she who returns changed

Auriella's eyes remained fixated on Kian. It was more so in fascination than anything else. She just couldn't help but gaze at his charming face with his full, heart-shaped lips and big amber eyes. She'd seen that face before, on a boy named Kye, and though it was the same face she'd known for the past year, Auriella noticed there was something different about it. Kian's face glowed, radiating with both mana and natural charm. Unlike Kye, who kept his gaze dead, Kian's sparkled with longing and even a bit of… sadness.

First impressions were important to Auriella, and she could already guess what kind of person Kian was. He was happy-go-lucky, which was definitely an upgrade from the whole wheat bread persona, but Auriella knew people like that tended to tightrope between being toxically positive or just plain annoying. She didn't know which she'd prefer, or rather, which she could handle.

"You still haven't told me your name, Miss," the Gemini began. "Or would you rather I refer to you as Mistress? My Goddess, perhaps."

"Auriella is fine," she replied, cringing at the thought. Mistress? My Goddess? She'd rather die than hear those words be uttered from someone's mouth. But Auriella did notice that Kian's way of speaking changed when he awoke. That was probably an effect of being asleep for so long.

"Auriella is a beautiful name," Kian said.

Auriella observed that Kian had been leading her towards the path to Astro Cafe. Just as they were about to cross the street to the cafe, she stopped and turned to him.

"I'm sorry about earlier," she began. "I was a bit cold to you, but I was just being cautious."

Kian smiled. "You need not apologize, Auriella. It relieves me that you choose caution before trust. That will serve you a great deal in a world like this."

Do you think so? Auriella wanted to ask, but she didn't.

"Still." Auriella sighed. "I think that you're a good person. Or at least, seem like a trustworthy one."

Kian raised a brow. "Hm, maybe I should be worried." He took a step forward and leaned into her. "You appear to be knowledgeable of who I am. So, to hear you say that worries me as you are placing your trust on a dangerous man."

Auriella smirked, resting her hand on Kian. "Don't think you have my full trust yet, Gemini. You have to earn it. I'm just entertaining the thought of it because the voice inside me told me to. Normally, I wouldn't." She nodded. "I am a very cautious person, don't worry."

"A voice?" Kian straightened himself as he watched Auriella cross the street. "Could it be…"

Kian looked down at his hands.

"Kian?" Auriella called. "Do you know how to cross a street?"

Kian frowned. "I may have just awoken, but I'm not stupid. Yes, I do." He lowered his hands and caught up to her.

Auriella trusted that Kian would lead her to a safe haven, away from potential threats of demon attacks. She also trusted that Kian's so-called friend had to be someone close to him, or even better, another Zodiac Warrior that she could awaken. But what didn't make sense to her was why they'd return to Astro Cafe. Surely there weren't any Zodiac Warriors amongst the party-goers at her birthday party. If there were, she would've smelled them, just as she had sensed Kian.

"Wait here," Kian whispered to her as Auriella stood in front of the entrance. She watched as Kian disappeared into the crowd, noticing the large cut the demon made on his arm. Perhaps his self-healing capabilities didn't extend to his limbs. She tried to call out to him, but the music was too loud, and he had already assimilated into the crowd of dancing people.

"Well, you two took your sweet time," Anansi began, materializing beside Auriella.

"Anan– my god, don't do that," Auriella exhaled. She'd had too many surprise encounters lately. Sooner or later, she'd die from a heart attack. "How long were you standing there for?"

"Long enough to see him lean into you," she replied. Anansi tiptoed in front of Auriella, a suspicious look in her eyes. She was a good few inches shorter than Auriella, but she looked as threatening as a rabid chihuahua. Which, in its own way, was intimidating.

"So, what happened?" Anansi began. "Did he confess to you?"

Auriella opened her mouth to speak, but Anansi held out her flask in front of her.

"Wait, hold on." Anansi tipped the flask to her lips until the entirety of its contents entered her throat. She sighed. "Okay, I'm ready."

Auriella rolled her eyes. "He didn't confess. It wasn't anything like that."

In fact, what really happened outside was far from any lovey-dovey confession scenario. The only confession Auriella got was the confession of Kian's true identity as the Gemini. And the fluttering feeling in one's stomach with the background of falling cherry blossoms, often associated with love confessions, was replaced by the feeling of anxiety and demon blood.

Romantic, indeed.

"You're lying," Anansi declared. "Something happened out there. I can see it in your eyes."

Yes, something did happen, but it's not for your ears, Auriella considered saying but decided against it. It wasn't a good idea to bring a mortal into this mess, especially a mortal from Earth, and especially if this mortal from Earth was Auriella's best friend. She needed to protect Anansi from the threats that her life entailed. She couldn't handle another friend's death on her hands, not after Ihimya.

"Tell me!" Anansi demanded.

"No." Auriella shook her head.

"What? Why not?"

"Because."

Anansi pursed her lips in frustration. "Because of what?"

"Because…" Auriella glanced away. "Every girl has her own secrets that she keeps. Even from her best friend."

"That is utter bullshit," Anansi remarked. "And you know it. Now stop shitting around and tell me–"

"Auriella!"

Both girls' heads darted towards the sound of the voice, finding Kian– for Anansi, Kye– heading their way. Anansi's eyes narrowed as she set her focus upon Kian's visible scratch on his arm.

"What happened to your arm, Martin?" Anansi scowled.

Kian looked at her, confused. "Pardon me?"

"Kye Martin," Auriella chuckled. "I thought you were looking for the bandaids."

"I don't–" Kian started but then recognized the awkward expression Auriella had on her face. He nodded, deciding to play along. "Right, I found them." He flashed a smile at Anansi, to which she was more disgusted than breathless. "Please excuse me, Miss. I believe I shall be stealing Auriella away for a moment. I can't bandaid my own wound."

"Miss?" Anansi's brows furrowed. She leaned into Auriella. "Did he hit his head on the way back?"

"In a sense," Auriella mumbled.

"He's even weirder than before," Anansi continued. She pointed at Kian's wound. "And sure as hell bandaids won't do anything to a wound like that."

"Anansi," Auriella began, gently holding her friend's arm. "I'll be right back. Wait for me."

Anansi held Auriella in response, but tighter. "Don't leave me." Anansi's voice was firm, but her eyes were pleading. "Please." When Auriella's expression remained unyielding to her plea, Anansi frantically added, "I actually need to get something from my car, and it's getting dark, and I don't wanna go alone…"

Auriella slowly slipped her arm from Anansi's grasp. "I'll be quick. I promise."

Anansi reached for Auriella's hand as her friend stood beside the boy, and when she tried to call out for her name, Auriella had already disappeared into the crowd.

"Who was she?" Kian began as he and Auriella maneuvered their way from the crowd towards the cafe's coffee bar.

"Anansi," Auriella responded. "She's a friend."

"A trustworthy one?"

Auriella smiled warmly. "To an extent."

"Hm, should I be concerned?" Kian said, though he understood Auriella's meaning with just a glance at her expression. "Anyways, what is it with this Kye? Is that the name I've adopted for my Earthly vessel?"

"Apparently."

"That is a terrible name," Kian grumbled. "Whoever gave me such a name will be kibble for Castor."

"For the sake of the Goddess, do not feed yourself to that thing."

"Do you think I am the one who named me as such?" Kian asked incredulously, as if he took great offense to the assumption.

"Well, who else could've?"

Kian frowned. "I can think of multiple people."

"Like who?"

"Starting with this person," Kian declared, pointing towards the door behind the cashier counter. Auriella looked towards the direction of Kian's focus. Her brows pinched together.

"That's a door."

"Well, yes, I see that." Kian rolled his eyes. "I mean the person behind the door. You're either an idiot or a smartass."

Auriella smirked. "Which do you think I am?"

"Ha." Was all Kian could muster before striding towards the entrance leading to the employee lounge. Auriella's heart began to race. Was Kian's friend behind those doors? And if so, why were they in there? Then Auriella's heart sank.

Shit. If Axle found out Auriella invited a few friends over to the employee lounge, he'd scream his head off. Sure, Auriella and Axle were friends, close enough that he'd throw her a birthday party in his own coffee shop, but Auriella was an employee under Axle's establishment. She still had to respect boundaries.

"Uh, Kian, we should probably talk with your friend somewhere else," Auriella began, tugging on his sleeve.

Kian looked at her. "Why? He was the one who told me this was the best place to talk. Don't worry, I'll cast an invisibility spell over us. No one will see or hear a thing."

"But–"

"He owns this establishment anyways," Kian continued. "He won't mind us using the employee lounge."

Owns this establishment…

Wait, what?

Auriella's heart began to race faster.

Trust him.

Auriella had an inkling as to who awaited her on the other side of the door. The fact that she'd even consider the thought unnerved her. And when Kian opened the door to the employee lounge, Auriella's sight was blinded by a flash of white and her nostrils were overwhelmed by the scent of lilies. Once she recovered from her stunned senses, Auriella discovered that her suspicions were correct.

On the sofa of the employee lounge sat Axle, her boss, with a cup of coffee in his hands and an expectant grin on his lips.