Laila tilted her head, studying him. "You look like the curious type."
Alaric forced a smile.
She didn't answer right away. Instead, she held his gaze, letting the silence stretch just long enough to make him wonder if she was about to say something dangerous. Alaric shifted slightly in his seat, eyes narrowing with interest.
Then she suddenly burst into laughter. "C'mon, chill," she said, waving a hand. "I was just joking."
He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, lips twitching. "You have a strange sense of humor."
She grinned. "Keeps things interesting."
Alaric shook his head, amusement finally breaking through his caution. "That it does."
"So what do you do?" Laila asked casually, resting her chin on her hand. "Like… side hustle?"
"I've got a gaming website," Alaric replied.
Her eyes widened immediately. "What? Really?"
