The shared bathroom was a lavish room of polished marble, currently filled with the warm, humid air of their recent communal bath—a tradition that had persisted in their family despite their age and status.
After finishing their bath together and exiting the large tub, the three of them stood wrapping towels around themselves. Kazien, however, decided to use his magic, combining the two elements he was most proficient in.
He lifted his hands, and a gentle swirl of warm air, like a miniature whirlwind, enveloped Virena and Alvin. Inside the vortex of wind magic, tiny sparks of controlled fire danced, their heat immediately evaporating the moisture from their skin and hair.
"Wow, your magic is so practical!" Virena exclaimed, running a hand through her now-dry, voluminous hair. "Teach me how to use it! I need to master this magic combination."
Kazien nodded, pleased with the admiration. He demonstrated the technique again, holding his hands out. A small, perfect whirlwind of wind magic appeared, and within its center, a crimson flame ignited and began to spin rapidly.
"Sis Virena, focus on maintaining this spinning fire until the color of the fire is slightly reddish due to the friction with the wind magic. The heat is what dries things. Don't make the fire too big, or you'll burn them, and don't make it too small, or it won't be effective."
Virena, ever the competitive student, followed her brother's instructions immediately. She was so focused on maintaining the fire that continued to spin inside her wind magic, her brow furrowed in concentration.
"Then, slowly release the wind magic without losing your focus on the spinning fire magic," Kazien instructed, his tone calm and patient.
Virena slowly released the fire magic. However, the delicate, perfectly balanced flame sputtered and died out, dissolving into the air. She tried again. And this time, instead of the controlled whirl, the flames grew instantly, leaping up like a miniature, raging inferno, forcing her to extinguish it quickly before it caused damage.
"Is it this hard to control?" she complained in disbelief, shaking her head.
"It's about perfect control of two opposing elements at the same time, Sis Virena," Kazien explained. "But if you can control it, your fire magic will definitely be even stronger and more versatile."
Hearing her brother's promise of increased power, Virena became even more eager to master the magic fusion she was learning. She continued to try after try, driven by her inherent stubbornness. However, she continued to fail again and again as she practiced, the fire either dying out or growing out of control.
Kazien stepped closer and whispered a simple, insightful analogy. "Sis, just imagine if you were straining tea right now so that the tea leaves wouldn't fall into the cup! Your hands are the forces, and the fire is the tea. You need gentle, constant pressure, not a sudden release."
Virena's eyes lit up with understanding. The mundane analogy, far removed from grand magical theory, immediately clicked. She tried again. The experiment was a perfect success. A warm breeze, carrying a faint, pleasant scent of ozone and heat, had emerged from her hands. However, Virena wasn't satisfied with just the first attempt.
"I'll try again! I need to feel the muscle memory," she announced.
Kazien nodded enthusiastically, watching his sister's fierce determination as she practiced combining the two opposing elements into one seamless, useful application.
With renewed focus, Virena tried. And she succeeded again, the practical, warm drying spell flowing perfectly from her palms.
Triumphant, Virena immediately rushed forward and tackled her brother into a fierce, joyful hug, exclaiming happily: "I did it! I did it! You are indeed the best teacher!"
Kazien, completely taken off guard, found himself stumbling back. "Don't hug me like that! Look! Your towel slipped off your body, and Alvin turned his head away because of you!"
Virena glanced down, noticing her towel pooled at her feet, then looked over at Alvin, who had indeed snapped his head away, his ears turning pink. Unperturbed, she let go of Kazien and walked over to Alvin, hugging him from the front instead.
"You're my brother's future wife, aren't you?" she asked conversationally, resting her chin on his shoulder.
Turning his face even further away, Alvin gave a small, embarrassed nod.
"A wife is for women! Even though you're physically a man, just pretend you're a woman! Your penis doesn't even react when I hug your body like this!" Virena said with a surprising lack of self-consciousness.
Alvin, intrigued despite his shame, turned his head and looked at Virena's body. And sure enough, his body, despite the attractive sight, showed absolutely no reaction.
Then, Virena, with the casual swiftness of a seasoned prankster, reached out and removed the towel that was wrapped around Kazien's body. And at that moment, Alvin's penis showed an immediate, undeniably firm reaction. His face flushed a deep crimson.
"See!" Virena crowed triumphantly. "Doesn't that prove that you only get aroused when you see my brother's naked body? You're completely devoted to him, and him alone!"
Alvin lowered his head in utter shame, his entire body turning red as he tried to hide the undeniable evidence of his passion.
"Sis Virena!" Kazien protested loudly, grabbing his towel back. "At least don't suddenly pull my towel like that! Don't you have any shame?"
"Why would I be ashamed of you? We've often bathed together since we were little, little brother! You forget how familiar we are," she retorted, her tone implying his complaint was ridiculous.
Kazien couldn't reply to her simple, unassailable truth. Their closeness was simply a fact of their childhood.
Virena then turned her attention back to Alvin, her voice softening. "Don't be so stiff, Alvin. What you should be wary of is a handsome man who is more handsome than my brother! Kazien can be an idiot, but he's fiercely protective."
Alvin finally lifted his head, his blue eyes meeting hers with surprising steel. "Even if there are more handsome men than Kazien, it is taboo for a High Elf to betray our own husband. Moreover, he is my life savior. It is doubly taboo for a High Elf to betray our life savior."
Virena paused, genuinely struck by the severity of the commitment. "So, that's the reason you agreed to become a man and accept his proposal? Because of this debt and taboo?"
"Yes, that's right!" Alvin confirmed, his voice imbued with the gravity of his ancient culture. "He even prostrated himself at my feet. And for High Elves like us, prostrating is a symbol of sincerity and earnestness from the deepest part of our hearts. It is a vow that cannot be broken."
Hearing Alvin describe Kazien's desperate act—the complete surrender of pride—Virena instantly whirled around and grabbed Kazien by the neck, her fingers wrapping around his throat in a mock, but forceful, stranglehold.
"Did you hear what he said?" she hissed, her eyes blazing with indignation. "Alvin, who was so loyal to you, you betrayed him with your love for Davin? Are you still in your right mind, you insensible idiot?"
Kazien gagged and patted his sister's hand rapidly to get her to release him. Virena immediately let go, her anger already subsiding, so Kazien could breathe again.
"Cough… Cough… Cough… Cough… Sister, why are you strangling me like that?" He complained, rubbing his sore neck.
Virena pointed her index finger until it nearly touched his forehead. "Don't you ever betray Alvin's loyalty! You see him! He's cute, kind, caring, and even very loyal to you! Is there anyone as perfect as him out there?"
Kazien shook his head, his earlier epiphany returning with full force. Alvin was, in his silent, devoted way, perfect for him.
Snap!
A strong flick hit his forehead, echoing loudly in the marble room.
"Ouch! Sis Virena, why are you always physically torturing me like this?"
"I'm acting this way because I love and care about you so much that I don't want you to do something stupid like that again! Don't ever hurt him! Do you understand?" she demanded, her gaze unyielding.
This was the second time I'd been scolded for hurting Alvin, Kazien pondered, rubbing the stinging spot on his forehead. Did I always hurt him?
Kazien fell into a momentary, necessary internal monologue, trying to catalogue his past actions against Alvin.
Ah... I remember. I've complimented other people's faces many times, making him angry even at the dinner table. Not only that! Brother Davin also scolded me when I complimented Karen's face when we first met. When I wanted to protect her chastity, I instead provoked him into having sex and unilaterally rejected him later. Not to mention when I fell in love with Brother Davin, completely forgetting Alvin's presence and devotion. Of course, Alvin also felt hurt because of my betrayal. I was so incredibly stupid! No wonder my siblings always scolded me like this whenever they talked about Alvin. They saw the value in him that I carelessly overlooked.
"Yes, Sis Virena, I really understand my stupidity!" Kazien admitted, a genuine note of contrition in his voice. "I swear that it will never happen again! I will cherish him properly."
"Proving it is not only with your words or oaths, but with your actions, stupid little brother! You are a man of action, so act like one!" Virena replied firmly, her lecturing done.
"I will prove it!"
Kazien turned and looked at Alvin's cute face, which was staring at him with a mixture of hope and uncertainty. He reached out and gently cupped Alvin's cheek.
"Alvin, you just watch," Kazien promised, his voice low and serious, a stark contrast to his usual tone. "This incident, this failure of loyalty on my part, will never happen again. Forgive me for my mistakes in the past. I will change myself to be better than before, to be worthy of your devotion."
Alvin's eyes, bright with unshed tears, widened. He stretched out his arms and Kazien, forgetting the presence of his sister and the lack of clothing, immediately pulled Alvin into a crushing, sincere hug.
"Can you two not hug each other while naked like that in front of me?" Virena's annoyed voice cut through the tender moment.
Kazien pulled back slightly, his grin returning. "Sis Virena, what's wrong with you? I'm just hugging my future husband! You were just here telling me not to be stupid!"
Virena threw her hands up in defeat, grabbing two fresh towels and tossing them at the couple. "Dinner will be here soon! You two stupid, insensitive siblings, hurry up and put on your towels and get dressed! I can't believe I have to supervise you both."
"Ouch! It hurts! Okay, okay, we're going..." Kazien muttered, but his words were muffled by the towel he was using to dry Alvin's face, a gesture of tenderness that Alvin instantly returned with a gentle kiss on Kazien's wrist.
The moment was saved, the lesson learned, and the love, though complicated by status and history, remained steadfast.