I needed a real break after that whole ss. My head was spinning, my body felt like it had been through a fight I hadn't even agreed to, and worst of all—my mind wouldn't stop racing.
What the hell had just happened?
Normally, when people acquired new jobs, the transition was slow. Gradual. They adapted over ti, adjusting to their new capabilities in a way that felt natural.
But for ?
It felt like downloading an entire career into my brain in an instant. I had lived years of training in a matter of seconds. The knowledge, the instincts, the reflexes—all of it flooded into like a dam breaking.
And this ti, it was vivid.
Too vivid.
That shadowy opponent...
Was it part of the job? A test? A mory?
I walked to the kitchen and shook my head, attempting to ignore the thought.
With her back to , Sienna continued to labor over the stove while cooking. My mouth watered as the air filled with the aroma of sothing rich and warm.
I needed this.
Sothing simple. Sothing grounding.
I walked up behind her, reaching out to snag a piece of food from the counter.
"Do you want help?" I asked, casually popping the stolen bite into my mouth.
She didn't even turn before she spoke.
"Rey, we've talked about this. You always ss sothing up."
I smirked, chewing as she finally turned around.
She wasn't wrong.
Despite my skills, I was never able to master the art of cooking. I was competent enough at following recipes, but Sienna was far superior to in terms of developing flavors, balancing spices, and determining when to make adjustnts.
That wasn't what caught my attention, though.
It was her.
She looked... stronger.
She had always been fit—construction work did that to a person—but now? There was a definition to her muscles that hadn't been there before. A refined sharpness in her physique, like her body had honed itself into sothing even more capable.
She must have realized I was staring at her because her face started to flush.
"Rey..." She made an awkward adjustnt. "Why are you looking at like that?"
She sounded a little hesitant and quieter than normal.
Her tendency to beco easily agitated was sothing I had nearly forgotten.
I scratched the back of my head and murmured, "Sorry, It's simply that... You appear more powerful. Although you've always had muscle, it feels like....I'm not sure, more than usual."
Then, as if she hadn't noticed, she looked down at herself after blinking.
She blinked, then glanced down at herself like she hadn't noticed.
"Well, yeah," she said, turning back to the food. "Did you forget? I hit A-rank while you were in space."
I frowned. Right... I had forgotten.
She had achieved A-rank while I was gone. That was a big deal—barely anyone climbed that high without serious backing.
Sienna had done it through sheer effort.
"That's seriously impressive," I admitted. "I just wanted to tell you how beautiful you've beco—"
Sniff.
I froze.
That wasn't... normal.
I looked at Sienna again. Her back was turned, her shoulders stiff.
Then I saw it.
A slight shudder.
I stepped closer. "Sienna?"
She wiped at her eyes, her breath hitching.
"It's just... the onions."
I looked behind her.
Carrots and Cucumbers. Not a single onion in sight.
"Sienna."
I reached out, gently pulling her toward . Her face was already wet with tears.
"Sienna," I said again, softer this ti. "Are you okay?"
Her fingers clenched into my shirt, her breath trembling.
"I hate it..." she whispered.
My heart clenched.
"What do you an?"
"I hate my A-rank job."
I stiffened.
That... wasn't what I expected.
Sienna had always been a hard worker. She used to be insecure about being B-rank, always worried about holding back. She had wanted to climb higher.
So why did she sound so... broken?
Her voice wavered as she kept going.
"I feel so pathetic," she whispered. "I finally hit A-rank... and nothing changed. I'm still just a construction worker. One who couldn't do anything but wait while you were in space—while I thought you were dead for months. And for what? I didn't gain influence like Camille. I don't have Alexis' expertise. I don't matter in the grand sche of things. You have power, Rey. You have the potential to beco sothing special. Camille and Alexis can actually help you. But ? I feel like a black sheep. I feel like I don't belong. This A-rank..." Her voice cracked. "It's not a blessing. It's just a reminder of how pathetic I was while you were gone."
Her grip on tightened. Her amber eyes, filled with tears, locked onto mine.
"I don't want to lose you, Rey. I don't want to just stand there and watch."
Sothing in my chest ached.
I put my hand on her head, nudging it back against my chest.
I needed to be strong for her. I needed to be the pillar she could lean on.
But seeing her like this—seeing her break after holding it in for so long—
My eyes burned.
I swallowed hard, steadying my voice.
"Sienna..."
She held onto like she was afraid I'd disappear.
"You are the most amazing person I know."
She didn't say anything, just clung to tighter.
I kept going.
"You're caring, compassionate, kind—and so much more. You don't look down on people based on rank. I still rember when I was an F-rank nobody. Everyone else ignored , but you were the only one who treated like I mattered."
Her breath hitched.
"And you think your A-rank is aningless?" I shook my head. "It's not. It's a reminder of your love and passion. Even when you didn't know if I'd co back, you kept going. You ranked up on your own, Sienna. Camille and Alexis were born that way. And ?" I gave a small, humorless laugh. "I'm a cheat code. I don't struggle the way normal people do. But you?" I cupped her face gently, wiping away her tears. "You earned your way here. Through determination, through strength. In my eyes, you're the most amazing person in this house."
Her lip trembled. Then—
She broke.
She sobbed into my chest, her fingers gripping my shirt like it was the only thing keeping her upright. I held her close, rubbing slow circles into her back, letting her finally let it out.
We stayed like that for a while.
Eventually, her breathing steadied. Her grip loosened.
She pulled back, eyes red and swollen, but with a small, genuine smile on her lips.
"Thank you," she whispered.
I brushed a tear from her cheek. "Always."
She laughed—soft, tired. "I probably look like a ss."
I smirked. "A very beautiful ss."
She swatted my arm lightly, but her smile stayed.
"Alright," she sniffed, rubbing her face. "Dinner's almost done. Go sit down."
I nodded, stepping back as she turned to finish cooking.
I felt at peace. Though that was soon shot down, when Sienna told sothing.
"By the way Rey, Evelyn said to go back to your construction work when you can."
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