The Five Evolution

『"If you’re old enough to face the dawn, you’re old enough to do the walk of shame..."』

Amara woke to the warm weight of Ethan’s arm across her waist.

For a disoriented moment, she forgot where she was, brain still fuzzy with sleep, then the memory clicked into place and heat flooded her face.

Last night. ARTE Training Simulations. Ranking up. Carrying her through the corridors. Everything after.

She shifted carefully, not wanting to wake him yet, and turned to study his sleeping face.

He looked younger like this, the usual tension smoothed away, dark hair falling across his forehead, expression peaceful in a way she rarely saw when he was conscious.

"You’re staring." Ethan’s voice was sleep-rough. His eyes were still closed but his mouth curved into a satisfied smile. "I can feel you staring."

"Maybe I like what I’m looking at." Amara traced the line of his collarbone idly. "How’d you sleep?"

"Best I’ve had in weeks." His eyes opened, finding hers, and something in his expression took her breath away. He shifted carefully—those ribs definitely still hurt—and pulled her closer. "You?"

"Same." She settled against him, head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "Though, I’m slightly worried someone’s going to figure out you weren’t in your room last night."

"Who are we kidding? They’re going to figure it out." Ethan laughed at Amara’s flushed face. "We have a telepath on our team. And then there’s Hiro, who has apparently, been shipping us since Tokyo."

"Shipping us?" Amara repeated the unfamiliar term.

"Wanting us to be together. Rooting for our relationship." His hand traced lazy patterns on her back. "Apparently there’s a betting pool on if and when we’d finally... you know."

Amara groaned. "Our team is placing bets on our sex life. That’s mortifying."

"Yeah, they really suck." The word came out soft with a smile on his face that Amara caught.

She lifted her head to look at him properly. "You big softie." Her hand reached out and brushed aside his hair.

"You know, it’s funny." He propped himself up on one arm and winced. "You spend the night losing yourself in someone, just to wake up and realize you were only trying to find yourself."

"Philosophical Ethan in the morning," Amara teased. "I like it."

Ethan leaned in and kissed her softly. "Post-sex clarity I suppose." His grin turned wicked. "Though, we’ll have to actually repeat this again and again for confirmation."

She laughed and swatted his chest lightly. "What we should do is get up. Training resumes in—" she checked the time display on her nightstand, "—an hour and thirteen minutes."

"Or," Ethan countered, pulling her back down as she tried to sit up, "we could stay here for another hour and twelve minutes. Maybe shower together. Save water. Be environmentally responsible."

Amara’s eyebrow went up. "That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard."

"Did it work?"

Amara pretended to consider, then kissed him thoroughly enough that his breath stuttered. "Maybe. But we’re actually showering this time. Not getting... distracted."

"No promises."

They got out of bed and headed into the bathroom together. Amara began undressing and she could feel Ethan’s gaze taking her in. "Now, who’s staring?" she said as she took off her shorts.

Ethan turned on the shower and proceeded to get naked as well. "Maybe I like what I’m looking at." He threw her words right back at her and Amara couldn’t help but smile.

Once they stepped into the enclosed space, the hot water felt incredible on sore muscles. They took turns carefully washing each other, intimate in a different way than the night before.

Amara traced the bruising on Ethan’s ribs with gentle fingers. "You need medical. Today."

"Yes ma’am." He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. "After breakfast, though." Ethan’s arms wrapped around her from behind, chin resting on her shoulder.

The water cascaded over both of them, then Ethan said quietly, "I didn’t plan on this. On you." He rested his forehead against her shoulder. "My whole life has been plans." He smiled softly. "For once, I’m glad something went completely off script."

"That’s actually really sweet." She turned in his arms. "Who knew you were such a romantic?"

"Only for you." He kissed her forehead, her nose, her lips. "Everyone else gets brooding Ethan."

They finished showering, actually showering, despite several tempting distractions. Amara got into her training outfit and Ethan wore the same from last night.

Then she plaited her hair back in a practical braid while Ethan attempted to make his look less like they’d spent the night doing exactly what they’d spent the night doing.

"Presentable?" he asked, turning for her inspection.

"You look like you got laid and are very pleased about it." She grinned at his exaggerated expression. "But also handsome. Come on, Bass."

They left her room together and headed toward the Relaxation Center where breakfast and their teammates awaited.

The corridors were starting to fill with early-morning traffic of Awakeners heading to training, administrative staff beginning their shifts, and maintenance crews conducting routine checks.

A few people did double-takes seeing Ethan’s third bar, word of his rank-up clearly not having spread yet.

When they entered the Relaxation Center, Raj was already at the cooker making his usual excessive breakfast for the team. Hiro was doing Hiro things. And Sophia...

Sophia took one look at them, at Ethan’s walk-of-shame attire, their satisfied expressions, and grinned.

"Pay up, Josuke." She held out her hand to Hiro without breaking eye contact with Amara. "Always bet on the critical hit of a first date."

Hiro groaned, pulling out his device to transfer credits. "I had faith in your self-control. Clearly misplaced."

"We have excellent self-control," Amara protested, moving to pour coffee for both herself and Ethan. "And we’re not talking about this."

"What she said," Ethan muttered, accepting his cup.

Raj turned from the cooker, spatula in hand, and froze. "Wait. WAIT." His eyes went wide. "Did you two—did you actually—"

He looked between them, at Ethan’s slightly too-satisfied grin, and his voice went up. "You guys had sex!"

"Keep your voice down," Amara hissed, glancing toward the door. "I don’t need everyone in the Institute knowing my business."

Then she looked at Ethan. "And nice work with the face and clothes, by the way."

"It’s not my fault we have very perceptive friends," Ethan said with a satisfied grin still on his face.

"So?" Raj bumped into Ethan with his elbow, lowering his voice. "On a scale of one to ten—"

"Slow your roll, tiny," Sophia immediately cut him short, but she was smiling.

Amara felt her face heating as she settled into a chair beside Ethan, who looked far too amused by their team’s reaction. "Kill me now..." She covered her face with both hands.

"Also," Hiro said, looking up from his device finally. "When did that happen?" He pointed at Ethan’s arm and his third Sigil.

Everyone’s gaze followed Hiro’s finger and Raj dropped the spatula he held. "You’re a Tyrant?" He leaned in closer and squinted his eyes. "Sick."

"Nice going, man." Sophia folded her arms. Then she looked at Amara. "So does that mean we’re getting another cake? Because mama wants me another cake."

Raj also turned to Amara. "I was about to ask the same thing."

"Forget the cake," Hiro blurted before Amara could even respond, moving his hands around frantically. "How does something this huge get buried beneath the sex news?"

Amara sighed. "Can you please stop saying sex news."

Hiro walked over to the coffee machine to pour himself a cup. "Don’t get me wrong, it is interesting news... the sex news... What was I saying again?"

"My level up." Ethan said dryly. "Happened last night during my simulation training."

"That’s not the only thing that happened last night..." Sophia snorted with a mischievous grin as she slapped Raj’s outstretched palm in a loud high-five.

"The Council’s going to lose their minds," Hiro pointed out. "In a good way. Probably. Maybe."

"Let’s hope so." Amara said. "Because like it or not, we need their support. The Apostles are hunting Anchors, and we’re going to need every resource the Institute has to stop them."

The mood shifted, becoming more serious as reality reasserted itself. Less than two days until the Convergence.