The moonlight spilled softly across the academy grounds, washing Nexus Academy in pale silver. The Eternal Glass Garden shimmered like a secluded jewel, its crystal dome glinting faintly as if whispering secrets to the night.
Within its barrier, the flowers Auren had chosen glowed faintly in hues of violet, crimson, and gold, each bloom carefully selected to carry a meaning that only he knew. It was not just a garden. It was a sanctuary and a reflection of his guarded heart.
Eiran stood at the entrance, after planting the seed, hesitant for a rare moment. He had never been here before. Though he had teased Auren countless times about being obsessive, controlling, and sharp-edged, stepping into the garden gave him a new perspective.
The air inside was warm, yet heavy with intent, every flower arranged with precision, every corner alive with quiet care. For a fox who prided himself on instinct, he understood the weight of emotion poured into this place instantly.
"This is… you," Eiran said at last, his tone uncharacteristically soft.
His onyx eyes flickered from petal to petal. "Every piece of it. If I were weaker, Auren, I think I'd be suffocated in here. It feels like you're everywhere.....even in the air."
Auren smirked faintly, not denying it. He stood with his hands behind his back, watching Eiran's reaction more than the flowers. "You're not weak. That's why you can stand here."
Eiran gave a small laugh, a sharp edge of amusement hidden beneath it. "Maybe that's why your presence doesn't crush me. For others, your silence is… overwhelming. For me, it's..." He paused, almost embarrassed. "It's a comfort. Like knowing someone will always stand in the shadow at your back, even if you fall."
The wolf said nothing, but his cerulean eyes softened. The two boys, both only fifteen years old, stood surrounded by glass and starlight, and for once, there was no mask between them. They have known each other for about 8 months now and they have known each other to an extent that no one else could.
Eiran broke the silence first. He always did, when things felt too heavy.
"You know, Auren… as the royal child of the Myrra Dominion, I've been cherished since birth. Spoiled even. I'm the only omega son, you see, and my elder sisters…" He chuckled dryly. "They're terrifying. Strong Alphas, proud women of the clan.
Some are Kitsune like me, others Tamakos, others Crows. My father's a Crow-blooded noble, with three wives that he actually loves. Our house is one of warmth and laughter. But politics doesn't care about warmth."
Auren tilted his head slightly. He could sense where this was going.
"The first noble house to propose marriage was Hanul's family. Duke-blooded Jaguars and Tigers." His lip curled as he said it. "I was young, foolish, and I had a crush on Grant....Hanul's brother. A snow tiger Therion. We were friends. We even shared…" Eiran hesitated, his eyes flickering away, embarrassed. "We shared a kiss too. Just once."
Auren said nothing, letting him continue.
"When the marriage proposal came, I rejected it. I wasn't ready. I wasn't some prized Omega to be caged in their house. But Grant saw my refusal as betrayal. He broke my heart right then. He looked me in the eye and said I wasn't worth his time. And Hanul…" Eiran's voice turned cold. "Hanul humiliated me. Said I was weak. Arrogant. Called me a fox who barked but couldn't bite. In front of half the Dominion."
He clenched his fists, nails biting into his palm. "That was the first time I realized how cruel nobles can be. He only wanted an obedient vase of a wife. When he couldn't break me, he dismissed the engagement but not before crushing my pride."
Auren finally spoke, voice low but steady. "So you've hated him ever since."
"Yes." Eiran's jaw tightened, then softened as his eyes grew distant. "A year later I joined Nexus Academy. I expected politics, rivalries, but… instead, I found you. My first genuine friend. And I knew Hanul was here too. Today, defeating him wasn't just a fight. It was reclaiming every piece of myself he tried to shatter."
For once, Auren's guarded expression cracked. He reached out and, awkwardly, placed a hand on Eiran's shoulder. His lips pressed into a thin line as cerulean blue eyes burned with quiet fire.
"You did well today. You won back what was yours."
To his surprise, Eiran's eyes watered. He had held himself with pride for so long that the relief almost broke him. He laughed under his breath, sharp and bitter, yet warm.
"Damn it, stupid wolf. Don't make me cry in your glass cage."
Auren smirked faintly. "I won't tell anyone."
Unable to resist, Eiran pulled him into a quick, awkward hug. The two boys stood still in the moonlit garden, fox and wolf bound by scars neither could erase. When they parted, it was Auren who opened up next, surprising even himself.
"There's… something I should admit." He looked away, fingers brushing over one of the flowers, its petals trembling under his touch. " It's about Zevaros. There's a little game we've been playing over the last few months. I also may or may not have a crush on him. That's why I want to meet him at the Inter-Academy Games. To confirm if it's real."
Eiran blinked. His mouth fell open, then snapped shut. Of all confessions, this was not one he expected.
"You—" He almost choked on his words. "You like him? Auren, do you even know who he is?"
The wolf raised a brow, unbothered. "Tell me, then."
Eiran ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "Zevaros owns a massive underground syndicate. Assassins. Spies. Networks spread across five of the eight Dominions. He built it himself, from nothing. Do you understand what kind of cruelty, what kind of blood, that takes?"
"I know," Auren said simply. His eyes glinted with understanding.
Eiran stared at him in disbelief. "You know? He's the bastard child of the Seydra king. He grew up in war, in shadows. There's no affection in that man, only survival."
"Maybe," Auren murmured. "But… I still want to see him. Maybe I'm drawn to that darkness. Maybe it's because I understand it."
Eiran froze, studying his friend with new eyes. He pictured Zevaros, the dark lion with a cold smile, standing beside Auren, the obsessive wolf with silent fire in his heart. Oddly enough, it fit.
"You're insane," Eiran muttered, shaking his head. "But somehow… it makes sense. You're not exactly the type to fall for rainbows and sunshine."
Auren gave him the faintest smirk.
Eiran sighed heavily, then placed both hands on Auren's shoulders, squeezing them firmly. "Fine. If you're serious about this, then I'll help you. We'll get you all two hundred and forty points before the Games. You won't just show up, you'll participate."
The wolf blinked, surprised. "Why help me?"
"Because you're my friend, idiot." Eiran smirked, his eyes gleaming with foxfire pride. "And because if you're going to chase a monster like Zevaros, you'll need someone making sure you don't get devoured whole."
Auren smiled, " You do know we have less than 3 months to participate in the Inter-Academy games right?"
"What?! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Eiran ranted before he started to plan, " Okay so we get this point by participating in various activities across the school. It could be helping teachers and even the school staff."
Auren nodded, " I already have about 80 points since I've been working on this. I got about 35 points for fixing this garden."
Eiran rolled his eyes, " That's too little. What else have you been doing?" Auen hesitated before telling his friend, " I've been beating up bullies and collecting good will fro, the servants."
"No wonder you have little points. Auren we need to work hard on this, truly."
The two boys shared a long look before laughter, rare and sharp, broke the heavy night. They couldn't imagine themselves being servants for the teachers just to earn some points but they really didn't have a choice.
In the Eternal Glass Garden, beneath the pale wash of moonlight, their bond tightened into something unshakable. Eiran's confession of his past wounds, Auren's rare admission of his heart's pull, and their shared vow forged a friendship neither politics nor bloodlines could sever.
The flowers seemed to bow in silent witness, petals shivering as though blessing their promise.
For Auren, it was enough. For now.