The night had started as a simple plan: meet up with a couple of friends, grab some drinks, and forget about everything for a while. It was the kind of Thursday that begged for reckless laughter, loud music, and just a tiny bit of trouble.
Miles had parked his bike outside the corner store where the group gathered, the engine's hum still echoing in the otherwise quiet street. Theo, his older brother, had texted him earlier, warning him not to stay out too late, but Miles had shrugged it off. It wasn't like Theo could read his mind - he only knew him when he was in the house. Out here, Miles could breathe.
They arrived at the house a few streets over. The music thumped against the walls so hard he felt it in his chest before he even walked inside. Through the slightly fogged windows, he could see older kids - eighteen, maybe nineteen, some clearly in college - laughing, dancing, spilling drinks, and making out in corners.
"This is..." Miles trailed off, raising an eyebrow at his friends.
"...intense?" one of them finished for him, shrugging as they pushed the door open.
Inside, the scent of alcohol, cologne, and sweat hit him immediately. Miles felt like a kid at first - he hadn't been at a party like this since maybe last summer, and that had been a disaster. But tonight, he wanted to just exist in the chaos, forget about the empty apartment and the quiet street outside, and maybe not think about Leia for a few hours.
He walked further In, taking in the crowd. A girl spilled her drink on the floor near him, cursing loudly, and he jumped back instinctively. Someone else bumped into him, muttered a sloppy apology, and laughed. The music dropped a beat, then roared again.
It was exactly what he needed - until the door banged open.
The room went quiet for half a second - a heartbeat - then everyone's heads snapped toward the entrance. Miles froze.
Theo.
And not just the Theo he remembered from childhood birthdays or school drop-offs. This was a full-grown, 24-year-old, tattooed storm of a man. His arms were crossed, chest wide, face unreadable, but the sheer presence of him made people stop breathing for a second.
Miles's stomach dropped.
"Uh..." he muttered under his breath. "Why is he here?"
Before anyone could answer, Theo's gaze swept the room like a hawk. People shuffled, stepped back, and a few of the older kids nearly knocked over a table in their hurry to distance themselves. The room felt tiny now, suffocating even.
Theo's voice was low and dangerous when he spoke, but everyone could hear it. "Where's my brother?"
Miles swallowed hard, stepping forward. "Uh... here?"
Theo's eyes locked on him, and for a moment, Miles felt smaller than he ever had. "This isn't your scene, kid."
"No! I mean, it's fine, I... it's fine..." Miles stammered, waving a hand nervously. "Just here with friends, that's all!"
The friends he'd come with were frozen, their eyes wide. One of them whispered, "Dude, your brother is terrifying."
"He's my brother," Miles muttered under his breath, wishing he could disappear into the floor.
Theo let out a low hum and stepped further into the room. His tattoos were like maps of warnings, dark and twisting across his arms and chest. "I don't care about your friends. I don't care about their drinks. You're leaving."
A few kids gasped, some laughed nervously, but no one dared step forward. Theo's reputation had preceded him - a few of Miles's friends had already told him about the guy, but seeing him in person was something else entirely.
Miles hesitated. Part of him wanted to argue, to protest that he could handle himself, but the fear in the room made him think twice. Theo wasn't the type to joke. Not tonight.
"You're coming with me," Theo said, one hand resting lightly on Miles's shoulder. The pressure was firm, but not painful - just enough to remind him who was in charge.
"Wait, what about my friends?" Miles asked quickly, panic rising in his chest.
"They'll be fine," Theo replied. "I just need my brother safe. You're not doing anything stupid tonight."
Miles wanted to groan, but Theo's glare was enough to shut him up. Slowly, he nodded, feeling the eyes of the entire party burn into his back as they made their way toward the door.
Outside, the night air was colder, sharper. Miles took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. Theo's presence was overwhelming, but oddly... grounding.
"You okay?" Theo asked after a few seconds, voice softer now.
Miles shrugged. "Yeah... just didn't expect you to show up like that."
Theo smirked faintly. "People need to know who you are, even if you don't."
Miles raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think I needed a bodyguard."
Theo's laugh was low, amused. "You don't. But someone's gotta make sure you don't embarrass yourself in front of a bunch of older kids."
Miles couldn't help but chuckle, tension easing slightly. Still, he stole a look back at the house - at the party he'd been trying to enjoy - and felt a pang of longing. He missed chaos, yes, but he also missed Leia, the calm that came with her being nearby, the way she made him feel like he wasn't stumbling through life blindly.
Theo clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on. Let's get some air. And maybe, when you're ready, you can tell me why you're out here acting like the world doesn't notice you."
Miles grinned weakly. "Yeah... about that..."
The two walked off down the street, the muffled sounds of the party fading behind them. Miles's mind wandered, and for the first time in days, he realized that maybe he'd been running from more than responsibility tonight. He'd been running from missing her, from feeling the space her absence had left in his chest.
And with Theo towering beside him, Miles felt... less alone.
Miles trudged down the quiet street behind Theo, trying to act like nothing had happened. His shoulders were back, chin slightly raised, and hands shoved into his pockets, because that's what cool people did, right? You acted untouchable, even when your 24-year-old tattooed brother had just marched into a party full of people twice your age and scared the life out of everyone.
"Don't you dare act like you're fine," Theo said over his shoulder, voice low but amused. "Your friends are still inside laughing about you."
Miles forced a scoff, tossing his head slightly. "Yeah, sure, they're probably jealous of my mad party skills."
Theo snorted. "Mad party skills? Kid, you looked like a deer in headlights the second I walked in."
Miles waved a hand dismissively, though his ears burned. "I... I had it under control. Totally."
Theo raised an eyebrow. "Under control. That's what you call nearly losing your mind surrounded by college kids with red solo cups?"
Miles gritted his teeth and kept walking. "Yeah. Exactly. I mean... I was handling it. Kind of."
"Kind of?" Theo teased. "That's the most Miles Smith answer I've ever heard."
Miles rolled his eyes, trying to hold onto whatever shred of dignity he had left. "Well, at least I didn't yell or cry or... you know, run away."
Theo's laughter echoed down the street. "I saw everything, Miles. Don't try to spin it. But hey - points for effort."
Miles muttered something under his breath that Theo pretended not to hear. He didn't want to admit how shaken he'd really been. He didn't want anyone - especially Theo - knowing that the older kids had actually terrified him. He tried to focus on breathing, keeping his stride steady, looking like he had no care in the world.
Inside, he was a mess. His chest felt tight, his hands were clammy, and he couldn't stop thinking about Leia. How she would've laughed at him, the way she always did when he tried to act tougher than he was. Maybe she would've teased him for being scared. Maybe she would've rolled her eyes and called him dramatic.
And he missed her. God, he missed her.
Theo seemed to notice the shift in Miles's mood, even if he was trying to act cool. "You're thinking about her, aren't you?"
Miles froze mid-step, then gave a forced grin. "What? No. Don't be ridiculous."
Theo let out a low whistle. "You don't have to lie to me, kid. I can see it in your stupid walk."
Miles huffed, kicking at a small stone. "It's not like that. I mean... yeah, maybe I'm thinking about her a little. But it's fine. Totally fine."
Theo smirked. "Yeah, sure. Totally fine. That's why you look like a statue half the time, huh?"
Miles clenched his jaw. "I'm... just tired, okay? It's been a long day. Party stuff, walking, all that."
Theo gave him a look that said you're lying, and I know it, but didn't press. They kept walking in silence for a bit, the streetlights casting long shadows that made the pavement glisten from the earlier rain. Miles tried to focus on the mundane - the way a cat slinked along a fence, the distant sound of a car engine starting - anything to keep his mind from drifting too far.
"I don't get why you always go to these parties anyway," Theo finally said. "You know you can't handle them."
Miles let out a sharp laugh, trying to sound casual. "Hey, I handle myself just fine."
Theo snorted. "Yeah, okay. Fine. Except tonight, where you almost died of embarrassment and-"
"Shut up!" Miles interrupted, laughing nervously. "I didn't almost die. You just-" He stopped, realizing how ridiculous he sounded. Theo was right. Everyone inside the house had stared when Theo walked in. They had frozen. He had been exposed.
He shook his head, trying to laugh it off. "Forget It. Doesn't matter."
Theo clapped him on the shoulder again, firm but not harsh. "It does matter. You need to learn there's a difference between acting tough and being tough. And you, little brother, are still learning."
Miles opened his mouth to argue, then thought better of it. He couldn't deny it. He was still learning. And part of him hoped Leia wouldn't see him like this. She had enough reasons to roll her eyes at him.
As they approached Miles's street, he tried to act more casual, walking a little taller, swinging his arms as if he owned the night. "See?" he said, pointing to a lamppost. "Totally fine. Nothing scary. Just... regular Thursday stuff."
Theo raised an eyebrow. "You call nearly crying in a crowded house 'regular Thursday'? Man, you really need to work on your definition of fine."
Miles groaned and threw his hands up. "Okay, okay! Maybe I was a little freaked out. But I handled it! In my own way!"
Theo laughed, and Miles couldn't help but grin despite himself. There was something comforting about Theo's presence, something grounding. Even if he wanted to act like he could handle any party, any chaos, any situation, it helped knowing Theo had his back.
"Hey," Theo said suddenly, voice softer. "You know she's coming back soon, right?"
Miles's chest tightened. "Yeah. I know."
Theo gave him a look. "Don't screw it up while she's gone, alright? Don't let this... whatever this was tonight... make you act like someone you're not. Leia likes you, not this scared, trying-to-be-tough version."
Miles exhaled slowly, letting the words sink in. Theo was right - as usual. Acting like he was fearless and untouchable wasn't going to change anything. He had to be himself. And maybe, just maybe, he could survive the next few weeks without looking like a deer in headlights every time someone bigger or louder appeared.
As they reached the house, Miles squared his shoulders one last time, lifting his chin. He would walk inside like he owned the night. Like he hadn't been scared. Like everything had gone exactly as planned.
But inside, he still couldn't stop thinking about Leia.
And that, he realized, was the one thing he couldn't act tough about.