Elion pinched the bridge of his nose. "Please don't start."
Mira and Aria had to settle for glaring at each other for the rest of the way.
The pathway toward the dorm residences was fairly empty at this hour; most students were still wheezing on the track or dragging themselves to the showers attached to the gymnasium.
Although they each had showers in their rooms, others preferred to shower right after the session, hence the showers.
Despite the silence now, Elion was starting to feel kind of suffocated
Aria stuck close to him.
Mira stuck even closer.
Whenever one stepped nearer, the other mirrored it.
Elion felt like the rope in a very determined tug-of-war.
Aria cleared her throat. "S-so… Elion… You're going straight to rest after this, right? You should."
Mira elbowed her. "You're saying that because you want him all to yourself later."
Aria sputtered. "W-what!? No! I'm saying it because he's tired! He needs—"
"He needs someone responsible to look after him?" Mira finished sweetly. "Like me?"
"Like—like ME!" Aria snapped. "He was with me before you!"
"Oh… but have you had sex with him? Because I have," Mira said, loudly, with absolutely no shame whatsoever.
She even wore a smug little smile, like she'd just dropped the winning hand in a card game.
Aria froze mid-breath, clearly shocked by the sudden declaration.
When had things escalated from fighting over Elion's attention to talking about bedroom activities?
"And," Mira continued, leaning in with a grin, "I let him take the lead however he wanted. He was rough. 'Very', rough…I liked it though, and I even let him use the hole way. If you know what I mean."
Elion's eyes went wide as dinner plates.
This woman needs her mouth sealed shut with rope. Or duct tape. Or both.
He had absolutely no words.
Who goes around saying things like that in public, while being nonchalant about it, with a straight face!?
Aria's expression was even more absurd; her jaw practically hit the floor.
"W-WHAT!?" she squeaked. "D-did he really—!? D-d-do that!?"
"Oh, it felt amazing," Mira said casually. "Don't tell me you haven't done it with him?" Mira feigned genuine shock, her palm going to her mouth.
"Shut up!" Aria exploded, her face immediately blazing scarlet. "I've also done it with him! But unlike you, I'm not shameless enough to scream it to the whole world!"
Mira raised a single eyebrow.
Aria continued, humping, "Hmmmph, Besides, you bullied him long before I came into the picture, Mira."
The reaction was immediate. Probably what Aria was hoping for.
Elion's brows raised, his hands stiffened.
The topic might have been sensitive at some point in time. But to him, that stage of his life was all but a distant memory.
To Mira, though? He could imagine.
He looked over at her, and her reaction was to be expected.
Mira's face drained of confidence in an instant, the words hitting her with real weight for the first time today.
"Please. Don't remind me. Elion knows I didn't truly mean it," she muttered, but it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than Aria.
"I— I wasn't bullying him!" she snapped. "I was just— just—"
"Being a bitch to him?" Aria offered helpfully.
Mira sputtered. "That's not—! I didn't mean it like—!"
"Oh, please." Aria rolled her eyes. "You tormented him for months. And now you want to pretend you're the sweet, caring girlfriend? Get real."
Mira bristled. "I care about him! More than you think!"
Aria leaned closer, smug smile widening. "But I'm the one he spends the most time with. I'm the one he touched. I'm the one he—"
Elion, caught between them, wanted to sink through the floor. Why am I here?
He had never felt more like a spectator at his own scandal.
But he had to admit, despite the tension, seeing Mira and Aria, a pair of beautiful girls, fight over him was a nice stroke for his ego.
Never would he have imagined that things would turn out like this.
Any guy would kill to be in the situation he was in right now.
And, he could boast that he had thoroughly explored every inch of their bodies already, well, not all, but most.
Elion looked towards Aria, more or less expecting her to continue throwing a barrage of words at Mira.
But his gaze seemed to fluster her.
She seemed to take him looking at her, for him meaning that he did not want her to pursue the matter and make Mira uncomfortable.
Aria looked away. She didn't push further, realising it wasn't the time.
It got quieter.
Only their footsteps and Elion's controlled breathing filled the walkway.
They reached the path where the dorm branched off to their rooms.
Elion gently withdrew his arms from around both girls.
He could stand now, albeit shakily.
"I'm okay from here," he said, giving them a grateful nod. "Thank you. Really."
Mira smiled softly. "Of course."
Aria looked like she wanted to say something… but didn't know how.
Elion took a step toward his side of the branch.
And immediately winced as a sharp cramp hit his thigh.
Both girls rushed forward at the exact same time.
"Elion!"
"Are you okay!?"
They nearly collided.
He lifted a hand. "I'm fine, just a cramp."
Mira moved closer. "You need to stretch that out."
Aria frowned. "He needs to rest, not stretch."
"Stretch helps prevent—"
"Rest helps him recover—"
Elion stepped between them before the argument started again. "Please, it's fine. I'll handle it inside."
The tension didn't disappear completely, but both girls quieted.
Mira exhaled. "If you need anything… You can come to my room."
Aria elbowed her. "Why would he go to your room? He can come to mine."
Mira smirked. "I have better snacks."
"That's not even—!"
Elion cut in gently. "I appreciate it. Goodnight, you two."
Once again, Aria looked like she wanted to say something else, but bit her tongue.
Mira gave him one last smile before turning toward the other path.
Aria lingered a moment longer, eyes softening.
"…Goodnight, Elion."
Then she hurried to catch up with Mira, who instantly picked up on the delay and teased her all the way down the path.
Elion watched them bicker softly as they walked off together, shaking his head with a tired, amused sigh.
"…This pair is going to be troublesome."