The aftermath of the juice incident lingered in the air, lightening the atmosphere as laughter and playful jabs echoed around the table. Seventeen couldn't help but relish the warmth that filled the space, the camaraderie bolstering her spirits. Draco, however, was less than pleased about being drenched, his glare as fierce as the sunlight streaming through the large windows of the city.
"You'll pay for this, Seven," he grumbled, shaking his head to fling juice droplets everywhere.
Seventeen smirked, savoring the moment. "Oh, I'm counting on it. Maybe I'll throw some more juice at you next time I feel annoyed."
"Please, no juice. Anything but that," he replied, mock horror etched across his face.
Their banter continued, drawing laughter from the others. Hunter, finally feeling well enough to sit up, chimed in, "You two should really get a room. All this tension is making me feel a little uncomfortable."
"Don't flatter yourself, Hunter. You're not even my type," Seventeen shot back, keeping her tone playful.
Hunter rolled his eyes. "Right. Draco is your type, we all know that. Those undressing looks you've been giving each other tell the tale."
"I don't do that," Seven snapped, embarrassed.
"I do," Draco chimed amusedly.
At that, Seventeen shot a quick glance at Draco, catching the glimmer of mischief in his eyes. The tension between them had been shifting, and every sarcastic exchange only fueled the fire. But now, with their friends watching, it felt different—like they were standing on a precipice.
As laughter faded, Light leaned forward, concern creasing her brow. "Okay, but seriously, Hunter, how are you feeling now? You scared us back there."
Hunter nodded, the levity in his expression softening into sincerity. "I'm good, just a bit dizzy. I think I overdid it during training."
"You need to pace yourself," Noah interjected, having calmed down from his earlier urgency. "We've been pushing hard these last few weeks. It's important to take care of yourselves. You were raised in a privileged environment that never required you to train so rigorously, not even Valiant girl here," he pointed to Light. "If we go too hard, you'll all feel what Hart is feeling. All but Seven. Unless it's magic related, her lack of control is tricky."
Seventeen nodded, the thought resonating within her. Training had become more intense since they'd started, and she had often pushed her own limits. Her powers, though formidable, were a double-edged sword—volatile and unpredictable.
"Agreed. We need to learn to work together better," she said, forcing a lightness to her voice. "After all, if we're going to face whatever is out there, and it won't be a one-battle war, it'll be a war of many battles. We can't be dropping like flies mid-battle."
Draco leaned back, crossing his arms with a teasing smirk. "Or mid-lunch, apparently."
The group erupted in laughter again, but Seventeen felt the weight of her own words. She knew they needed to strengthen their bond, hone their skills, and learn to trust one another, especially if they were to stand against the challenges that lay ahead.
After lunch, they returned to the training room, the atmosphere buzzing with anticipation. Seventeen had been avoiding a deeper connection with the others, but she felt a pull—an urge to finally break down her walls, if only just a little.
As they gathered in the spacious training area separated solely for their training, she positioned herself at the front, her heart racing. "Okay, so we're going to do something different today. We're not just going to train individually. We need to practice working as a team."
Hunter nodded, his eyes bright with enthusiasm. "Sounds good. How do you want to start?"
Seventeen paused, gauging the group. "We'll split into pairs. Each pair will have to fight against the other, using teamwork to win. We need to learn how to communicate and back each other up in a fight."
Draco raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "And what about you, Seven? Who will you pair with?"
Seventeen hesitated, glancing around the group. "I'll take on whoever's left over after everyone pairs off. It'll give me a chance to see how you all work together."
Light shrugged, pairing off with Hunter immediately. "Fine by me. I'll take Hunter, then."
"I'll go with Amelia," Claus exclaimed, already standing next to her.
"And I'll be with my girly girl Sablina here," Joshua chimed in, grinning as he moved to stand beside her, since the him and Cassie had joined their training definitively to help Seven out with the others, and help evening the numbers, given how the prophecy said seven and that was tricky to train with.
"She's mine girly girl," Amelia snapped jealous.
"As I am," Sablina beamed.
"No need to be territorial, greedy girl, it's been stabilished that girly girl here doesn't like what I have to offer. So, I'm not interested like that," Joshua scoffed at her and Seventeen struggle to hold her smile.
That left Seventeen and Draco, both acutely aware of the tension simmering just below the surface. As they took their positions opposite one another, the air crackled with unspoken words.
"Let's see if you can keep up this time," Draco said, a challenging gleam in his eyes.
Seventeen scoffed. "Please. You're going to wish you hadn't even tried. Its you who ended with your ass on the ground last time, De Lavissaye, not the opposite."
"Yeah, because you'd rather sit in other places rather than the ground, right, love?" He taunted in a whisper and her eyes widened.
"You did not just say that," she hissed.
They began their duel, the atmosphere around them vibrating with energy as spells crackled and shadow magic danced around them. Seventeen was surprised by how well Draco matched her, way better than the previous times. Their movements were fluid, like a well-rehearsed dance, and she found herself challenged in ways she hadn't anticipated.
With each strike, they exchanged witty banter. "Is that all you've got, Seven?" Draco taunted, a grin stretching across his face.
"I'd say you're just a little too cocky," she shot back, her eyes narrowing as she focused on channeling her magic.
Just as they were caught in the rhythm of their battle, Draco suddenly pivoted, dodging a wave of shadow energy she sent toward him. The moment shifted, the tension escalating. It was no longer just about the duel; it was personal.
"Come on, you can do better!" Draco challenged, and Seventeen's heart raced.
With a burst of energy, she conjured shadows that enveloped Draco, forcing him to move swiftly to avoid them. Yet, just as quickly, he retaliated, his own powers flaring to life.
The air around them thickened with energy, and their surroundings began to blur. Seventeen couldn't help but admire Draco's skill, the way he fought with an intensity that mirrored her own.
But then something shifted within her, a surge of emotions that threatened to spill over. She pushed her magic harder, needing to focus, to not let the connection between them distract her.
As they battled, the others watched with rapt attention, aware that something deeper was unfolding between the two of them. At this point, every resident of Serpentpire, old and new, knew about it.
Then, in a moment of frustration, Seventeen allowed her shadows to lash out, intertwining around Draco's form. He stumbled but grinned, an undeniable spark of excitement in his eyes.
"Now we're talking," he said, breathless, as he used his powers to counter hers, the two magics clashing and colliding in a dazzling display of real strength.
Seventeen felt a thrill race through her, the energy between them pulsing like a heartbeat.
Then, as the duel reached its climax, a sudden flare of pain shot through her. The shadows twisted violently, and before she could react, they exploded outward, out of control, too strong for her to tie them, catching Draco off guard.
The moment hung in the air, time slowing as the shadows enveloped him, but he managed to conjure a barrier just in time, deflecting most of the energy. Still, a few tendrils of her magic grazed his side, and he stumbled back, caught off balance.
Seventeen gasped, rushing forward. "Draco!"
"I'm fine," he managed, shaking his head to clear it as he regained his footing.
But there was a glint in his ice-blue eyes—a mixture of excitement and something deeper. They stood inches apart, both breathless and aware of the tension that swirled around them, heavy and electric.
Before she could speak, the others broke the moment.
"That was incredible!" Cassie exclaimed, rushing over. "You two were in sync!"
"More like a disaster waiting to happen," Joshua added, chuckling.
But as they laughed, Seventeen felt the weight of the moment linger. This was only the beginning. The challenges ahead loomed larger than ever, but amidst the chaos, she felt a flicker of hope—hope that they could overcome anything together.
And in that fleeting moment, as she caught Draco's gaze, she realized that maybe, just maybe, opening herself up to the team wouldn't be so terrible after all.
※※※
When evening came, Noah came to tell them to call it a day, in order to avoid what happened with Hunter from happening with any of the others, and some of the younger snakes in training brought them watermelons to refresh themselves and jars of iced jasmine tea. With that, Noah left, leaving the seven and the Duke twins alone to refresh themselves.
"Oh, four gods above, I've missed this," Seventeen, to their shock, was the first to run to the water melons, summoning a shadow knife and quickly cutting the four they brought in fat slices. She served herself a big cup of ice tea and sat at the back, on the ground, cup at her side, digging in.
Joshua and Cassie did the same, and while Cassie sat closer to Light for a change, Joshua sat next to Seven for Draco's annoyance.
"Jasmine tea with watermelon?" Light whistle, taking hers and sitting back between Cassie and Claus. "What are a weird combo."
"It's part of our culture," Cassie told her smiling softly. "Something like fresh watermelons and some delicious iced jasmine tea after a hard training day."
"Nobody is gonna mention how the melons are baby blue?" Sablina chuckle, sitting closer to Joshua, but right at Amelia's side, staring at her slice. "Wasn't it supposed to be red?"
"Dark pink rather than red. They just say red because it's aesthetically pleasing matched with the green of the outside. But that doesn't change it from dark pink to red," Seventeen corrected bluntly, but when they looked at her, she was too focused on her watermelon to spare a look at them.
"Are you usually a smart ass?" Amelia groaned.
"Yes," the Duke siblings chuckled, "she is."
Draco, annoyed with Joshua's proximity to her, took his meal and sat on her other side, leaving some space between them for respect, "I find it charming."
"That's because you're smart ass too, D," Hunter mocked, dropping on the space between Draco and Seventeen.
"Excuse me?" Draco glared at the ground than at him. "Why don't you seat next to your girlfriend?"
"Because she's with her girlfriend right now," Hunter grinned, unafraid. "So, Seventeen, I heard your house is the best spot in this... city."
"Running your mouth, were you, Joshua?" She mumbled without even looking at him and Joshua pressed his lips together.
"I was drunk."
"Drunk and assaulting me," Draco snapped, to which Seventeen rose her gaze, glaring at Joshua.
"You were doing what?" She hissed so hostilely that for a second, nobody said a word, she didn't seem to notice it however. "I know he's hot, but keep it in your pants, damn it. He's unavailable for you."
"What? You're claiming him?" Joshua poked her.
Seventeen clenched her jaw, her glare turning lethal, "I'm doing no such thing. But he is straight, he isn't isn't into you. You're not even his type."
"You are, right?" Joshua countered.
"Not even I am," she said and Draco frowned.
"Who said that?" He gasped horrified.
"I'd rather not talk about it."
"Was it Corvos Nightshade?" He hissed and Seventeen froze for a second, meeting his eyes. "Is that what he told you, when I left? That you were not my type? What did he say?"
"Corvos?" The others questioned, wary.
"When did you met Corvos alone?" Hunter pressed, eyes narrowed.
"I was blonde when I met with him, Draco, I was not your type then, and I'm not your now either. You're just delusional because of the adrenaline or whatever," she said coldly.
"So it was him?" He clenched his jaw, rage darkening his eyes.
"He didn't tell me anything about you. Only that he had seen through my disguise, that he knew I was Noah Whitlock's daughter, that I was playing you. He told me he would keep his eyes on me, watching in case I messed up," she lied effortlessly. "It was the nurses and doctors from the hospital that told me." ["More like I overheard their gossip. Same thing."]
"And you believed nurses and doctors?" Draco questioned, furious.
"Are you telling me, they were lying when they said that your type was light skin, long purple-ish red hair, amethyst eyes, heiress from Gemini?" The second the words left her lips, everyone but the Duke twins, froze.
Draco felt as if she had just stabbed him, "She died. Using her is not fair, Seventeen."
"We don't talk about her," the others exclaimed, tense, a shadow passing over their eyes.
"You're not only one who lost someone you loved, okay?" Claus snapped. "It's evil to use that on us, even for you. Especially for you, who lost people too."
She shrugged as if she didn't give a shit about it, making the moon even tenser.
"Who... are they talking about?" Cassie asked.
"Scarlett Vaughn Doom, the dead, very very dead, heiress of Twinscott. Daughter of Gwyn Vaughn and Zane Doom. They claim to have been her childhood friends," Seventeen said dryly. "She supposedly died from a sickness as a child."
"It wasn't just us, we were all friends with her, all the heirs of all districts. She was the glue that stuck us all together. When she died, we went different ways, stray from each other, all trying to cope with the first grief of our lives," Draco spoke, haunted.
["Not that little psychopath,"] she scowled. "Uh-huh, sure. You were the best of friends," Seventeen mocked, unable to contain herself.
"What is wrong with you?" Sablina snapped, but she said nothing. "What do you even know of Sky? You know nothing. You have no right to say shit about her when she's not even here to defend herself."
"You're all full of shit," she cackle, but it didn't reach her eyes. "All, full, of, shit." And the mood got worse when she got back to savoring her watermelon as if she hadn't just poked their shared trauma with a bladed stick, "Delicious."
"It's just watermelon," Amelia hissed, furious with her attitude. "Blue watermelon. It tastes the same."
"Wait until you taste our specialty: frost melons," Seventeen chanted, as if she hadn't talked about anything heavy instants before.
"Frost melons?" Hunter questioned after an awkward moment in silence, brows furrowed. "Is it a type a watermelon?"
"Yes," Joshua nodded. "Only grow in our lands and during winter. But they are not simple watermelons, their insides are purple and the outside is black. They taste spectacular."
"Burgundy," Seventeen corrected, her words sharper than before, as if she felt personally offended. "It's burgundy, not purple. It's a color that lies between the darkest pink and dark purple. Not purple, not red. Close to wine but not quite there yet. Burgundy."
"Yeah, yeah," Joshua rolled his eyes dramatically, side-eyeing Hunter. "It's her favorite color, she gets sensible."
"Burgundy, hm," Hunter mumble, his gaze on Seventeen, who cursed herself mentally again, doing her best to pretend not being aware of his eyes burning a hole on her face.
["Fuck. Why is Hunter on my toes right now? I'll have to be more careful from now on."]
She finished the rest of her watermelon hurriedly and drank her cup dry, standing up and brushing the grass and dust from her ass. Then she began to walk away from them. "Rest for tonight. Eat your bellies full at dinner, you'll need for tomorrow. I can't stand you."
With that, she vanished in shadows.