After the shower, Dramaine grabbed the controllers while Naomi raided the kitchen.

  She returned with an armful of snacks—candies, chips, and her favorite bubbly that always “settled her tummy,” as she claimed. She leapt into bed, dumped everything between them, and grinned.

  “So… you wanna get your ass beat some more, or we teaming up this time?”

  “I’m still recovering from the public execution earlier,” Dramaine muttered. “Let’s team up.”

  “Boot up my puzzle games, Jeeves,” she declared in a terrible British accent.

  He straightened. “But of course, milady. Shall I fetch a biscuit and some fine Earl Grey as well?”

  They dissolved into laughter and settled under the covers as the game loaded.

  A few minutes later, Naomi’s controller slipped from her hands.

  Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

  Her breathing evened out.

  Soft snores filled the room.

  Dramaine glanced over and smiled. Her mouth hung slightly open, a faint line of drool catching the light.

  He gently took the controller from her and tucked the blanket around her shoulders.

  Then he froze.

  A soft blue glow pulsed beneath her skin.

  Faint. Rhythmic.

  Like a tiny flame flickering inside her chest.

  He blinked hard.

  It was still there.

  Small. Fluid. Swaying with her breath.

  Beautiful.

  And wrong.

  The movement reminded him of her fighting—controlled, deliberate, alive.

  This wasn’t new.

  He had seen the flames before.

  Not often. Not constantly.

  But enough.

  Faint blue embers hovering around strangers. A steady glow clinging to people he loved.

  When he was younger, he told doctors. They ran tests.

  Nothing.

  He told friends.

  They laughed.

  Eventually, he stopped talking about it.

  The flames never burned him. Never harmed anyone.

  So he learned to ignore them.

  Or tried to.

  Morning light began slipping through the blinds.

  Naomi shifted, and the glow faded beneath her skin like it had never been there.

  Dramaine stayed awake.

  Watching.

  Thinking.

  After a while, he eased out of bed and got dressed for the gym. He moved quietly this time.

  At the door, he paused.

  He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

  For a moment, he thought he saw the faintest flicker again.

  Then it was gone.

  He stepped into the hallway, the image of that quiet blue flame lingering behind his eyes.