On screen, an S-Rank Hunter with glowing golden armor was single-handedly holding back
a horde of Abyssal creatures. The camera panned to show civilians evacuating behind him.
"Is this the Shibuya incident?"
"Yeah. They just released the full footage last week."
Natalia circled around the couch, intending to sit on the opposite end, but found herself
stopping behind where Satori sat. From this angle, she could see the strong line of his neck,
the way his shoulders bunched beneath his shirt.
He'd been spotting her all day during training. Hours of maintaining a ready position, arms
extended, prepared to catch her if her control slipped. That kind of work took a toll.
"You looked tense today," she said, her voice coming out lower than she'd intended. "All
that spotting... your shoulders must be tight."
Satori turned, looking up at her with slight surprise. "I'm fine. Used to it by now."
But he wasn't fine. Natalia could see the subtle stiffness in his movements, the way he held
himself. Before she could second-guess herself, she reached out, her fingers pressing into
the hard muscle of his traps.
She felt him stiffen under her touch, then gradually relax as she worked her thumbs in
small circles, mimicking the techniques he'd used on her.
"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral.
"You helped me," she answered, her other hand coming to rest on his opposite shoulder,
effectively caging him from behind. "It's only fair I return the favor."
A small smile played at the corner of his mouth, there and gone so quickly she almost
missed it.
"I don't remember asking for help," he said, but he made no move to pull away.
Natalia increased the pressure, digging her thumbs into a particularly tight knot at the
base of his neck. He exhaled sharply, his head dropping forward slightly.
.
"You didn't have to ask," she murmured, leaning closer. "I know what overworked muscles
feel like."
His skin was warm beneath the thin fabric of his shirt. She could feel the solid mass of him,
so different from the soft, doughy body he'd had just weeks ago. This new Satori was all
hard planes and firm muscle, his body transforming as rapidly as his personality.
"How does it feel?" she asked, working her way up the sides of his neck.
"Good," he admitted, his voice rougher than before. "You have strong hands."
"A telekinetic needs strong hands," she replied. "It's all about control."
She moved her fingers to the base of his skull, applying gentle pressure, and was rewarded
with a small groan. The sound sent an unexpected jolt through her body, settling low in her
stomach.
"Where did you learn this?" Satori asked, tilting his head to give her better access.
"My father made me take physical therapy courses. Said a Hunter should understand their
body as well as their Aspect." Her thumbs traced the line where his hairline met his neck.
"Plus, I watched what you did yesterday."
She felt him chuckle, the sound vibrating through her fingertips. "Quick learner."
"Always."
Natalia continued working on his shoulders, the documentary forgotten in the background.
She was hyperaware of their position—her standing behind the couch, him seated, her
arms creating a cage around him. There was something possessive about it, something that
satisfied the hollow ache in her chest.
Mine. Not Emi's. Mine.
The thought should have horrified her. Instead, it sent another thrill racing through her
veins.
"I didn't thank you properly," she said suddenly. "For spotting me today."
Satori was silent for a moment. Then, "You don't need to thank me. We're partners, right?"
Partners. The word hung in the air between them, loaded with meaning.
"Right," she agreed softly. "Partners."
Her hands stilled on his shoulders, but she didn't remove them. They stayed like that,
suspended in a moment that felt charged with possibility.
Slowly, deliberately, Satori reached up and covered one of her hands with his own. His
palm was warm, slightly calloused from his recent training. He didn't pull her away.
Instead, he simply held her there, his thumb brushing over her knuckles in a way that made
her breath catch.
"Natalia," he said, his voice low and intimate in the dim room.
"Yes?"
He turned his head, looking up at her over his shoulder. His eyes caught the light from the
television, gleaming with something that made her heart rate spike.
"Is this really about my shoulders?"
The directness of the question caught her off guard. Natalia opened her mouth to deny it, to
offer some plausible excuse, but the words died on her tongue. Instead, she found herself
asking, "What do you think it's about?"
Satori shifted, turning more fully to face her while remaining seated. The movement
brought them closer together, her hands now resting on his upper chest. He looked up at
her, his expression unreadable but his eyes intense.
"I think," he said slowly, "that you're trying to figure something out."
"And what would that be?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Why you can't stop thinking about me."
The audacity of the statement should have infuriated her. Two months ago, she would have
slapped him for such presumption. Now, she found herself frozen, unable to deny the truth
in his words.
"That's ridiculous," she managed, but there was no conviction in her voice.
"Is it?" His hand moved from hers, tracing a path up her arm that left goosebumps in its
wake. "Because you've been watching me for weeks. Following my progress. Helping me
train. And now this."
His fingers reached her shoulder, then continued their journey to the side of her neck.
Natalia knew she should pull away. She knew this was crossing a line that could never be
uncrossed.
She didn't move.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said weakly.
Satori's mouth curved in a smile that was equal parts triumph and desire. "Yes, you do."
His hand cupped the back of her neck, applying the gentlest pressure. An invitation, not a
demand. Natalia could break away at any moment. They both knew it.
Instead, she found herself leaning down, drawn by a force as powerful and inexorable as
gravity itself.
Their faces were inches apart now. She could feel his breath on her lips, see the flecks of
gold in his irises. This close, there was no hiding the hunger in his gaze—a hunger that
mirrored her own.
"Satori," she whispered, his name both a question and a plea.
"Yes?" His voice was thick with anticipation.
"This is a mistake."
He nodded, his fingers threading through the hair at the nape of her neck. "Probably."
"We shouldn't."
"Definitely not."
"If our parents found out..."
"They won't."
His confidence should have annoyed her. Instead, it sent another wave of heat coursing
through her body. This new Satori, with his unwavering self-assurance and knowing eyes,
was magnetic in a way she couldn't resist.
"Last chance," he murmured, giving her one final opportunity to retreat.
Natalia made her choice. She closed the distance between them, pressing her lips to his in a
kiss that was both an admission and a declaration.
Mine, her heart pounded as his arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer.
Mine, mine, mine