Lucian exhaled a deep breath, a subtle wince on his face as he slid the final box onto the counter, his muscles aching from the day’s move.

The sharp scent of fresh paint and new furniture lingered in the air, mixing with the cool, clean smell of the kitchen. He wiped the sweat from his brow and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“There we go. Finally done,” he muttered, his voice strained but tinged with relief as he straightened up.

The space before him, still new and unfamiliar, looked inviting yet overwhelming.

It was a beautiful house, newly built with sleek, contemporary lines and the faint hum of air conditioning, which kept the house comfortably cool.

Two stories, windows that caught the light just right—everything was pristine, almost too perfect. But beneath the relief of completion, an edge of unease lingered.

Behind him, the creak of stairs drew his attention. He turned to see Luna, his twin sister, emerging into the kitchen doorway.

She wore a form-fitting black outfit, a striking contrast to her graceful yet distant air. Her glossy hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, though a few dark strands escaped to frame her sharp, angular face.

Lucian noticed the playful smirk tugging at her lips, and he immediately braced himself.

“Good news, beds are all set up,” she chirped, clearly content with herself. “And by the way, I already called first dibs.”

Lucian let out an exaggerated groan, rolling his eyes. “Luna, you can’t just claim your room first without asking. That’s not fair.”

Her smile widened into a self-satisfied grin as she crossed her arms. “Tough luck, dear brother.”

Lucian rubbed his temples, letting out a frustrated puff of air. His exhaustion, compounded by the last few hours of moving, weighed heavily on him.

“But I carried the last of your boxes in here,” he muttered, barely above a whisper, as he wiped the sweat from his brow again.

Luna strolled toward him, her playful tone shifting slightly as she offered a teasing comfort. “Oh, come on, don’t pout like that, Lucian. I even put some of your stuff in your room.”

Lucian shot her a flat look. “I never asked you to pick my room either.”

Luna raised an eyebrow, the corners of her lips curling upward. “Is that so? Even if I just so happen to give you the bigger room? You're welcome, by the way.”

His eyes flickered with momentary hope before narrowing with suspicion. “No way. Really?”

She nodded confidently. “Yup. Congratulations. You, dear brother, get the second largest room in the house besides the master bedroom, obviously.”

Lucian hesitated, the doubt settling in. “And there’s no catch at all for this?”

Luna dramatically placed a hand over her heart, feigning offense. “You think I’d do something nice for my brother and have a hidden agenda? I’m hurt, Lucian. Shame on you.”

Lucian’s eyebrow remained arched, his suspicion unyielding. “What’s the catch, Luna?”

Her eyes sparkled with barely contained amusement.

“Fine, you caught me.” She shrugged. “My room’s a little smaller, but it has a private bathroom. That’s why I wanted it.”

Lucian sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. “Of course you would.”

Luna shot him an innocent look. “Are you really that surprised? You know it takes me forever to get ready. I figured—”

Lucian raised a hand to cut her off. “You figured you'd pick a room that gives you the most time to sleep in with minimal hassle in the mornings. Am I right?”

Luna let out a soft cough, avoiding his gaze. “You’re overthinking it.”

Lucian muttered under his breath, letting the thoughts swirl. A private bathroom would’ve been nice for himself, but he couldn’t deny that it was probably best for Luna.

The mornings were a battlefield against her, and he’d rather not be in the line of fire. His lips twitched into a reluctant smile.

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“In any case, I guess I’ll exchange a walk down the hall for the toilet. Thanks, Luna. I could really use the space for my books anyway.”

Luna snorted, unable to suppress the laughter that bubbled up.

“Oh, I know. You and your precious books.” She shook her head, smiling with fondness. “They’re your one true love, after all.”

Despite her shorter stature, Luna stood on her toes and ruffled his hair, a habit she knew would set him off.

Lucian flinched, brushing her hand away with an embarrassed huff.

“Stop it! You know I hate it when you do that.”

Her grin widened. “I know. That’s why I love doing it.”

Lucian stepped back dramatically, puffing his chest and raising his arms in mock defense. “Do you really have to treat me like a kid? It’s humiliating. Plus, I’m the older twin for crying out loud!”

Luna gave him an almost pitying look. “Oh, please. Being born five minutes earlier doesn’t mean anything,” she scoffed. “If you want me to stop, you’re going to have to earn it. Just like respect.”

Lucian winced, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, you know I didn’t get much of that in school.”

Luna’s face softened as she changed the subject. “Speaking of which, you ready for Monday? We’ll be the new kids at New Arcadia High.”

Lucian leaned against the cool kitchen counter, letting out a groan. “Oh man, don’t remind me. I’m not ready for that kind of attention.”

Luna rolled her eyes, her tone light. “Don’t be so dramatic. It’s not that big of a deal.”

Lucian shot her a pointed look. “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one who had swirlies in the locker room for three semesters!”

His sister sighed, pushing off the counter and walking over to him.

“You know what your problem is, Lucian?” She asked. “You make yourself too easy to mess with. You react to every little thing bullies do like a scared little puppy. And you know what? That makes you a bigger target.”

His face flushed red.

The nickname puppy embarrassed him more than it should have. It echoed in his mind, a cruel reminder of the name-calling he thought he'd left behind.

His voice cracked, barely above a whisper. “Do you think I’ll get bullied again?”

Luna’s teasing expression melted away and became cool. Her sharp gaze softened, but her words were as firm as ever.

“This is exactly what I mean, dumbass,” she said, her voice low and serious. “If you make yourself look weak and act like a wimp, then you’re just painting a bigger bullseye on yourself. And make no mistake, any bully that sees that will eat you alive… again.”

The words hit Lucian like a cold wave. He recoiled slightly, his chest tightening.

His fists clenched at his sides in panic. “Oh God, you’re right… I’m a goner, aren’t I?” He whined. “The moment they take one look at me, I’m done! Oh man.. what am I gonna do?”

Luna pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. The frustration in her breath mixed with something else—something pitiful.

She stepped closer, her tone shifting to a more direct tone as she spoke to her brother.

“Lucian,” she said, “you need to stop cowering from everything. When you’re scared, you panic, even at the slightest threat. And you know what happens? You let them win. You need to find a way to stand up for yourself. You need to stop letting fear control you.”

Lucian didn’t answer right away.

His mind spun as he stared at the floor, its weight pressing down on him. The thought of standing up for himself felt like an insurmountable mountain.

He had spent so long trying to avoid confrontation and retreating into silence just to be obsolete. It may not have worked all the time, but he did keep most eyes away from him.

How do I suddenly change that?

The question seemed too big to answer. Too impossible.

“How do I stop being me, then?” he muttered, his voice barely audible.

Luna watched him for a moment, her eyes steady.

She exhaled in exasperation and spoke, her voice gentle this time.

“You don’t have to change who you are,” she said. “But you need to find your voice. If you don’t, no one will take you seriously. They’ll just walk all over you again like they did last time.”

Lucian met her gaze, uncertainty clouding his expression. “But what if I mess up? What if they laugh at me, and I just end up... like before?”

Luna’s eyes narrowed, her tone becoming more matter-of-fact.

“So what? Let them laugh. But show them you’re not afraid of it and you won’t have any trouble. If you keep hiding, though, the bullying will never stop.”

Lucian wanted to argue, to deny it, but her words lodged themselves in his mind. He could feel the old panic rising in his chest, even if he knew it wasn’t going to help.

The thought of standing up to the world terrified him, but... what if Luna was right? He thought.

He pressed his palms together in front of him, staring out the window, his thoughts a swirl of uncertainty.

The faces of those bullies from his last school—the ones who tormented him—still plagued him.

He felt small, like the helpless boy he was.

Despite Luna’s straightforward advice, a part of him still wanted to hide.

“I’ll try my best,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The words felt fragile, like a fleeting hope that couldn’t fully take shape. At least, not yet.

Before Luna could reply, the door clicked open, and the soft sound of footsteps echoed down the hall.

Thorne, their adopted guardian, entered with his usual quiet grace. His tall, composed figure filled the doorway, exuding an effortless air of sophistication.

As he set down the box he’d been carrying, his deep voice cut through the tension in the room. “I hope I’m not interrupting, children.”