Ryven was three minutes from the dojo when his comm pinged.
KRYSTA: lab first. We modify something.
He didn't ask what that meant. Experience had taught him it rarely helped.
The lab hadn't changed much since the last time he'd stood in it — drones suspended near the ceiling awaiting instructions, repair arms welding somewhere out of sight, the faint smell of ozone and hot metal under everything. What had changed was the projection.
The Voss lake filled the entire room now. Bigger than the file he'd sent. Bigger than he remembered describing it. The jet ski routes were still there, the wave generators, the banana boat sitting exactly as suspicious as it had looked in her message. All of it exactly as promised.
He hadn't expected to feel anything looking at it.
He was wrong.
Krysta didn't turn around. "You're late."
"You said now."
"I said soon. Soon means now if you actually care."
Cassian, cross-legged on the floor amid a spread of components, didn't look up either. "She's been rebuilding the water displacement math for two hours. Do not engage."
Ryven approached the projection anyway.
"Okay." Krysta spun to face him, already talking. "So. Your idea. The walking path — sealed corridor under the lake, glass tunnel, people just walk through it and look at the ruins like a museum exhibit."
"That's how I thought it was done."
"That's how you think it should be done."
Ryven paused. "That was the specification."
"Your specification was wrong." She said it without malice, already pulling up an overlay to prove it. "We checked the historical records. Nobody walked it. Ever. Your mother's people swam it — scuba gear, real water, real current. A sealed tunnel is a hallway with good lighting pretending to be a memory."
Cassian, without looking up: "She means it's more romantic."
"I mean it's more accurate."
"I built it to be safe," Ryven said. "Controlled. Nobody drowns in a hallway."
"Nobody's supposed to feel safe in it either. That's the point." Krysta crossed her arms. "You wanted to give him back something real. A hallway isn't real. It's a diagram of real."
Ryven looked at the reconstructed water paths, the ceremonial structures rebuilt out of archive fragments, and said nothing for a moment.
Because she wasn't wrong.
He'd designed it the way he designed everything — for control, for certainty, for the version with the fewest ways to go wrong. It hadn't occurred to him that the safest version might also be the least true one.
"Fine," he said eventually. "Scuba gear."
"Obviously scuba gear." A beat. "But I couldn't just leave it at scuba gear."
There it was.
"What did you add."
Her grin turned dangerous. "Current zones, keyed to the old ceremonial paths. Bioluminescent trail markers near the ruins. And—" she flicked the projection, and a new layer bloomed beneath the surface, "—we mapped the actual historical currents, so instead of swimming for it, the water pulls you toward the temple structures on its own."
"That sounds like it could also pull someone somewhere they don't want to go."
"That's called adventure."
"That's called a liability."
"Cassian agrees with me."
Cassian, still not looking up: "I did not say that."
"You didn't disagree fast enough."
Ryven exhaled through his nose, watching light ripple across water that somehow still felt like it remembered something, even built wrong the first time. Two teenagers in a basement had taken his safest idea, thrown it out, and built the true one instead.
"It's good," he admitted.
Krysta looked entirely too pleased. "I know. You're welcome, by the way."
"For what."
"For saving you from giving your soulmate a hallway."
Ryven didn't answer that.
"Go," Krysta said, waving him toward the door without looking away from the projection. "Leon's been complaining about you for an hour, it's exhausting. Also you smell like an overcooked Federation left over."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
Ryven left them exactly as he'd found them — arguing quietly over water math, lit blue from below, building something neither of them would admit was as much for Kael's sake as for the engineering and somehow still amazed at how truly gifted this two younger Bentons are.
The lower dojo terraces of the Benton Estate felt like another world entirely.
Just as Ryven was walking to the Dojo he got a message from Krysta asking him to stop at the lab first before going to the dojo.
When he got there the projection was still up and rotating. Ryven can't really help but be amazed at just how fast this two younger Bentons create stuff out of thin air. Krysta started explaining and showing him what she and Cassian did, then show him what they changed from his idea . Like instead of the walking part underwater. They make it like how it was done before, you swim in scuba gear but Krysta wont be Krysta is she is not modifying.
The lower dojo terraces of the Benton Estate felt like another world entirely.
Above the mountain, the main residence remained alive with arriving transports, warm lights, formal greetings, and the controlled social chaos of multiple Great Houses gathering under one roof.
Down here—
everything slowed.
Wind moved softly through cedar trees surrounding the old training grounds while mountain mist drifted between lantern-lit pathways. Water flowed quietly beneath narrow wooden bridges connecting the lower terraces together, and somewhere deeper inside the forested sectors, bamboo fountains knocked rhythmically against stone.
The dojo itself sat at the center of it all.
Old.
Massive.
Built from dark cedar and stone worn smooth by generations of training.
Not decorative.
Lived in.
Used.
The kind of place where silence never felt empty because history occupied it already.
Ryven stood near the edge of the main courtyard with both hands resting loosely inside the pockets of his dark training robes while cool mountain air moved softly through his hair.
For the first time in days—
his head did not hurt.
No tactical feeds.
No battlefield projections.
No inquiry chambers.
No alarms.
Just mountain air and the low sound of Leon Voss laughing somewhere above him.
Unfortunately—
that was almost worse.
Ryven slowly looked upward.
Leon occupied one of the elevated terrace walkways overlooking the courtyard while Vincent Torres and Sebastien Mercier sat nearby around a low outdoor fire table drinking tea like they had been born inside mountain monasteries.
All three wore traditional dark robes now.
All three looked entirely too comfortable.
Leon noticed him looking immediately.
"Oh."
A pause.
"You finally escaped civilization."
Ryven stared at him.
"…what happened to you."
Vincent answered before Leon could.
"The mountain claimed us."
Sebastien calmly lifted his teacup.
"We resisted briefly."
"We lost," Leon admitted.
Ryven exhaled quietly.
That somehow sounded accurate.
Across the courtyard, Supreme Commander Marcus Voss stood near one of the old sparring platforms wearing layered black ceremonial robes while speaking quietly with Leona beneath hanging lantern light.
And somehow—
they looked like they belonged here too.
That was deeply concerning.
Leona noticed Ryven first and immediately brightened.
"There you are."
Ryven approached slowly across the stone path while lantern light reflected softly across flowing water nearby.
His mother reached over without hesitation and adjusted the front collar of his robes slightly.
"You look exhausted."
"I was interrogated by senators for two days."
"That's fair."
Marcus glanced toward him calmly.
"You also look underfed."
Ryven looked at his father.
"…how are those your first two observations."
Marcus folded his arms.
"I'm a parent."
That answer was unfortunately reasonable.
Leon jumped down from the upper terrace a moment later with the relaxed balance of someone who had spent several days climbing around the mountain already.
Vincent and Sebastien followed behind him at a much more civilized pace.
Mostly because Vincent nearly slipped halfway down the wooden stairs.
"The mountain is hostile," Vincent informed everyone seriously.
"You tripped over air," Sebastien replied calmly.
"The air was aggressive."
Ryven looked tired already.
Leon studied him quietly for a second longer.
Then—
"…you okay?"
Simple question.
No audience.
No pressure.
Just Leon.
Ryven answered honestly.
"…better."
That was enough.
Leon nodded once and leaned casually against one of the courtyard railings afterward.
No dramatic conversation followed.
None needed to.
The older generation of pilots understood certain things without forcing them into words.
A quiet settled over the dojo again afterward while mountain wind moved softly through the trees.
Then Leona looked toward Ryven curiously.
"You said you had something to show us."
Right.
The lake reconstruction.
Ryven reached into his sleeve pocket and activated the projection device quietly.
Blue light unfolded slowly above the center courtyard.
The atmosphere changed immediately.
The Voss ancestral lake appeared beneath simulated moonlight while silver-blue mountains surrounded endless dark water stretching across the holographic projection like another world opening in the middle of the dojo.
Nobody spoke.
Ancient docks extended gracefully over crystal-clear water while lantern reflections drifted softly across the surface. Waterfalls cascaded down surrounding cliffsides while elevated pathways connected reconstructed ceremonial structures restored from preserved historical archives.
Then the underwater ecosystem activated.
Soft blue light illuminated ancient submerged ruins hidden beneath the lake while schools of glowing aquatic life drifted slowly through recreated environments deep below the surface.
The projection felt alive.
Not artificial.
Remembered.
Leona covered her mouth softly.
"…oh."
Marcus stared at the reconstruction quietly.
Completely still.
Leon slowly stepped closer.
"…Ryven."
A pause.
"This is incredible."
Ryven remained calm externally.
Mostly.
"Krysta and Cassian handled the reconstruction systems."
Vincent immediately nodded once.
"Of course they did."
"Only Bentons would respond to historical restoration by accidentally building an underwater civilization," Sebastien added calmly.
"That sounds accurate," Leon admitted.
Leona stepped closer toward the lake projection while soft blue reflections moved across her face beneath the lantern light.
"You restored the original water paths."
Ryven nodded once.
"Yes."
That mattered.
More than outsiders would understand.
The old lake had once been the center of the Voss ancestral territories before modernization changed entire sections of the world around it. Most of the original environmental structures had disappeared generations ago.
This—
this felt like getting part of it back.
Marcus finally looked toward Ryven again.
"Is this still a surprise for Kael?"
Ryven answered quietly.
"Yes."
Leon immediately grinned.
"Oh this is going to destroy him emotionally."
"It won't."
Vincent looked deeply offended.
"Ryven."
A pause.
"He cried over a sandwich once."
"That was different."
"He said the bread reminded him of childhood."
"That still sounds different."
Sebastien took another slow sip of tea.
"I'm with Vincent on this one."
Ryven ignored all three of them.
Mostly because they were probably correct.
Leona's expression softened warmly while she continued looking at the reconstructed lake.
"You really love him."
The courtyard quieted slightly again.
Not awkward.
Just honest.
Ryven looked back toward the projection while pale blue water reflections moved across the stone beneath his feet.
"Yes."
Simple answer.
Certain.
Leon smiled faintly afterward.
Not teasing this time.
Just proud.
Then Vincent ruined the emotional atmosphere instantly.
"WAIT."
He pointed aggressively toward one of the expanded projection overlays.
"What is THAT."
The recreational sector expanded automatically.
Silence followed.
Then—
jet ski routes appeared across the lake.
Floating obstacle systems.
Wave generators.
Tow cables.
Launch ramps.
And one deeply suspicious inflatable object.
Leon physically straightened.
"…is that a banana boat."
Ryven stayed silent.
Because technically—
yes.
Vincent looked emotionally overwhelmed.
"Oh this is amazing."
Sebastien lowered his teacup slowly.
"…we're going to die here."
Leon looked delighted already.
"We're absolutely putting Torres on that first. We need to add water canons here and here. " he pointed to the elevated sections of the lake that the zipline passes though, and grins.
"The mountain might reject him physically."
"The mountain should try harder."
Leona laughed softly for the first time all evening while Marcus studied the recreational overlays with visible concern.
"…why does the water system include launch pressure calculations."
A dangerous pause followed.
Then Leon answered calmly.
"Krysta probably wants to see how far she can throw people."
"That feels correct," Vincent admitted.
Ryven could already picture exactly how the younger cadets were going to react to all of this later.
Especially Torres.
Especially Little Bean.
And somehow—
he could almost imagine Caleb laughing about it already.
Not through the bond.
Just memory.
Instinct.
The sound of his laugh after finally relaxing.
The way his shoulders shook when something genuinely caught him off guard.
Ryven looked quietly toward the reconstructed lake again.
Warm lantern light reflected across the holographic water while mountain wind drifted through the courtyard carrying cedar, rain, and distant cooking fires from the upper residence.
For the first time since Wrong Sky—
something ahead of them did not revolve around surviving.
That mattered.
Even if none of them said it aloud.
Marcus eventually stepped beside him near the edge of the projection.
The older man remained quiet for several seconds before finally speaking.
"You did well."
Simple words.
Heavy ones.
Ryven looked toward the reconstructed lake one final time.
Then nodded once.
Not because the work was finished.
Because for the first time in a long while—
the future felt like something they might actually get to live in.
Ryven suddenly felt tired.
Very tired.
Leon looked equally entertained.
"…you should probably shower before dinner."
Ryven exhaled slowly.
"Yes."
A pause.
"I need to wash the Federation off my system."
Marcus huffed once in agreement.
"…understandable."
Leon nodded too.
"Reasonable reaction honestly."
Several minutes later, Ryven entered their room.
The suite was dimly lit now, shower was running, evening light spilling softly through the terrace windows while distant music drifted upward from the lower estate levels. The room smelled faintly like cedar wood, steam, fresh fabric, and Kael's shampoo.
Home.
Ryven moved automatically.
Collected clean clothes.
Prepared towels.
Tried very hard not to think about his parents becoming mountain samurai.
Then—
the bathroom door opened.
And Ryven forgot how to function entirely.
The clothes slipped from his hands immediately.
Because what walked out of the bathroom—
was not Kael Ardent.
Not the brown-haired academy rival who had spent four years provoking him through hallways, simulators, cafeterias, and briefing rooms.
This—
was Caleb Benton.
Fully.
Platinum white hair still damp from the shower, soft strands falling across striking blue eyes bright enough to look unreal beneath the warm room lighting.
Water droplets slid slowly down the line of his throat, disappearing beneath the loose towel hanging low around his waist while steam still clung faintly to warm skin.
And somehow—
even the way he smiled looked different now.
Softer.
Brighter.
Dangerously beautiful.
Ryven just stared.
Completely helpless.
Kael noticed instantly.
And burst into laughter.
Not cruel laughter.
Affectionate.
Delighted.
His ears were already turning red from how hard Ryven was staring at him.
"So?"
Kael walked closer slowly while grinning.
"What do you
Ryven still looked completely stunned.
Kael laughed again before loosely wrapping both arms around Ryven's neck.
The height difference shifted them naturally together while steam lingered softly against Kael's skin.
Ryven's hands settled automatically at his waist.
Then he kissed him.
Hard.
Like he had been holding that reaction inside for years.
Kael made a surprised sound against his mouth before immediately kissing him back while laughing softly between breaths.
Ryven finally pulled back enough to exhale against Kael's forehead.
"…ugh."
A pause.
"I may need a very long shower."
That nearly killed Kael completely.
He folded against Ryven laughing harder, forehead briefly pressing into his shoulder.
"Don't worry," he murmured teasingly.
"We have all night later."
Ryven looked at him seriously then.
Really looked at him.
His hand lifted slowly toward Kael's damp platinum hair, fingers brushing gently through the strands like he still couldn't quite believe this was real.
Kael's expression softened immediately.
"I saw it, you know."
Ryven blinked once.
"…saw what?"
"The way you kept looking at Krysta and Cassian."
A small smile tugged at Kael's mouth.
"Like you were trying to imagine what I looked like with this hair and eye color."
Ryven stayed quiet for half a second.
Then sighed softly.
"…was I that obvious?"
Kael smiled warmly.
"To me?"
A pause.
"Yes."
The teasing faded afterward.
Something gentler settled between them instead.
Kael wrapped his arms around Ryven properly this time and hugged him tightly.
"Sorry you had to wait this long."
That landed straight in Ryven's chest.
Because suddenly he remembered everything.
The dyed hair.
The contact lenses.
The years Kael spent hiding pieces of himself just to survive inside a system that would have rejected him otherwise.
Ryven held him tighter immediately.
"…worth the wait."
Kael laughed softly against his shoulder.
Then quieter—
"…good answer."
Outside, the Benton Estate continued glowing against the mountainside while dinner preparations carried on below.
The younger cadets still explored the guest terraces.
The dojo remained occupied by emotionally compromised samurai adults.
And somewhere beneath the estate, Krysta and Cassian continued building recreational systems that probably violated multiple engineering ethics laws.
But inside the room—
for a little while—
everything felt quiet again.