Caitlyn’s brain was still foggy with sleep as she shuffled out of her bedroom, yawning like she’d been knocked out for a decade.
She rubbed her tired eyes, her glossy pink lips smudged with a telltale drool mark–proof of a solid snoore
Mid–yawn, ready to stretch, her gaze slammed into Leon’s, his eyes locked on her like a hawk
Her heart skipped a beat, and she froze. She bolted back to her room, yanking on a hoodie and sweats before sauntering out, playing it smooth.
“Thank god I don’t roam around naked, she thought, cheeks burning.
One sleepy slip–up, and Leon would’ve gotten an eyeful.
New day, fresh start. Caitlyn hit the bathroom, spotting Lean’s reflection lurking behind her in the mirror. To cut the weird tension, the tossed out, “You always up this early? Thought you’d be a total snooze fest.”
Leon winced, pain flickering in his eyes. “Hurts….couldn’t sleep,” he mumbled, grabbing her toothpaste to slap some on his brush, staring at the floor Caitlyn’s gut twisted, her cool act faltering Way to tank the mood. She cleared her throat. “Uh… yeah, cool”
rick wall.
Silence hit like a brick wall
Desperate to escape the awkwardness, she sped through her routine, scrubbing her face like it was a race. A blue towel–Leon’s–hung next to her pink one, staking its claim.
Shelathered up with face wash, rinsed, and dabbed her face dry, her mind scrambling for something to say.
Leon blinked, curiosity breaking the ice. “What’s that? Makeup or what?” he asked, nodding at the bottle.
Caitlyn smirked, shooting him a look. “Face wash, bro. Never tried?
“Heard of it…” Leon muttered, then grumbled, “Why’s a guy need that girly junk?”
Her eyes rolled hard. “It’s not makeup, genius. Guys can use it. It’s better than just splashing water on your face. Try it
“Nope, I’m good,” Leon said, arms crossed.
Caitlyn scoffed, a little stung. Fine, whatever. “Your loss. This stuff’s pricey–snagged it from those fancy elves. Wasn’t even gonna share.”
She snapped the cap shut and strutted out, tossing her hair with a huff
Leon watched her go, his tough guy vibe cracking. “Elves making face wash? That’s next–level”
He glanced at the door, ensuring Caitlyn was gone. His fingers twitched, curiosity burning, Heart pounding like he was about to rob a vault, he grabbed the white battle
Click
The cap popped open.
“Bwahahaha!” A freaky laugh echoed behind him, chilling his spine.
Leon froze, his eyes flicking to the mirror. Caitlyn was slouched against the doorframe, her smirk sharp enough to cut glass, eyes dancing with machief as she pinned him with a look that screamed caught you.
Heat flooded Leon’s cheeks. He gritted his teeth and mumbled, “Just… scoping out what this’s made of, alright? Gotta check it’s not some sketchy poison. You know, looking out for you.”
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“Oh, sure you are, heral” Caitlyn’s grin bloomed, a teasing flush warming her pale cheeks, making her look stupidly gorgeous.
Leon? Not buying the charm. Not now.
Face blazing, he showed the battle back on the shell, cranked the faucet, and scrubbed his hands like he could erase the whole humiliating moment
“Pfft, real men don’t need that junk, he thought.
Caitlyn’s laughter sparkled behind him, bright and merciless
In a greasy dive of a diner buried in Ekavine’s underbelly, two dudes in dark hoodies sat across from each other, hunched over bowls of steaming ramen
“You really wanna go through with this?” Patrick Carrayway muttered, poking at his noodles. “What if it all goes to hell?”
Garreth slurped a noodle and scoffed. “Chill, man. We pull this off, we’re ghosts. You think we can’ts
tslip through a city this damn big?”
“But… it’s him,” Patrick hissed, voice barely above a whisper, “Dude carved through half the Hall of Heroes like it was nothing. Dropped two S–ranks, let two more bleeding out.
“Hell, he almost took down one of the Great Triol”
His frown was practically screaming bad idea.
Garreth barked a laugh. “That’s why it’s our shot, dumbass. Yeah, he’s a freaking monster–barely human
“But I was there. He didn’t just stroll out of that fight. Guy was trashed, limping away like roadkill. This is our moment”
Patrick swirled his soup, still cagey. “Even if he’s banged up… just us two? Against that guy?”
Garreth leaned forward, eyes flashing. “What, we ain’t enough? Nail this, and we’re S–rank, my guy. You wanna bail, go for it take him on solo it gotta
“I ain’t that yellow,” Patrick growled, spine stiffening. “It’s just… he came back a damn legend. Fame, clout, the works. Why’s he…?
Garreth’s stare tumed icy, voice dropping. “Does it even matter?”
Patrick shut up fast.
“Get it done, grab the cash, and we’re set,” Gareth said, leaning back, “Even a big shot like him’s crashed and burned. Dig too deep, and ..
Patrick shuddered but gave a tight nod. “Yeah, screw it. We do this, we’re S–rank. Rest can go to hell”
Garreth flashed a feral grin, raising his glass. “That’s the spirit. S–ranks popping up on Ekavine? City lord’s gonna lose it. Here’s to owning this.”
“To owning it,” Patrick echoed, clinking his glass with a grim spark in his eye.
The rift’s chaos had finally choked out the rain, but Ekavine’s sky stayed buried under a thick shroud of grim clouds, no sign of them budging anytime soon. The city felt like it was holding its breath, tense and uneasy.
A few blocks from Roseview Condo, two guys hunched on a park bench, muttering low, like they were scared the shadows might eavesdrop
Garreth’s eyes were locked on a dagger in his grip, its faint glow pulsing like a warning. His jaw clenched as he growled, “Good thing Everett had our backs… Finding that bastard in Ekavine would’ve been a total shitshow otherwise.”
Patrick’s gaze darted to the blade, a cold knot tightening in his gut. Teah, but when’s Everett gonna be back in the game?” His voice cracked, betgyiNG
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the fear chewing at him.
Garreth licked his lips, his mind replaying the rumors that kept him up at night. “Heard if Everett wasn’t off that freak’s radar, he’d be toast. Duda’s a straight–up nightmare–nobody’s matched that kind of terror before or since.”
Patrick forced a smirk, but it was brittle, his stomach churning with dread,
Gareth’s face turned to stone, his eyes glinting like a blade’s edge as he buried his doubts. “So, if we pull this off.. you know what the Human Alliance’s dangling in front of us, right?”
Patrick sucked in a shaky breath, his pulse hammering as he met Gareth’s stare. “Hell yeah, Glory, cash, the works–or we’re screwed, left to rot in the dust. It’s do–or–die today.”
“All in…or nothing.” Garreth said, his voice cold and final
In a heartbeat, both of them vanished from the bench, swallowed by the night like ghosts.
Inside Roseview Condo, Unit 101, Caitlyn was sprawled on the couch. Her body felt like lead, her brain foggy from too much TV and not enough motivation
Leon lounged at the other end, the two of them half–watching some cheesy action flick, tossing lazy jabs like it was a sport.
“You ju
just checked out of life, Caitlyn Leon teased, smirking
“Nah, still got some bucks to burn,” she shot back, rolling her eyes. “Not exactly dying to jump back into the rat race.”
Caitlyn’s nose wrinkled, a spark of annoyance flaring in her chest. ‘Really, dude? Kick me while I’m down?’
She leaned back, her mind drifting to her old gig. “I was a dirt poor Damon Lord, you know. Barely a dime, a shitload of drama, and a crew of loudmouth idiots riding my ass
Leon snorted, his thoughts slipping to his hero days. Not a bad run, ‘til it all went to hell. The pay was decent, at least.
He’d blown most of it–okay, all of it—but he’d stashed a bit… somewhere. Fat lot of good it did now.
ell…” He sighed, heavy with regret.
Caitlyn’s sigh hit at the same time, and their eyes locked for a second, both stewing in their own private gripes before turning back to the TV.
She crunched snacks, her brain tallying up her dwindling bank account. “How long can I keep this bum life going?
Her gaze slid to Leon, a frown tugging her lips. “Now I’m stuck playing chef for this guy. Cash is gonna dry up quick!
She shot him a look, her thoughts sharp. When’s this mooch gonna get his act together and pay me back?”
She was about to let out another dramatic sigh when a chill hit her like a slap, her senses screaming
Her eyes narrowed, and the room’s vibe turned heavy, like a swamp swallowing everything
Caitlyn’s eyes blazed crimson, her whole vibe flipping in a blink. The cute, lazy couch potato was gone, replaced by a queen of slaughter, radiating raw, bone–chilling power, like she’d just waded through a river of blood.
Her lips curled into a sneer, her voice dripping venom, “Well, damn… some roaches got the balls to come knocking.”
Leon’s brow creased, his gut twisting as he sat up. “If they’re after me, I got this,” he said, keeping his voice steady despite the unease crawling up his spine.
“Sit your ass down!” Caitlyn barked, her words slicing like a whip.
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In a flash, she was gone, leaving only a ripple in the air.
Leon froze, jaw half–open, his brain scrambling to process.
He blinked, then slowly turned to the window, heart still pounding ‘What the hell? Did she just scream at me? Okay, yeah, don’t mess with her!
