Kaein's POV
I froze as Shion's voice cut through sharp enough to split my chest open. "Oh, really? And here I thought you two were practicing some… breathing exercise?"
Ren jerked back, eyes wide, and I blinked at him. Neither of us had even been remotely aware of her approaching. We were both… well, mostly naked, caught in the middle of a mess we'd clearly been too lazy to resolve.
"Let me explain" I raised a brow while looking at her
"Explain?" Shion's tone dropped low, deadly serious but dripping with sarcasm. "I see you two naked together, chest to chest, and you want to explain? I think I've lost all faith in your judgment, Kaein."
I groaned and threw a sheet over my lap, tugging my shirt on as fast as I could. Ren scrambled for his own clothes, throwing them on in record speed, but still managed to flash me a look that was equal parts of what the fuck is her problem and why the fuck is she here..
"Mission," Shion said, pacing in front of us, arms crossed. "You are supposed to be operational. There's a new assignment."
Ren, of course, immediately went into "spy mode," tilting his head, trying to hear more, his ears literally twitching. I knew exactly what he was doing.
"Can you hear it?" I asked, shaking my head. "You can't. You're hopeless."
He pouted, but I just ignored it. Shion's glare could burn steel, so I kept my mouth shut and followed her instructions. "Come with me Kaein" she said and I followed.
"You're spending too much time with him," she said, voice sharp, not even bothering with politeness anymore. She was the kind of girl who could make a battlefield look like kindergarten with just a glare. "He's not to be trusted, Kaein. And yet, here you are, drooling like a teenager."
I turned to look at Ren. And for a split second, all I could see was the little idiot he was pretty, distracting, utterly impossible to take seriously in a moment like this.
"Fine," I muttered. "I'll try to avoid him."
Shion didn't even blink. "Good." Then she turned to my Ren " And you stop using your face as a weapon. Go flirt somewhere else. Men, women, trees, whatever."
Ren's face, of course, went blank for about half a second, then his smirk returned, impossibly smug.
"You think I can just 'go flirt somewhere else'?" he said, voice dripping with mock offense. "You're underestimating my talents."
Shion raised an eyebrow. "Your talents are dangerous. And annoying. And did I mention dangerous?"
"Fine. I'll… tone it down," Ren said, voice almost sincere, though that smirk never left "But unfortunately your team mate is who I want to flirt with, stop me if you can". His eyes flicked toward me for a fraction too long, and I groaned internally.
"Enough," I said, holding up my hands. "We have work to do. There are demons in the village."
Shion's lips pressed into a line, but she finally relented. "I'll handle my own area. You two figure yourselves out and Kaein come with me."
I sighed. "Go on then. You do your mission. I'll just… be with Ren for a while. Need to make sure he gets home safe."
She didn't answer immediately, clearly debating if she should punch me or just scream. Finally, she just waved a hand. "Fine. Try not to get killed or corrupted, Kaein."
Ren, as expected, didn't waste time, grabbing his jacket and following me as I led the way out.
"So," Ren started, voice innocently teasing, "you really live like this? Barely functional? A human who's supposed to be a demon slayer?"
"I don't know," I said, voice dry. "Seems to be working so far."
He laughed quietly, shaking his head. "I can't imagine taking orders from someone else. You'd die of boredom before the first fight."
"Boredom doesn't kill people," I said. "Demons do."
He rolled his eyes, clearly amused. "Oh, such dark humor from the brooding hero."
I glanced at him. "I'm not brooding."
"You're not?" he asked, tilting his head. "Then what is it? Sexy intimidation?"
"Ignore me," I muttered, ducking into an alley to avoid a flicker of movement in the shadows.
We walked in silence for a few blocks, the tension hanging thick between us. Then he whispered, "I've been meaning to ask, what do you do when you're bored?"
I raised an eyebrow. "I read sometimes. Why?"
"You'd like my favorites." He grinned, like he had some secret knowledge that would shatter my world. "'Falling for the Hot Alpha Hockey Star' and 'The Dragon Queen's Last Wish.'"
I snorted. "Are those… romance novels?"
"Yes. And yes, you'd love them. They're full of hot, brooding girls and… complications."
I shook my head, smiling faintly despite myself. "I only read BL. I like watching men fuck."
His jaw dropped slightly, then he burst out laughing. Full, loud, impossible-to-ignore laughter. I wanted to smack him. And yet, I didn't.
"You're a disaster," I muttered.
"You love it," he said, still laughing. "You can't lie to me."
I didn't answer. I just kept walking, following the familiar path toward the outskirts where I knew new demons had been reported.
"You laugh too little," he said after a while, voice softer now, the teasing fading. "You should laugh more. It's… good on you."
"Good on me?" I said, voice rough. "I'm not here for compliments."
"No, but you're terrible at hiding it. And it's funny."
I snorted, shaking my head. I can't with you."
"You're saying that like it's a bad thing," he countered.
I shook my head, muttering, "I need to focus on the mission."
"You do," he said softly. "But you also need to learn to enjoy the little things. Like me laughing."
I glanced at him and caught the faintest glea
m in his eyes, mischievous, beautiful, and somehow my type of infuriating.
"Fine," I muttered.