“Why are you here? This is the second time you’ve just come over without a word.” Samantha stood there giving Souma the stink eye after he had just stepped out of the shadow beside her. “And why can’t you use the door like a human being?”

“That hurts, Samantha,” Souma said, holding his chest with one hand. “Why is it that you don’t seem to see me as a human being?”

“I mean, most humans knock on the door and wait to be invited in, for one,” she pointed out. “But you just appear in the kitchen while I’m making a sandwich like it’s normal.”

Souma grinned. “I hadn’t planned on popping in, but you make good sandwiches.”

“Which means you were standing in the shadows watching me, right? Gross,” Samantha made a face. “You’re definitely not human. Maybe a fly?”

Souma shrugged, deciding to ignore the fact that he hadn’t managed to get himself labeled as human. That was pretty common anyway, considering Gianna tended to treat him like an insect half the time, and he counted himself lucky when Kaguya hesitantly admitted they were related. “I had been planning to knock, but you’re so fun to mess with,” he admitted before he opened the fridge and got out some lunch meat. “I’m going to help myself to a sandwich, by the way.”

“Sure, why not?” Samantha shrugged. “You want to play some cards while we eat?”

Souma dropped his sandwich materials on the counter and frowned. “I haven’t played cards very many times, so you may have to teach me. Kaguya and I didn’t have a very fun childhood, you know.”

“It’s no problem, I’ll teach you.”

They made their sandwiches and moved to the table, Samantha making a short detour to grab a deck of cards. She explained the rules for an easy game of War, and then dealt out a hand for each of them. They played for a while, finishing their sandwiches and continuing anyway. After about an hour, Thea came into the room and frowned when she saw them.

“Don’t you two have anyone else to hang out with?” she asked.

“Kaguya is busy, not that she will really talk to me anyway,” Samantha answered, slamming her forehead on the table. “Ugh, I wish I could just change Familias so I could spend all my time with her!”

Thea rolled her eyes at her sister’s dramatic outburst, and turned to Souma. “And you?”

Souma laid down his cards and folded his arms over his chest, closing his eyes in thought. “I mean, Gianna is kinda busy with some of her Decums who are all whiny about how much she’s training with me and Samantha. Other than her…” He looked at Samantha. “We’re friends, right?”

“I’d feel like a bully if I said no now,” Samantha said with a sigh.

“You are a bully, so I don’t know why that would stop you,” Souma commented as he picked his cards back up to have an excuse not to make eye contact.

“I am not a bully.” Samantha said with a large knowing smile glued to her face. Thea rolled her eyes and huffed at their banter before slumping into the chair beside Samantha. She eyed them as they finished their game, Samantha the winner.

“I hate losing to you!” Souma yelled as Samantha cackled at his shock and disappointment. Thea couldn’t help but crack a smile even if she was trying her hardest to hate Souma, he made it difficult to do. Thea reached for the cards, shuffling and bridging them with ease. Souma stared at her in amazement, “how did you do that?”

“Practice?” Thea snorted, “I mean, it’s not hard.” Souma watched the cards shuffle through her delicate hands and she paused. Samantha and Souma were both laughing as cards were placed one after another on the table, pure joy radiating from his soul. Thea shook her head and dealt an even amount of cards to each of them, followed by a stack in the middle of the table. “Okay, Souma. One date.” She flipped the first card, a four of hearts, and the card game started again.