A few days after the training disaster the passing out, the carrying, the mortifying intimacy she refused to think about Verosika finally returned to her usual haunt: the rehearsal studio, lit with pink spotlights and decorated with questionable taste.
The moment she stepped inside, the music cut, three heads snapped toward her, and then
Kordel threw both arms into the air dramatically.
"BEHOLD! She lives!"
Minca gasped, hand over heart.
"Oh thank Hell, we were about to put your face on milk cartons."
Riff leaned against the amps, smirking.
"We thought you quit music and married rich."
Verosika blinked.
"…What?"
Minca raised her brow.
"Sweetheart. You disappeared for days. DAYS. No rehearsal, warm-ups, drunk texts at 3AM insulting other people's eyebrows"
"That was ONE time."
Kordel held up his phone.
"It was five."
Verosika groaned and threw her bag onto the couch.
"I didn't disappear. I was"
She stopped.
Because no excuse sounded normal.
Training to become a monster stronger than demons so I'm not breakable in his world didn't roll off the tongue.
Instead she muttered:
"…Busy."
All three stared at her with the exact same expression:
We don't believe you, but continue.
Riff nudged Minca with his elbow.
"Okay, but the real question is…"
He grinned.
"…how was the date?"
Verosika blinked again.
"What date?"
"The one with Malerion," Minca sing songed.
Kordel clasped his hands dramatically.
"Ohhhh the rumors are DELICIOUS. Apparently the two of you walked into Ozzie's like a scene from a forbidden romance novel."
Verosika choked.
"We did NOT!"
"Oh really?" Riff interrupted. "Because half of Lust Ring is convinced he bought you."
"EXCUSE ME?"
Minca nodded seriously.
"Yeah. 'Sugar Daddy of Sin Rouge.' It's trending."
Verosika threw her hands into the air.
"I cannot leave this Ring for FIVE MINUTES."
Kordel leaned forward.
"So what actually happened? You looked… different when you left with him."
Verosika froze.
Because there were two truths:
The public version:
She went because she was Verosika Mayday celebrity, performer, icon and wouldn't miss a power invitation.
The real version:
She went because Malerion asked.
And saying no suddenly felt wrong.
She crossed her arms, tail twitching.
"First of all," she said, voice sharp, "Malerion is NOT my sugar daddy."
"Sure," Riff said. "And I'm the Tooth Fairy."
"HE IS NOT," she repeated, louder.
"He's just"
She stopped.
Because there was no clean word.
Not friend, stranger.
Minca's voice softened.
"…He matters to you."
Verosika looked away.
Her voice came out quieter than expected.
"He's… someone I'm choosing to understand. That's all."
Silence.
Then
Kordel grinned wickedly.
"So he's your mysterious morally gray situationship with shoulder muscles?"
She threw her water bottle at him.
He dodged.
Barely.
Riff folded his arms.
"Well, whether you label it or not people are watching. Hard. When an Overlord walks into Ozzie's with a siren? That's a statement."
Verosika hesitated.
"…Yeah," she murmured. "I know."
Minca stepped closer gently.
"Are you okay with that?"
The real question burned under the words:
Are you okay being seen with someone that powerful?
Being connected to someone who changes Hell just by existing?
Verosika inhaled.
Slow.
Steady.
"…I don't know yet," she admitted. "But I'm not running."
Kordel clapped.
"GOOD. Because running would be boring."
Riff tossed her a mic.
"So rehearsal?"
Verosika caught it one handed, smirk returning like armor.
"Hell yes."
She slid the mic into position.
"Let the Ring talk."
She winked.
"We'll give them something better to gossip about."