On the way to Martial Arts Combat class, Aura grabbed Fenix's hand and said, "Today… don't hold back on me."
Fenix raised an eyebrow,
"What are you talking about? Me, hold back? Never." His voice was both joking and sarcastic.
"I want to see who's really stronger… I've never lost a fight before… and I want to see your true potential today," Aura said softly, gripping his hand tighter.
Fenix sighed.
"I'm not holding back… we're just evenly matched," Fenix insisted.
However, Aura found his claims completely unconvincing. She looked up into his eyes.
"Fine… if you win, I'll do you any favor," Aura's offer piqued his interest.
"…Anything?" Fenix's lips twitched, and his smile became mischievous, maybe sadistic. Aura nodded.
"Ties don't count, of course, so you have to really win… This is a one-time offer." She explained.
Fenix rubbed his chin and smiled to himself.
"Alright… It's a bet. Of course, if you win, my offer is the same as yours." He replied smugly.
Aura grinned confidently.
"I can't wait."
The two entered the class and threw their hands up at the same time as soon as Janx and Cleaver asked for volunteers.
"Alright, you two, you know what to do."
Both jumped to their feet and ran to the field. Aura only removed her necktie (since she was wearing the girl's uniform and there was no need to remove the skirt) and unbuttoned her top three buttons. When she turned around, she saw that Fenix had tossed aside his jacket and vest and was currently removing his shirt. There were a few girlish screams and gasps. Many of their classmates eyeballed him and whispered amongst each other,
"I knew he was hot, but I didn't know he had a body like that!"
"Aura is so lucky,"
"I'm not taking my eyes off today's match."
Aura wasn't sure how to feel after overhearing their comments... shocked or homicidal.
"Sounds like you have a few fans," Aura mumbled with a hint of distaste.
"Really?" Fenix replied, tilting his head and removing a rubber band from his pocket to tie his hair back. "I only care if you're one of them. Are you my fan, Aura?"
Aura blushed and found it hard to stay bitter after he said this.
"Battle, start!" Cleaver yelled.
While Aura was still caught off guard, Fenix moved at a speed she couldn't manage to keep up with. He landed multiple hits along her arms, which didn't hurt; in fact, Aura barely felt anything.
In that same split second, he had backed away before Aura could launch an attack of her own… and as soon as she tried to move, she realized both her arms were paralyzed.
"That was 21 hits on the arms, so 21 points to Fenix!" Cleaver yelled.
Aura glared at Fenix.
"What did you do to me?!" she shouted. She wanted him to go all out, but she still wanted to win, to prove to herself that she was still the best.
Fenix laughed, then put a finger to his lips and whispered,
"It's a secret."
Aura huffed at him.
"Alright, Round 2, Start!" Cleaver announced. This time, Aura approached Fenix, swinging her limp arms at him like weapons and occasionally turning to kick. However, all her attempts were dodged or blocked.
"3 minutes and 20 seconds have passed. Round 2 has ended. Move to opposite ends of the field," Cleaver yelled.
Aura backed away from Fenix, panting from overexertion, and he smiled at her before walking slowly to the other edge of the field.
Aura crouched and rubbed her arms between her legs in an attempt to restore feeling, but it wasn't working, and... her regenerative abilities handled damage, not paralysis. She'd never felt so powerless.
(If I ever face him in the national tournament… I might lose) Aura thought, shocked by the idea. She hoped he would only push her to get better. And she hadn't accounted for this hidden trick up his sleeve
"Round 3, begin!"
Fenix ran at her once again. Aura lunged, but he twisted out of her way and tapped her right arm three times, returning mobility to it. Aura used that chance to slap him hard on the cheek. Since she only hit him once, she got 5 points. But she was so shocked that she had managed to move that she forgot to combo for more points.
"That's 24 points for Fenix, and 5 for Aura! Fenix is the victor!" Cleaver announced. Fenix's head was still turned, and he brushed his cheek where she'd struck him... seconds later, he smiled fondly to himself.
The class erupted with cheers at the unexpected outcome. Aura was at a loss for words. (He let me hit him on purpose to spare my pride.)
Fenix began getting dressed carefully. Aura walked over and tapped his shoulder with her only working arm.
"Fix the other arm as well, please?" She said in a demanding tone.
Fenix smirked.
"It will wear off in 20 minutes," he explained.
Aura pouted.
"But I don't feel like waiting 20 minutes!" she complained.
Fenix turned to her, kissed her, then said in a low voice, "But it will be harder for you to resist me with only one arm."
Aura's face went bright red as she considered what his words could mean. Fenix laughed hard.
"I'm joking." He grabbed her left arm, squeezed slightly in multiple places, and then the numbness slowly disappeared. "You wouldn't try to resist me anyway." He added confidently, lower than a whisper.
"Thank you…" Aura said, looking down. She hadn't heard his final statement and was just relieved to have her mobility back. Also a bit bitter from losing their spar.
Fenix smirked and finished buttoning his vest. Once done, he grabbed Aura's hand and quickly led her out of the gym.
Even after the door shut behind them, the murmurs of their classmates were easily heard.
"Where are they going?"
"Always running off together, they must be in the honeymoon phase."
He took her into a vacant corridor, under a staircase, and sat on the floor, gently tugging her arm so she'd sit with him, but she resisted and said,
"…The floor feels cold when I'm wearing a skirt,"
Fenix laughed and patted his lap, saying, "Then sit here."
His suggestion shocked her, but after a few moments of hesitation, she did just that. Fenix held her waist and asked, leaning close, "Do you know what prize I want for winning the bet?" He whispered directly into her ear. His voice sent chills through her and put her mind on one thing, so she voiced it aloud,
"…Sex?" Aura guessed.
Fenix blushed brightly and backed away all at once. "What?! What made you think that?!" he asked, startled.
"You seem to be a fan of a fast pace… so I assumed," Aura mumbled, looking down at the floor.
"…I wouldn't make you do that with me over a bet," Fenix muttered softly, also looking down.
She stared at him quietly for a moment, then shyly asked,
"Then what do you want?"
"I want... to sleep over in your dorm, and you have to make me pancakes for breakfast," Fenix demanded happily.
"A sleepover?!" Aura shouted, and he nodded. She ran through the night in her mind. They could play games, chat, and eat together; that all sounded great! But she worried he might lose interest if he heard her snoring.
"Oh, don't worry; I already know that you snore," Fenix clarified, seeming to read her mind.
"D-do you have ESP?" Aura asked.
Fenix tilted his head, faking bafflement. "Hmm... no? Clothing brand, or gaming console?" he asked playfully.
Fenix packed an extra uniform, sleepwear, and necessities as quickly as he could before rushing to Aura's room. She let him inside and began preparing the futon in the living room,
"I told Mirror she couldn't sleep over tonight, and not to visit," Aura mentioned, her voice slightly shaky from nerves.
Fenix tossed his bag onto the couch, walked over, and casually rolled the futon back up. Before Aura could protest, he simply stated,
"We're sharing the bed." His tone left no room for negotiations. It was stern, cold even, and...
Aura's heart fluttered; she was happy, which made it hard to argue.
She had originally planned on letting him use the bed alone. The futon was for her... though, sleeping beside him didn't sound bad. Especially now that she knows her snores don't bother him.
As he was walking to the hall closet to put away the futon, Fenix glanced at her desktop and read aloud,
"Best pancake recipes… butter or oil… fruit that goes well with pancakes… different types of syrup…"
Aura jumped up and rushed over to nudge his shoulder sharply.
"Stop reading it aloud!" He chuckled and walked away while she closed all her tabs.
"Let's play a game," he suggested while flopping down onto the couch. Aura's eyes lit up with excitement.
"I have a new game called Corpse Invasion! It's a zombie apocalypse game… I'm so glad to have someone to play it with." She said, full of enthusiasm, sitting down beside him. She picked up a controller and turned on the console.
"Because you get scared easily when you're alone," he remarked while grabbing the other gamepad.
"That's not true! I don't get scared at all, I... just get a little shaken up…" she retorted, pouting.
"Suuure. Aura... you're cute," Fenix commented,
"…That's right! I am super cute!" Aura declared with sudden confidence. He laughed, and the sound of his joy made her chest warm in a way she couldn't quite explain.
After five hours of gaming, Aura was too tired to cook anything elaborate, so she ended up preparing instant ramen for dinner.
Fenix complained about how unhealthy it was multiple times while she was cooking, and Aura told him to shut up just as many times. Once the bowls were on the table, Fenix stopped complaining and began eating.
He smiled at her.
"Oh! It's good. I've never had ramen before."
"Shut up, it's not good—it's just quick and easy... I'm the one who told you to eat healthier, and now I'm feeding you this crap. I feel so bad," she said, slowly slurping her noodles.
Fenix leaned over and pecked her cheek, making her cough abruptly. He rubbed her back until the coughing stopped and said,
"I must just like it because you made it for me."
Aura stayed quiet, her cheek tingling where his lips had just been.
"Aura… what gave it away, that I was faking my happiness?"
It took her a few seconds to understand. Wiping her mouth, she replied, "Your smiles always looked forced."
Fenix sighed.
"My… adoptive father said that if I want to make friends, I should smile more. I told him a murderer doesn't deserve to smile… then he told me that I'm not a murderer… that my parents' deaths aren't my fault. He said I deserve to meet people and be happy."
Aura's chest tightened, overwhelmed by many emotions at once, but mostly with joy because he was willingly opening up to her. She placed her bowl aside and wrapped her arms around him tightly.
"He's right... It wasn't your fault." She muttered, nuzzling her face into his chest.
Fenix lightly petted her head.
"… I hated people, but I… wanted to make friends. At the same time, I wanted to be alone… but you, Aura, you're special. You broke through contradicting feelings, I couldn't push you away at all... You're the only person I want to be with, and my urge to monopolize you grows stronger every day…"
"I'll be honest... It's the same for me." Aura took a deep breath before continuing, "I thought I didn't need anyone except Mirror in my life, until I met you. And now... I can't imagine my life without you anymore."
After she confessed, Aura blushed deeply. Fenix tilted her chin upward with his fingers, rested his forehead on hers, lingering in that position for a while, with his eyes cast down at her lips.
"I'm glad." He whispered as he pressed his lips to hers gently, kissing her over and over until she melted against him.
Aura insisted on cleaning up alone, so Fenix decided to explore her room. He found a picture of Aura with Mirror at her bedside; she wasn't smiling, but somehow still looked happy.
On her dresser were five novels, all educational, and a hairbrush. He was tempted to look in her drawers, but decided not to upset Aura too much by overstepping.
There wasn't much else to do, so he sat on her bed and waited.
"I'm done with the dishes… do you want to shower first or second?" she asked.
"Hmm... let's take it together!" Fenix suggested cheerfully.
"THAT'S NOT HAPPENING!" Aura yelled, massaging her forehead before sitting beside him on the bed. She took many deep breaths to calm herself.
"…I'll let you go first," he offered, laying his head on her shoulder. Aura tensed.
"…Alright, I'll be quick," she said, gently pushing him away, gathering her pajamas, and hurrying out.
As he waited, Fenix looked under her bed—only two pairs of shoes. Seeing nothing else to do, he picked up one of her books and began reading. Ten minutes later, he was on page 352 of the Floral Encyclopedia when Aura returned. He put the book down and wordlessly went to take his shower. She was a bit disappointed that he left so quickly, and returned the book to her shelf before sitting on her bed and waiting for him.
When he returned, wearing nothing but his underwear. Seeing her waiting for him at the edge of the bed, he leapt toward her with a bright grin, yelling,
"I'm all clean!" She fell back, with him on top of her.
"Don't touch me!" she screamed, though her eyes betrayed her as they scanned over him, heat rushing to her face.
Fenix's arms wrapped around her, cuddling her close.
"Put on a shirt at least, or I'll never let you hug me again!" Aura complained further, struggling.
Her threat stung, causing immense emotional damage, so Fenix sat up pouting,
"You love to ruin my fun... you... Fun ruiner!" He yelled as he left the area to comply. When he returned, fully dressed, Aura had fallen asleep. She cocooned tightly under her comforter. He'd only been away for a minute. Fenix sighed, smiled, and slid into bed beside her. He held her waist from behind, buried his face in her hair, and not long after that, he fell asleep too.
Aura had wrapped herself too tightly, so when she woke, her only hope for escape was to roll off the bed.
"AHH!" She screamed, falling to the floor with a loud THUMP and waking Fenix.
"…Good morning," he said, sitting up and yawning.
Aura wiggled out of her self-made prison and clicked her tongue at him.
"…Jerk," she remarked bitterly.
Fenix raised an eyebrow.
"Did I do something? ...Was it because I didn't ask if you were okay?"
Aura shook her head. "Then what? Whatever I did, I'm sorry." He added, worriedly.
"You stayed here all night but didn't even touch me!" she declared angrily.
Fenix blushed and stared at her in complete silence, dumbfounded before playfully muttering, "You pervert," and laughing softly.
"Am I not attractive enough? Is it the bunny-print pajamas? I know I resisted you earlier… but… I didn't want you to stop... You do like me, right?"
Fenix blinked in confusion, but then he erupted in boisterous laughter.
Aura's cheeks burned with embarrassment, and she threw her blankets at his face before running from the room.
Even as she stormed off, Fenix couldn't stop laughing. Not much later, he saw her sitting on the floor in the corner of the living room and joined her.
"I was sure you'd get mad if I tried anything…" He explained. His voice was serious this time, since he could tell she'd gotten genuinely upset with his reaction from earlier.
"…I agreed to be your fiancée, so of course I wouldn't get mad!" Aura replied, matter-of-factly. Fenix's heart was moved, and he lay his head on her shoulder.
"Then next time we're alone, I won't hold back…" he said softly, cuddling closer.
Aura swallowed hard, then jumped to her feet and, nervously, ran to her room, screaming.
"Great! I'm going to get dressed now!"
Fenix chuckled. Then struggled to calm his own beating heart before retrieving his clothes from his bag and beginning to get dressed in the living room. Aura changed in the bathroom. He still felt the urge to laugh rising up in him, but held it back so Aura wouldn't misunderstand. She had just made him so elated that all he wanted was to laugh, embrace her, and smother her in kisses.
No one was waiting outside the doorway, to Aura's relief. Since they were alone, she felt brave enough to take hold of Fenix's hand. His temperature spiked immediately. Then he looked at her with pure adoration and excitement.
"I... just wanted to hold your hand, okay? Don't overthink it," Aura blurted to ease the butterflies in her stomach. Fenix lifted their clasped hands to his mouth and kissed her fingertips, and quietly replied,
"It's too late, I'm overthinking."
His response struck her so deeply she couldn't speak. So they walked for a while without saying anything.
Down the hall, Mirror and Veil were talking. "I'm shocked that Fenix isn't here before us today," Veil commented cheerily.
"Yeah," Mirror agreed. Then she sensed Aura approaching, so she turned and saw them walking hand in hand. "The new couple has arrived," she announced with a smirk. Veil's joy disappeared as his eyes fixed on their interlocked fingers. In that moment, he lost hope and knew there was no space left for him between them.
Aura struggled to ignore Mirror's comment. Fenix blushed slightly at the word couple and smiled, turning his head toward his fiancé.
"Heard you guys are officially a couple now… congrats," Veil said, though his tone sounded anything but congratulatory.
Fenix pulled Aura close and kissed the top of her head. "Thank you," he replied, smirking at Veil as he added another soft, lingering kiss to her cheek.
They glared at each other in silence. Aura put up no resistance as Fenix held her, smiling softly to herself and somehow oblivious to the tense atmosphere around her. Her focus was on her rapid heartbeat and the unfamiliar contentment that came with being held.
Eventually, Veil's expression turned sour, and he walked away on his own.
Fenix watched him leave and rocked from side to side happily with Aura still in his arms.
"Wow... You're sorta mean," Mirror remarked, sighing and shaking her head at him. She felt bad for Veil, but overall, she wanted Aura to choose who she would be with, and she's chosen Fenix. Mirror was happy for her.
A few months passed, and they had frequent sleepovers. Things never escalated beyond cuddling, and eventually it got to the point where neither could sleep well without the other nearby.