After she finally opened her room door, Fenix collapsed onto her bed and stretched out like he owned the place, sprawling across the mattress with a sigh of deep relief. There was no space left beside him, but he didn't seem to care.
Aura did care, or...
told herself she should. But despite her annoyance, she couldn't bring herself to scold him. Maybe it was the way he looked so content… She was so relieved that his mood had lifted that her irritation softened into something else entirely, and as she watched him drift off to sleep within seconds,
All she could do was smile.
Aura sat on the edge of the bed, close enough to feel his warmth but far enough away so as not to disturb him. She stared at him for a while, eyes quietly tracing the curve of his jaw, the way his lips parted slightly in sleep.
There was something oddly peaceful about Fenix when he wasn't talking. Aura became overcome with the urge to stroke his head. After a few moments, she shook herself out of it and stood up.
Surely a quick shower would clear her head before lunch.
She woke him up after that, and they walked together to the lunchroom. Fenix was still yawning as he and Aura made their way there, his hair sticking out messily, and his eyes drifting closed like he hadn't fully woken up.
"What are today's lunch options?" he mumbled, still half-asleep.
"The school's website says either salmon, baked chicken, or the vegetarian meal," Aura answered almost automatically, putting emphasis on the word website.
He gave her a lazy grin. "Who needs the website when I've got you?" his response made it clear he understood her meaning. Usually, this type of behavior would annoy her but when he said, "I've got you," Aura felt a prickle in her heart, she flushed and then she looked away quickly, hoping he hadn't noticed the way her ears had turned pink.
"What's the vegetarian meal exactly?" He inquired, while easing closer to her.
"Three-bean chili," she replied, quieter this time, almost shy.
"Thanks," he answered warmly, and Aura only nodded, hugging her arms to her chest.
At the cafeteria entrance, Mirror spotted them and waved dramatically.
"Hey, guys!" she shouted across the room.
Fenix grinned and waved back, flashing one of those radiant smiles that seemed to make Aura forget everything else around them. Once they got their meals, they joined Mirror and her friends at their table.
"Oh wow, Aura, you actually changed?" Mirror teased as they approached. "You usually keep that ugly uniform on all day." Though her comment was rude, there was obviously no malice.
"I took a shower. Felt like changing too," Aura said simply, but her fingers tugged at the hem of her T-shirt like she was second-guessing her choice.
Mirror reached over and tousled her hair. "You're becoming more self-conscious. I'm glad."
Aura slapped her hand away. "Stop patronizing me!"
Mirror laughed, and Fenix watched the scene silently, something fond flickering behind his sleepy eyes. Their dynamic was charming to him, even if they are bickering, right now. The love between the two sisters was obvious.
Eventually, Aura snapped, screaming "Just leave me alone!" and grabbed Fenix's hand, tugging him away with her as Mirror yelled,
"Hey, come back after you get your food!"
"Let's go!" Aura commanded, her face flustered, having reached her limit on being teased for the day.
He blinked in surprise but smiled softly and curled his fingers gently around hers.
"Alright," he said, and obediently let him lead the way to the end of the lunch line. While they waited their hands stayed locked until it was time to receive their meals.
Mirror stared at them, analyzing everything. How willing Aura was to touch him and how Fenix looked at Aura as if she was the most wonderful thing he'd ever seen.
Realization lit her eyes, and the smile that bloomed across her face wasn't playful this time.
In the past she only claimed Aura had feelings for Fenix in order to frustrate her sister and satisfy her own desire for mischief, but now it's clear that there IS something growing between them. Mirror felt pleased and decided, at that moment, to do what she can to make sure they end up together...
So her sister wouldn't end up alone.
At the lunch table, Mirror rested her chin in her hands and just stared at Aura with that same grin, clearly amused by something she wasn't saying.
"Can you please stop acting so creepy?" Aura muttered, embarrassed.
Mirror didn't respond.
"So, Fenix," Vision cut in, "you've been here a while now. How are you liking the school?"
Fenix tapped his chin, thoughtfully, "Ah… it's been fun. Surprisingly so."
Vision nodded then he leaned in, dropping his voice to say, "You and Aura… you're not dating, right?"
Fenix's eyes widened. He glanced at Aura, who was still happily, and messily, eating, unaware of the question.
"No… we're just friends," he said carefully.
Vision exhaled, as if a weight had been lifted, and turned to start another conversation with Caster. Fenix lifted his napkin to clean Aura's cheek and she protested, snatching the napkin away to wipe her own face. He gave Aura one more glance and went back to quietly eating his chili, his thoughts trailing somewhere distant.
After lunch, the disagreement between Aura and Mirror hadn't cooled.
"I'm just saying, it was freaky! You wouldn't stop smiling and looking at me. It gave me chills." Aura grumbled.
"Is it so creepy for me to smile at my sister?" Mirror asked, throwing the question to Fenix.
He looked away before answering, "Yeah, it kinda is."
"You're just agreeing with her because she's... your friend." Mirror accused, not entirely joking.
As they neared Aura's room, a sudden wave of noise met them. Obnoxiously loud chatter, laughter, and the crinkle of wrappers underfoot. The hallway was a mess of trash, empty bottles, greasy takeout trays, and five boys lounging lazily near her dorm room door.
Mirror's expression darkened instantly. "What the hell are you guys doing? Clean up your trash and move."
One of the boys smirked, recognizing her. "Ah! I know you! You're the invisible chick."
Mirror's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm not invisible. You can see me just fine, and you heard me. Now get out of the way and clean up your garbage while you're at it."
The boys laughed.
"This isn't even your hallway. Why do you care?" Another asked.
"She's here with me," Aura said quietly, rubbing her temple like a headache was forming.
The leader of the group turned to Aura. "Oh… the prodigy. So, this is your room. Makes sense, only the elite get to stay here." He said the word elite as if that included himself and ended his statement by saying, "Why don't you ask us nicely, and maybe we'll move."
"Why should I ask you nicely?" Mirror muttered.
One of the boys tilted his head at her. "We'd be more inclined to listen if you act sweet... In fact, why aren't you quiet and cute like your little sister?"
"Yeah," another one chimed in, his eyes roaming over Aura. "I bet she could ask real sweetly."
Aura looked up at them, voice as soft and sweet as ever—but her words were razor-sharp.
"People who refuse to clean up their own messes should all rot in hell."
The words hung in the air. The softness of her tone made it sound even odder. The boys blinked, startled, before erupting into laughter again. Aura is strong but none of these guys have had to fight her and she's petite so her threat wasn't intimidating at all.
That's when Fenix stepped forward.
"I haven't seen you around. What are you doing in this dormitory?" he asked, his voice light but firm.
"We're seniors. We can go wherever we want. What's it to you?" The Elite one answered indignantly.
Fenix smiled faintly. "Well, Seniors, You're in our way."
The boys rolled their eyes, and the leader shrugged and said, "Come on, guys. Let's go. This is getting annoying."
But before the Elite one could move, Fenix gripped his shoulder, voice suddenly low and cold.
"You forgot to clean up your trash."
"The janitor can clea—" he began but his sentence was cut off by his face swallowed in flames. Then he screamed so loudly that everyone in the building left their rooms to see what the commotion was in the hallway.
The boy collapsed, clawing at his face.
"I told you to." Fenix said, putting his foot on the boy's back and pressing him down with eerie calm, "Now clean it up."
The boy fell to his knees and started scrambling for the trash, skin blackened and blistered. His regeneration was too slow to repair the damaged skin quickly. Even after healing, he's likely going to have to live with the scars. The only part of his face that had been spared was his eyes.
Fenix turned his gaze to his friends. In a blink, he was behind them so they couldn't walk away.
"If I were you," he said, voice sugar-sweet, "I'd help him."
They froze terrified by his speed, then they looked at their friend and realized they could end up the say way.
One by one, they started cleaning.
"Good boys," Fenix praised, still smiling.
Mirror clapped slowly, impressed. "If he hadn't done it, I would have."
Aura stared at Fenix, heart hammering. There was something unhinged beneath that smile. Something terrifying… but not unfamiliar. When he noticed her staring, his expression softened—not with guilt, but with a strange sort of joy as if he was waiting for her to commend him.
Aura exhaled and offered a faint, reluctant smile.
"You went a bit overboard. No need to be so violent next time, okay?"
Fenix nodded eagerly, proud of her approval.
After cleaning, as the boys turned to leave, Aura gently pulled the injured one close. He winced, ready for more pain but then she exhaled a white mist across his face. In seconds, his skin began rapidly repairing and the burns vanished. Gasps rippled through the watching crowd.
"You shouldn't loiter outside someone's door," she chastened. "It's impolite."
He didn't respond but felt his face, with a mixture of shock and relief.
And with that, she unlocked her room and stepped inside.