The dormitory was quiet, shadows stretching across the room as the night deepened. Aiden sat on his bed, restless, while his friends lounged around, whispering conspiratorially.
"Dude, you've been staring at Selene all week," one teased, nudging his shoulder. "It's time. Ask her already!"
"I… I don't know," Aiden muttered, running a hand through his hair. "What if she says no?"
"She won't," another friend replied confidently. "Everyone knows you belong together. Just say it!"
Selene was far away in her own dorm that night, unaware of the pep talk, but Aiden felt the weight of his feelings pressing on him. The encouragement continued, his friends teasing, laughing, and giving him tips late into the night.
By the time the sun began to rise, a sense of determination had settled over him. He knew what he had to do.
The next day, during lunch beneath a tree in the courtyard, Aiden approached Selene. His heart pounded in his chest, the sunlight glinting off her hair.
"Selene," he began, voice slightly shaky, "I… I want to be with you. Will you… be my girlfriend?"
Before she could answer, a soft shadow fell across them — Ophis Tepes Elderblood, who had been walking nearby, had overheard the entire exchange.
"You are too late to ask," Ophis said lightly, crimson eyes gleaming with amusement. "You two are already bound."
Aiden froze. "Bound?"
Ophis stepped closer, her gaze calm but piercing. "Yes. The bite, the way your blood mingled the moment she fed you… you're married in a way that most mortals cannot understand."
Selene blinked, a hint of surprise crossing her features, but she nodded, confirming what Ophis said.
Ophis continued, her voice soft yet authoritative. "I noticed the bond the moment I arrived at this school. Your connection was already undeniable. It has always been there — stronger than either of you realize."
Aiden's chest tightened as he processed the revelation. "Then… will you be my girlfriend officially?"
Selene's crimson eyes sparkled, and a warm smile tugged at her lips. "Yes. I will."
In that moment, their bond — mystical, powerful, and undeniable — was sealed, witnessed silently by Ophis, who knew just how significant this connection would become in the days to come.