Jian Ci and Yu Xi pushed open the door to the locker room, their voices echoing lightly against the tiled walls. Jian Ci was grumbling, as usual, about the food. "I swear, if I have to eat one more bland ration, I will lose my mind. I can’t wait for the long weekend—I will finally get to go home and make whatever I want."
Yu Xi walked to his locker, tapping the panel. It scanned his fingerprint with a soft hum before unlocking. "What are you going to make?" he asked, pulling the door open.
Jian Ci dropped onto the bench behind him, leaning back with a grin. "Make us, what I am going to make us."
Yu Xi turned his head, smiling. "Yes, us. So, what are you making?"
Jian Ci began listing dishes, his voice animated, but his smile faltered when Yu Xi pulled off his uniform shirt. For a moment, his words caught in his throat.
The door creaked open again. Vigil strode in with his minions, his smirk sharp. "You look good, Little Xi," he said mockingly.
Jian Ci’s head snapped toward him, anger blazing in his eyes. His psychic power surged, pressing down on Vigil like a crushing weight. Vigil retaliated instantly, his own power flaring in defiance. The air thickened, the clash of psychic energy rattling the room. Just as it threatened to spiral out of control, Yu Xi stepped forward, grabbing Jian Ci’s arm and pulling him back. "Enough," he said softly holding him back.
Jian Ci’s voice cut through the locker room like a blade. "Do you want to say that shit again?"
Vigil smirked, leaning against the doorframe with deliberate arrogance. "Yu Xi isn’t complaining, so why are you?"
Jian Ci’s fists clenched, but before he could reply, Yu Xi’s voice rang out, sharp and cold. "Call me Little Xi again and I will fuck you up."
The words stunned Jian Ci. It was the first time he had ever heard Yu Xi curse like that. It was... unexpected.
Vigil’s smirk faltered. He restrained himself, bowing his head slightly. "My bad, team leader. I will listen to you."
That only made Jian Ci angrier. If Yu Xi hadn’t pulled him back, he would have launched himself at Vigil without hesitation. Vigil, however, found pleasure in Jian Ci’s rage. How often did he get the chance to rile him up like this?
With a mocking grin, Vigil walked out of the locker room. Jian Ci turned sharply to the others who had been watching the spectacle. "What are you looking at?!" he barked.
They scrambled back to their routines, avoiding his gaze. Jian Ci positioned himself to block anyone else’s view while Yu Xi calmly put on his training gear.
"You know I don’t mind if they see my scars," Yu Xi said quietly. "It’s no big deal."
Jian Ci’s eyes swept the room, catching the lingering glances of those still peeking. They quickly looked away. "It’s not about that," Jian Ci muttered darkly. "There are perverts in here."
Yu Xi: "..."
***
Jian Ci and Yu Xi stepped out of the locker room, the air cooler in the corridor. Jian Ci kept his head down, fingers moving quickly across his communicator. He was drafting a message to his uncle, asking for a private locker room to be allocated for him and Yu Xi. The thought of others intruding on their space irritated him, and he wanted it resolved.
Once the message was sent, Jian Ci looked up. "We are working in teams again?" he muttered.
Yu Xi glanced at the separated groups forming across the training hall. "I guess so," he said, his tone calm but resigned.
Jian Ci sighed, reluctant to let go. He draped his arm around Yu Xi’s shoulders. "Little Xi, you don’t look so sad that we are going our separate ways."
Yu Xi pushed him off with a frown. "Why are you acting so dramatic?"
Jian Ci chuckled, unbothered. "I am expressing my true feelings, and you treat me like this."
Yu Xi gave him a gentle kick to the leg. "It’s only for two hours."
Jian Ci brightened. "After this, we should go shopping and then head home. I will make you a nice meal."
Yu Xi’s lips curved slightly. "That sounds really nice."
Jian Ci was about to ask what he wanted to eat when Vigil’s voice cut through the moment. "Team leader, we are waiting for you," he said with a smirk, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
Jian Ci clenched his jaw, his sneer sharp enough to cut the air. Yu Xi placed a steady hand on his arm, his voice calm but firm. "Calm down. He is just trying to get a rise out of you. Let it go."
Jian Ci exhaled through his nose, his anger simmering. "Fine," he muttered before turning away.
Yu Xi sighed and walked toward his own team. Vigil smirked as he saw him approach. "About time," he said.
Yu Xi ignored him completely, treating him like air. That alone unsettled Vigil, who thrived on attention. Throughout the entire training session, Vigil tried every trick—snide remarks, mocking gestures, subtle taunts—but Yu Xi remained unshaken, as if Vigil didn’t exist.
When the session ended, Yu Xi glanced toward Jian Ci’s team. They were still busy, so he decided to shower first and wait for Jian Ci afterward.
Steam clung to his skin as he stepped out of the shower, towel draped over his shoulders. His communicator buzzed with a new message. Just as he reached for it, Vigil blocked his path, his smirk venomous. "Team leader, I am curious... are you and tenth... fucki—"
Yu Xi moved instantly. His hand shot out, gripping Vigil’s neck, and he slammed him against the locker door with a resounding thud. Vigil struggled, but then realized with dawning horror, he couldn’t move at all.
Yu Xi leaned in, his voice a whisper colder than steel. "If you keep messing with him, if you even think of him, I will end you. And I will get away with it."
The words sank into Vigil like ice, leaving him breathless, pinned, and utterly powerless.
Yu Xi’s grip tightened just enough to make Vigil’s face pale. "Do you understand?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
Vigil nodded quickly, his breath shallow.
"Say it," Yu Xi demanded.
"I—I understand," Vigil stammered.
Yu Xi released him and walked away without another glance. Vigil collapsed against the locker, coughing violently as he tried to catch his breath. For a moment, he truly thought Yu Xi was going to kill him. But that wasn’t what unsettled him most. The strange, involuntary reaction in his body left him shaken, confused, and ashamed.
One of the students stepped out of the shower, towel slung over his shoulder. "What happened to you?" he asked, staring at Vigil.