The locker room was quiet, the echoes of the day’s training lingering like a charged undercurrent in the air. Felix trudged in, his muscles aching and his uniform clinging to him uncomfortably from sweat and exertion. He glanced around, hoping for a moment of solitude to collect his thoughts, but his hopes were dashed the moment he spotted Jax leaning casually against a locker.

“Bloodstone,” Jax greeted, his tone light but laced with challenge.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Felix sighed inwardly, already bracing for whatever was coming. “Flintcroft,” he replied, his voice steady but guarded.

Jax pushed off the locker and crossed his arms, his cocky swagger back in full force now that they were no longer in sight of Sergeant Flintstone. “Not bad for your first day. You’ve got some moves, I’ll give you that. But don’t think for a second you’ve got what it takes to beat me.”

Felix raised an eyebrow, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. “Didn’t I already hold my own against you—twice now?”

From the corner of the room, Theo Onyxwood snorted in reluctant amusement, but he still loyally sided with Jax. “A tie isn’t a win, Bloodstone. Don’t get cocky.”

Jax stepped closer, his yellow eyes gleaming with competitive fire. “This isn’t school anymore. You’re in the real world now. And out here, I don’t plan to lose.”

Felix met his gaze unflinchingly. “Isn’t there a saying, even the best laid plans go to waste?”

The tension between them hung heavy, neither willing to back down. Jax finally gave a short laugh and tilted his head curiously, popping the tension like a needle to a balloon. “You’re a bit different than I imagined.”

Felix’s heart jumped, but his expression remained impassive. “Different?”

“Yeah. I thought you would be a boring ice block.” Jax gave him a once over with those perceptive yellow eyes. “So full of yourself, you don’t bother to see anyone else. But I guess that’s not the case.”

Felix furrowed his brows.

But Jax only turned toward the exit. “Keep up, Bloodstone. You’ll need to if you want to win. I’m looking forward to a week of free lunch.”

Theo followed him, throwing an indecipherable look at Felix as he left. Once they were gone, Felix allowed himself a moment to exhale. His fists, he realized, had been clenched tightly.

Who would’ve thought that instead of making friends he ended up making rivals first?

*

The walk home was a blur of aching limbs and swirling thoughts, but the moment Felix opened the door, the energy in the room enveloped him like a beanbag chair.

“Master’s home!” Virgil declared dramatically, bounding toward Felix with exaggerated glee. “So, did you win? Did you crush the competition? Or are those bruises the new combat chic?”

Felix rolled his eyes, too tired to engage with Virgil’s theatrics.

Sorath followed behind, more subdued but no less observant. He eyed Felix’s disheveled state and winked. “Guess the first day of work as a newbie was tough. Here,” he added, tossing an ice pack toward Felix, “you’ll need this.”

Thel appeared next, a steaming cup of tea in hand. “Rough day?” he asked, his tone unsympathetic but his eyes betraying his feelings. Sharp eyes flickered over Felix’s face, obsessively cataloging his expressions and mood. “You should consider reviewing some combat strategy books with me later. It might help.”

Before Felix could respond, Albrecht bustled into the room, his expression one of determined purpose. In his hands was a spa-level grooming kit that gleamed under the light.

“This simply won’t do,” Albrecht declared, gesturing at Felix’s rumpled appearance. “As expected, you look in need of some rejuvenation. And what better way than an at home grooming treatment? Sit, my dear.”

Felix blinked, too weary to protest as Albrecht guided him to the couch.

“You can’t be serious,” Felix muttered, but the faint hint of amusement in his tone betrayed his acceptance.

“I’m always serious,” Albrecht replied primly, already unpacking the kit with precision. “And I’ll have you know, I always got the highest marks in my masseuse and grooming 101 classes.”

“Is that really what they teach you in those finishing schools—”

“Yes, of course,” Albrecht interrupted, clearly clueing in on Felix’s delaying tactics. His voice was firm, heading off any argument. “Now trust me.”

Felix, still smiling incredulously, allowed himself to transform into his albino cat form, a rare sight that left his pets momentarily stunned despite having seen it before.

But could they blame him? If not for all the embarrassing cooing and starry eyes being directed at him in this form, he might have considered lounging around more often as a housecat. It was the most natural and comfortable form for Regal Ones after all.

As Albrecht composed himself and began to meticulously groom him, Felix let his mind drift back to the day’s events. Jax’s cocky but perceptive words, Theo’s indecipherable look, Sergeant Flintstone’s critique, and even Ella’s starstruck fondness—all of it played on a loop in his head.

Thel sat nearby, quietly flipping through a book on combat techniques. Sorath reclined on the couch, occasionally glancing at Felix, while Virgil perched on the armrest, watching the grooming session with thinly veiled interest.

At some point, Felix had migrated from the couch cushions to Albrecht’s silk-clad lap. The fancy cologne Albrecht used also seemed to have a relaxing effect as well. So even though restless thoughts plagued him, Felix found himself having to catch his purrs before they could escape him.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you sneaking in petting while you groomed me,” Felix mumbled, his voice muffled as he rested his chin on his paws.

Albrecht didn’t even flinch, his movements precise and unbothered. “It’s part of the process,” he replied smoothly. “Grooming and a full body massage is encouraged to go hand in hand.”

Virgil snickered. “In the wise words of a certain peacock, serving the needs of one’s master is the job of a good pet. Besides, we rarely get the chance to see you in this form.”

Felix groaned, which sounded more like a rumble in his small furry chest.

Albrecht, surprisingly, did not snipe back at Virgil in that juvenile way of theirs. But judging by the look of rapture on his handsome face, Felix had doubts if he had even heard the insult at all.

As the grooming session wound down, Felix finally hopped off Albrecht’s lap much to the reluctance of the other, and transformed back into his humanoid form, stretching his arms and rolling his shoulders in complete relaxation. He grabbed the cup of tea Thel had brought him earlier, now lukewarm, and took a sip. His pets gathered around expectantly, their expressions varying from curious to downright nosy.

“Alright, spill it,” Virgil said, leaning forward with wide, shiny eyes. “What happened today? Did you fight that blue-haired what’s-his-name? Did you win?”

Felix laughed lightly, only a little self-deprecating. He leaned back on the couch. “First day of training, right? So we got paired up for sparring matches. And guess who I ended up with?”

“Flintcroft,” Thel guessed immediately, unsurprised, especially with how obsessed the other was with challenging Felix.

Felix nodded. “Jax Flintcroft. The loud and cocky blue Regal One who clearly wants to prove something.”

Sorath smirked. “Sounds insufferable.”

“Annoying, definitely,” Felix agreed, taking another sip of tea. “He’s got skill, I’ll give him that, but he’s so obsessed with beating me, it’s almost infecting me now. I think he’s still mad about that tie we had back at the Ivory Sanctuary.”

Albrecht sniffed disdainfully. “How petty. Clearly, he knows his place is beneath you but refuses to accept it.”

Felix shot him a wry look. “Well, I wouldn’t put it that way.” Felix couldn’t help recalling the surprisingly insightful comment Jax made about how “different” he was from his original image of him. “But one thing’s for sure, he’s determined to turn that tie into a win.”

Virgil leaned back, arms behind his head. “Sounds like you’ve got yourself a rival. Or, y’know, an overly competitive admirer.”

“Rival,” Felix corrected firmly, though the corner of his mouth twitched. Cocky Jax Flintcroft, an admirer? He shuddered. “And then there’s Theo Onyxwood. For now, I only get the impression that he’s Jax’s shadow, always backing him up. Not as talkative, but just as irritating.”

“Another rival?” Sorath asked, raising an eyebrow.

“More like a sidekick?” Felix replied with a questioning lilt. “Anyway, he’s skilled too. Watching him fight was… intense.” Definitely a brute force, powerhouse type. Felix wouldn’t admit to it, but he was a bit envious. No matter what Ella says, he wants to be as intimidating as Theo looked while fighting.

Thel inclined his head slightly. “So, two opponents with strong personalities and skills to match. You’ll need to be careful not to let their provocation distract you from improving.”

Felix nodded, agreeing with Thel’s pragmatic advice. “I’ll keep that in mind. But it’s not all bad. There’s Ella Pearlman.”

“Oh?” For some reason, everyone looked up at this clearly feminine name. Never mind the fact that Regal Ones were basically aro-ace and their young aren’t born the traditional way.

Felix, oblivious to his pets’ sharpened interest, facepalmed. “Yeah, her. She’s pleasant enough, but the squealing every time I do anything remotely decent is a bit embarrassing.”

Albrecht frowned slightly. “She should learn decorum. Excessive admiration is unbecoming.”

“She’s not that bad,” Felix side-eyed the pot calling the kettle black and said with a shrug. “She’s actually really smart and a great fighter. I watched her spar with Theo today—she won, barely, but she earned it. She’s bubbly, sure, but she’s clearly a smart fighter.”

Virgil yawned. “Hmm. Well, good for her.”

Thel nodded expressionlessly. “It’s good to make allies early, even if their enthusiasm is overwhelming at times. Once you join the ranks, such connections made during trainee days might prove useful in the future. Especially if, as you say, she is smart and skilled.”

Felix shifted slightly forward, placing the empty teacup on the coffee table. “Yeah, I get that. And I appreciate her support, but I don’t know how much of it is genuine respect and how much is just… idolizing an image of me. It’s hard to tell.”

“Does it matter?” Sorath asked with a devil-may-care smirk. “Take the admiration and run with it. Better to have people on your side than against you.”

“True,” Felix admitted. “But I can’t rely on anyone else to get through this. I have to focus, train harder, and make sure I don’t slip up. Sergeant Flintstone already thinks I’m holding back.”

“Your trainee instructor?” Thel asked rhetorically. “Was he fair in his judgement of you? Based on his surname, he must be from the same Regal One lineage as Flintcroft.”

Felix flapped his hand at Thel’s paranoia. “Definitely fair. Sergeant Flintstone was actually one of the officers who showed up to the rooftop incident a week ago. He seemed professional both then and now.”

There was no need to elaborate on the “rooftop incident” as everyone cast Virgil a side-eye even as the man in question grinned unrepentantly.

Albrecht stood abruptly, his expression resolute. “Well, my dear, if you need any help, just say the word. We may not have been given combat lessons in our schools but we were given the best education in how to best support our masters, that I assure you.”

Virgil clapped his hands. “And if you need someone to heckle Flinty Junior from the sidelines, I’m your guy.”

Sorath snorted. “Don’t drag him down with your antics, St. Lilith. Felix needs focus, not distractions.”

Thel nodded sharply in agreement. “I am not at all worried about this point. Your potential is immense, Felix, I am positive you will be the one laughing in the end.”

Felix looked around at his pets, their unwavering support evident in their unique ways. A small smile tugged at his lips.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Thanks, guys,” he said softly. “I’ll make it through the trainee program with the highest remarks they will ever see. And I won’t let Jax or anyone else beat me.”

The room settled into a comfortable silence, each of his pets quietly vowing to support their master in whatever way they could. Despite the challenges ahead, Felix felt optimistic. He wasn’t alone in this strange new world—not really.

AN: Just casually dropping a wb bomb. Who me? 😶