For Rent and Love

CHAPTER 9: GROCERIES, DRESSES AND THINGS YOU CAN'T RETURN

Luna woke up to knocking.

Not urgent knocking. Polite, 8:30 AM knocking that said 'I know I'm early and I don't care'.

She opened the door in Summer's oversized hoodie and stopped dead.

Nico stood in the hallway with two grocery bags in one hand and a box labeled "MICROWAVE" in the other. He looked freshly showered, freshly irritated at the world for existing before 10 AM.

"I broke your microwave," he said.

"You brought me a new one," Luna said.

"I didn't break it on purpose," Nico said. "And you're out of eggs, milk, and anything that qualifies as food. Consider it hazard pay." He stepped inside, setting the bags down. "City Hall at 11. We're filing today."

Luna blinked. "Wait, filing today? As in-"

"As in this is the first time," Nico said, cutting her off. He pulled a garment bag from behind him and thrust it at her. "The fire marshal canceled the original appointment. We couldn't get to the registry yesterday. So. Now."

Summer stumbled out of her room, sniffing the air like a bloodhound. "GROCERIES. Is there cereal? If there's Lucky Charms I'm legally obligated to marry you too."

"No Lucky Charms," Nico said without looking at her. "You're asthmatic. Sugar crash isn't covered."

Summer gasped, clutching her chest. "Cruel. Cruel and corporate. You're wounding me, CEO."

Luna took the garment bag. Through the plastic she saw a dress. Navy, simple, structured. Not flashy. The kind of dress that made you stand up straighter.

"You bought me a dress," she said quietly.

"It's corporate casual," Nico said immediately, defensive. "You can't show up to City Hall in that hoodie. It's disrespectful to the clerk."

Summer leaned over Luna's shoulder. "Ooooh, dress for the wife. What about the sister? I need a dress for my emotional labor."

"No," Nico said flatly.

"You're sharp-tongued before 9 AM," Summer said, pointing at him. "It's impressive. And rude."

Nico finally looked at her. "You left the stove on."

Summer deflated. "Fair."

Luna ducked into the bedroom, hiding a smile that felt too big for 8:30 AM.

When she came out ten minutes later, the apartment went quiet for half a second.

The dress fit perfectly. Tailored at the waist, soft fabric that moved when she walked. Her hair was still a little messy, but she'd pulled it back with a clip, and she looked... adult. Put together. Not like the girl who'd been panicking in a hospital hallway twelve hours ago.

Summer whistled low. "Damn. CEO, you've got good taste."

Nico adjusted his cufflink, jaw tight, eyes flicking to her and away too fast.

"You look fine," he said. Gruff. Like saying more would be dangerous.

Luna felt shy under his stare but nodded. "Thanks."

He waved it off. "Don't. It's just a dress."

---

City Hall was cold, fluorescent, and fast.

The clerk didn't look up once as they signed, stamped, said the words. Luna's hand brushed Nico's when they exchanged pens. She pulled back like she'd been burned. He didn't.

"Congratulations," the clerk said without looking up. "You're married."

Married. For real this time. Not a canceled appointment. Not a "we'll try again later."

Outside, Summer was bouncing on her heels. "Okay, legal b*****e is done. Now I'm dying. Food. Now. Somewhere with fries and zero fluorescent lights."

Nico checked his watch. "There's a place two blocks down. Quiet."

"Quiet is boring," Summer said, looping her arm through Luna's. "We're celebrating. I survived. You survived. We survived you two being weirdly domestic."

Luna shot Nico a look. He avoided it.

---

The restaurant was loud, messy, and perfect.

Summer took over immediately, ordering for all three of them, arguing with the waiter about extra fries, and turning every two minutes to grill Nico.

"So, CEO," Summer said around a fry, "now that you're legally stuck with us, what's the plan? Do we get a joint credit card? Do I get a signing bonus for being the fun one?"

Nico didn't look up from his water. "No."

"Rude," Summer said, pointing the fry at him. "Also, you bought Luna a dress. That's suspiciously husband-like behavior."

"It's corporate casual," Nico said flatly.

"It's navy and it makes her look like she runs a company," Summer said. "You have opinions, Nico. Admit it."

Luna choked on her water.

Nico's jaw ticked. "I have standards. There's a difference."

"Standards with feelings," Summer said, nodding sagely. "Got it."

Luna just stared at them, grinning around her glass. It was ridiculous. Nico, sharp-tongued and clipped, throwing one-liners back at Summer like he'd been doing it for years. Summer, bright and fluffy and completely unafraid of him, bouncing off his edges like they were a game.

And Luna, sitting between them, feeling like she was watching something she'd wanted for years without knowing she could have it.

A family dinner. Even if it was messy and loud and technically fake.

When the bill came, Nico reached for it before either of them could move.

"Hey," Luna said. "You don't have to-"

"Don't," Nico cut her off, dropping his card down. "It's just food."

"Thank you," Luna said anyway, softer this time.

Nico didn't meet her eyes. He just stood up. "Eat your fries, Summer. We're leaving in five minutes."

Summer grinned. "See? Domestic."

On the walk back, Summer swung between them, linking arms with both.

"You guys are doomed," she said cheerfully. "And I'm here for it."

Nico groaned. Luna hid her smile, watching them out of the corner of her eye.

For the first time since the smoke, it didn't feel like surviving. It felt like something else.

Something that looked a lot like home.

---