The Vault was behind them, but its heat still lingered on Kaito's skin. Not the good kind either. The kind that made his system flicker in his vision and pop up warnings like it was half mad.
Yes, it was in that stage again.
[WARNING: Divine Energy Unstable. Recommend Physical Grounding.]
[ALERT: Emotional Regulation Exceeded. Hormonal Imbalance Detected.]
Slides were popping up and disappearing in his view.
He groaned and flopped down beside a slow running stream tucked between wet rocks and looming trees. His body felt like it had been dragged through fire. Well, it technically it had.
They had set up camp just off the trail. The night was unusually quiet like even the monsters were giving them space.
And that was rare.
Seren stood quietly around the edge of the camp. She hadn't said much since they left the Vault. Though She has been watching him like he might explode anytime now.
Maybe he would.
Her long cloak fluttering like she wasn't wearing thigh high slits and nothing underneath. And of course, looked immaculate. Somehow, she always does.
Kaito closed his eyes. He didn't need the system glitching on that again.
It had tendencies to do that.
She tossed him a water tank. He caught it and took a long drink. Then he felt the eyes again.
"Okay," he said, wiping his mouth. "You have been staring at me like I've grown horns. Someone want to fill me in here?"
"You were chanting on the way here. And I mean chanting. In a dead language."
Kaito sat up right. "I... what?"
"I don't remember that."
"And not even one I recognize," Seren added. Her voice was low, curious. "And I know all of them."
She did.
Kaito flopped onto his back. "Cool. So now I talk in tongues. Next stop, foaming at the mouth."
[SYSTEM NOTE: Possession Unlikely. Divine Memory Integration: 28%]
He groaned. "Thanks, system. So helpful."
A few feet away, Lyria sat cross legged with her back against a tree, arms wrapped around her knees, hair still damp and clinging to her skin. She hadn't spoken much since the incident took place and she nearly tore a new Kaito out of him.
She finally spoke.
"Still glitching?" Lyria's voice was low. She hadn't even looked over.
He opened one eye. "You mean my walking headache of a system that thinks I'm a horny nuclear bomb? Yeah. Still glitching."
She finally looked at him. And smirked. "Well. You did see me half naked, covered in blood, and roaring like a demon. Maybe it awakened something."
I think she was flirting now.*
He flushed. "Yeah, trauma. Definitely trauma."
It was definitely a lie.
"You sure? You looked…rather interested."
He stared up at the stars. "And this is why the system thinks I need grounding."
Lyria stood to her feet and walked over. No sword. No armor. Just long legs, tight muscle, and a devious smile.
She looked like she was about to commit a sin.
She dropped to a knee beside him. "I feel like you like it when I lose control, don't you?"
He rolled to face her. "I like not dying. That's what I like."
She leaned in. Her lips hovered just over his. "You didn't look like a man afraid for his life. You looked… fascinated."
[Heartbeat: Accelerated.]
[System Sync Rising: 72%... 80%...]
"Were you thinking about what happened last time it happened?"
Then her hand slid into his hair. Firm. Possessive.
"Tell me the truth. You like knowing you are mine."
He didn't answer. Couldn't. Her mouth was on his, fierce and full of heat. Her tongue pushed past his lips and he groaned, his body already giving in. His hands gripped her hips and pulled her onto him.
Her thighs locked around his waist.
He felt teeth against his neck.
Then a voice cut through the tension like a blade.
"Am I interrupting?"
Seren. Again.
Kaito turned his head, surprised.
"I thought you had left?"
She just stood there, outside the glow of the firelight, arms folded, one brow arched. She didn't look angry.
Just amused. And maybe a little curious.
Lyria didn't move. "If you're going to glare, mage, at least do it closer."
Seren walked forward. Slowly. Her boots made no sound on the grass.
She knelt beside them. Her hand lifted and brushed lightly down Kaito's chest, glowing softly. He sucked in a breath.
"You're reacting to proximity," Seren said. "Which makes sense. Both of us synced with your fragments recently. That means the bond's unstable. Your system is craving balance."
"And by balance you mean—"
"Contact," Seren said, dead serious too.
"Is that the science way of saying 'you're horny'?"
"Very."
Kaito peeked between his fingers. "Of course."
Lyria raised an eyebrow. "Should I just sit on your face and see if that calms you down?"
He choked. "That was a joke, right?"
She shrugged. "You tell me."
She smirked and kissed his jaw. "You want that, glitch?"
Seren leaned in on the other side. Her fingers danced over his collarbone, trailing magic with every touch. "For science."
"I don't think that's how science works."
"Shh."
Her fingers glowed faintly as they brushed the fabric, and Kaito swore he felt the temperature shift, like her magic pulled the heat right out of his skin. It wasn't unpleasant. It was just…
Too much.
His breath hitched.
Lyria noticed. "He's going pink. Might be working."
"Or he's overheating."
"Or both."
He could barely breathe. "You remember what happened last time right?"
[System Overload. Fragment Link: Dual Stimulation Initiated.]
[WARNING: No Safe Word Detected.]
He groaned. "You two are going to kill me."
Lyria licked his neck. "Not yet."
Seren smirked. "But maybe ruin you a little."
And then their mouths were on him.
Maybe that was how science worked after all.
And it was definitely working.
Lyria kissed him rough, hungry, like she wanted to brand him.
Seren kissed like she wanted to study him. Taste every reaction. Memorize every gasp.
His system pinged and trembled and surged.
And he didn't want it to stop.
Of course he didn't, would you want it to stop? Probably Not too.