[ Enid's POV ]
It's already been a few weeks since I arrived here.
And honestly? It feels like the best time of my life.
Why? Because I met Valen! And... Drumroll... I am texting him right now!
I'm sprawled on my bed, hugging a pillow tight against my chest while my phone glows in my hands. "Hehe…" A silly little giggle slips out before I can stop it.
"Hey, simp. Texting Valen again?" Yoko's voice cuts across the room, sarcastic as always.
I peek over the pillow, glaring. "Yoko, being a simp for Valen is not something I'm ashamed of!"
"Yeah, yeah…" She waves me off lazily, but her fangs glint as she smirks. "You're too into him. Just… be careful. You can never be too careful with boys."
"Boys, huh?" I tilt my head at her, mock-curious. "By the way, how's it going with Divina?"
Yoko immediately stiffens, looking away. "I… I don't know. We've been flirting but… I don't know, okay?"
"Says the Divi simp," I tease, grinning wide.
She lets out a sharp little "hmph" and buries herself in her phone. I chuckle and flop back against the mattress, victorious.
A few days here, and I realized something, even in a school for outcasts and freaks, people who don't fit into the "normie" society, fitting in isn't easy.
Not even here.
And I haven't even wolfed out yet. What if I never do? Will I ever be able to join a pack? I've tried. I've put myself out there. But it's still… hard. Hard for them to really accept me.
At least I've made friends. Valen, Yoko, Alex, Divina, Ajax… So I'm not totally alone... and I'm happy with how things currently are.
As I suddenly fell in a overthinking spiral, a sharp ding jolts me back.
{Valen's workout photos!!!}
My eyes widen and my stomach fliped.
I opened the notification in a flash.
It's from The Eidolon Blog, that weird anonymous fan page that somehow always gets the inside scoop on the Eidolon brothers. Nobody knows who runs it. Some people whisper it's a stalker, others say it's a friend of a friend in their dorm.
All I know is… it's basically gospel for anyone who secretly (or not so secretly) simps for them at Nevermore.
And then I see it.
Oh. My. God.
It's Valen, on the training grounds. Shirtless. Muscles carved like something out of marble, skin shining with sweat. His hair sticks damply to his forehead, but instead of looking messy, it just makes him look more intense. his expression fierce and focused.
He looks like he walked straight out of a fantasy painting where the artist clearly sold their soul to the devil for extra detail.
Heat flooded my face. My heart raced so fast it felt like it's trying to punch its way out of my chest. I clamp my pillow over my face and let out a muffled scream into it.
When I finally peel it away, I glance at the photo again… oh no. Did I just drool?
Wiping my mouth quickly, I muttered, "Okay. Okay. I have to protect Valen from these perverts… Absolutely no one's allowed to objectify him like this.."
Then I paused, once again looking at the picture. Then tap the little save button.
"…But lemme save the photo real quick. For research."
Another notification pops up, making my pulse jump. This time, it's from him.
Valen.
I tapped on it instantly, grinning like an idiot.
He replied to the reel I sent him earlier, a silly little edit of the animated Cars movie.
"Is that a Creed edit of Cars? Damn, that's cool af."
A squeal bubbles out of me before I can stop it. He liked it. He actually thought it was cool.
And I couldn't stop smiling.
Shit... I am falling hard.
* The next day
I ran toward the training grounds, heart pounding, hair bouncing with every step.
"Enid! Slow down!" Yoko's voice reached me from behind, sharp with annoyance.
But would I slow down? Of course not. Not when Valen was about to duel. Missing even a second of him in action would be a crime against the universe.
I just found out through the blog, that Valen and Alex were facing off.
By the time I reached the grounds, the arena was already packed.
"Tsk." I clicked my tongue in frustration, shoving my way through clusters of bodies, ignoring the groans and complaints until I finally carved out a path.
My eyes landed on Ajax near Valen's corner. Perfect.
I waved at him frantically until he noticed and chuckled, giving me a hand so I could squeeze into the front.
"What's this about?" I asked, trying to catch my breath.
Ajax shrugged, eyes on the arena. "Valen and Alex had an argument, so now… they're settling it with a duel."
On the field, Valen and Alex stood across from each other, smirks carved on their faces.
"What was the argument about?" I pressed.
Ajax scratched his chin, looking a little embarrassed. Yoko and Divina had just arrived too, leaning in as if they couldn't wait for the story.
Finally, Ajax sighed and explained.
Half an hour ago...
Valen, Alex, Ajax, and Xavier had been hanging out with snacks, that they got delivered from town. And Valen grabbed the last piece of fried chicken.
"Hey! I called dibs!" Alex snapped.
"You also called dibs on that quiz yesterday and failed," Valen replied, chewing with the calm arrogance similar to a god. "Your dibs are cursed."
Alex lunged for it, but Valen, just to spite him, shoved the whole piece into his mouth.
"That's it! Outside. Loser buys lunch for the whole next month."
And now… here we were.
When Ajax finished, everyone around us shared the same deadpan look. A duel over a chicken breast. Seriously?
Though, a few boys nodded solemnly, as if they fully understood the sacredness of chicken-based disputes.
I turned back to the arena. Valen was twirling his spear casually.
My heart clenched. Damn, he looks hot.
*
[ 3rd person POV ]
The air around the training grounds hummed with anticipation. Students formed a wide circle, their voices hushed, waiting.
Valen and Alex faced each other at the center, both gripping their spears. The late afternoon light painted long shadows across the ground, making the whole thing feel more serious than it probably deserved to be.
"Old rules?" Valen asked, as he spun his spear into position. The wooden shaft cut through the air with a sharp whip.
Alex mirrored the stance, a grin tugging at his lips, "It's been a while since we dueled. Let's see if you're still better."
Valen's mouth curved into a faint smirk. "Bro, I'm always better."
Xavier stepped forward reluctantly, the unfortunate referee caught in the middle of a chicken-based war. He raised his arm, looking between the two of them.
"Fight!"
Alex lunged first, his spear slicing through the air in a sharp arc aimed at Valen's shoulder. Valen pivoted, dodging with effortless grace, his spear twirling to deflect. The crack of wood on wood echoed, drawing gasps from the students.
Enid, wedged at the front, had both hands pressed against her mouth, eyes wide. Oh my god. He's so fast. Look at him. Ugh, that smirk!
Alex pressed harder, thrusting forward with quick, aggressive jabs.
Valen moved like water, flowing around each strike, the curve of his body almost taunting. Every block he made was punctuated with a casual flick of his wrist, as though Alex's effort was child's play.
"Come on, Valen!" someone shouted from the sidelines.
"You've got this, Alex!" another voice rose.
The duel was heating up. Alex finally managed to graze Valen's arm, earning a cheer from his corner. Valen glanced at the mark, then looked up with a grin that could slice through steel.
"Cute," he murmured.
Then he attacked.
Valen's spear blurred as he spun it, driving Alex backward with relentless strikes. Each hit rang out louder, sharper, forcing Alex to stumble, sweat beginning to bead along his forehead.
"Get him, Valen!" Enid yelled, bouncing on her toes, practically glowing with excitement.
Alex tried to recover, attempting a sweeping strike aimed at Valen's legs. For a second, the crowd held its breath, until Valen vaulted clean over the sweep, landing in a crouch. With a single smooth motion, he hooked the base of his spear against Alex's weapon and yanked.
The spear flew from Alex's hands, clattering across the arena.
Gasps exploded from the audience.
Valen pressed his weapon to Alex's chest, the smirk never leaving his face. "Guess lunch is on you."
The crowd roared, laughter mixing with cheers. Some groaned at Alex's defeat, others clapped for Valen.
Alex raised his hands in surrender, grinning and muttering, "I lost over a chicken breast…"
Valen twirled his spear once more before resting it casually against his shoulder, looking every bit the smug victor.
Valen's smirk widened. Without a word, the two stepped forward and bumped fists, their spears lowering at their sides.
Enid could swear she almost fainted. The way he moved, the spins, the jumps, the smirk when he won. Perfection. Literal perfection.
Absolute cinema.
"He's so dramatic," Yoko muttered beside her, rolling her eyes.
"Shhh," Enid whispered. "Let me have this moment."
-----
A/N- This one's the bonus chapter for hitting 400 powerstones! Y'all really showing zero mercy on me huh, two bonus chaps in a single day, damn...
Also, just dropped some advance chapters on Patreon! (But please make sure to check the notice post there first before joining, if you're interested).
patreon.com/Captain_Lag
-the link.
Thanks a ton for all the support,