"I'm still jealous," Zane says. "I mean, you got a super-secret job yesterday that you can't tell us about."

Zane's currently standing behind me, resting his chin on my head with his arms resting against my chest in a sort of hug from behind. I'd have told him to stop, but it's actually kind of comfortable to sit like this. He's not putting too much pressure on my head or anything, just resting like this. The only thing I'd say is uncomfortable is that he didn't wait for me to get dressed, and he'd stripped off his shorts before joining me on the blocks.

We're waiting for Todd to show up to sanitize the room. The plan was to do as normal and just rest for a couple of minutes to catch my breath after the intense skill training today, then go take a shower. That changed when Zane showed up right after Lucas unlocked the door, because he thinks Todd's power is cool and wants to experience it again.

Regardless of me saying it might annoy Todd to have us do that all the time, especially since Zane wants to do it naked.

I hope Lucas doesn't walk in on this, if he saw Zane naked and knew that Stoneboy's dick was pressing against my bare back, he'd probably go ballistic. But I know that while it makes Zane a little excited, he'd have backed off if I asked him to.

He hasn't made any move on actually trying to get me to do something, so I'm not saying something and just letting him sit like this. If Lucas did blow up on him, he'd probably just ask Lucas if he wanted to take his place, anyway. I'm also sure he'd actually let Lucas, if Lucas said 'yes'.

As for Zane's comment about the job from yesterday, he's expressed several times since I mentioned it before martial arts yesterday that he's jealous. I can tell he really wishes he'd been picked for such an on-the-spot, secret job that paid so much.

While I do have to wait for the eighteen hundred until Friday, when I get paid by the agency after they take out their fee from all of the jobs I did this week and compile it into a check, Spelcor did tip me two hundred dollars, which Liz said was to make up for the fee being taken out.

"You're saving that money, right?" Zane asks. "In case the offer falls through? Or doesn't pay enough? Or to help with moving expenses, if the job wants you to move?"

I hadn't considered it, but will the Patron expect me to move if I do get to become a Sivalshi Guardian? I'll ask Isaac at his party on Thursday.

"Yeah," I answer. "I'm saving it. All the jobs I've been getting, including thanks to this guy Stoneboy, have given me enough to cover my expenses for now, but there's no telling when I'll need an extra couple of grand. Reminds me that I can actually pay my rent on time for once."

Thanks to the advance the Patron gave me and the paychecks I've already received from Melody's agency. I've never had so much money before, yet I know it's also considered pretty much nothing, so it's not getting to my head.

"Due on Monday?" Zane asks.

"The first of every month, yeah."

"Ah!" He exclaims. "That reminds me, Shadow Boy, but what are you doing for Halloween? It hasn't come up in conversation at all, I realized, and it's tomorrow."

"I don't normally do stuff for Halloween," I tell him. "I take it you want to do something?"

"Yeah," he answers. "Danny and I were talking earlier, and we were planning on meeting up after training tomorrow, then heading up into the middle districts. There's a small festival, as allowed by the rules and resources we have right now. We've already got our costumes."

Why does it not surprise me that they've already arranged another hangout? And to one of the festivals, no less?

The city does allow some festivals that use up food for treats and other resources for fun stuff, as long as the recycling rules are followed, among others. Things like that are necessary to help keep spirits up, even if it results in a small waste or binge problem, though there are still rules that apply to minimize that.

My brothers took me to the last one I ever went to.

"Then after," he says. "He'll spend the night at my place, since it'd be a fair bit of a walk back for him. You can stay the night at mine again, if you want. Without the Mother Hen being all suspicious though did you notice that he's been really subdued the last couple of days? Lucas hasn't snapped at me for my comments, and it's worrying."

I noticed that, too. I think my comment about the fact that he hasn't actually told Zane to stop got to Lucas, especially with him already thinking over things regarding the Patron and his own inaction with things. Basically, Lucas has a bit on his mind and it's caused him to quiet down a little bit for now.

Time will tell how he comes out of the thoughts.

"Yeah, he's quiet," I say as the door opens. "Hi, Todd."

"Hi," he greets us.

"We'd have already gone to the showers," I tell him. "But Zane kind of wants to experience your mist again. Is that a problem?"

"Not at all," Todd chuckles. "Did you two start dating? The way you're sitting and he's standing-"

"Nah," I answer as I feel Zane's skin change, a glance down to his arms confirming he just switched to his stone form. "Zane just decided this was cozy and I didn't tell him to stop."

Partly because it does feel nice to have someone holding me like this, even if we aren't dating. I'll take what I can get, since I sleep alone most nights and don't have someone to hold me as the trauma from my past returns or I feel incredibly alone.

"Okay," Todd says. "Ready?"

I inhale deeply and hold my breath, then give Todd a thumbs-up. He holds up his hands and releases his mist, cleaning and sanitizing us and the room. Once it ends, he steps up to the barrier and leans on it.

"Wednesday," he says. "Will you be here at the same time as this week?"

"Probably," I answer. "Lucas hasn't asked to hang out yet, but he likely will before then. If he hasn't, I can still come that early. Want some help again?"

"If you don't mind," he says. "Training with you was actually pretty fun."

"You two trained together?" Zane asks. "What kind of training? Because if it's the sexy kind-"

"Power training," Todd rolls his eyes. "You know Kieran won't do that, Zane. I discovered a new power on Wednesday, came in to train it and found Kieran doing his warmups, and he helped me out with it."

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"Can I ask what?" Zane asks, and he does seem actually curious, even leaning forward a little more.

"I can move objects with mist," Todd holds up a hand, letting some mist swirl around above it. "I was going to throw a basketball around and use the mist to find it and bring it back, but ended up having Kieran throw it, then I'd find it and give it to him with the mist."

"That sounds awesome," Zane bounces a little, and I clear my throat. "Sorry, Kieran! Can I join you for that? We could alternate. One throws, you find it and give it to the other, he throws, you find it and give it to the other. Wait, how do you find it with the mist? What time?"

"About one in the afternoon," Todd answers. "And I can 'see' through the mist. I already do that when cleaning things with it-"

"Wait, so you have basically a sense for my naked body when you do that?" Zane asks. "That isn't weird or anything?"

"The only thing weird about it is how that monster manages to exist," Todd quips. "It practically takes up the gap between your legs. Can't imagine it's easy to walk like that."

"Oi! This thing is a piece of beauty and you're just jealous yours ain't that big!" Zane protests.

"As if anyone would want something that big," Todd snorts. "Thank you, but the ladies like mine just fine."

"The ladies?" Zane asks. "How many ladies?"

"Uh, just two," Todd answers. "But we've been together for awhile, and they're quite satisfied, thank you."

"Alright, boys," I interrupt. "Let's stop comparing dicks, they're both beautiful, and-"

"You've seen Todd's?"

"I'm sure it is," I roll my eyes. "We should probably get dressed before Lucas shows up and sees you like this."

"He'll only be upset 'cause he wishes it was him," Zane says. "Oh! You never did answer, Kieran! Hey, Todd, do you want to go to the festival with me after training tomorrow? I've already got a friend coming, and Kieran might go."

"Sure, I'll go," I say.

"After training?" Todd asks. "I'll have to ask my brother if he wants to swap shifts if I go, but yeah, that would be nice. I'll let you know after training tomorrow if I can."

"Sweet!" Zane says. "Make sure to have a costume, we'll all change here."

"I don't have a costume," I say.

"I'll make sure you do," Zane tells me. "Don't worry about that. Since we'll be late, you can stay at my place."

"Your place for what?" Lucas asks, having arrived just to catch the tail end of that. He steps closer and spots how Zane and I are, and immediately looks annoyed. "Going somewhere? We were planning on doing dinner tonight, and we always walk him back after."

"Tomorrow," I say. "Zane's inviting us to go to the festival tomorrow, and since we'd be out pretty late, he doesn't want us walking all the way back to my place. Danny's going to stay the night, too."

"Which festival?" Lucas asks.

"Narbikka," Zane answers.

"I'll go with you," Lucas says. "We can stay at my apartment after. It's five minutes from there."

"Wait," Zane tenses up, and even before he continues, I know it's out of surprise. "You'd let me stay in your apartment?"

"As long as you promise to behave," Lucas says. "It's bigger and has more space than yours. I'll pick up groceries for breakfast after we take Kieran home tonight."

"Make sure to get a costume," Zane tells him. "We're all going dressed up for it."

"I already have one," Lucas tells him. "I'm taking my little brother to it before my shift and he insisted on costumes."

"It's a group, then!" Zane says. "Let's get dressed, Shadow Boy! I'm starving!"

Zane and I get dressed as Todd leaves, then Zane, Lucas, and I leave the center and make our way to the diner Sandy works at. When we arrive, we find it empty of customers, though still open.

"Evening, boys," Sandy greets us. "The usual?"

"The usual," Lucas answers as we take our seats in a booth, Lucas and me on one side, Zane on the other.

"We have lemons and oranges," she says. "Want the special?"

"Thanks," Lucas tells her, his gaze going to the TV that's in view.

They're doing a piece on the Blond Boy Basher. A boy nine years old with blond hair disappeared from the bathroom at a store this morning while his mom waited outside, and they suspect it was the Blond Boy Basher kidnapping his eleventh victim. They don't know how the boy went missing because no one else had gone into the bathroom.

Lucas's jaw is set hard, and I know he's trying not to make a rude comment about the Patron rather than just lashing out with his words.

"He'll get caught," I tell Lucas. "I know you disagree on that, but he will get caught. Something like this is something vigilantes and officers are investigating hard."

"Yeah, whatever," Lucas mutters, looking at the table. "It's not like the Patron can't just tell us where the guy is and how to deal with him."

"You're assuming he can," I say. "I still say the Patron's powers of knowledge are limited. He probably isn't the omniscient being you think he is. Like I've said before, we don't know what the Patron is. Everyone makes assumptions about him, and that's it."

Lucas doesn't respond to that, and I take it as a sign that he's probably starting to look at my argument more seriously than he has in the past. If he changes his view and starts to support the Patron, I can see Lucas becoming a Sivalshi Guardian. He's powerful, and while he's nothing on the level of Isaac, he is a teleporter, and Isaac did say that the only other person who wasn't too old or too young with teleportation powers hated the Patron.

Even as a vigilante, Lucas would…

Wait. Vigilante? One who showed up the same night that I snapped at Lucas over being a hypocritical, lazy, spoiled brat? What were Lucas's other powers? Light-shaping, light-walking, light-beast summoning… and he demonstrated a whip of solid light. Which looked like golden crystal that glowed from within.

The same thing the chains of Lumilxal do. While there are others in Sivalshi City who can use crystallized light, what are the odds that one with them started their career as a vigilante the same night I went off on Lucas over doing nothing, the same night that Lucas left to 'think about things'?

The places that Lumilxal have shown up, and where the Blond Boy Basher victims have disappeared and been left so far, what were they? There, there… there and there… they match up. Lumixal has shown up everywhere one of the Blond Boy Basher's victims either disappeared from or was left at.

"You're Lumilxal," I say.

"Wait, you didn't know?" Zane asks, and I look at him. "I kind of thought it was obvious. Powerful, golden chains, spellsuit? And not the fancy custom ones made by Spelcor, but one similar to a guardian?"

"Wasn't your great-grandpa's spellsuit different, though?" I ask as Sandy returns with our drinks.

Lucas waits until she's left before answering.

"It looks different," he tells me. "When I wear and my little brother wear it, it has a different look. I'd fiddled with it the other night, thinking about wearing it under the stuff I'd worn, and when it activated, the outfit was yet again different."

"So…" I say. "The Patron changed the spellsuit design for you, Lucas. That's a sign that he approves of what you're doing. Especially since I doubt the city news networks would be covering you if he didn't give them the okay."

Lucas gives me a shocked look, which is all I need to know that he hadn't thought about that before.

"And you even heard Danny talking about it on the phone," I roll my eyes.

Lucas sighs.

"So…" I glance at Zane for a few moments. Sorry, buddy. I look at Lucas. "I told you to get your head out of your ass if you wanted to get with me, and you did. Literally the same night. And you've continued. According to Danny, you've racked up a pretty good record in just a week, too, Lucas."

"Y-yeah," his cheeks flush a little.

"So, uh," I say. "I guess that means I don't have a reason to say 'no' anymore. Want to fuck?"

There, no dancing around the issue, just asking directly.

"Um," Lucas hesitates, and Zane looks defeated, knowing he took too long. "No… I mean yes, but… you've got me thinking about a lot of things, Kieran. I'd rather sort my head out first. You're far too loyal to the Patron for me to feel comfortable right now. Not in a bad way, just… you were right, the other night. It wouldn't be good for us to date unless I do change, and I'm still not sure about the Patron. Especially since I know he's apparently supporting me despite my hatred of him. Who does that?"

"Someone who's a good guy," I say. "Well, take your time."

"But not too much time," Zane says. "In a few weeks, if Shadow Boy's still single and interested in me, I'm asking him out officially, because that's probably how long it will take me to feel comfortable with it."

"With how horny you are all the time," Lucas says. "It's doubtful you'd feel ready to date him before I do. Now, I believe our food is here. I'll pay for today if you pay for food at the festival tomorrow."

"Deal!"