Zaeryn raised an eyebrow, his chopsticks pausing mid-air, a noodle dangling like a lifeline. "What do you mean you can't take it anymore?"

Jyn leaned forward, her eyes wide with a feverish curiosity that seemed to crackle in the air like raw Vitae. Her crimson braid swung slightly, catching the dim glow of the academy's mess hall chandeliers. "How, Zaeryn? Seriously, how? Men can't wield Vitae—it's like defying gravity or breathing underwater. But you did. We all saw it in that fight with Leia. What's the secret?"

It wasn't news that Zaeryn was a male Vitae-wielder, whispers of his anomaly status had haunted him since he stepped foot in the Lyceum.

But knowing it and seeing it in action were worlds apart. The way Jyn's gaze pinned him, hungry for answers, made his skin tingle with the weight of her fascination.

He slurped the noodle thoughtfully, buying a moment to dodge the question he'd heard a hundred times. "Honestly?" he said, meeting her intense stare with a casual shrug. "No clue." A short, dry laugh escaped him. "It's like the universe tossed me a manual in ancient gibberish. Sometimes I hit a button and something cool happens. Most times? I just trip over my own power and eat dirt."

Yuna, sitting across the table, looked up from her plate, her shy smile softening her delicate features. Her dark hair framed her face like a halo, and her smoky green eyes flickered with quiet awe.

"It didn't look like tripping when you fought Leia," she said softly, her voice almost lost in the hum of the crowded hall. "Your energy… it was different. Wild. Untamed. Like a storm no one saw coming."

"'Storm' sounds cooler than 'headache,'" Zaeryn quipped, a wry grin tugging at his lips. "But trust me, it's mostly raw chaos and a side of migraines."

Jyn propped her chin on her hand, her expression softening as she studied him, her eyes tracing the sharp lines of his jaw with an intensity that felt almost physical. "So, what did you do for fun before you became the academy's resident mystery and chaos magnet?"

The pivot to small talk was a lifeline, and Zaeryn seized it. "Dodged death, mostly," he said, then caught the flicker of worry in her eyes and waved it off. "Kidding. Sort of. I played Ethereal Realms, read dusty old books, and tried to stay out of trouble."

"Ethereal Realms?" Jyn's face lit up like a Vitae crystal, her voice pitching with excitement. "No way! What server? What's your main? Got a guild?"

"Uh, yeah," Zaeryn said, suddenly sweating under the memory of his 'StarlightHealer' persona. "Healer main. Small guild. Nothing fancy."

"A healer?" Jyn squealed, clapping her hands, the sound sharp in the noisy hall. "You're officially the perfect man. Handsome, mysterious, and you play support." She leaned closer, her arm brushing his, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "So, got a girlfriend?"

Zaeryn's grin widened, a spark of mischief in his eyes. "Yeah, I do."

Jyn's lips pursed in a playful pout, though her eyes still danced with curiosity. "Hmph. Figures someone like you'd be claimed. Does she play, or do you need a new tank for your party?"

He chuckled, the warmth of her arm against his sending a pleasant hum through his veins. "She's more into science than gaming. But I'll keep the tank offer in mind."

"If you ever decide you want a girlfriend who's also Into things you like. Then I'll be that girl." She teasingly said. And without a word, Jyn stood, her tray clattering softly as she slid into the sit beside him, her thigh pressing deliberately against his.

The contact was electric, her warmth seeping through the thin fabric of his academy uniform.

Her scent hit him like a wave—citrus and sunlight, sharp and intoxicating, with a faint undercurrent of something wilder, like the Vitae she wielded so effortlessly.

She tilted her head, her crimson braid brushing his shoulder, and fixed her gaze on his lips. "Zaeryn," she said, her voice low and teasing, "I want to try something."

"Hmm?" He chewed his noodles, one eyebrow quirking as he met her stare.

Jyn's grin was pure mischief, her eyes glinting like polished obsidian. "I want you to kiss me." Her tone was bold, unapologetic, as if she'd just challenged him to a duel. "I've never kissed a man before. And you? You're not just any man."

Zaeryn froze, the noodle slipping from his chopsticks. The request hit like a Vitae surge—sudden, thrilling, and a little dangerous.

Yuna's fork stopped halfway to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock, her cheeks flushing a soft pink. "Jyn, what? We're in the middle of the mess hall!"

"So?" Jyn shot back, her grin unfaltering as she turned to Zaeryn, her body angled toward him, close enough that he could feel the heat radiating from her. "What do you say, anomaly?"

Zaeryn's heart kicked up a notch, but his grin matched hers, slow and roguish. "Sure," he said, his voice low and teasing. "Why not? Let's give the academy something new to whisper about."

Jyn's eyes sparkled with delight, but before she could finish her thought, "Okay, take the lead, whenever you're, " Zaeryn moved.

His hand found her thigh, fingers firm against the toned muscle beneath her uniform, anchoring her as he shifted to face her fully.

The air between them crackled, charged with the same wild energy he'd unleashed in the Aegis Chamber. He leaned in, his lips brushing hers softly at first, a teasing graze that tested her response.

Jyn let out a soft, surprised "Mmmph!", a sound caught between a gasp and a laugh, vibrant and unguarded.

She leaned into him, her hands finding his chest, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as she deepened the kiss. Her lips were warm, eager, tasting faintly of the sweet lychee drink she'd been sipping. Zaeryn's free hand slid to her narrow waist, pulling her closer, his own lips parting to match her intensity.

The mess hall faded, the clatter of trays, the hum of voices, Yuna's wide-eyed stare all drowned out by the pulse of heat between them.

Jyn's tongue flicked against his, bold and playful, and a low groan rumbled in Zaeryn's throat. The kiss wasn't just a kiss; it was a challenge, a spark of Vitae meeting Vitae, her fiery energy tangling with his raw, untamed power.

[Emotional Input Detected: Adrenaline & Bold Curiosity (Jyn)]

[New Bond Forming: Processing...]

'Wow, already?' he thought to himself. 'It's fast. But I'll take it.'

Her fingers tightened on his shirt, and he could feel the slight tremor in her touch, a mix of excitement and curiosity that mirrored his own.

She pulled back just enough to catch her breath, her lips hovering inches from his, her cheeks flushed and her eyes half-lidded. "Well," she murmured, her voice husky, "that was… educational."

Zaeryn chuckled, his hand still resting on her thigh, the warmth of her skin grounding him. "Glad I could teach you something, Jyn."

Yuna cleared her throat loudly, her face now a deep scarlet. "You two are impossible," she muttered, though a small, reluctant smile tugged at her lips. "The whole cafeteria is staring at us."

"Couldn't care less," Jyn said, her grin wicked as she leaned back, her thigh still pressed against Zaeryn's. She tossed her braid over her shoulder, utterly unrepentant. "They're just jealous they're not kissing the academy's only male."

Zaeryn's laugh was low and genuine, his eyes flicking to the crowd. Sure enough, dozens of eyes were on them, some shocked, some envious, a few outright hostile. But by now, he was already used to that.

"You said you get a headache after using your powers?" Jyn asked, her voice now a lower, more personal murmur.

"Yeah, kinda. Overexertion, I guess. My body's not used to it."

"Well, maybe you just need a better teacher, or girlfriend," she said, her voice now a lower, more personal murmur. She leaned in, her ponytail brushing his shoulder. "Someone who knows how to handle… raw talent."

A small smile spread across Zaeryn's face. "Is that an offer?"

"I'm a very hands-on person," Jyn whispered, her eyes sparkling with blatant flirtation. "They will soon give you a personal teacher, but still, I can teach you some things."

Yuna's cheeks flushed a delicate pink at the sudden closeness between the two, and she quickly took a sudden, intense interest in her own meal.

Just as the intimate bubble around them solidified, the sound of his wrist watch interrupted the noise.

Zaeryn looked at it, to see that Sage was ringing him, her face showing on the screen.

Jyn noticed it and her eyes widened slightly concerned. "Uh, can your girlfriend feel it when you kiss someone?" She was worried, what if Zaeryn had an overly jealous girlfriend who could tell when his lips kissed someone else?

Zaeryn laughed. "I don't think so. And even if she knew she wouldn't mind." He said, "But, I'll need to take this."

He tapped the screen, and Sage's voice, a familiar, sultry melody, filled his ear. "Well, well. There's my favorite anomaly. I was starting to think you'd been devoured by your new classmates already."

Jyn leaned in just enough to overhear, her grin turning competitive.

"Not yet," Zaeryn replied, his own grin widening. "They're still deciding if I'm a threat or a snack."

Sage's laugh was a low, intimate sound. "I've been thinking about you all morning. My lab feels… empty. And I could really use a distraction." Her voice dropped, laced with a promise that made his pulse quicken. "You should drop by my workplace later. I have a new project I think you'll find… stimulating."

"Stimulating, huh?" Zaeryn's eyes flicked to Jyn, who raised a challenging eyebrow. "I'm sold. I'll head over as soon as I'm done here."

"I'll be waiting," Sage purred, before the call ended with a soft click.

Jyn nudged him playfully. "Your girlfriend huh? Sounds like I've got some serious competition."

Zaeryn just smirked. "You have no idea." He slid out of the sit, the motion drawing a few more lingering stares from across the hall. "Well, I'm going to leave now. Try not to miss me too much."

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