The argument between Kenny and Zavrion dragged on for what felt like hours, voices rising and falling like crashing waves. Then, without a word, Zavrion turned, opened the door, and walked out into the night.
"Zavrion! Stop!" Kin called after him, trying to block his way, but the boy was determined. No matter how many times Kin reached for him, Zavrion slipped past, his steps brisk and unyielding.
He didn't stop until he reached a quiet clearing under the pale moonlight. Sitting down on the grass, he closed his eyes, releasing his enigma pheromones into the air. The night shifted. Spirit birds with feathers like stardust and spirit animals with glowing eyes began to appear, drawn to his call. They gathered around him, brushing against him, playing, trying to soothe the storm in his heart.
But even their warmth couldn't erase the bitterness.
From behind, a familiar voice spoke.
"Zavrion."
He turned to see Vixen, his father, standing there. Vixen walked over and sat beside him.
"You shouldn't have spoken to Kenny like that," Vixen said quietly. "His relationships are his own business. He has every right to be with whoever he chooses."
Zavrion's voice trembled with frustration.
"But I've liked Kenny since I was a kid… and he's never once understood that."
Vixen sighed, his gaze fixed on the dark horizon.
"Love isn't meant to be one-sided, son. If Kenny doesn't return your feelings, you can't force him. That's not love — that's a cage."
For a long moment, Zavrion said nothing. Finally, after much coaxing, Vixen led him back home.
Kin was waiting at the door, worry etched into his face. Without a word, he pulled Zavrion into a tight embrace.
"Don't ever run off like that again. You have no idea how much we worry about you."
Kenny, who had been silent, stepped forward. He took Zavrion's hand and led him inside.
"Will you never grow up? Do you know how much you made your father worry tonight?"
Zavrion looked at him sharply. "And what about you? Were you worried about me?"
Kenny's expression softened. He placed a hand on Zavrion's back and murmured, "Yes… I was."
Zavrion's voice dropped to a near whisper.
"Then why don't you just stay here? Why do you keep going back?"
"Because my office is there," Kenny replied, "and… Megas is there."
The name was a knife. Zavrion's face hardened.
"You're bringing up Megas again? You really like breaking my heart, don't you?"
From then on, Kenny stayed longer at home, spending time with Kin, Vixen, and Zavrion. Their days were filled with playful bickering — moments that looked lighthearted to others but carried an unspoken tension between the two.
Sometimes, Megas would call to check on Kenny. But if Zavrion happened to walk in and see Kenny on the phone with him, he would snatch the device from his hands and end the call without hesitation.
Kenny would explode in anger, Zavrion would glare back, and yet… life between them continued like this — a tangled dance of irritation, closeness, and unspoken longing.
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