Zaeryn stepped out of Sorina's office, the heavy oak door clicking shut behind him. The quiet, sunlit corridor felt strangely calm after the intensity of the meeting. He leaned against the wall for a moment, the adrenaline fading, leaving only the dull throb in his ribs from Leia's spar and the smarting burn on his cheek.

One confrontation was down. Now for the one he was really dreading.

He'd promised Ingrid and Genevieve an explanation, and he intended to give one. He couldn't blame Ingrid for being furious; she deserved to know the truth. This was a hard learning experience: he had to be upfront about what he was and what he could do. Secrets, he was quickly learning, had a way of exploding at the worst possible moments.

He pushed off the wall, mentally rehearsing his confession as he turned the corner toward the main concourse. He didn't have to search. Just as he'd expected, they were waiting for him.

Ingrid and Genevieve stood just a few yards away, their quiet conversation cutting off the instant they spotted him. Genevieve's expression was carefully neutral, but her eyes were watchful, assessing. Ingrid, however, was a completely different person from the wild, dominant lover of the previous night.

Her arms were crossed tightly across her chest, her posture rigid. Her face carried a coldness he hadn't seen before, and her stormy eyes were fixed on him with a quiet, piercing intensity that felt far worse than Leia's open rage.

Still, even with that angry expression, Zaeryn found himself thinking she looked beautiful.

"Oh," Zaeryn said, his voice flat with resignation. "You... you waited for me."

"Of course," Ingrid said, her voice holding none of its usual playful tease. It was hard, controlled. "You promised you'd explain." She stepped forward, blocking his path. "Are you ready to talk now?"

Zaeryn let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his tired eyes. He really didn't know how this was going to go. Judging by how upset they both looked, he could only hope they'd understand.

"Yeah…." he began.

"Yes, he is," Genevieve interjected seriously, answering for him with an edge to her voice that brooked no argument.

Ingrid didn't wait for further confirmation. She reached out and grabbed his hand, not the possessive, flirty grab from the party, but a firm, unyielding grip that said 'you're coming with me whether you like it or not'.

"Where are we going?" Zaeryn asked, letting her pull him along because resisting seemed pointless.

"Somewhere private."

Genevieve followed as Ingrid led them through the Lyceum's halls, away from the bustle of the main concourse and into a wing Zaeryn hadn't explored yet. The corridors here were quieter, less trafficked, clearly reserved for specialized training facilities.

She badged them through a set of heavy glass doors with her student credentials, revealing a massive, cavernous chamber beyond.

It was an aquatic training facility. Tiers of empty observation benches, glinting under high ceiling lights, overlooked a massive crystalline pool that glowed with a soft, ethereal turquoise light from below. The water was perfectly still, mirror-smooth. The only sound was the distant, echoing rush of a filtration waterfall somewhere at the far end, making the huge space feel intensely private, almost sacred.

Zaeryn slumped onto a cool metal bench near the pool's edge, his body sagging with exhaustion. Genevieve sat beside him, close but not touching, her usual warmth replaced by careful distance.

Ingrid, however, didn't sit. She stood in front of them, arms crossed again, her whole body radiating barely contained tension and confusion.

"Okay. Talk," she commanded, her voice cutting through the quiet. "How did you use my abilities? And don't give me some vague nonsense answer."

"Ingrid... I didn't steal them," Zaeryn said immediately, looking up at her with as much sincerity as he could muster. "It's not like that. I need you to understand that first."

"Then what is it?" she demanded, her voice rising slightly. "Did you just...?" Her mind was clearly racing, trying to find a logical, non-terrifying explanation. "Did you take something from me? Will there be side effects? Am I going to wake up one day and find my powers gone?"

Zaeryn sighed heavily and reached out, taking her hand in his. It was cold, tense. "No. Nothing like that. It doesn't affect you at all. You're still Tier 2. You still have all your abilities, completely unchanged."

He tugged gently at her arm. She hesitated, her jaw tight, but then gave in and sat down on his lap, her body stiff at first.

"My Vitae core works differently from everyone else's," Zaeryn explained, his hands looping around her waist in a way that was both comforting and intimate. Despite how angry she was, Ingrid found herself relaxing slightly into his touch. She looked into his eyes with that same serious, demanding expression, waiting for him to continue.

"How is it different?" Genevieve asked softly from his side, leaning in slightly.

"I can copy the abilities of people," Zaeryn said, choosing his words carefully. "But I swear, I don't take their abilities. I don't drain them or weaken them. I just... copy their signatures. Like making a photograph of something without removing the original."

"That's a relief," Ingrid said, her shoulders sagging slightly. "I thought I was going to lose my powers over time, because that's how some mimickers work. They don't copy, they take. They're parasites." After hearing that she'd still have her Vitae intact, she seemed less upset with him. Her expression softened marginally as she looked down at him. "I'm still mad that you didn't tell me beforehand," she said. "But how exactly do you mimic? Is it by touch? Proximity? Combat?"

Zaeryn swallowed hard. This was the difficult part.

"My power is... connection," he said slowly. "When I form a deep bond with someone, like, a really strong, intimate connection, I can access their abilities. I mimic their Vitae signature through that bond."

He looked directly at Ingrid, whose face had gone completely pale, her eyes widening with realization.

"Last night... what happened between us..." he said carefully, his voice gentle. "That was the bond. It synchronized. That's why I have your powers now."

Ingrid stared at him, her mouth falling slightly open. "So... because we... slept together..." Her voice came out as a hoarse whisper. "I just... gave you my abilities?"

"Yes," Zaeryn admitted. "But it's not theft! It's not exploitation! It's... a copy. You didn't lose anything. You're still Tier 2, you still have all your powers at full strength. I just... have a version of them now too. A really weak, F-Rank version," he added, remembering his clumsy display in the fight. "They're like... baby versions of your abilities. Untrained. Raw."

Genevieve's eyes widened as the pieces clicked together in her mind, her cheeks flushing. "Wait. Last night..." She trailed off, clearly remembering the intimacy they'd shared.

"Yeah," Zaeryn confirmed, turning slightly to include her in the conversation. "I think it happened last night. Although, for some reason, I don't have your abilities yet. I think it's because the bond isn't completely synchronized. It's at close though."

"Oh." Genevieve found herself feeling oddly disappointed. "But it can still be completed, right?"

"Yeah, if you want it to be."

"Well. I lo… I mean I like your already, so, yes, I want to," she said without hesitation, her voice firm. "I have no regrets about last night. And you can have my Vitae signature anytime you want. I trust you."

Ingrid suddenly pressed her lips against his, her body easing on his lap, melting into him. The kiss was intense, searching, reassuring herself of the connection between them.

When she pulled away, her eyes were softer, more vulnerable. "So we're bonded now? Emotionally?"

Zaeryn nodded. "I think so. It's not just about the abilities, it's about the connection itself."

"I feel different about you now, you know," Ingrid admitted quietly, her fingers tracing absent patterns on his chest. "It's like I've known you for months instead of just a day. Like there's this... pull toward you that wasn't there before. Or maybe it was already there since seeing you yesterday, and now it's just stronger." She paused, biting her lip. "Is that normal? Is that part of the bond?"

"I don't know," Zaeryn admitted honestly. "I'm still figuring this out myself. But I feel it too."

"So when you bond with someone," Genevieve said thoughtfully, working through the implications, "you gain their abilities, but they also... what? Gain a connection to you? An emotional attachment?"

"I think so," Zaeryn said. "It's not mind control or anything like that. You're not compelled. But the bond creates a connection that goes both ways. I feel it too—like you matter to me more than you logically should after knowing each other for such a short time."

Ingrid was quiet for a long moment, processing. Then she looked at him with sudden intensity. "How many people have you bonded with?"

Zaeryn hesitated. Honesty. He'd committed to honesty.

"Including you? 6 people total. Maybe seven soon," he added, glancing at Genevieve.

"That many?" Ingrid's eyebrows shot up. "Who else?

Before Zaeryn could answer, Genevieve said,"Do they all know?" She asked. "About what you can do?"

"They all know, yes. They were... understanding about it. More understanding than I probably deserved."

Ingrid leaned back slightly, studying his face with renewed interest rather than anger. "So you're building a collection of abilities. Becoming more powerful with each bond."

"I guess so," Zaeryn admitted. "But it's not about collecting powers like trophies. Each bond matters. Each person matters. I'm not trying to use people, I'm trying to survive."

"And last night?" Ingrid asked, her voice softening. "Was that just about getting my powers?"

"No," Zaeryn said emphatically, pulling her closer. "Last night happened because I wanted it to happen. Because we wanted it to happen. The bond was a consequence, not the goal. I didn't sleep with you to gain abilities, the abilities came because we formed a real connection."

Ingrid searched his eyes for a long moment, then slowly nodded. "Okay. I believe you."

"Really?" Zaeryn asked, surprised by how quickly she'd accepted it.

"Really," she confirmed. "I mean, I'm still processing this whole 'bonded for life' thing, but... I don't regret last night. And if part of what we shared means you can use my abilities to keep yourself alive in sparring matches against psychos like Leia?" She shrugged. "That seems like a fair trade."

"You're taking this remarkably well," Zaeryn observed.

"Well, I'm also Tier 2, which you apparently didn't know," Ingrid pointed out with a slight smile. "So I'm processing the fact that one person can't have all the vuate Tiers, That's... kind of incredible, actually."

"Wait, you're not upset that he can now do everything you can do?" Genevieve asked Ingrid, clearly surprised by her friend's acceptance.

"He can do a shitty version of what I can do," Ingrid corrected with a hint of her usual sass returning. "F-Rank abilities versus my mastered ones? Please. He's got the raw tools, but I've got years of refinement. Besides..." She leaned in closer to Zaeryn, her lips brushing his ear. "Now I get to teach him how to use them properly. That could be... fun."

The shift in her tone made Zaeryn's pulse quicken despite his exhaustion.

"So we're okay?" he asked, needing the confirmation.

"We're okay," Ingrid confirmed. "But Zaeryn? Next time you're about to form a magical sex bond with someone, maybe give them a heads-up first?"

"Got it," Zaeryn agreed with a weak laugh.

"And me?" Genevieve asked, "What happens when we complete the bond?"

Zaeryn turned to her, taking her hand. "Then I'll have your abilities too. And we'll have that same connection. If that's what you want."

"It is," Genevieve said firmly, she finally shifted closer and kissed his cheek, "I think I have already caught feelings. So, I'm already helpless," she said,

Despite everything, Zaeryn found himself laughing, a genuine, relieved laugh that echoed in the cavernous aquatic facility. This went better than he had anticipated. In his head, he thought these two would not even entertain the thought of believing him. And yet, he still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that, of all the people he'd suspected might possess Tier 2 Vitae, Ingrid was one of them—and her powers only made him stronger.

At that same moment, Ingrid's expression softened. She was still sitting on his lap, and she reached up, her fingers gently brushing the angry red mark near his eye, the burn he'd gotten from Leia's attack.

"Hey!" Zaeryn exclaimed, flinching and moving his head away from her touch as a small spike of pain flared up. The skin was still incredibly tender.

"Sorry," Ingrid murmured, her usual sharp edge gone, replaced by genuine concern. She didn't pull her hand away entirely, just let it rest gently on his cheek, her gaze fixed on the injury. "That looks like it still hurts. Leia really did a number on you, didn't she?"

"It's fine," Zaeryn muttered, though he couldn't help leaning into her touch just slightly. "Just... sensitive."

"She marked you," Genevieve noted from his side, her voice quiet but intense as she leaned in to look closer. "That's a necrotic flame burn. Those take forever to heal, and it will likely leave a scar, " She glanced at Ingrid, then back to Zaeryn. "You should see a doctor."

"I'm fine, really," Zaeryn insisted, though he was touched by their sudden, shared concern. "But, I will still visit the doctor,"

After sometime passed, Zaeryn and the girls separated.

Zaeryn walked the Lyceum corridors, his cheek pulsing, a souvenir from Leia's necrotic fire. He needed the medbay. After a couple of wrong turns, he spotted the 'medic bay' sign, and the door hissed open with a soft scent of herbs and antiseptic.

Inside the cozy, low-lit space, a woman with dark streaked hair looked up. Her eyes Immediately flicking to the burn.

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