The sight of them acted like a bucket of ice water, dousing his excitement and dragging him back into the reality of his lowly status. Yesterday, he was the Joker, the master of a golden ship. Today, he was just another cog in the Association's machine.
"Oh, it's Thomas! He's here at last!"
Before he could slip into a quiet corner to eat in peace, Lucy spotted him. She stood up, waving both arms with a frantic, infectious energy that drew every eye in the room toward him.
Thomas sighed internally, adjusting his mask. He walked toward the table, keeping his expression neutral. "Good morning, legends," he said, casually throwing out the phrase as he pulled out a chair.
The table went silent. Lucy, the vice-leader, and the other three team members stared at him with expressions ranging from confusion to mild suspicion. They weren't used to Thomas sounding so... comfortable. Or so dismissive of the hierarchy.
