The morning light filtered through the tall windows of Novalith Academy, casting a soft glow over the bustling corridors. Students were scattered everywhere, exchanging notes, chatting about the latest exams, and discussing weekend plans. Loki Aetheris walked in with a familiar smirk, an expression that seemed permanently fixed on his face. Beside him, Amara tried to keep up with his wandering pace, rolling her eyes every time he stopped to exchange a quick "hello" or "good morning" with anyone who happened to make eye contact.
"Are you ever going to stop doing that?" Amara asked with an exasperated voice.
"Doing what?" Loki replied, feigning innocence.
"You know, acting like you're the mayor of this place," she replied with a raised eyebrow. "Every time you stop to chat, we're one step closer to being late."
Loki shrugged, tossing her a playful grin. "Hey, I'm just being friendly. Nothing wrong with having more friends."
Amara crossed her arms and shot him a look. "Right. 'Friendly.' More like you enjoy being the center of attention."
"You wound me, Amara," Loki said with a mock pout, clutching his chest. "I'm just a humble guy trying to get to class on time."
Amara gave him a shove, rolling her eyes as they entered their classroom. The familiar rows of desks greeted them, filled with students either hastily finishing assignments or chatting about the latest drama. As they walked to their seats, Loki's friend Ronan waved them over, his face looking unusually pale.
"Hey, you two!" Ronan called, motioning for them to sit. He leaned in close as soon as they took their seats, his voice barely above a whisper. "Amara… she's… she's in one of those moods again, isn't she?"
Amara raised an eyebrow at him. "Excuse me?"
Ronan straightened up immediately, his face a mixture of terror and embarrassment. "I didn't mean… I mean, you just look, uh, intense today, that's all."
Loki chuckled, patting Ronan's back. "Relax, Ronan. Amara's just looking out for me, right?"
Amara didn't respond, but the slightest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Loki noticed and gave Ronan a reassuring grin. "She's harmless, I promise."
"Harmless…" Ronan muttered under his breath, glancing warily at Amara. "Yeah, sure."
Just then, a voice called out from across the room. "Hey, Loki! Are you ready for the project presentations next week?"
It was Clara, a friendly girl from his chemistry class, waving from her seat with an enthusiastic smile. Loki flashed her a thumbs-up. "Of course! Looking forward to seeing what you've got planned."
Amara shifted beside him, her eyes narrowing slightly, though she didn't say anything. Instead, she busied herself with her notebook, but Loki could feel her attention lingering on him. The look she gave Clara wasn't exactly friendly, but Clara, blissfully unaware, just smiled back at him.
Ronan gave Loki a knowing look, then quickly looked down, as if trying to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. "Careful there, Loki," he whispered. "Amara's giving off that… aura."
Loki laughed softly, leaning back in his chair. "You're imagining things, Ronan."
The teacher entered, cutting off any further conversations. Mr. Hayes, tall and thin with a pair of round glasses perched on his nose, cleared his throat. "Good morning, everyone. Today, we'll start by discussing the upcoming group project."
A collective groan rose from the class. Loki exchanged a grin with Ronan, who looked less than enthusiastic about the project. Ronan was smart, no doubt about that, but group work tended to make him a bundle of nerves. Loki knew that he'd end up doing most of the work to keep Ronan's stress levels down—and, if he was honest, he didn't mind.
As the teacher went over the project guidelines, Loki caught a few glances coming his way from various girls across the classroom. He couldn't help but smile a bit; it was hard not to enjoy the attention, though he never took it too seriously.
Amara nudged him, her expression unimpressed. "Are you really enjoying all the attention?"
"Me? No way," Loki whispered back, feigning innocence. "I'm just here for the education."
"Right," she replied dryly, not believing a word.
Loki suppressed a chuckle, knowing it was better not to poke the bear. But he couldn't resist looking around the classroom, noticing familiar faces and taking in the lively atmosphere. Novalith Academy was full of students from all sorts of backgrounds, each bringing their unique quirks and personalities. He loved the diversity of it, even if it made blending in a bit tricky.
As the bell rang, signaling the end of classes for the day, Loki stretched his arms over his head, glancing at Amara and Ronan. "Alright, guys, ready to head out?"
Ronan shook his head, looking at his watch. "I need to run to the library to pick up a book for my history paper. See you both tomorrow?"
Loki and Amara nodded, knowing he liked to spend his time in the library reading books.
As they made their way down the crowded hallway, Amara turned to Loki. "So, what's the plan? I assume we're not just heading straight home."
"I'm meeting Freya," he replied. "She's been bugging me all week to hang out, so I promised we'd grab some ice cream."
Amara smiled. "Freya's adorable. Haven't seen her in a while, though."
"She's missed you, too," Loki said with a grin. "But be warned—she's got a bit of a jealous streak. Last time, she practically dragged me out of a conversation because she thought I was 'ignoring' her."
As they stepped outside, they spotted Freya waiting by the main gates, her arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently. She looked exactly like Loki, right down to the same mischievous glint in her eyes—though her expression right now was anything but friendly.
"You're late," Freya announced, a hint of irritation in her voice.
"Hey, I'm here, aren't I?" Loki replied, spreading his arms in a gesture of innocence.
Freya huffed, though her face softened when he held out his hand. She took it, albeit reluctantly, muttering under her breath about "irresponsible brothers." Then she noticed Amara and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you're here too?"
Amara laughed, seemingly unfazed by the cold reception. "Good to see you too, Freya."
Freya looked away, her cheeks pinkening slightly. "Well, don't think I'm here because I like hanging out with you or anything. I just wanted ice cream."
Loki stifled a laugh, nudging Amara. "See? Totally tsundere."
Freya glared at him. "Don't start with your weird vocabulary."
The three of them made their way to the ice cream shop, chatting along the way. Freya, despite her usual disinterest, found herself listening closely to their conversation, occasionally throwing in a comment of her own. When they finally arrived at the shop, she immediately dragged Loki over to the counter, ignoring the small line forming behind them.
Amara watched with amusement as Freya ordered her ice cream with a level of seriousness that bordered on intimidating. Loki just stood there, smiling indulgently, letting his sister take charge.
Once they had their ice cream, the three of them found a quiet corner to sit. Freya glanced at Amara, her tone skeptical. "So, how's it being my big brother's friend?"
Amara shrugged, smiling. "It's an adventure. Never a dull moment with him around."
Freya rolled her eyes, though there was a glint of pride in her gaze. "He's pretty annoying sometimes. Always getting into trouble."
"Hey!" Loki protested, though he was grinning. "I thought I was the cool older brother."
Freya raised an eyebrow. "Cool? Sure, if 'cool' means dragging me out of bed every Saturday for 'morning training' or embarrassing me in front of my friends."
Amara chuckled, looking between the two of them. "So he's just as impossible at home as he is here."
"Worse," Freya replied with a dramatic sigh. "But I guess… he's alright. Sometimes."
Loki wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a side hug. "Aw, Freya, I knew you loved me."
Freya squirmed, pushing him away. "Don't get mushy. You're so embarrassing."
Despite her protests, she leaned against him, a faint smile on her face. Amara watched the two siblings, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. Seeing Loki like this—just an older brother doting on his little sister—made her realize just how genuine he was, even behind all the charm and bravado.
As they finished their ice creams, a group of students passed by the window, waving enthusiastically when they spotted Loki. He waved back, calling out a few greetings, but Freya's expression darkened, her gaze following the girls with a hint of resentment.
"Why do you have to talk to everyone?" Freya grumbled, her voice dripping with annoyance. She crossed her arms and shot him a look that could melt steel.
Loki just laughed, patting her head. "I'm just being polite. Don't tell me you want your big brother to be rude."
Freya swatted his hand away, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.
Amara's eyebrows shot up, and she exchanged an amused glance with Loki. Freya's tone held a clear note of possessiveness, though she tried to mask it with her usual disdain.
"I promise, Freya, no one's as important as my adorable little sister," Loki said, teasing her by poking her cheek.
Freya squirmed, grumbling under her breath but clearly pleased. "I told you, stop being so mushy," she muttered, though she leaned just a bit closer to him.
Amara watched their dynamic with a warm smile. Loki's lighthearted nature made it easy for him to charm anyone he met, but it was clear that with Freya, his affection was deeper and more genuine. For a moment, she felt a bit of envy for the strong bond they shared. She'd always been an only child, and watching them made her wish she had a sibling like Freya to bicker and share moments with.
"Anyway," Loki said, breaking her train of thought, "what's new with you, Freya? Any drama I should know about?"
Freya rolled her eyes but seemed eager to share. "Oh, you know, same old stuff. Stacy from my class is acting like she's the queen of everything just because she made the cheer squad." She scowled, clearly unimpressed.
Loki smirked. "Sounds intense. Need me to come over and bring her down a notch?"
Freya laughed, and despite herself, she looked pleased. "Nah, I can handle her. But it's nice to know you'd have my back if I needed it."
Amara chuckled. "Sounds like you're pretty popular in your class, too, Freya."
Freya shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "Well, I guess a little. But not like someone," she said, giving Loki a pointed look.
Loki raised his hands defensively. "Hey, it's not my fault everyone loves me."
"Yeah, yeah," Freya said, rolling her eyes again.
As they continued chatting, a group of students from Freya's grade walked into the ice cream shop. Freya spotted one of her friends, a girl with curly hair and an armful of notebooks. Her friend waved, and Freya gave a small nod back, but she quickly looked away, shifting a bit closer to Loki as if to guard her time with him.
Loki noticed this and leaned down, whispering in her ear. "You don't have to stay here with the two of us, you know. You can go say hi if you want."
Freya looked at him, frowning. "I know. But I'd rather spend time with you… and Amara, too, I guess."
Amara smiled, a bit touched by Freya's awkward way of showing affection. "You're welcome to hang with us anytime, Freya."
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur. Amara found herself feeling more and more like part of their little family, even if she was the "outsider" in their tight sibling bond. She watched as Freya grew more comfortable, her usual tough exterior slowly melting away as she joked with her brother and opened up about her day.
Finally, the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the streets as they walked back toward Loki and Freya's house. Freya lagged a bit behind, watching Loki and Amara chat with a small smile on her face. Despite her efforts to act uninterested, it was clear she was soaking up every moment of their time together.
When they reached their street, Freya hesitated, glancing at Amara before looking up at Loki. "So… are you two going to keep hanging out, or…?"
Loki laughed, ruffling her hair again. "Jealous much? I think it's time to call it a day. Don't worry, Freya, I'll be home for dinner."
Freya tried to push his hand away, grumbling, "I'm not jealous! I just don't want you two, you know… doing anything dumb."
Loki held up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. We'll be good."
Amara giggled, amused by Freya's transparent protectiveness. "Don't worry, Freya. I'll make sure he behaves."
Freya gave them both a skeptical look but finally cracked a smile. "Fine. Just… don't get any ideas," she muttered, turning to head inside. She stopped halfway up the steps, looking back over her shoulder. "See you around, Amara."
Amara waved. "See you, Freya."
Loki watched as Freya disappeared inside, a fond expression softening his face. "She tries to act all tough, but she's a softie underneath it all."
Amara nodded. "It's sweet, though. She cares about you a lot."
"Yeah," Loki said, his voice warm. "She's my little sister, after all."
They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, watching the sun sink lower on the horizon. Finally, Amara looked at him, a teasing glint in her eyes. "So, Mr. Popular, what's the plan for tomorrow? Another day of charming the masses?"
Loki chuckled, nudging her shoulder. "Maybe. But don't worry—you'll always be my number one fan."
Amara rolled her eyes, laughing. "Oh, please. I'm only here to keep you out of trouble."
"And you do a great job of it," he replied, grinning. "See you tomorrow."
Amara gave him a warm smile. "See you, Loki."
Seeing Amara gradually disappearing from his sight, Loki's smile faded, replaced by a chilling calmness that surrounded him. His eyes, once warm and friendly, now seemed distant, reflecting a deeper awareness of the world around him. He felt a slight disturbance in the air, a remnant of the chaos that had lingered after the monster's defeat at the docks. His powers of the void allowed him to sense things that others couldn't. "Tch, why are these pests attacking so often now? This has never happened before," he thought, a sense of urgency creeping in. He pushed the unsettling questions aside for the moment, reminding himself, "I should check it out, but first, dinner with my little sister." Deep down, his sister was the only thing that truly mattered to him—his only family left in a world filled with shadows.