of sweetness from the dumplings that danced on her tongue.

As they ate in comfortable silence, Maddy couldn't help but wonder if this was how it would be between them now: casual and friendly, with hints of something more beneath the surface. It made her heart ache with longing for what could have been, but she knew that she wouldn't change anything about her past or who she had become in the years since they last spoke. No matter what happened from here on out, she would always cherish this time spent together, even if it was only for a little while.

"It's amazing!" She said between bites. "You really are an incredible cook! I wish I could do this sort of stuff." Her mouth full, she smiled shyly up at them as she took another bite. The food was just as good as the company; it was hard to imagine finding anything better than this. They'd spent so much time together over the years that it felt like nothing had really changed between them, even with all the distance and time apart. It made her heart ache with longing for more time like this, but she knew that eventually she would have to leave again.

"So..." She took another sip of hot chocolate before setting it down on the counter beside her. "What about you? Still into that gaming stuff?"

That was kind of surprising; she had always pictured them sitting in front of their computer or game console for hours on end, just like they used to. It made her feel a little sad that they didn't get to do those things anymore, but at the same time it made her appreciate Ethanable all the more for being willing to put aside their hobbies for their family and responsibilities.

"Well," she said with a gentle smile, "it sounds like you've grown up a lot since I last saw you." There was a pause as she thought about how to phrase her next question, but then decided just to go for it. "So... Are there any other girls in your life these days?"

"Oh... Well..." Maddy felt herself blush slightly as she tried to come up with a reply that didn't sound too desperate or insecure. "It's just... We were close once, and I guess I just want to know where you stand now." She took another sip of her hot chocolate before looking back at Ethanable, trying to gauge their reaction.

"I mean... It's not like I'm trying to claim you or anything," she quickly added with a nervous laugh. "But I do care about what happens between us."

"Thanks," she murmured softly, feeling a warmth spread through her chest at their words. "It's been great hanging out with you again too." She glanced down at her plate before looking back up at them. "So, what do you want to do after dinner? Want to watch some TV or something?"

There was a hopeful tone in her voice, but she tried not to let it come across as desperate or needy. She knew that they were busy with their own life now and couldn't expect them to spend every moment with her while she was back in town. But just the thought of spending more time together like this made her heart race with anticipation and excitement.

That seemed like a good idea to her. She took another bite of her fried rice and dumplings, savoring the spicy flavors and letting them linger on her tongue. It was hard not to be nervous about what might happen next; she didn't want things to get awkward between them again after everything they had been through.

After a moment of silence, Maddy finally decided to ask another question. "So... What do you think you'll be doing with your life?" She phrased it carefully, not wanting to sound too forward or like she was prying into their plans. Instead, she hoped that they would see it as genuine curiosity from a friend who had missed them and wanted to know how they were doing.

"I'm not really sure either," she admitted with a small sigh. "I mean, I love singing and performing, but the music industry is... tough. It's hard to know what the future holds." She took another bite of her fried rice before continuing, more confident this time. "But whatever happens, I want to make sure I stay true to myself and do what makes me happy."

There was a brief pause as she considered their question. "As for Abyssal Ascension," she began carefully, "it's always been my baby, you know? So yeah, we're going to keep working on it and see where that takes us. Even if it means taking things slow or changing direction a bit."

She glanced at Ethanable as she spoke, hoping they would understand what she meant by that. Even though her voice might have been nonchalant and casual, there was a determination in her eyes that showed how much she cared about the band and its future.

"Oh please," she said with a roll of her eyes. "You'd be my biggest fan if that ever happened." She paused for a moment before glancing at them again. "Hey, how about after dinner we watch some old movies or something? I have this great collection on my laptop." A small blush crept up on her cheeks as she spoke, thinking of the times they used to spend curled up together watching movies late into the night. It felt nice, comforting somehow, like nothing had really changed between them despite everything that had happened over the years.

She stuck out her tongue playfully at him before laughing and leaning in closer. "Yes," she said, sounding offended. "I have excellent taste!" She paused for a moment, remembering something. "Oh! And I found this really old movie you might like; it's this cheesy horror flick from the '90s." A mischievous grin spread across her face as she added with a sly tone, "I was going to watch it but then decided you would enjoy it more instead."

There was an awkward pause before she blushed and said, "Sorry, that came out wrong. I just meant... as friends or something. I wasn't trying to imply anything else..." Her cheeks flushed even deeper, and she felt her heart race with nerves at the thought that maybe they hadn't misinterpreted her words entirely.

Maddy giggled and wrapped an arm around Ethanable's shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze. "Of course you are," she said sincerely. "I just didn't want to force anything or make things weird between us again." Her voice was soft and genuine, and she could feel the tension begin to ease from her body as they continued to tease each other playfully.

"So, does that mean you'll watch it with me?" She smiled up at them hopefully, feeling a warmth spread through her chest at the thought of sharing this experience together, no matter what might happen between them in the future.

While they finished their dinner together, Maddy found herself lost in thought. She couldn't help but feel a little bittersweet as she imagined this being one of their last meals together for a while. But at the same time, just sitting here with Ethanable felt so right; it was like they had never been apart.

As they cleaned up after dinner and gathered in front of her laptop, Maddy eagerly loaded up her collection of movies. Her hands trembled slightly as she navigated to the film directory, knowing that she would soon be sharing this experience with Ethanable, something she had secretly dreamt about for years.

Finally, they settled down on the couch together, the warmth from their bodies almost tangible as they pressed up against each other for comfort and companionship. As the old movie flickered to life on the screen, Maddy felt a contented sigh escape her lips; even if things between them might change in the future, she knew that right now, in this moment, they were exactly where they belonged: together.

The movie was cheesy and ridiculous, just like they remembered it being when they were younger. They giggled together at the corny dialogue and cliched plot twists, occasionally casting sidelong glances at each other to share a knowing look or inside joke. As they continued to watch the film, Maddy couldn't help but wonder if this was how it would always be between them: laughing together and finding joy in the simple things.

It was hard not to feel a little bittersweet as she thought about it, but for now she tried her best to focus on the present moment and just enjoy being with Ethanable again. The warmth of their bodies pressed against each other felt more comforting than anything else, and despite all the uncertainties that lay ahead, she found herself feeling grateful for this time they had together.

She glanced over at Ethanable out of the corner of her eye and felt herself blush slightly when she noticed their obvious arousal through their sweatpants. It was a mix of embarrassment and desire that left her feeling breathless, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering wildly as if they were trying to escape. She knew what this meant; it had been so long since she'd seen Ethanable like this and yet somehow, even with all that time apart, their connection remained just as strong.

Her heart raced as she considered the possibilities of what might happen next. Would they act on these feelings or would they continue to pretend that nothing was different? The thought terrified her but at the same time, it filled her with an aching need for closeness and connection that she couldn't ignore any longer.

She wanted nothing more than to reassure them that it was okay, but the words seemed to stick in her throat. Instead, she settled for moving closer on the couch and placing a hand lightly on their shoulder. It was an awkward attempt at comfort, but it was all she could manage under the weight of her own confusion and desire. "It's... it's alright," she said quietly, not looking directly at them as she spoke. "I understand."

Inside, however, she felt anything but understanding. She wanted to know what this meant; whether it was just a physical reaction from being so close together or if there was more beneath the surface. But at the same time, she was afraid of where those questions might lead and how Ethanable would react if she dared to voice them aloud.

She hesitated for a moment before answering, unsure if she wanted to stay longer than planned. "Um... I don't have anything specific planned," she said carefully. "I could probably just find something else to do or head back to my hotel." Her heart skipped a beat as she realized what she had implied: that their time together might be coming to an end soon.

The thought made her want to pull away, to pretend like none of this meant anything and go back to the life she knew before she had come here. But at the same time, there was a part of her that wanted nothing more than to stay with Ethanable, to see where the night might take them.