We finally reached the private residential block and took an elevator up to her floor.
The doors slid open to a very spacious, modern apartment.
’This is nice,’ I thought, looking at the plush furniture and the large windows overlooking the brightly lit city skyline.
Jenna really takes care of her people.
"We’ll start our training tomorrow," Gianna said, walking straight into the living room.
She grabbed the zipper of her combat coat and slowly drew it down, the rasp filling the quiet kitchen.
With a graceful shrug, she let the fabric slip from her shoulders and pool behind her.
I leaned back against the counter, arms crossed, unable to look away.
Beneath the coat, she wore a fitted training top that hugged her body like a second skin. Her waist was incredibly slender and toned, the kind of delicate curve that made my hands itch with the thought of how perfectly they’d fit around it.
The lines of her hips flared just enough to create that mesmerizing contrast, and the way her blue-edged hair cascaded lightly against the side of her neck only added to the effect.
She was stunning, effortlessly, dangerously hot. The sort of beauty that turned heads and stole breath without even trying.
I’d seen her in action before, but here, relaxed in her own space, there was something softer and more intimate about the way she moved.
It hit different.
Deeper.
I just stood there, quietly admiring every graceful detail.
"You are staring," she said, tossing the coat onto a nearby chair.
"Just admiring the view," I replied.
"So..., when we train tomorrow, am I allowed to use the chains again?"
"No," she said flatly, turning to grab a bottle of water from the fridge.
"We are going to focus on combat pacing. I need to know how fast you can transfer your buffs without using a forced submission skill. A real partner doesn’t need to tie their vanguard up to give them energy."
"How do you know it’s a submission?"
"It’s easy. I felt like surrendering to you the moment I got tangled in chains."
"You don’t like it?"
"I don’t like being submissive, so yes."
"I’ll be careful."
"It’s a powerful technique. Just... don’t use it on me."
"If you say so," I hummed, crossing my arms.
"You never had a support, right?"
Gianna paused, holding the water bottle. She took a slow sip before looking at me.
"Nope. Not in my 19 years."
"Never?" I guessed, raising an eyebrow.
"Not even a temporary one for a low-level gate? I figured the guild would assign you with someone to practice the transfers."
"No," she stated simply, leaning against the fridge.
Her expression was serious. She wasn’t annoyed anymore, and the flustered girl from the street was entirely gone.
"Mom got someone for training once, a few years ago. He passed away quickly."
"Wait, he died?" I asked, actually surprised by the sudden shift in tone.
"How?"
"He pushed too much mana into a vanguard who couldn’t handle the transfer rate, and his core shattered," she explained, her red eyes locked onto mine.
"It’s a dangerous job, Revien. You don’t just stand in the back and look pretty. If we don’t sync up perfectly, one of us could get seriously hurt."
"Good."
Her brow furrowed in genuine confusion.
"Good what? A guy literally died."
"Good in a way that I will be your first partner," I clarified, letting a confident smile spread across my face.
I pushed off the counter and took a slow step toward her.
She watched me approach. She didn’t break eye contact, and she definitely didn’t blush.
Instead, her gaze sharpened, tracking my every movement like a predator assessing a situation.
I took another step.
She instinctively took one back, her foot scuffing softly against the floor.
I kept walking, matching her pace perfectly. I didn’t rush it. I just let the silence stretch between us until her shoulders hit the wall behind her with a soft thud.
Gianna didn’t try to push me away. She didn’t yell or call me a pervert as she did earlier.
She just looked up at me, her chest rising and falling at a slightly faster pace. The playful banter was gone, replaced by a tension that made the air feel electrified.
"How many months before the Academy?"
"One," she answered. Her tone was steady, though I could hear a very faint, breathless edge hiding underneath it.
"Then we have one month of alone time."
"I will be busy," she countered quickly, keeping her chin up defensively.
"Not all the time, right?"
"...Yeah," she breathed out, almost too quietly to hear.
"Then we train."
I didn’t ask for permission. My right hand slowly moved up. I took my time, letting the anticipation build in the quiet room, until my fingers finally brushed against her cheek. Her skin was warm and extremely soft.
"I will power you up and make you the strongest hunter."
She just looked at me. She didn’t move away from my touch, and she didn’t say a single word. She was frozen, captivated by the moment.
And then, right between us, a familiar screen popped into existence.
[Emotional investment detected]
[You’ve unlocked target status: Gianna Everheart ]
[ Favorability: 28 ]
[ Rating: 9.7 ]
[ Arousal: 50 ]
[ Fatigue: 20 ]
Favorability only in the twenties?
I mentally dismissed the text, hiding my surprise as I focused entirely on Gianna.
She was still looking up to face me, still against the wall.
"You don’t like me?" I asked, letting my thumb slowly trace the line of her jaw one last time.
"I never said that."
"Then?"
"You’re not trustworthy," she stated clearly.
"Mom sees you as an investment. I see you as a threat."
"Afraid I will betray you?" I asked, leaning in just a fraction closer to test her resolve.
"Can’t say I don’t believe that."
I didn’t close the gap.
Not yet.
Pushing her right now wouldn’t work, especially not when she was acting like someone waiting for a trap to snap shut.
"You don’t have to be on guard," I said, taking a deliberate step back and finally pulling my hand away from her cheek.
"I guess I will just have to prove that I am exactly the kind of threat you want to keep around."
*************
(A/N: Liked it? Donate powerstones, leave a comment, and add it to your library:)