The morning sun peeked through the slightly crooked blinds of Andrew and Daniel's apartment, illuminating a scene that looked like the aftermath of a rom-com sleepover crossed with a Swiftie afterparty. There were mismatched throw pillows all over the floor, empty cider bottles rolling across the coffee table, and someone's glitter-coated hoodie draped over the lamp like it had lost a duel.

Daniel emerged from his room, hair sticking up in four different directions, wearing pajama pants covered in tiny pizza slices and a faded shirt that said "Caffeine Before Chaos."

Andrew was already in the kitchen, flipping pancakes with an intensity that suggested this breakfast was about to be more emotionally healing than a whole therapy session.

Daniel blinked at him. "You're...cooking? Voluntarily?"

Andrew grinned. "We survived a sorority party, defended Swiftie honor, and got called out by Mona via rage-text. If that's not pancake-worthy, I don't know what is."

Daniel plopped onto the barstool and yawned. "Do I smell cinnamon?"

Andrew nodded. "Added a little flair. Figured we needed a breakfast as dramatic as last night."

Daniel rubbed his eyes, then smiled. "I still can't believe we pulled that off. You—twirling during Enchanted, me—standing up to Mona like I didn't nearly cry over Nickelback."

Andrew laughed. "You were a hero. The crowd needed a savior. You stepped up."

They sat in silence for a few moments, chewing pancakes and sipping coffee. The only sound was Taylor's "Invisible String" playing softly on the Bluetooth speaker in the background.

Then Daniel glanced over.

"Hey… Andrew?"

Andrew looked up. "Yeah?"

Daniel hesitated for a second, then put down his fork.

"So. Last night. Between all the chaos and sparkles and quoting Folklore like scripture… there was a moment. Actually—there were a lot of moments."

Andrew's brow lifted. "Yeah?"

Daniel smiled nervously. "You and me. We've had this whole thing going on since Little Hope. You saved my life. I made you dance in glitter. We've been through literal hell. And now we're making pancakes together like we're...well..."

Andrew tilted his head. "Like we're a rom-com waiting for a confession?"

Daniel blinked. "Exactly that."

Andrew put down his fork. "Okay. Wow. That was… really well said."

Daniel looked down at the table. "So what I'm saying is... do you wanna go on a date with me?"

Andrew's heart gave a little skip. "Like, an actual date?"

Daniel grinned. "Yeah. You, me, no ghosts. Just one-on-one, romantic vibes, and probably me overthinking everything."

Andrew didn't answer right away. Instead, he reached across the table and took Daniel's hand.

"I thought you'd never ask."

That night, the apartment turned into ground zero for Operation Date Night.

Daniel changed shirts three times. "Too formal. Too casual. Too 'I tried too hard.'"

Andrew, already dressed in a sleek button-up and dark jeans, lounged on the couch with a teasing smirk. "You know we're just going to that little rooftop diner near campus, right? Not the Grammys."

Daniel finally settled on a white tee layered under a navy jacket, running a hand through his hair. "Okay. But I need to look like I might cry to 'All Too Well' if it plays during dessert."

"You will cry. I've seen it."

"Shut up, Clarke."

They arrived at the diner just as the sky shifted from warm peach to soft lavender. Fairy lights twinkled overhead, and a quiet playlist hummed in the background. Taylor Swift's "Lover" had just begun playing as the host led them to a small table tucked in the corner with a view of the city skyline.

Over burgers and milkshakes, they laughed about the time Andrew tried to make "grilled cereal," reminisced about the ghostly nightmares of Little Hope, and talked about who would survive longer on Survivor (Daniel said Andrew, Andrew said Daniel, then they both agreed they'd be voted off for hoarding emotional support blankets).

Daniel twirled his straw slowly. "You know what's wild?"

Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Other than you air-guitaring to All You Had To Do Was Stay in front of twenty people last night?"

Daniel grinned. "That, and also the fact that I've never felt more myself than when I'm with you."

Andrew smiled, eyes soft. "Same."

After the check was paid and the night air turned crisp, they walked back toward their apartment slowly, shoulders bumping every few steps.

Outside their building, Daniel paused.

"I've been thinking about this all day," he admitted.

Andrew tilted his head. "The pancakes?"

"No," Daniel laughed. "This."

He stepped closer.

Andrew's heart skipped again. "You sure?"

Daniel nodded. "More sure than I've ever been."

And right there, under the glow of a streetlamp, with a Taylor song still playing faintly in their heads, they kissed.

It was soft. Sweet. A little nervous. A lot honest.

When they pulled apart, Daniel smiled. "Worth the wait."

Andrew chuckled. "Totally."

They stepped inside, closing the door behind them, leaving behind the haunted roads of Little Hope and stepping fully into something new.

Something lighter. Brighter.

Something real.