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… I'm interested in your capabilities." Aura said softly, gripping his hand tighter.
Fenix sighed."I'm not holding back… we're just evenly matched." He claimed. Aura looked up into his eyes.
"Fine… if you win, I'll do you any favor." Aura stated sternly.
"…Anything?" Fenix's smile turned mischievous. Aura nodded."Ties don't count, of course, so you have to really win… This is a one-time offer."
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 class and threw their hands up at the same time when 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 Aura wasn't sure how to feel—shocked or homicidal.
"Sounds like you have a few fans," Aura commented with a hint of distaste.
"Really?" Fenix replied, tilting his head and removing a rubber band from his pocket to tie his hair back. "Are you one of them, Aura? Are you my fan?"
Aura blushed and found it hard to stay mad 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—they didn't hurt; in fact, Aura barely felt anything. In a split second, he had backed away before Aura could launch an attack of her own… and as soon as she tried to counter, 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.
Fenix laughed, then put a finger to his lips and whispered,"It's a secret."
Aura growled 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—although all her attempts ended in vain.
"3 minutes and 20 seconds have passed. Round 2 has ended. Move to opposite ends of the field," Cleaver yelled.
Aura backed from Fenix, panting, and he smiled at her before walking slowly to his edge of the field. Aura squatted and rubbed her arms between her legs in an attempt to restore feeling, but it wasn't working—her regenerative abilities handled damage, not paralysis.
(If I ever face him in the national tournament… I might lose) Aura thought, shocked by the idea. She felt he would only push her to get better, not that he'd actually win.
"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.
"That's 24 points for Fenix, and 5 for Aura! Fenix is the victor!" Cleaver announced.
The class erupted with cheers at the unexpected outcome. Aura was at a loss for words. (He let me hit him on purpose.)
Fenix began getting dressed carefully. Aura walked over and tapped his shoulder with her only working arm."Can you fix the other arm as well, please?"
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. Fenix laughed hard."I'm joking." He grabbed her left arm, squeezed slightly, and feeling returned instantly.
"Thank you…" Aura said, looking down.
Fenix finished buttoning his vest. Once done, he grabbed Aura's hand and quickly led her out of the room. Even after the door shut behind them, the murmurs of their classmates were easily heard.
He took her into a vacant corridor and sat on the floor, gently tugging her arm so she'd sit with him."…The floor feels cold when I'm wearing a skirt," Aura complained.
Fenix laughed at her comment."Then sit in my lap."
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?"
"…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 because of a bet," Fenix muttered softly, also looking down.
"Then what?" Aura asked shyly.
"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 worried he might lose interest if he heard her snoring.
"Oh, don't worry; I already know that you snore," Fenix stated, seeming to read her mind.
"D-do you have ESP?" Aura asked.
Fenix tilted his head, baffled. "Hmm... no? Is that a brand of clothing?" he asked innocently.
Fenix packed an extra uniform, sleepwear, and necessities as quickly as he could before rushing to Aura's room.
"I told Mirror she couldn't sleep over tonight," Aura mentioned, preparing the futon.
Fenix walked over and casually took the futon away. Before Aura could protest, he simply stated,"We're sharing the bed."
Aura's heart fluttered; she was a little happy, which made it hard to argue. She had originally planned on letting him use the bed alone.
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 nudged his shoulder sharply."Stop reading it aloud!"
Fenix smirked and tossed his bag onto the couch."Let's play a game," he suggested, causing Aura's eyes to light 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 and turning on the console.
"Because you get scared easily when you're alone," he remarked, sitting beside her.
"That's not true! I just get a little shaken up…" she retorted, pouting.
"You're so cute," Fenix commented, picking up the second player controller.
"…That's right! I am super cute!" Aura declared with sudden confidence. Fenix laughed, and the sound 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 periodically about how unhealthy it was, 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," 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,"It must just taste better because I'm with you."
Aura stayed quiet, her cheeks heating.
"Aura… what let you know I was grieving?"
It took her a few seconds to understand. Wiping her mouth, she replied,"Your smiles always looked forced."
Fenix sighed."My… foster 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 said I'm not a murderer… that my parents' deaths aren't my fault, and I should meet new people."
Aura's chest swelled—he was opening up to her. She wrapped her arms around him tightly."He's right," she confirmed. "It wasn't your fault."
Fenix lightly petted her head."…Though… I hate people. I… wanted to make friends, but at the same time I wanted to be alone… but you, Aura, you're special. You're the only person I want to be with, and my urge to monopolize you grows stronger every day…"
Aura blushed deeply as Fenix tilted her chin upward with his fingers and pressed his lips to hers gently.
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 and a hairbrush. He was tempted to look in her drawers, but the instinct to survive stopped him.
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.
"Let's take it together!" Fenix suggested.
"THAT'S NOT HAPPENING!" Aura yelled, massaging her forehead before sitting beside him on the bed.
"…I'll let you go first," he offered, laying his head on her shoulder.
"…Alright, I'll be quick," she said, gently pushing him away, gathering her pajamas, and hurrying out.
Fenix looked under her bed—only two pairs of shoes. Seeing nothing else to do, he picked up one of her novels and began reading. Ten minutes later, he was on page 352 when Aura returned. He put the book down and wordlessly went to take his shower.
When he returned, wearing nothing but his underwear, he leapt toward her with a bright grin."I'm all clean!"
"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 instantly, cuddling her close."Put on a shirt at least, or I'll never let you hug me again!" Aura yelled, struggling.
Fenix pouted."You love to ruin my fun. Fun ruiner!"
He let her go and complied. When he returned, Aura had fallen asleep, curled tightly under her comforter. Fenix smiled, slid in beside her, moved close, and fell asleep as well.
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 and waking Fenix.
"…Good morning," he said, sitting up and yawning.
Aura unwrapped herself and clicked her tongue at him."…Jerk," she pouted.
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."
"You stayed here all night but didn't try anything with me!" she declared angrily.
Fenix blushed."You pervert," he said, laughing softly.
"Am I not attractive enough? Is it the bunny-print pajamas? I know I resisted earlier… but… you do like me, right?"
Fenix erupted in boisterous laughter. Aura's cheeks burned, and she threw her blankets at his face before running from the room.
Even as she stormed off, Fenix couldn't stop laughing. Later, he found her sitting on the floor in the living room and joined her."I was sure you'd get mad if I tried anything…" he explained.
"…I agreed to be your fiancée, so of course I wouldn't get mad!" Aura replied, amused. Fenix laughed, laying his head on her shoulder.
"Then next time, I won't hold back…" he said softly, cuddling closer.
Aura jumped to her feet, nervous, and ran to her room screaming."I'm going to get dressed now!"
Fenix chuckled, then retrieved his clothes from his bag and began dressing in the living room.
No one was waiting outside, to Aura's relief, but down the hall, Mirror and Veil were talking."It's weird that Fenix wasn't here before us today," Veil laughed.
"Yeah," Mirror agreed. Then she sensed Aura approaching and saw them walking hand in hand. "The couple has arrived," she announced with a smirk.
Aura struggled to ignore her. Fenix blushed slightly and smiled, turning his head toward her."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."That's right," he smirked at Veil.
They stared at each other in silence. Eventually, Veil's expression turned furious, and he left.
Fenix rocked from side to side happily with Aura in his arms."You're kind of a jerk," Mirror remarked, sighing and shaking her head at him.