AT THE SAME TIME
ZAVIER
The rain had slowed by the time we got back, not stopped. Just quieter, like the forest had said what it needed to say, and now it was watching. The fire was still alive, and that mattered. Riko was crouched in front of it like a devoted disciple.
"I protected it." He said immediately.
"You threatened it." Ben corrected.
"I motivated it."Riko said.
"You yelled at it."Ben added.
"It responded."Riko groaned.
"It did not." Ben added.
Leo glanced up.
"We have fire, shelter, and food." He said. "This is the peak of our existence."
"It gets worse from here." Ben said.
"It always does." Leo agreed.
Adam stood the moment, I stepped back into the shelter. Too fast, too straight, too obvious.
"You returned." He said.
"I said I would."I said.
"Yes."He said.
"You are stating obvious things again."Riko smirked.
"I am aware."I nodded.
Riko leaned toward Ben.
"He is broken."Riko added.
"I noticed."Ben nodded.
I dropped the fish beside the fire, then the deer. No ceremony, no announcement, just work.
"Skin it properly or you don't eat." I said.
"I WILL HONOR THIS RESPONSIBILITY-" Riko immediately grabbed the wrong end.
"That is not the correct angle." Ben snapped. "I AM LEARNING-"
"You are butchering incorrectly."I said.
"I AM BUTCHERING WITH PASSION-"Ben added.
I sat finally, back against the shelter frame, eyes half lidded, listening, fire crackling, rain tapping, voices arguing but alive, and I liked that feeling.
Isabella stepped in again, didn't rush, didn't interrupt.
"You completed the task." She said.
"Yes."I nodded.
"You fed your team."She added.
"Yes."I nodded.
"You maintained fire and shelter integrity."She added and smiled lightly. "Yet you continue to operate beyond expected parameters."
"Expected parameters are low."I shrugged slightly.
"HE SAID IT-"Riko gasped.
"He is correct." Ben said immediately.
Isabella's mouth twitched, barely.
"Evaluation complete." She said. "Return to dorms, rest while you can."
"That sounds threatening." Leo muttered.
"It is." She replied.
"I SURVIVED-"Riko stood dramatically.
"You were carried." Ben said.
"I CONTRIBUTED EMOTIONALLY-"Riko added.
"You contributed noise."Isabella sighed.
Adam fell into step beside me, of course, he did.
"You should rest." He said.
"I am."I added.
"You are walking."Adam said.
"I will rest after walking."I sighed.
"That is not rest."Adam sighed.
"It is progress."Adam said.
He went quiet, thinking about that, too hard. Behind us, Riko yelled something about fire loyalty, Ben yelled back about structural integrity, and Leo said something philosophical and unhelpful. The academy halls were quieter, drier, controlled, nothing like the forest. I stepped inside and stopped, they were waiting. Logan, leaning against the wall as he had always been there.
"You have excellent timing." Adam said.
"You do not." Logan replied.
I didn't say anything, didn't need to. Kael stepped forward slightly, not aggressive, but direct.
"Zavier."He began.
I looked at him.
"Your records were reviewed."He added. "Your past." Kael continued. "The neglect, is it true?"
No accusation, no doubt just a question.
"Yes."I said.
Adam went still beside me, completely still, Logan exhaled slowly not surprised, not really.
"Figured." He muttered.
Kael watched me for a second longer as if he was measuring something.
"Understood."Kael nodded. "Rest." Kael added.
I nodded once and walked past them. Adam hesitated, then followed.
"They erased him."Behind us Logan spoke quietly.
Kael didn't answer immediately.
"And he still outperformed everyone."Kael added.
"He didn't just survive it, he turned it into something else."Logan nodded in approval.
The next day at lunch time at the academy was loud again. Not chaotic, structured noise, conversations, clatter of trays. Ranks mixing just enough to observe each other without pretending they weren't, I sat where I always did, same table, same position, backs to the wall and clear view of exits.
"He's closer again."Aiden whispered.
I didn't look, didn't need to.
"I noticed."I whispered.
Across from me, Adam, again, same posture, same attempt at composure, and same failure.
"You arrived earlier today." Adam said.
"I was hungry."I said.
"That is consistent."He said.
"He tracked your eating schedule."Riko leaned over dramatically.
"I did not-"Adam groaned.
"You absolutely did-"Riko smirked.
"Statistically, he did."Ben adjusted his glasses.
"The new teammate is evolving into a stalker." Leo didn't even open his eyes.
"I am not-" Adam stopped. "I happened to also require food."
"WHAT A COINCIDENCE-"Riko gasped.
I ignored them, ate efficiently while trying to focus on my own food.
"He watches you when you are not looking."Aiden said.
"I know."I nodded.
"You are not reacting."Aiden said.
"No."I sighed.
"Interesting strategy."Aiden added.
Before I could respond, someone stopped at our table. Then another, then three, four, five.
"We are about to be famous."Riko froze mid bite.
"We are not." Ben said.
"We absolutely are." Leo added.
"Zavier, right?"A B-rank Alpha cleared his throat.
"Yes."I said.
"We watched the feed." Riko slammed his hands on the table. "I KNEW IT-"
"Sit down." Ben said.
"I AM SITTING-"Riko said.
"Sit quietly."I nodded.
"That fire setup, clean."The Alpha continued.
"Your shelter efficient."Another said.
"The hunting-"Third one said.
He stopped and shook his head slightly.
"That wasn't normal."Ben said.
"You corrected four people at once without slowing down."Another stepped in.
"And didn't panic when the rain hit."Ben said.
"HE DOESN'T PANIC, IT'S TERRIFYING-"Riko pointed at me like I was a rare artifact.
"It is."Ben nodded.
Adam sat straighter, of course he did.
"It was, impressive." He said, quieter.
"YOU ALREADY SAW IT-"Riko whipped toward him.
"I can still comment-" Leo opened one eye.
"This is what admiration looks like."Ben grinned.
Adam ignored him, poorly. Another rank spoke, this time a Beta.
"You made it look easy."He said.
"It isn't."I shrugged slightly.
That made them pause.
"Then why did it look like it was?" Someone asked.
"Because he is done it hungry."Aiden answered before I did.
"Because I have done it before."I spoke.
"HE FOUGHT NATURE AND WON-"Riko added excitedly.
"I did not fight nature." I said.
"HE NEGOTIATED WITH IT-"Riko grinned.
"Please stop narrating."Ben pinched the bridge of his nose.
More people gathered, not crowding, but watching.
"You are D-rank?" Someone asked.
"Yes."I said.
"That seems incorrect."He said, confused.
"Spiritually, he is S-rank."Leo nodded.
"That is not how ranking works." Ben said.
"It should be."Riko grinned.
"Rank does not always reflect capability." Adam finally spoke again, more steady this time.
"HE DEFENDED YOU-"Riko gasped.
"I made an observation-"Adam refused to agree.
"IT WAS A DEFENSE-"Riko smirked.
I kept eating as more people surrounded our table.
"They are circling you."Aiden said.
"I noticed."I nodded.
"They are impressed."He added, and I nodded again. "And him?" Aiden nudged mentally.
I glanced just slightly. Adam, watching while hilariously trying not to and failing again.
"I noticed."I said.
"Careful."Aiden hummed.
"Why."I asked.
"Attachment complicates survival."He said calmly.
I didn't answer that. At the table Riko stood again. Why was he always standing.
"LISTEN EVERYONE-"He began.
"Sit down." Ben said immediately.
"NO, THIS IS IMPORTANT-"Riko argued.
"It is not-"Ben frowned.
"It is now." Leo said.
"Zavier is reason we not dead."Ben said seriously.
The group around us laughed. Not mockery, not disbelief, but respect.
"If you ever want to run joint training-"One of the higher ranks spoke again.
"Or team trials-"Another cut in.
"I would sign you up."A third added.
"WE ARE BEING RECRUITED-"Riko gasped.
"We are being evaluated." Leo said sleepily.
"WE ARE WINNING-"Ben adjusted his glasses.
"Eat." I said to the table as I began to leave.
"I WILL EAT WITH HONOR-"Riko saluted with bread.
Ben sighed as Leo raised his tray slightly.
"Inspiring."He said.
Adam stood too immediately.
"I will walk with you."He said.
Riko froze then slowly turned to Ben.
"He didn't even ask."Ben whispered.
"He did not."Riko added with a grin.
"This is progress."Leo smirked.
I didn't object, but Aiden noticed. Of course he did.
"You didn't say no."He said.
"No."I agreed.
"Interesting."Aiden grinned.
Adam walked beside me quiet.
"You handled them well."He said.
"I spoke."I said. "I got tired of all the talking."
"That was enough."He added.
I had a feeling that from this wilderness trip my walks and talks with Adam would change either for weirder or for the better.