There was sweat on the floor.
And a cracked mirror.
And a scorch mark on the ceiling that looked suspiciously like Elias's handprint.
"That was not in the training manual," Elias panted, falling back against the wall, his shirt clinging to his back, hair plastered to his forehead.
Rael stood a few feet away, arms crossed, looking way too pleased for someone who just nearly got blasted across the room.
"I warned you not to think about that one time in the library."
"You said 'focus on your core!'" Elias snapped. "You didn't say don't imagine you naked on top of the spellbooks!"
Rael's expression twitched. "...Valid point."
Elias groaned, wiping his face. "This is impossible. I can't separate my feelings from the magic."
"Who said you had to?" Rael stepped forward, leaning in with a grin. "Emotion fuels magic. Especially yours. You just need to stop letting it hijack you."
Elias looked up at him, exhausted, flushed, eyes still faintly glowing. "Okay. Teach me how to ride it."
A beat.
"I meant the magic."
"I didn't correct you," Rael said, already smirking.
Elias shoved him in the chest. "You're the worst mentor."
Rael caught his wrist mid-shove, spun him, and pinned him to the wall in one swift move. Not rough — just... firm. Intentional.
"You're the hottest mess I've ever trained," he murmured against Elias's jaw.
Elias gasped, the magic flickering again under his skin. Rael felt it.
"That's it," he whispered. "Breathe with it. Feel it like it's part of your blood, not some curse to fight."
Elias closed his eyes, letting himself fall into it — the pulse, the pressure, the strange warmth in his chest that wasn't just from Rael's touch.
And this time, the spark didn't explode — it flared. Controlled. Smooth.
Elias blinked. "Wait. I did it."
Rael looked him over. "You did. And you didn't set anything on fire this time."
"I deserve a reward."
Rael's grin widened. "I was thinking the same thing."
The rest of the training session never happened. The room got locked. Again.
And that scorch mark on the ceiling?
It got company.