Ignis spotted her the second she pushed through the double doors.
Not because the whole cafeteria went quiet...though it kinda did. Someone popular just entered . Not because of the fox ears twitching on top of her purple hair like they were picking up every damn whisper. Nah. It was the way the air around her shifted, like someone had cracked a window and let in a breeze that didn't belong in this noisy, grease-scented zoo. He'd lived with literal fire humming under his skin long enough to notice stuff like that. Heat signatures, Vibes and The invisible crap people dragged in with them.
She looked… soft. Like she was trying to shrink into her hoodie and vanish. Overwhelmed eyes darting everywhere, nose wrinkling at the smell of burnt tater tots and whatever mystery meat they were serving today. The Purple Fox, the whispers had called her all morning. He hadn't expected her to look like she might bolt if someone dropped a spoon.
And yeah, his chest did this stupid little tug. Not the usual spark of interest he got from the girls who flirted at the Seven-Star table. This was different. Warmer. Like his phoenix fire had decided she was worth paying attention to, and now it wouldn't shut up about it. He wanted to know what her laugh sounded like. Wanted to see if those ears did that cute little flick when she got flustered. Wanted—hell, he didn't even know what. Just… more of her.
He took a half-step forward before his brain caught up. Bad idea. She spun around fast with her tray, and...
Crash potential: 100.
The tray tipped. Her eyes went wide.
"Sorry...oh my goodness!"
But it never hit the floor.
His hand shot out, steady as always, fingers brushing hers for half a second. Warm plastic, cold panic, and that same rain-after-clean-air scent that made zero sense on a fox girl. She stared up at him. red hair in his face, red eyes meeting hers and the cafeteria noise dipped like someone hit mute.
"Oh, it's okay," he said, voice coming out softer than he meant. Not his usual cocky drawl. Just… warm. "Hi."
"Hi," she breathed back.
They stood there way too long, trays between them like some awkward shield. Her heart was probably doing cartwheels; he could almost hear it. His own was doing something weird too, like it forgot it was supposed to stay chill.
"Lydia, right?" he asked, because of course he knew. Everyone did after the morning announcements.
Her cheeks went pink. "Yeah."
"I'm Ignis."
"Hi… I am Lydia." She winced. "Wait, you already know that."
He grinned before he could stop himself. "Cute."
Awkward silence crashed in like an uninvited third wheel. People were definitely staring now. The Seven-Star crew in the corner. The wolf pack two tables over. Even the cafeteria ghosts floating near the drink station perked up.
"See you around," he added, sliding her tray back into her hands all smooth-like, even though his fingers lingered a beat longer than necessary. That tug in his chest pulled tighter. Longing, sharp and stupid and brand new. He wanted to say more. Ask if she was okay. Tell her the tater tots were actually decent if you drowned them in hot sauce. But he just stepped aside, letting her breathe.
She nodded, flustered and adorable, and he forced himself to walk away before he did something dumb like offer to carry her tray the rest of the way.
Phantasia—her little ghost bestie—popped into existence right beside her the second he turned. "Gurrrrl!!"
"What?!" Lydia squeaked.
"That's Ignis."
"And?"
"That's the Phoenix, babe. Like, top-tier beast boy. Fire in the veins, attitude for days, and apparently now he's playing hero for the new fox."
Lydia turned just enough to watch him weave back toward the elite table. She did recognize him from the portraits the other day and Why did that feel… nice? Like her whole body had decided today was a good day to betray her.
Ignis didn't head straight to his seat. He paused by the napkin station, pretending to grab extra ones while he stole one more glance. She was animated now, whispering furiously with her ghost friend, ears twitching, cheeks still flushed. Alive. Real. And that clean-rain scent was still messing with his head.
He dropped into his chair at the Seven-Star table with a sigh that came out heavier than he planned.
Sorren noticed first, the serpent twin lounging like he owned the place. "You took longer than necessary, firebird."
"I helped someone," Ignis muttered, stealing a fry off Kael's plate.
Kael didn't even look up from his energy drink. "The Fox."
Ignis paused mid-chew. "Yeah."
Sorren leaned in, scales glinting faintly under the fluorescent lights, grin sharp. "And?"
Ignis thought about it. About the way she'd looked like the whole world was too loud and too much. About that weird pull in his chest that felt like it might actually burn if he ignored it.
"She looks like she's trying real hard not to fall apart," he said finally. "But she's gonna be fine. I can tell."
Kael's gaze lifted, calm and unreadable, sliding across the cafeteria to where Lydia sat laughing at whatever Phantasia was miming. "She won't," he agreed, quiet.
Ignis followed the look. Sorren did too.
None of them said the rest out loud the way the three of them kept watching her a beat too long, like their beast sides had all decided at the exact same second that the new girl was something worth getting obsessed over.