For the time being, he's allowed me to train with the team and the sparring sessions have been... interesting. I can’t move as well as the old Christian did... but I’m getting the hang of it the more time I spend in his body. It’s all about watching for minute movements—seeing your opponent’s move before he makes it. Then from there you can either attack or defend.
I just have to be careful not to mess up like I did in the grocery with Xavier; turns out, identifying the number of men based on the sound of their bullets isn’t… ‘normal’.
And Ihaveto be normalif I want to pull this off.
The door swings open and my heart jumps out of my chest as my attention snaps towards the doorway.
Reuben stands tall over the threshold, and the panic is so strong in my throat, I can't even greet him. Stray strands of black hair escape his ponytail to frame his face, falling across midnight eyes but there isn’t any sign of his usual smile. No hint of amusement in his face, no strange charm as he watches me... Just a grim expression, that makes it just a bit hard to breathe.
A moment sooner and he would’ve seen me shifting.
A rookiefuckingmistake.
I almost blew everything just because of a stupid bed that’s hard to get used to.
From the start, it should’ve been obvious that Ishouldn’t shift inside the house—
“Christian.” Reuben steps towards me, and when I refocus, he's watching me curiously. For a moment, I'm sure he'll come closer, but he doesn't, he only hovers there, over the threshold. A black tracksuit hugs his body tightly, with a collar that rises to his neck, and a zipper pulled up right beneath his collarbone.
“I’m not here to frighten you,estrellito.” His voice is like soft rain over my thoughts. It’s strange. “Aster wants to see you.”
My assessment.
That means it’s now.
My panic eases, but it's replaced by something else. A new... anxiety?
My palms are sweaty but I’m sure to keep my emotions off my face as Reuben turns away, “Get dressed. Nothing fancy.”
I don’t have time to apply Christian’s usual morning routine, I wash my face and rinse my mouth quickly, before throwing on a long-sleeved shirt, black pants and the closest pair of socks. Christian’s ring gives me just a bit of comfort around my neck, and I hesitate in the doorway as I rack my brain for anything I might need.
“Do I bring anything?” I ask tentatively.
“You don’t need to.”
“Then I’m ready.”
Reuben looks back at me once, with complex emotions behind his eyes, and it only enhances my nervousness. It’s the first time I realize how much I want to be a part of his team... and not just because of the Adler Squad.
It’d been a short time, so I’d only caught the barest of glimpses… but maybe Dahlia was right.
Maybe this could be my second home.
That is, if I don't make any more ridiculous mistakes.
“Thank you.” The words tumble from me softly, and I don’t break my gaze away from his, “For giving me a chance… and seeing whatever it is you saw in me… Thanks, Reuben.”
Something strange happens then. It’s only for a moment, but he holds his breath just a bit too long. He just—staresat me, before turning away, without a word. My brows furrow, but I brush it off as I follow after him, digging into my resolve.
This is my only chance.
If I want to continue being Christian Adler, then my only option is to live up to this Aster’s expectations.
The morning air is frigid against my skin as Reuben leads me out of the house, towards the inner wall and past the guards on duty. Their shift must have just started, because I can still see the sleep lines on their faces, but their eyes lock on us intently, until I can feel them against my back even as we walk away.
The paved road to the outer wall cuts through the trees cleanly, but the scents, sounds and shadows of the forest no longer fill me with unease, and my feet almost take me onto the team’s invisible jogging route, until Reuben veers sharply to the right, through a full thicket of shrubs.
He’s following another invisible route in his mind, one I don’t know, so I can only follow after him in silence, mentally preparing myself for an ambush of some kind.
