Killian looked away from the platinum door towards his brother’s retreating figure and followed.

The thought that his mother had packed something up for him shouldn’t excite him as much.

But he couldn’t help but feel curious about it. He had made sure to pack his bags completely before leaving to find Quara that day, and it seemed Keith had to be tasked to bring everything.

’Well, at least there’s no Light User in my room so I can rest easy.’

’This trial might just go easily from here. What could go wrong?’

But he had a violent awakening within the next five minutes.

Anything that could go wrong, would go wrong.

Those were phrases Killian had heard from his father growing up but he brushed it off as words from a judgmental old man’s mouth.

His back stayed pressed to the wall, while muttering prayers to his mother’s ancestors that the blond boy hadn’t seen him, or at least noticed what he had noticed.

Just as he stepped into Keith’s room, while absentmindedly looking at the lavish decor of a Lion’s head at the door, he noticed a burning sensation that made the tendrils inside him alert.

A Light User.

His head had moved before his body did, and he whipped his neck forward locking eyes with someone already watching him. A blond haired boy with narrowing golden eyes.

His body then followed his head, and moved away from sight.

Killian breathed out, as if trying to breathe out the last few seconds from memory. "He didn’t see me..." he mouthed to himself.

"Who?" Reginald, standing beside him, asked, confused.

He had just noticed Killian speed out of the room as if the room was on fire. When he looked in, he found nothing wrong and the room looked oddly quiet as opposed to theirs.

"Nothing. I will just wait for my younger brother here," Killian said, trying to play it cool by digging his hands into his pockets. His only options were running away or silencing the Light User.

None would be easy, with the latter option being more dangerous. While the boy might be young and inexperienced, if he threatened to expose Killian and dies, others would be alerted of his death.

"Aren’t you thinking too seriously about this? How did I get stuck with such a paranoid vessel?"

’I told you not to talk to me.’ Killian looked forward as someone walked out of the room. He just needed to get the package from his brother and return to the comfort of his noisy roommates.

"Hello."

Killian froze, staring into the blue eyes he had just avoided. His both arms had been outstretched to take the package he assumed Keith would have brought out.

The blond boy stared down at his hands, tilting his head. "Oh, um, do you want a hug?" as he spoke, he made to close the distance and embrace Killian.

But Killian’s arms shut close, holding his hands in a clasp as he stepped back twice. His first thought was to initiate Piercing Scorch but he waited. He said nothing, watching the boy’s next move.

Time almost stopped for him as his senses were very much alert to witness the first attack skill done by a Light User to combat a Void User. He recited his escape routes he found in his head.

At that nerve-wracking moment, Reginald stepped in front of Killian, hiding him completely behind him, and shoved the blond boy backwards.

Killian snapped from his focus, looking down at the blond boy that had quite gracefully fallen to the ground from one shove. Killian’s hands fell beside him disappointedly.

"You never learn, do you, pretty boy." Reginald scolded with a familiar tone. "Don’t go about assuming everyone likes you and be like ’where my hug at?’. That is very creepy behaviour."

Killian sidestepped, folding his arms across his chest. He knew that his outstretched arms might’ve caused the misunderstanding but it wasn’t anything a simple question wouldn’t have solved.

"Do I know you or something?" He asked, keeping the same scolding tone as Reginald.

The blond boy sighed softly, as he weakly raised himself off the ground. He dusted nothing off his black pajamas as he shook his head.

Two boys, taller and bigger than he was, stood towering over his frame so the blond boy unconsciously lowered his head. "I don’t know you either but I was curious because I thought I was seeing double. Keith is your twin—"

"Yes. He is. Did you try forcing yourself on Keith too?" Reginald snapped, staring down at the boy with disbelief.

Killian could already gather that they knew each other. Seeing as the boy shrank back again, Killian moved aside. He didn’t want to be mistaken as a bully to a blond twink.

It would hurt his pride more than losing a match.

Keith stepped out of the room, but paused seeing Reginald and his roommate talking. "Ah, is this the ex you were talking about, Lu?"

Silence stretched amongst the four of them. Killian took a while to process what an ex meant and why it would be odd to be used in this setting. ’Or is it something like that?’

Killian turned to Reginald and the blond who were stone stiff. He exhaled, as if breathing away every form of prejudice that could be in his bones.

"It must be nice to see him here then. Or isn’t it? But don’t be too tough on him because of your bad history." Killian said his thoughts out loud.

He took the rather small box Keith held out and shook it slightly.

"It has food inside. Be careful." Keith added flatly.

Killian raised the box over his head and noticed that the light from the chandeliers permeated through the box. He nodded. "Thanks."

He turned to Reginald who was now shaking his head. "Should I leave first or do you want to keep talking to your ex-boy—"

"Best friend. Ex-best friend, Killian." Reginald said tiredly.

"Oh." Killian paused, and glanced at Keith who had a straight face.

Keith walked back into the room, oblivious of the amount of life force he had drained from the two boys within the last minute.