"Yeah. Who knows what kind of diseases you’re carrying. If anyone has to be infected, it might as well be ."
"Hey!" he protested.
"Shut up," she shot back. "Be grateful, I am hugging you out of pity."
Kael opened his arms again as Tila stepped toward him, reluctantly wrapping her arms around his torso.
He returned the gesture, gently pulling her close.
It started awkward—her muscles tense, her hands hovering like she wasn’t sure where to place them.
But then Kael exhaled slowly and let his subtle power activate—Empathetic Resonance.
It wasn’t flashy or obvious. But it sank deep. Her heart rate ticked up—first barely, then noticeably.
Blood ward in her cheeks.
Skin prickled from the temperature shift, her tension slowly dissolving, her muscles relaxed.
The hug grew warr—emotionally and physically.
She leaned in just a little more.
She didn’t even realize how long she’d stayed in his arms.
Also, she didn’t even had to hug him.
Kael wasn’t going to force them to hug him anyway. Tila could’ve just said no. But instead... she took her sister’s place.
Stepped into sothing she didn’t need to suffer, and still, lingered.
Why do you think that happened?
Kael glanced over her shoulder and caught Lila watching, a subtle warm smile spread on her face.
He winked.
Lila’s cheeks flushed, and—without thinking—she leaned forward and gave Kael a soft peck on the cheek.
His eyes widened, genuinely surprised.
Lila blinked, confused by her own boldness, fingers fluttering near her lips.
Kael’s heart stuttered.
And strangely, his heartbeat fell into rhythm with Tila’s, both quickening.
She must’ve felt it, too—because she didn’t pull away.
Not yet.
He kept one hand softly on her back, stroking slowly as he lowered the warmth, just enough to snap her awareness back.
Then she froze, once she realized how long it had been since she hugged him.
"What the hell, pervert?! That’s enough!" she snapped, shoving away from him.
Kael raised both hands, grinning like nothing happened. "Fine, fine. But... for what it’s worth? That hug felt pretty damn good."
She glared. "I’d rather hug an electric pole next ti."
"Wouldn’t be the first ti I’ve been compared to high voltage," Kael said with a wink, then clapped once more. "Anyway. Let’s play Jenga."
The tension hung for a second longer—awkward, electric, undeniable.
Then the blocks clacked as he set up the stack, and everything resud like nothing ever happened.
Almost.
___________
They played.
And played.
And played.
Lila giggled softly every ti Kael’s hand hovered too long over the Jenga stack.
Tila, anwhile, had declared psychological warfare from move one.
The twins didn’t play fair—they played together.
Every turn was a trap, every block they removed carefully chosen to leave Kael boxed in, trembling fingers one wrong twitch away from disaster.
"Strategic pressure," Tila whispered as she tapped the stack with her finger to test the stability.
"This is bullying," Kael muttered, sweat beading as he tried to pull a mid-level block with surgical precision.
"Cry harder," Tila chirped.
Lila just giggled again and leaned in. "You’ve lost four tis, Kael."
"Because I’m outnumbered!"
He reached, the stack shuddered—and crash.
Fifth fall.
"I’m done." Kael slumped backward onto the carpet with a dramatic groan. "You win. I admit defeat. Your evil is unmatched."
Tila raised a triumphant fist. "Bow to the twin queens."
Kael gave her a mock salute. "Yes, your villainous highnesses."
She tilted her head. "Though... you losing over and over is getting boring."
He narrowed his eyes. "Excuse ?"
"We keep winning, and what do we get for it?" Tila asked, resting her chin in her hand.
Kael shrugged. "Pride? Glory?"
She rolled her eyes. "Boring."
"So what do you want?" he asked, sitting up.
"I want to leave."
Kael frowned. "Nope."
Tila didn’t even blink. "Then take the collar off."
Kael stared. "Definitely not."
She clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed now. "Then what can we get?"
He thought for a second, then smiled. "How about this—you’re free to roam outside your room for the day. Do whatever you want. Inside the Haven, of course."
Lila perked up imdiately. "That sounds good."
Tila glanced sideways at her sister, then sighed, smirking. "Fine. Better than nothing. Hope you’ve got more horror movies lined up."
Kael smirked. "I’ve got a whole queue ready."
They moved to the living room.
Kael made popcorn, the warm scent filling the space.
Lila carefully carried the bowl like it was sacred treasure and nestled herself in the middle of the big couch.
Kael took one side. Tila the other. Their shoulders brushed Lila’s from both sides.
The movie started—an old horror flick with grainy visuals, dim lighting, and unnatural sound design.
Kael flinched every ti sothing screeched on screen.
"Still a wimp, huh?" Tila said with a mouthful of popcorn.
"It’s called being emotionally responsive," Kael replied, eyes glued to the screen, half-hiding behind the pillow.
Lila giggled quietly, handing him more popcorn like a peace offering.
Then—
Ding dong.
The Haven’s doorbell rang.
Tila perked up imdiately. "Pizza! Pizza!"
She hopped to her feet, practically dancing.
"Finally so real food," Kael muttered, standing.
"You want us to pause it?" Lila asked.
"Nah. Keep watching, I have already seen that anyway," Kael said, already heading toward the entrance.
He approached the door cautiously, peeking through the peephole.
It was a pizza delivery guy.
Relaxing, Kael grabbed so bills, unlocked the door, and opened it.
"Hey, man," he said, handing the cash over.
The delivery guy gave him a grin that felt too wide.
Then soone stepped out from behind him.
A girl in a hoodie.
Green hair.
Green eyes.
That’s all Kael had ti to register before she looked up with nervous eyes—and opened her mouth.
The guy’s grin widened even more.
Kael’s expression dropped.
"Wait—"
Then ca the screech.
"AAAAAAAAAA!"
A shrill, sonic shriek like a banshee tearing through steel.
BOOM.
Kael was flung back into the Haven, body spiraling through the air like a ragdoll.
He slamd against the far wall with a sickening crunch, cracking it like glass.
He slid down and hit the floor in a heap.
Tila and Lila whipped around, eyes wide.
"KAEL!" they both yelled.
Updat𝓮d from freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.co(m)
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