Victor leaned back. "Because she's Level 57. And she's Zara Feng."
Max scowled. "Freaking figures. People like that think they're gods."
Danny shook his head with a genuinely pissed look. "One day, bro. One day I'll get strong enough to look her in the eye and say, 'Suck my d*ck bitch!' Just watch."
Victor chuckled. "Please record it when that day cos."
They all laughed...
The conversation slowly drifted toward lighter things. They talked about how the city lights were always too bright, about a few Drakenar tribesn attacked the western border last week but failed to get in, about how Max accidentally spilled soup on his lap mid-date and the girl still ghosted him despite his "perfect recovery monologue."
As the laughter faded into quiet chuckles, Victor's smile dimd into sothing softer.
"Hey," he said while rubbing the back of his neck, "I've been thinking."
The boys quieted.
"I want to send you guys sothing. Credits. Like... sothing around a hundred thousand each. I hit over 3 mil."
Jake raised a brow. "Dude."
"I an it," Victor said. "You guys have been my bros since middle school. You helped with the vids, the outfits, the Zara trauma therapy... I just wanna show I'm grateful."
Max smiled, but shook his head. "We're not doing this for payback, bro."
Jake added, "Friends don't charge friends for being friends. You think you can buy off loyalty?"
Danny crossed his arms. "We'll beat you up if you try."
Victor laughed. "Okay, okay. Threat received."
Max leaned in toward his cara. "You wanna thank us? Make it out of that academy alive. Co back stronger. That's enough."
Then his expression brightened.
"Oh! Speaking of futures… I got accepted."
"Accepted?" Jake blinked. "Where?"
"University of East Verdance," Max said proudly. "Art major. Performing arts. If the world doesn't end, I'm going to be an actor. And maybe—" he paused dramatically, "—just maybe, I'll perform on the ocean one day."
Danny choked. "On the what now?"
Max grinned. "You know. Those big blue things with water and waves? I saw one in a book once. I wanna stand on one and yell my monologue into the horizon like a true romantic."
Victor laughed so hard he nearly fell off the couch.
None of the boys had ever seen how the ocean or even a large body of water except on screens.
The city was too far from any body of water and since no one was allowed to leave without a permit, only powerful figures like mana Defense Officers had been seen sights that normal humans no longer had the privilege of coming into contact with.
Jake was howling. "You sound like an old man who discovered Atlantis."
"You guys laugh," Max voiced while sticking his tongue out, "but one day, you'll see my na on a theater poster floating across the sea."
Danny raised his drink. "To Max. First human actor on a boat since the apocalypse."
They all raised invisible cups while shouting cheers and half-insults.
By the ti they finally ended the call, the sky was already turning pale blue outside.
----
Victor crashed for a few hours and barely got proper rest before his mom woke him up.
They went out together that morning and Victor carried most of the bags while occasionally fussing over her pace.
"You're not carrying a boulder, Mom," he said.
"I'm carrying a person," she retorted. "And I can still out-shop you."
Victor snorted. "Facts."
They visited two grocery stores and stopped at a pharmacy before heading ho with arms full of supplies.
When they arrived, soone was already waiting at the door.
Amara.
She stood there casually, in a simple white jacket over a gray turtleneck and jeans with her long chestnut hair tied in a low ponytail. Her eyes lit up when she saw them.
"Hey," she greeted. "Thought I'd drop by and help."
"Perfect timing," Victor said. "We bought half the city."
Amara insisted on carrying the heavier bags and sohow managed to organize the entire pantry like she had done it a hundred tis. Victor watched her curiously until she walked up and handed him a small envelope.
"What's this?"
"A one-year free dical checkup card," she said. "That clinic near the city's center—Silverheart Wellness Center. My uncle owns it. Your mom can go there any ti. No paynts."
Victor blinked. "You're... serious?"
Amara smiled. "Of course."
He stared at the card, then at her with a warm expression. "Thanks."
---
The next morning, they visited Silverheart.
Amara ca along and, to Victor's surprise, was treated like royalty. Staff bowed slightly when greeting her and addressed her with subtle honorifics. No one at school ever ntioned her family was loaded.
They skipped every line. His mom was taken in imdiately.
Victor paced in the hallway nervously while Amara sat reading. After a while, the doctor ca out and gave them the report.
Everything was fine. The baby was healthy and according to the scans, it was a girl.
There were prescriptions for vitamins, energy stabilizers, and so pills for better sleep.
Victor nodded along with a look of relief but deep down... he was still worried.
He wouldn't be here for it.
By the ti he got back, his baby sister would already be born.
---
That evening, back at the apartnt, Victor's mom was asleep in her room after her first dose of dication.
Victor and Amara were sitting side by side on the living room floor with a projector playing an old horror film on the wall.
Victor glanced at her.
"Thanks... for today. Really."
Amara didn't look away from the screen, but a smile appeared on her face.
"Don't thank yet. Thank when the baby is here by being a great big brother to her."
Victor laughed softly. "Yeah. That's going to be chaos."
Amara reached for the popcorn bowl and nudged it toward him.
"Then let's enjoy the peace while we have it."
The movie played on the wall in soft flickers, filling the surrounding with an eerie soundtrack.
"I heard about Selene."
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