Page 36 of Push My Buttons

The bell above the door chimes. I look up, and there he is.

Jace.

But also WrathSpawn as I now know.

He catches my eye and his steps falter slightly. There's a question in his gaze as he approaches the counter, something tentative and concerned that makes my stomach flip.

"Morning," he says, his voice soft. "Black coffee and—"

"Ginger scone?" Maya finishes for him, already reaching for one.

He nods, but his eyes stay on me. "How are you?" he asks, and the genuine concern in his voice makes something inside me crack a little.

I shrug and sign, "I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" He switches to sign language so smoothly it still surprises me."You seemed pretty shaken up the other day."

The panic attack. Right. That's what he's worried about. Not the glitch in the game. Not the message that flashed across my screen. Just regular human concern.

I set down the pitcher I'm holding and sign,"Better. Thank you for helping."

His shoulders relax slightly. "Good. That's... good." He hesitates, then adds, "I was worried."

The sincerity in his voice makes something warm unfurl in my chest. This is WrathSpawn—the tactician, the strategist, the one who always has a plan. But it's also just Jace, awkward and earnest and genuinely concerned.

I smile at him—a real smile, not the customer service one—and sign,"I'm okay now."

He nods, looking relieved. "If you ever need anything..." He trails off, then quickly adds, "I mean, you have my number now. So."

I nod, feeling heat creep into my cheeks. I busy myself with his coffee, hyper-aware of his gaze following my movements. Does he know I'm Silence? Has he figured it out the way I figured himout? The thought makes a shiver go down my spine as I pass him his cup.

Our fingers brush, and for a second, everything else fades away—the café noise, the other customers, the constant low-grade anxiety that's become my baseline. Just his skin against mine, warm and surprisingly soft.

"Thanks," he murmurs, lingering at the counter longer than necessary. "I'll see you... around?"

I nod again, not trusting my hands to form coherent signs with the way my heart is racing. He gives me one last look—searching, almost hopeful. Before I can respond, the bell chimes again. I look up to see Theo striding in, all confident swagger and easy charm. His eyes light up when he spots me, and he changes course to head straight for the counter.

"Well, well, if it isn't Mr. Broody in the flesh," Theo drawls, shooting Jace a smirk. "I was starting to think you only existed in caffeine and shadow."

Jace lifts an eyebrow, deadpan. "And I thought you’d finally overdosed on your own ego."

The familiar banter rolls between them, and suddenly I'm hearing echoes of WrathSpawn and HexedOut's exchanges. How did I miss it before? The rhythm is identical, the dynamic unchanged whether they're discussing coffee or combat strategies.

"Nah, I’m rationing it. Like a fine wine. Or your social skills," Theo chuckles, unfazed, then turns his attention to me. His smile softens. "Morning, Sunshine."

I manage a small smile in return, hoping my face doesn't betray the storm of thoughts behind it.

Theo raises his hands and signs, his movements still awkward but improving:"You look beautiful today."

The unexpected compliment catches me off guard. It's not his usual flirtatious banter, but something more genuine. I feel heat rise to my cheeks as Maya snickers beside me.

"Smooth," Jace mutters, but there's no real bite to it.

I sign"thank you"to Theo, who beams like I've just handed him the keys to the kingdom.

"I've been practicing," he says proudly. "See I told you that YouTube is a hell of a teacher."

The reminder of Theo hunched over his phone in the middle of the night creates a warm flutter in my chest. It's sweet. The kind of effort that means something.