(Marvel, DC, images, manhuas, and every anime that will be mentioned and used in this story are not mine. They all belong to their respective owners. The main character "Karito/Adriel Josue Valdez" and the story are mine)
Thursday Morning...
The sky above Valoran City was a gentle slate-blue, thick clouds rolling lazily overhead like quiet observers. The sun had barely begun to rise, casting long shadows across the pavement and turning the city's high school into a backdrop of soft orange hues.
Students gathered at the front gates, bundled in jackets and scarves, backpacks sagging from overpacking, voices buzzing with excitement. Today wasn't a normal school day—it was the long-anticipated camping trip. Two nights. No homework. No parents. No curfew.
A dream.
For most.
For Peter Parker, it was... an assignment.
He walked calmly toward the school, a black duffel bag slung across his back. His hoodie hung loose over a fitted, dark tee, wind tugging slightly at the strands of hair that fell across his forehead. He wasn't in any rush, just... strolling.
Blending in.
Or at least, he tried to.
Because the moment he reached the gates, a ripple spread through the crowd of students. Heads turned. Conversations paused. A few phones were not-so-discreetly aimed in his direction.
Peter didn't flinch.
He just gave a brief glance around the sea of unfamiliar faces and—
There.
Lux.
Waiting just past the gates, her bright pink hair tied up in a loose ponytail, her teal eyes scanning for someone. When they locked with his, her expression instantly softened.
She waved, beaming.
Peter gave a small nod in return, adjusting the strap on his shoulder and weaving through the students toward her.
"Hey," he said casually, stopping in front of her.
"Hey yourself," Lux grinned. "You made it."
"Wouldn't miss it."
Lux tilted her head. "You're turning heads."
Peter blinked as he subtly scanned the area. She wasn't wrong. A good third of the student body was staring.
He exhaled through his nose. "Guess I overdressed."
"Oh, definitely," Lux said with a mock-serious face. "You should've worn a potato sack. That would've helped."
Peter chuckled. "Next time."
Then, to Peter's surprise, Lux casually stepped closer.
Very close.
Her arm looped around his without hesitation, her head tilting toward him as if they'd done this a hundred times. The murmur of students grew louder—whispers, glances, camera flashes in the corner of his eye.
And Lux?
She just smiled.
A victorious, mischievous smile.
Peter raised an eyebrow, glancing sideways at her.
"Subtle," he said under his breath.
"What can I say?" Lux replied smoothly. "They needed context."
"And the context is...?"
"We're dating," she said sweetly. "Or at least, that's what they're going to think."
Peter didn't respond.
Not out loud.
In his head?
Of course she'd pull this.
Can't blame her. It's working.
Instead of refuting her, he just offered his usual, nonchalant smirk and followed her lead.
They walked through the inner courtyard, passing through groups of gawking students and around the side of the school where the buses waited. The rest of the Star Guardian team was already gathered by one of them, their bags stacked neatly to the side.
Lulu was bouncing in place, animatedly pointing at something in the sky. Poppy had her arms crossed, her usual stoicism intact. Janna stood with her back straight, elegantly composed as always. Jinx was leaning against the bus door, spinning a keychain in her fingers, boredom on her face—until she looked up and saw him.
The bored look evaporated.
"Peeeeeteer!" Lulu cheered, waving with both hands.
"Bout time," Jinx grinned, pushing off the bus. "I was starting to think you bailed."
Janna offered a small nod. "Good morning."
Poppy raised a brow but gave a short nod of acknowledgment as well.
Lux released Peter's arm now that they were with the group, but the afterimage of it lingered in everyone's mind. Especially Jinx's.
She looked at where their arms had been connected.
Then at Lux.
Then back at Peter.
Her smile shrank slightly.
Peter gave them all a small wave. "Didn't think I'd be the one holding up a bus full of girls."
"You're forgiven," Lulu declared, throwing her arms around his waist in a quick, spontaneous hug. "You showed up, and that's what counts!"
Poppy looked slightly scandalized but said nothing.
"Come on," Lux said, grabbing Peter's arm again—just for a second—as she pulled him toward the front of the bus. "I saved you a seat."
Peter followed, ducking into the vehicle and taking a seat beside her near the middle row. His duffel slid beneath the seat with ease. Lux immediately turned toward the window, while Peter leaned back, taking note of every student boarding after them, every whispered exchange, every glance tossed in their direction.
Jinx climbed in next and paused briefly by their row.
Her eyes locked on the empty space beside Lux.
Then Peter.
Then Lux again.
She muttered something under her breath and moved down the aisle, throwing herself beside Lulu.
Janna sat across from Peter and Lux. She said nothing, but her eyes flickered between them thoughtfully.
Poppy took the seat behind Peter. Silent. Still guarded.
The engine rumbled to life.
Students settled in.
And soon, the bus pulled away from the school lot, the city shrinking behind them as excitement buzzed through the rows.
Lux leaned closer. "See? You fit in just fine."
Peter smirked. "That's the problem."
And as the road stretched ahead, lined with trees and endless sky, the first steps toward Starfall had finally begun.
The road snaked through the forest like a trail drawn by fate itself, tall trees blurring past the windows as the bus made its steady climb into the hills. Excitement buzzed in the air—some students were already chattering about ghost stories, campfire snacks, or which tent partner they were hoping for.
Peter, meanwhile, sat in the middle of a silent storm.
Lux was beside him, still perched like she owned the seat—and perhaps him too—with one leg tucked under her, her shoulder barely brushing his. Her hand rested on the top of the seat between them, fingers occasionally tapping the vinyl rhythmically. Not nervous. Just... content. Comfortable.
And very, very deliberate.
It didn't escape Peter's notice. Nothing did.
But he played his part well. He always did.
"Did you remember to bring marshmallows?" Lux asked suddenly, grinning up at him.
Peter raised a brow. "What kind of savage doesn't bring marshmallows to a campout?"
She laughed. "Good. Then we won't have to burn pinecones again like last time."
"Pinecones?" he echoed, amused. "What kind of bootleg camping trip was that?"
"A Lux-led one," Janna murmured from across the aisle, folding her arms.
Lux rolled her eyes. "I was ten."
Peter chuckled softly but turned toward Janna with a respectful tilt of his head. "Thanks for the tip. I'll confiscate all pinecones from her tonight."
Janna gave a slow smile. "That would be appreciated."
He felt Janna's eyes linger for a second longer than necessary. Not flirtatious. But interested.
Always watching.
From behind them, Lulu popped her head over the seat. "I brought marshmallows too! And cosmic glitter sprinkles! They're not edible, but they look pretty if you burn them."
Peter blinked. "Remind me not to eat your s'mores."
Lulu giggled. "Too late!"
"Don't worry," Poppy added dryly from beside Lulu, "I already took the glitter out of her backpack."
"Party pooper," Lulu whispered.
Poppy smirked. "Safety first."
Peter nodded once at both of them. "Good to know someone here respects fire laws."
Poppy responded with a short laugh. "For now."
All five girls were engaged with him. All of them throwing remarks his way. All of them receiving his attention without effort. Each response perfectly tailored—smooth, charming, relaxed. He made eye contact. He remembered details. He made them feel like they were the only one he was talking to, even when the whole group was involved.
That was the trick.
That was the art.
And as Peter lightly bounced conversations between Poppy and Lulu, asking what books they'd been reading or what hobbies they'd picked up lately, Jinx stared at Lux like she was trying to melt a hole through her skull.
She'd heard the rumors this morning.
Whispers in the halls. Sly comments by lockers. Some girls laughing near the water fountain—mentioning pink hair and "that super cute guy from outside the school." Some of the gossip was exaggerated, but the root of it?
The source?
That was obvious.
Lux.
Jinx had been close enough when Lux grabbed Peter's arm at the gate. Close enough to see her look around right before doing it. Close enough to notice the shift in posture—how Lux leaned into him when they walked, how she smiled just wide enough to be seen by the right people, how she acted just close enough for ambiguity to work in her favor.
It was tactical.
Lux wanted people to talk.
She wanted to mark Peter as hers.
It wasn't even about flirting. Not really. It was territorial.
So petty,
Jinx thought, forcing her fingers to relax around the zipper of her jacket.
We're really doing this? Starting high school drama for a guy who isn't even enrolled here?
And worse... it was working.
Peter didn't push her away. He didn't challenge the assumption. He just... let it happen.
And Jinx hated how that made her feel.
Still, she didn't blow up. She didn't make a scene. She just leaned a little closer to Lulu, her voice sweet as ever.
"Hey, Lulu," she said, loudly enough to be heard across the aisle. "Didn't Lux say she wasn't trying to date anyone this semester?"
Lux didn't turn.
Peter did.
He caught the glance Jinx flicked at him, casual and sly. She was fishing. Testing. Prodding the fire.
Lux didn't flinch.
"Things change," she said, not looking back.
And that was the end of that.
For now.
Janna, meanwhile, watched it all unfold with a slow-growing internal sigh. The attention Peter brought with him—unintentional or not—was beginning to shift the team dynamic. Students were glancing back at them. Some were whispering. A few boys snuck glances at Peter, like they were trying to gauge if he was a threat or just a fluke.
The Star Guardians had always existed slightly outside of normal student life. They were admired, yes—but rarely involved. There was a respectful distance between them and their peers.
Peter was demolishing that boundary.
Not maliciously. Not even intentionally.
But with his presence, and the tension it carried, came attention.
Eyes.
Curiosity.
And worst of all...
Drama.
Still, Janna didn't interject. Not yet. She just studied him as he talked with Lulu, his tone easy, his smile controlled, his posture relaxed.
There was always something a little too precise about Peter Parker.
Too calm.
Too centered.
Like everything that happened around him was going according to some private blueprint.
And that...
That bothered her.
The ride stretched on with casual chatter and building tension. Jinx occasionally shot barbed comments. Lux subtly leaned closer with every bump in the road. Lulu played peacemaker. Poppy stayed neutral but amused.
Peter kept the show going.
He looked out the window at the passing trees and hills, but he wasn't watching the scenery.
He was watching reflections.
In the glass, he could see all of them.
Their microexpressions.
Their timing.
The sparks.
The cracks.
He wasn't just observing.
He was memorizing.
This is going to be an interesting trip,
he thought, and smiled quietly to himself.
Not because he was happy.
But because he was getting exactly what he wanted.
An hour later...
The buses hissed as their doors opened, spilling students onto the gravel like soda fizzing from a shaken can. Excited chatter rose through the crisp mountain air—shoes crunching against the forest path, teachers barking instructions, classmates hauling tents and supplies toward the designated camp zones marked with flags.
The campsite was massive. A clearing nestled between hills, surrounded by towering pine trees. Far off in the distance, the glimmer of water flickered like a secret. But most of the students hadn't noticed it yet.
Except for one.
"FINALLY!" Jinx whooped as she leapt off the bus, a bright, chaotic blur of teal and pink. She had changed outfits sometime during the ride, now dressed in an unreasonably vibrant swimsuit that screamed rebellion—and maybe a little madness. A half-zipped hoodie hung loosely off her shoulders, flip-flops smacking the dirt, and her goggles perched crookedly in her hair like a crown.
Lux, stepping down behind her, froze. "Jinx—what the hell are you wearing?"
"Freedom, babe." Jinx winked without even turning around. "And I'm gonna find a pool."
Poppy stepped off the bus last, arms crossed. "There is no pool. We're in a forest. That's a lake."
Jinx spun on her heel and pointed finger-guns toward the trees. "Forest pool. Tomato, tomahto."
And then, of course, she beelined toward Peter.
He had just slung his duffel bag over one shoulder, scanning the area with passive interest. The moment he heard her flip-flops, he turned his head. And Jinx was there, suddenly standing too close, lips curled in a teasing smile, voice syrup-smooth and dipped in trouble.
"Hey, Tall-Dark-and-Broody," she purred, "feel like testing the water with me?"
Peter blinked once. Not flustered. Just calculating.
It was a bold move. Jinx didn't do subtle.
And what was worse... it was working.
There was a flicker in Peter's eyes—interest, amusement, hunger—and for a moment, the whole world tilted just slightly off-center.
Lux, standing nearby, instantly stepped forward. "Okay, nope. That's not happening. We're supposed to find a spot and start unpacking. Together."
Peter turned to her slowly, a lazy smirk forming. "You can start without me."
Her brows rose. "Excuse me?"
"I'll catch up," he said easily, resting a hand on Jinx's shoulder as if they'd known each other for years. "We'll scout the lake. See if it's worth a swim later."
"I didn't even bring a swimsuit..." Poppy muttered, already annoyed.
"Neither did I," Janna added, arms crossed. "We didn't even know there was a lake."
Peter turned back toward them, that same confident grin on his face. "Don't worry. I came prepared."
He reached into his bag and pulled out a mesh drawstring pouch.
Then another.
And another.
Lux's heart skipped.
"Wait..." she said, squinting at the labels. "Are those...?"
Peter tossed one toward her. She caught it.
She looked inside. Her jaw slackened.
"...This is my size."
He tossed another to Janna. Perfect fit.
Another to Poppy. Another to Lulu.
Each one was exactly right.
Not just in measurements—but style. Color. Texture. Cut.
Each one was the kind of swimsuit that hadn't been worn but had almost been bought. The kind that hung in changing rooms while they second-guessed themselves. The ones they'd admired and hesitated over. The ones they liked.
Janna held hers up slowly, frowning.
"...This is the one I almost got at the beachside boutique."
"I remember," Peter said, his tone casual—too casual. "You paused for six-point-two seconds before putting it back."
Lux stared at him like he had grown a second head. "How the hell do you remember that?"
Peter shrugged. "I'm good with details."
"That's not 'good with details,'" Janna muttered. "That's terrifyingly observant."
"But you like it," he replied smoothly, tilting his head. "Don't you?"
Janna didn't respond.
None of them did.
Because he was right.
It was terrifying. And flattering. And wrong. And for some reason...
They weren't stopping him.
Weren't questioning it.
Lux shook her head, trying to clear the fog in her brain. She glanced at Janna. "Is this normal?"
"No," Janna said quietly. "Not at all."
"But we're still standing here," Poppy added, voice low.
"...Why are we still standing here?" Lux echoed.
Lulu, meanwhile, was already halfway into the trees, holding up her sparkly swimsuit like it was a treasure. "IT EVEN HAS GLITTER!"
Peter turned back to Jinx with a sly grin. "Shall we?"
She looped her arm through his like they were on a date and smirked over her shoulder at Lux. "Try not to wait up."
Lux just stood there, clutching the bag of swimwear like it was radioactive.
Her voice was small. "What the hell just happened?"
Janna didn't look away from the forest path where Peter and Jinx had vanished.
"I think we just got outmaneuvered," she said softly.
"Outmaneuvered?" Poppy echoed. "By a guy with a memory like a machine."
"No," Janna corrected.
"By a guy who didn't even have to try."
The dirt crunched softly under their feet as Jinx led the way through a cluster of trees, brushing aside branches with the back of her hand. She was practically glowing—grinning like a cat who got the cream, won the gamble, and burned down the casino on her way out.
It took them less than five minutes to find the lake.
Because, of course, it was right there. Nestled in a low basin just a stone's throw from the camp. The glimmering body of water reflected the bright afternoon sun, surrounded by jagged rocks and tall trees that mirrored against its surface. The breeze danced over the lake, rippling the calm in tiny waves.
"Well, that was easy," Peter said, eyeing the water with a bored glance. "I expected a little more of a challenge."
Jinx flopped down on a large flat rock near the edge, draping herself across it like a lounging serpent goddess. "Sometimes the best things in life don't need effort."
Peter raised a brow. "That's suspiciously optimistic coming from you."
She looked up at him, sunglasses sliding down the bridge of her nose. "Awfully bold today, aren't we?"
"You first," Peter replied, his voice smooth like velvet lined with steel. "You've been flirting with fire since the moment we stepped off the bus. Bold outfit. Bolder invitation. Hidden agenda?"
Jinx smirked and tossed a pebble into the water, watching the ripples spread. "You think I'm hiding something?"
He gave a light shrug, stepping closer. "I think you're fishing."
She glanced up through her lashes. "Well maybe I am. Maybe I heard a couple little mice squeaking before we boarded—talking about a certain someone clinging to a certain someone else."
Peter paused. "Ah."
"Yeah," she continued, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Apparently, our beloved Lux decided to start a rumor. Something about you two being an item. Just in time for everyone at school to suddenly become very interested."
Peter's smile was sharp. "And you didn't like that?"
"I didn't hate it," Jinx said coyly. "But I'm not the only one who can play games, y'know?"
He sat beside her, arms resting on his knees. "You sound jealous."
She made a show of gasping. "Jealous? Me? You wound me, Peter Parker."
"You wound easy for someone with armor made of sarcasm."
"Says the guy who just remembered every single one of our swimsuit preferences."
"I pay attention."
"To me?" she teased.
"To everyone," he replied. "But you do make it... hard to ignore."
That quieted her for a second. Just a second. Her heart thumped hard in her chest. It wasn't the first time Peter had thrown out compliments—but the way he said it now felt heavier. Intimate. Charged.
And yet, the second she leaned a little closer—
Peter stood up.
"We should head back," he said casually, brushing dirt from his hands. "Don't want to leave the others too long."
Jinx blinked, stunned. "Wait—seriously?"
"Unless you had something better in mind."
She sat up slowly, eyes narrowing. "You just cockblocked yourself."
Peter grinned over his shoulder. "Did I?"
She glared playfully. "That was cruel."
"I like cruel," he said with a shrug. "Keeps things interesting."
Jinx stood, brushing herself off. "You're impossible."
"And yet here you are," Peter said as he started walking back toward camp. Then he paused and turned slightly. "Coming?"
She jogged up beside him, brushing her shoulder against his again. "You're lucky you're cute."
"Debatable."
As they passed under a patch of sunlight through the trees, she slowed a little. Her hand grazed his for half a second before she stopped and spun around, standing directly in his path.
Peter raised a brow.
"...Wanna hold hands?" she asked, mock-innocent. "You know, for... navigation."
Peter smirked, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Bold again."
"Hypothetically," Jinx added. "Totally not romantic. Just... efficient hiking."
Peter chuckled, folding his arms. "Are we even allowed to hold hands before marriage?"
Jinx laughed—snorted, really. "You dork."
"You asked."
"Whatever," she said, grabbing his hand anyway. "You're mine for the next five minutes."
Peter let it happen.
Their fingers intertwined. And even if it was just for "navigation," it sure didn't feel like it.
Jinx's heart fluttered in her chest as they walked side-by-side. Every step sent sparks up her arm. Her head was buzzing. She was winning.
He didn't let go.
And inside her chest?
She was screaming.
Let Lux try to top this.
Let Janna pretend she's not looking.
Today, Peter was hers.
Even if only for five minutes.
...
The campsite buzzed with summer energy—birdsong, crickets, and the chattering of a hundred teenagers unloading their bags and forming little chaotic clusters under the shade of tall pines. The air was crisp with a touch of heat, and the smell of forest soil mixed with anticipation.
Lux tightened her grip on the strap of her bag as she led the others through the trail of students. Her steps were steady, but her mind was boiling.
Everywhere they passed, students glanced. Whispered. Giggled. A few girls openly gawked and made not-so-subtle remarks.
"Is that the guy Lux showed up with?"
"He's not even from our school, right?"
"Why is someone that hot even here?"
Lux could feel her jaw clench.
Just a few minutes ago, she'd tried to keep it subtle. Walking into camp beside Peter had been a declaration—intentional, sure, but not... flashy. Not until Jinx strutted past them in a damn swimsuit, asked Peter to help her find a lake, and then dragged him away before Lux could even process what was happening.
And worse—he let her.
No hesitation. No glance back. Just a smooth, damnably charming smirk before he walked off with Jinx like she owned the moment.
Lux hadn't said a word since. But she had steam curling out of her ears.
Poppy and Lulu followed behind her, catching snippets of the chatter. Lulu, as always, was unbothered and chasing a butterfly with her eyes. Poppy, on the other hand, noticed everything—and narrowed her eyes at the students snickering nearby.
Janna stayed close to Lux's side, arms crossed, looking completely unfazed. But the way her gaze scanned the groups... she'd noticed too.
They reached a clearing near the camp check-in, where a long table draped in dark purple cloth sat beneath the shade of crooked trees. The table was weighed down with rocks and pinecones holding down multicolored handouts. A sign-in list rested at one end, beside a stack of maps.
Behind the table sat a tall girl.
Lux slowed to a stop. Something about the girl gave her pause—an aura of effortless condescension, wrapped in black silk. Long obsidian hair fell in waves over her shoulders, and a sleek lanyard hung from her neck. The name tag read Syndra, its letters sharp and perfect like they'd been stenciled with authority.
Definitely not a student. And definitely not friendly.
Janna stopped a few steps behind her, saying nothing, offering no aid. Lux picked up the hint. This was her mess to deal with.
She approached the table, the sunlight slashing through the leaves above her face at a terrible angle, making it impossible to see Syndra clearly.
"Hi," Lux said, raising a hand toward the shade. "I'm here to check in."
There was a pause.
"Name," Syndra replied. Flat. Sharp. Laced with dismissive superiority.
Not even a greeting.
"Uh—Luxanna. But everyone just calls me Lux." She offered a smile, trying to keep things civil. "I'm part of the—"
"The Star Sisters," Syndra interrupted, with a flick of her wrist and a sarcastic lilt in her voice. "Cute. Very... sparkly. You're the last group to check in."
She gave a sigh like she'd already decided Lux was a problem.
"The leaders are usually the first ones to show responsibility," she added. "Not chasing butterflies or flirting with mystery boys."
Lux flinched slightly. That cut hit closer than expected.
Still squinting through the sun, Lux replied, "Sorry, I just—wanted to make sure everyone got their things. My group split up faster than expected."
At that, Janna stepped forward slightly and laid a supportive hand on Lux's shoulder.
"We're all here now," she said calmly, her tone even and cool.
Syndra finally leaned forward enough that her face came into view. Her narrowed eyes appraised both girls, scanning them as if she were judging their souls—and finding them lacking.
"Space twenty-sixteen," she said, sliding a stack of papers across the table. "Some of your team is already there. And there's a loud one down by the lake." A smirk curled her lips. "I assume she's one of yours."
Lux felt a pang of heat in her face. Jinx.
She didn't even bother denying it.
"She is," Lux muttered.
Syndra raised a perfectly manicured brow. "You might want to reign that in. This isn't a rave. It's a science-based retreat. Or at least, it was."
Janna gently squeezed Lux's shoulder.
"Here's a map and schedule," Syndra continued. "Viewing starts after midnight. Meteor shower is expected to peak around one in the morning. If you're lucky, you'll see something memorable."
There was a loaded edge to the word memorable that made Lux hesitate. She took the papers, biting her lip.
"And just a reminder," Syndra added, tone low and clipped, "leaders are accountable for keeping their groups together. Especially after dark."
Lux nodded stiffly. "Understood."
Lux's nod lingered longer than necessary, her jaw clenched with quiet frustration. The words "after dark" echoed a little too sharply in her ears. As if Syndra had fired a warning shot. As if she had seen something—or was expecting something to go wrong. Lux hated that her heart skipped. She hated that she didn't know why.
She clutched the flyers to her chest like they were a shield, forced her feet to pivot and step away from the registration table—but her mood was already in freefall.
Janna trailed just behind, her silence more biting than any lecture. Poppy and Lulu, only a few paces away, threw nervous glances back at the others. The tension hadn't let up since Peter and Jinx left for the lake, and it was now thick enough to slice through.
They hadn't even been at the site for an hour.
This is ridiculous, Lux thought bitterly. It's just a lake. It's just Jinx. It's just Peter.
But it wasn't just anything. Not anymore.
They hadn't even made it to their tent area when a ripple of motion in the crowd caught her eye. Campers were murmuring again—this time louder, more excited. Lux turned just as a sleek, coordinated group of four emerged from the forest trail like they'd stepped off the cover of a magazine. Starry-eyed students naturally parted to let them through.
Their energy hit like a wave. Even Lux had to admit it: this was the kind of group that could shut down a room with a glance. Ahri, at the center, radiated confidence with every step. Her side-swept hair fluttered in the breeze like it was staged. On her right was a towering redhead with arms crossed, and on the left a mint-haired girl that moved with barely a sound. Behind them, an effortlessly cool blond guy trailed like he knew he didn't have to try.
"Now there's a team you can learn something from," Syndra said, voice almost a purr.
Lux ground her teeth.
The other girls weren't far behind her, and Janna had visibly stiffened. Poppy's arms had crossed over her chest in annoyance, while Lulu—Lulu, of all people—narrowed her eyes slightly, her cheer curdling.
And then Syndra smiled. "Ahri!" she called out, her tone flipping like a light switch.
The peach-haired leader returned it with a graceful smirk. "Syndra. Missed you on the hike."
"Had to deal with the stragglers," Syndra muttered, nodding toward Lux as if she were pointing out a stubborn weed.
Lux's eyes narrowed. But before she could shoot back a comment, she felt Janna's presence tense beside her—then quietly step back. She turned to see Janna's expression turn unreadable, that calm mask cracking ever so slightly as her gaze drifted past the new arrivals and out toward the woods.
Lux's words died on her tongue.
"Hi," she tried instead, facing Ahri again. She extended a hand. "I'm Lux. You must be—"
"Cool," Ahri cut in flatly, barely grazing Lux's hand with her fingertips before turning away.
That. That was it. Something in Lux snapped.
The girls moved past her without another word, a flock of effortless energy trailing glittering admiration behind them. And Lux was left standing there like a paper doll beside a flame.
Behind her, Syndra laughed.
Lux clenched her jaw and turned, the sound of crunching grass following her hasty retreat from the conversation. She didn't care where she was walking. She just needed away.
Unfortunately, "away" meant straight into Janna.
The stack of papers fluttered into the dirt as Lux tumbled back, sprawling into the grass with a small gasp. Janna barely reacted. Her blue eyes were clouded—focused somewhere far away. The wind around them stirred unnaturally.
"Janna?" Lux blinked. "You okay?"
"I need a walk," Janna said flatly. Not a request. Not even looking at her.
"What? But they just told us—"
Janna was already walking away.
Lux watched her go, the tension mounting like pressure in her chest. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her skirt. Peter. Jinx. Ahri. Syndra. Janna now too?
She reached for the fallen papers.
More laughter behind her. Not Janna's. Syndra's. Again.
Lux turned her head slightly—and there it was.
Syndra, still behind that stupid purple-draped table, staring right at her. Smiling.
But not the kind of smile you give someone you like. The kind of smile you give when you've just finished reading someone like a book and found the ending disappointing.
And right then and there, Lux had to bite back the urge to scream.
Lux stood there for a moment longer, frozen under Syndra's gaze, the burning weight of humiliation pressing into her chest like a brand. That smirk—that unreadable, smug little tilt of the lips—was infuriating. She wanted to throw something. Or just turn back time five minutes and keep Janna from walking away. But she couldn't do any of that.
So instead, she turned.
Just in time to hear footsteps approaching behind her.
"Well," came Jinx's voice first, casual and carefree in a way that grated against Lux's nerves, "that was a fun 'dip'. You all should've joined us."
Peter walked beside her, quiet and composed, his bag slung over one shoulder, hand still loosely interlinked with Jinx's. The two of them looked too comfortable. Like a couple that had already figured out how to navigate each other's rhythms.
Lux blinked at their hands—and something in her expression cracked.
Jinx noticed. She didn't say anything, but she smiled.
Peter, however, noticed everything.
His eyes flicked immediately to Lux's stiff posture, to the tension pulling her lips thin, to the subtle fury flickering behind her eyes. He knew that expression. That look. And the fact that it was aimed at him—well, that just made it interesting.
"Everything alright?" Peter asked, releasing Jinx's hand with the same smoothness he'd once used to snatch it up.
Jinx pouted slightly but let him go without a word.
Lux tried to keep her tone even. "Janna walked off."
Peter tilted his head. "Walked off?"
"She said she needed to take a walk after dealing with that," she said with a bitter glance toward the information table. "That girl—Syndra—she was passive-aggressive the entire time. Treated me like a burden. Took one look at us and decided we weren't worth her time."
Peter blinked slowly, processing the information with a blank expression. But internally?
Ah... so the pieces move early.
"I see," he said simply.
Poppy stepped up beside Lux, arms crossed. "She's a real pain, that one. Didn't even try to hide it."
"And now Janna's off somewhere because she was that upset," Lulu added, her usual cheer dimmed.
Peter nodded again, offering a small hum of understanding. His gaze lingered briefly on Lux before he said, "I'll take care of it."
Lux raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, take care of it?"
"I mean I'll have a talk with her. This Syndra girl," Peter clarified. "Trust me, I'm good at conversations."
"She's just a bitch," Lux muttered. "It's not a big deal."
Peter gave her a look. Not annoyed, not cold—but something calm, serious. "It clearly upset Janna. Which means it is a big deal."
That shut her up.
His words weren't harsh, but they had weight. Like something deeper was simmering beneath his measured tone. Something that made Lux's anger soften—just slightly.
Peter took one last glance around before asking, "Where do I register, anyway? Since I'm technically not part of the school."
Lux pointed without speaking. Just down the hill, near a clearing where the forest thinned into gravel paths, the same table sat under shade, now swarmed by campers and staff. The Star Guardians from the other school hadn't moved far. Ahri was still there, laughing quietly at something the blond guy—Ezreal, if Lux remembered by overhearing other campers—was saying. Syndra leaned against the table, flipping lazily through papers with her arms crossed.
Peter turned, following Lux's gesture, and then he saw them. Or more specifically—
Her.
Ahri.
The sunlight caught her just right. Those foxlike ears, the perfect bangs, the ridiculous effortless beauty.
Peter, in the safety of his own thoughts, allowed himself a small reaction.
Well... damn.
It wasn't love. Not even attraction, not really. It was instinct. Or maybe it was the symbiote's slow crawl across his emotional compass, twisting things just enough to make admiration feel like hunger. Interest feel like possession.
Still, he didn't let it show.
When he turned back to Lux, the glint in his eye was gone—replaced by his usual neutral calm. He smiled, gentle and reassuring.
"I'll be back," he said.
Lux hesitated.
Then nodded.
Peter turned and walked off, his pace casual, shoulders relaxed—but his eyes were locked onto his target like a hawk descending.
Jinx crossed her arms once he was out of earshot. "Soooo," she said in a sing-song voice. "Should we start taking bets on how long it takes for Syndra to lose that smug attitude?"
"I give it two minutes," Poppy muttered.
Lux didn't respond.
Her eyes stayed fixed on Peter's retreating back. Even now, after three weeks, she still couldn't decide if he was the eye of the storm—or the storm itself.
But part of her... didn't care anymore.
Because if he was the storm, then maybe she wanted to be caught in it.
...
Peter strolled across the clearing with the same casual gait he'd used when entering war zones—back when the battlefield was New York rooftops, not pine-scented summer camps full of hormonal teens and glowing starlight. His black bag hung lazily across one shoulder, his other hand in his hoodie pocket as he approached the registration booth. His black-clad figure still stood out like a thumb freshly hit with a hammer, but he didn't care. If anything, he enjoyed the attention. It helped the Guardian Aura do its job.
He saw them before they saw him.
Five of them, clustered around the purple-draped table like celestial royalty too good for the earth they stood on. He scanned their faces quickly.
Ahri, with her fox-like ears and flawless strawberry-pink hair, was smiling faintly while brushing a loose strand behind one ear. She wore a loose athletic hoodie, the sleeves rolled up slightly, and sport shorts with white stripes down the side. Even off-duty, she looked composed. Commanding.
Next to her was Miss Fortune—Sarah—with flowing crimson hair that shimmered even under the fading afternoon sun. Her gym shorts were cinched high, exposing toned legs that didn't care who was staring. A white tank top hung loosely off one shoulder. She looked relaxed, but her gaze was sharp and calculating.
Then there was Soraka. No horn in sight, of course. Just long seafoam curls cascading down her shoulders. She wore a pale blue cardigan over a white sundress, the hem swaying slightly in the breeze. Her expression was calm—curious, but quiet.
Ezreal leaned against the edge of the booth, arms crossed. His blonde hair was tousled in a way that was probably accidental, but still managed to look like a shampoo commercial. His sleeveless jacket and fingerless gloves were more "urban explorer" than camper, but it worked for him.
And then... Syndra. She sat behind the table like it was a throne. Her long violet hair flowed like ink, with sharp bangs covering one eye. She was in all black: black jeans, a sleeveless crop hoodie, and—most notably—a dark eyepatch over her left eye. She didn't need to stand to radiate menace.
Peter didn't blink.
He smirked.
"Hey there. I'm guessing this is where non-students register for the camping trip?"
The group quieted. Eyes shifted toward him with interest, recognition, and—at least in Syndra's case—visible suspicion. Syndra leaned forward slightly, lips curled.
"And who might you be?" she asked, tone polite but venom-laced.
"Peter," he said with a small nod. "Lux invited me. I'm not from this school. Just figured I should make myself official, y'know?"
"Ah," Miss Fortune said, crossing her arms beneath her chest. "So you're the mystery boy."
He raised a brow. "Mystery?"
"Word travels fast," Ahri said smoothly, voice like a silk ribbon. "Lux was very... possessive this morning. You caused a bit of a stir."
Peter gave a half-chuckle, slow and smooth. "Yeah. She tends to get a little clingy."
That got a reaction. Ezreal's eyebrows shot up in amusement. Soraka blinked in surprise. Miss Fortune let out a sharp laugh. Syndra narrowed her visible eye. And Ahri?
Ahri tilted her head.
"Clingy," she repeated. "But you're not dating?"
"No," Peter replied. "Just letting her be herself."
"You're just letting her?" Syndra echoed with sharp disapproval.
"I'm not a leash kind of guy," Peter answered coolly, unbothered. "People get touchy when you try to 'control' them. I prefer letting people crash into walls on their own. Builds character."
Ezreal snorted.
"I like him," the boy said, elbowing Miss Fortune lightly. "He's got bite."
Peter grinned. "Thanks, Ez. You're alright too. You're probably the only one here who hasn't tried to roast me alive yet."
"Don't give us ideas," Sarah said, narrowing her eyes with a small smirk.
Syndra tapped her pen slowly. "So why are you really here?"
Peter looked her dead in the eye—well, the one visible.
"To enjoy the stars. And maybe meet some interesting people."
"That includes us?" Ahri asked, clearly testing him.
He tilted his head and gave a charming half-shrug. "You tell me."
There was a beat of silence. Syndra handed him the registration form, a little too forcefully.
"Fill that out."
Peter calmly took the form and leaned against the table, scribbling down what few fake credentials he needed to invent. As he wrote, the group continued observing him—more curiously now than skeptically.
"So what do you do?" Soraka asked gently.
"Freelancer," Peter answered. "Bit of this, bit of that. Jack of many trades, master of none... except a few."
"Very mysterious," Ahri noted, her lips curling into a foxlike smirk.
Peter didn't look up from the paper. "Mystery's a rare luxury these days. Gotta savor it while it lasts."
"Or strip it bare and find the flaws," Syndra muttered, fingers drumming lightly against the table.
Peter finally lifted his eyes to hers, holding her stare with something between casual amusement and predatory calm. "Sounds exhausting. But hey, if you enjoy reading people, I hope I'm a page-turner."
Syndra scoffed softly, but her eye didn't leave him. Not for a second.
"That depends," she said, "on whether you're worth the read."
Ezreal leaned forward on his elbows, clearly entertained. "Okay, but seriously, what school did you come from? You just pop up out of nowhere with main character energy and everyone's losing it."
Peter smiled faintly. "I guess I'm from a different district. One with... looser expectations."
"You talk like you've seen things," Sarah chimed in, her arms still crossed, eyes studying him like a bounty. "Older than you look?"
"Older than I act," Peter said, capping the pen and sliding the finished form across the table. "But yeah. You could say I've been around."
Ahri's smirk deepened. "How... poetic."
Peter met her gaze and didn't blink. "Not poetry. Just burned pages."
That line landed heavier than intended. Even Soraka's usual calm faltered, her eyes softening slightly with empathy. Ahri's smile didn't vanish, but it did grow quieter.
"You're not like the others here," she said softly.
"No," Peter agreed. "I'm not."
Syndra raised a brow. "And that's supposed to impress us?"
Peter turned to her slowly. "It's not supposed to do anything. But if it unsettles you... well, that's just a bonus."
Ezreal snorted again. "Damn. I actually like this guy."
Soraka placed a delicate hand on the edge of the table, her seafoam curls shifting slightly in the breeze. "You're carrying something heavy," she said gently. "Not just in your words. In your... presence."
That made Peter pause. He gave a small nod, respectful. "You're very perceptive."
"It's my job," Soraka said with a kind tilt of her head. "Healers don't just fix injuries. We feel what hurts."
Peter let the silence stretch there—just enough to make his point without overplaying it.
"And you," he said, finally turning his attention fully to Ahri again, "you've got leader written all over you. Eyes that scan every room. Posture that never slouches. Smile that hides more than it says."
She blinked once, surprised.
"You see all that from a first glance?" she asked, no longer teasing. Just curious now.
Peter's smirk returned, smaller this time. "It's not that hard. Once you learn how to read people back."
Syndra's pen snapped in her hand.
Miss Fortune raised a brow. "You're gonna cause problems around here, aren't you?"
Peter shrugged innocently. "Only the interesting kind."
"And how do you plan on surviving Syndra's wrath?" Ezreal joked.
"Flirting," Peter deadpanned.
Everyone—even Syndra—paused.
A beat.
Ahri snorted.
Miss Fortune laughed outright. "Okay, okay, maybe he's not all bark."
Syndra rolled her eyes but looked ever so slightly off-balance for the first time.
Ahri leaned against the table, chin resting in one hand as she studied him closer. "So if Lux isn't your girlfriend... and Jinx isn't your girlfriend either..."
Peter raised a brow.
Ahri's smirk returned. "You've got everyone talking. Girls are lining up for a guy they don't even know. Makes me wonder—what is it you're after?"
Peter's expression didn't shift, but something in his voice dipped lower, smoother.
"I'm not chasing anyone," he said. "I just walk where I want. People follow or they don't. That's up to them."
Ahri's gaze lingered. So did the silence.
It wasn't romantic. Not fully.
It was something else.
Something electric.
Peter turned slightly, glancing toward the forest path behind him. "I should check in with Lux's group. One of them walked off, right? Janna?"
That made Soraka nod quickly. "Yes. She seemed... off."
Peter's posture straightened just enough to draw attention to it. "I'll find her."
He turned to walk away, but not before offering a final glance over his shoulder at the group.
"Pleasure meeting you all. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other."
And then—he was gone. Black hoodie fading into the wood line.
Ezreal let out a low whistle. "Okay. I don't know whether I wanna be him, or be his friend."
Miss Fortune clicked her tongue. "He's dangerous. But in a fun way."
Ahri didn't say anything for a moment. She was still staring in the direction he'd left.
Finally, she smiled—soft and small.
"That one's gonna be trouble."
And Syndra, arms crossed, eyes narrowed?
"He already is."
Peter's steps were measured but swift. The playful smirk he wore while charming Ahri's team faded the moment he passed out of their sight. It was replaced by something more focused. More alert.
He walked with intent, threading through pine needles and soft patches of grass as he followed the path Janna had taken minutes earlier. She hadn't gone far—he could tell. The wind felt different down this way. Quieter.
She always did prefer the stillness.
Peter found her in a clearing not far from the edge of the campsite, where the trees opened just enough to give her a clear view of the early evening sky. The clouds had begun their slow surrender to twilight, bleeding pink and amber into a backdrop of deepening blue.
Janna sat with her legs folded beneath her, posture elegant even in solitude. Her hands rested softly on her lap, her eyes tracing the sky like it might whisper something back. The faint breeze stirred her hair, brushing it gently against her cheek.
For a moment, Peter just stood there, letting the silence settle around them. He didn't want to disturb her peace—if you could call it that. But something in her shoulders, in the way they slumped just slightly, told him this wasn't peace.
It was escape.
He stepped forward, not loud, but not trying to sneak up either.
"...Hey."
Janna blinked, slowly turning her head toward him. She didn't flinch. Didn't react much at all. Just gave a soft nod of recognition. "Peter."
"You alright?" he asked, stopping a few feet away.
She looked back at the sky. "I'm fine."
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he sat down beside her. Not too close, but not distant either. Close enough for his presence to be felt—steady, grounding. He rested his arms on his knees, looking up at the clouds she'd been tracking.
"You don't have to say anything," he said softly. "I just figured you might want company."
Janna said nothing for a while.
And then, finally, "...Thank you."
The breeze picked up slightly, carrying with it the distant sounds of the camp—laughter, footsteps, shouting. The world kept spinning, but in this little corner of it, time seemed to slow.
Peter glanced at her again.
"You've been quiet," he said.
She gave a slight shrug. "Some people make too much noise. Others forget how to listen."
He smiled faintly. "And you?"
"I'm somewhere in between," she murmured.
Another silence passed. Peter didn't press. He just let it linger. Let her speak when she wanted. Let her feel whatever she needed.
Then—finally—she glanced sideways at him, her eyes searching. "You're not like the others."
"I get that a lot."
"You're not... afraid to be here, even when you don't belong."
Peter looked ahead, into the fading horizon.
"Maybe that's because I never really belong anywhere," he said quietly. "Makes everywhere feel the same."
She didn't know how to respond to that.
He turned to her, eyes calm, voice softer now. "If Syndra said something to get in your head, forget it. She lives to rattle people."
Janna's lips pressed into a thin line. "She did. But it's not just her. It's... everything."
Peter leaned in just slightly. Close enough that she could feel the shift in the air between them.
"You don't have to be invincible all the time," he said. "You're allowed to feel off. You're allowed to feel."
Janna blinked, startled slightly by the intensity in his tone.
He smirked—soft, not smug. And leaned a little closer.
"If you ever need someone... even just for a bit of silence... look for me."
Her breath caught.
And when she finally met his eyes again, she saw something there she hadn't expected. Not pity. Not sympathy.
Understanding.
She looked away, just briefly—only to gather herself.
"...You make it hard to stay distant," she admitted.
"Good," Peter said. "Distance is overrated."
She let out the softest laugh. Barely more than a breath. But it was there.
Peter stood first, brushing off his hoodie and extending a hand. "Come on. Before Lux starts pacing a trench in the dirt."
Janna hesitated... and then took it.
Her hand was cool and light in his grip, but her eyes flicked up to meet his the second she stood. Whatever calm she'd found while stargazing was still clinging to her, like dew on the edge of her presence—but Peter could see the edges fraying. The aftertaste of that Syndra encounter still lingered. He didn't press it.
As they stepped off the clearing and into the narrow trail between pine trees, their steps fell into quiet sync. Janna kept her gaze ahead, arms folded gently in front of her, clearly mulling over something. Peter walked beside her, letting the silence settle for a moment.
Then, without a word, he slowly raised his arm and let it rest around her shoulders.
She tensed—noticeably. Just for a second. Not in alarm... but in surprise.
"What are you doing?" she asked, her tone not sharp but cautious, wary in that soft, analytical way only Janna had mastered.
Peter's answer was as smooth as ever. "I can stop if you want."
He didn't remove his arm right away, waiting for her reaction. Janna tilted her head slightly, not looking at him yet. She didn't step away.
Her breath came out slow. Not a sigh. Not resistance. Just... processing.
"...You're something else," she murmured.
He chuckled under his breath. "You'd be surprised how often I hear that."
She gave him a sidelong glance, sharp as a breeze—but didn't pull away. If anything, she leaned in a little more, almost unconsciously, her posture softening by degrees.
"I don't know why," she admitted softly. "Why I'm letting myself... show weakness like this. With you."
Peter turned his head slightly, his dark eyes finding hers beneath the faint moonlight cutting through the trees. "Maybe it's not weakness. Maybe you're just human."
Janna didn't answer. Her lips pressed together, a rare flicker of vulnerability surfacing.
And then—unbidden—a memory slipped into her mind. Lux's voice. Bitter. Afraid.
"You're going to fall for him too," Lux had said that night, her tone like cracked porcelain. "Just give it a week. Just like Jinx. And then it'll be you and her and whoever else decides to jump on the Peter train, and I'll just... be stuck in the middle of it all."
At the time, Janna had brushed it off. Lux was emotional. She always had been. But now...
Now she wasn't so sure.
Peter's arm was still draped around her, warm despite the cool of the evening, grounding in a way she didn't expect. The forest air swirled faintly around them, but her usual connection to the wind felt... different.
Muted.
Not in power—but in distraction. In comfort. She didn't need it right now.
Because Peter was here.
"Maybe Lux was right," she thought to herself, unwilling to say it aloud. "Maybe I am falling. Maybe not all at once. But piece by piece. And that's more dangerous."
"You okay?" Peter asked gently, his voice a low rumble beside her ear.
She nodded after a pause. "Just thinking."
"Dangerous pastime," he teased.
Janna actually smiled. A small one, quiet and reserved, but it touched her eyes.
"And what about you?" she asked, voice dipping low. "Are you always this... charming? Or is this just a phase?"
Peter leaned in a little, just enough to make her heart skip for half a beat. "I'm whatever you need me to be, Janna."
That silenced her. Not because it was cocky. But because it felt... sincere.
Too sincere.
They reached the edge of the tree line then, the faint sound of chatter and crackling fire guiding them back toward the others. Janna didn't step away from his arm until they were within sight of the camp.
Even then, she lingered beside him for a moment longer than necessary.
And when she finally did move away, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, her voice was nearly a whisper:
"...Thank you. For coming to find me."
Peter just gave her a crooked smirk. "Anytime."
Then they rejoined the others—two more players stepping back into the story, neither of them quite the same as before.
The scent of smoke curled in the air as Peter and Janna rejoined the group. The sun had dipped below the trees, casting a cool blue over the clearing. The campfire crackled in the center, already halfway built.
Lux spotted them first. She stood up immediately, dusting her skirt as she hurried over.
"Janna, are you okay?" Her eyes flicked from Janna's face to Peter's, as if trying to decode something she wasn't sure she was ready to see.
"I'm alright," Janna said gently. Calm, composed. "I just needed a moment to myself."
Peter stayed silent, hands in his hoodie pockets, offering only the ghost of a smile.
Lux studied them for a second longer than she should've. Something about the way Peter's body language hovered near Janna—relaxed, yet protective—made something twist in her chest. She swallowed it. It wasn't the time. Janna was safe. That was all that mattered.
Lulu popped up from one of the logs by the fire pit and waved them over. "You're back just in time! Jinx brought cookies!"
Jinx was tossing a bag of oranges onto the picnic table as she loudly crunched through the last cookie in her mouth. "One cookie, technically. But hey, who's counting?"
She pulled it apart and offered both pieces to Lulu with a wink. "Don't say I never share."
"Only 'cause I'm cuter than you," Lulu chirped, already chewing.
"Exactly." Jinx gave Peter a quick glance, caught the fact that he was still standing, and nudged a spot on the log beside her. "C'mon, mystery man. You're part of the group now, whether you like it or not."
Peter raised a brow, but sat beside her with an easy smirk. "Is that a threat or a promise?"
Jinx grinned wide. "Yes."
Poppy dropped a chopped log near the fire with a grunt. "We starting this or not?"
"I got it," Janna said, kneeling beside the ring. She struck a match with practiced ease and guided a small flame into the nest of kindling. The fire caught and breathed out heat into the growing dusk.
Peter watched her quietly, a flicker of admiration hiding behind his usual cool.
"Not bad," Peter remarked, watching the fire catch with a slow smile. "And here I was seriously considering cheating with a lighter."
Lux shot him a look—playful, but with a sharp edge. "No cheating."
"Scout's honor," he replied, raising his hand in mock sincerity.
Jinx leaned in, smirking. "Wow. And here I thought you were more of a bad boy type."
Peter shrugged. "I dabble. But I've got standards."
"Uh-huh," Lux said, narrowing her eyes. "So no sneaky tricks?"
"Depends," Peter said, leaning on his knees, "Would it count if I just... happened to be naturally good at everything?"
Jinx laughed. "Oh, you are so full of it."
"And yet," Peter gestured to himself, "still charming."
Poppy groaned as she dropped another log into the pile. "I liked him better when he was quiet."
"You mean mysterious?" Peter grinned.
"I mean silent," Poppy deadpanned.
Lulu giggled as she toasted a marshmallow. "He's fun."
Peter pointed at her. "See? Someone here has taste."
Lux rolled her eyes and gave the fire a poke with a stick. "Just keep it low-tech, alright?"
Peter raised an eyebrow. "What, you think I'm secretly hiding superpowers or something?"
There was a beat.
The fire popped loudly.
"No," Lux said, a bit too quickly.
Jinx raised a brow at her but said nothing.
Peter smiled to himself and leaned back, letting the flames reflect in his eyes.
"Good," he said casually. "Would be pretty awkward if anyone here had secrets."
No one answered.
Just the sound of fire crackling and marshmallows sizzling.
Everyone suddenly found something else to look at.
Lulu jumped onto the log beside Janna, hugging her arm. "Tell us a story!"
"A ghost story!" Jinx added. "You've got the ancient vibe down perfectly."
Janna's brows arched ever so slightly. "I'm not that old."
Peter leaned toward her slightly, stage-whispering, "They mean it as a compliment."
That earned him a side-glance and the smallest curve of a smile.
Janna sighed, settling back on her heels. "Alright... Once upon a time, there was a lonely light..."
Peter listened, letting the words wash over him. It was beautiful in a way most people never appreciated—this poetic mythologizing. But to him, it sounded too real to be just a story.
From the way the girls leaned in, from the flicker in Lux's eyes and the way Jinx had gone strangely quiet, Peter could tell this wasn't just a tale. It was personal. Something unspoken passed between the five of them.
He didn't comment. Just listened. That's what a good Guardian did, after all—watch the world behind the world. Let the truth slip when it thought it wasn't being watched.
But Janna caught him watching her. Mid-story, her eyes lifted to his just for a moment. That subtle, almost imperceptible flash of recognition passed between them. Like she knew he knew. But neither said a word.
The story ended quietly. Lulu leaned against Janna, eyes already heavy. Poppy was thoughtful. Jinx was staring at the fire, mouth curled, but her mind elsewhere. And Lux? She was still stealing glances at Peter. Like she couldn't stop herself.
"I'll look after her," Janna said softly, guiding Lulu toward the tent.
Peter stood to follow, but Poppy stepped in front of him, arms crossed and brow already furrowing like she sensed trouble.
"You're not sleeping with Jinx," she said flatly.
Peter blinked. "Wow. Harsh delivery."
Jinx perked up from where she was unrolling her sleeping bag near one of the tents. "Aw, come on! What if I wanted a cuddle partner tonight?"
Peter grinned. "See? She gets it."
Lux, who'd just returned from stashing her bag, paused in step, her eyes narrowing in on the exchange like a hawk circling gossip. "Wait... if someone's sharing a tent with Peter, I demand to cast my vote."
"Of course you do," Jinx smirked, waggling her brows.
Peter gave an exaggerated sigh. "Man. One guy around a group of girls and suddenly everyone thinks bedtime comes with bonus content."
Lux folded her arms, half-offended, half-intrigued. "Depends on the content."
"Oh?" Peter lifted a brow playfully. "I didn't know you were into scandalous camping stories."
Lux tried to look unbothered. She failed.
Jinx snorted. "Hey, I'm just saying... If Peter's sleeping alone tonight, it's a tragedy. A waste of premium cuddle real estate."
Peter pretended to be deeply wounded. "You mean I get no cuddle partner?"
"I volunteer as tribute," Jinx said immediately.
"Seconded," Lux muttered, not even realizing she said it out loud.
There was a beat of stunned silence. Lux blinked rapidly, realizing what just slipped.
Poppy, without looking up from her firewood sorting, deadpanned, "Absolutely not."
Both girls groaned at once.
"Come on, Bam Bam," Jinx protested. "This is discrimination."
Poppy didn't even glance back. "This is called not waking up to screaming when one of you inevitably tries to get handsy."
"I am offended," Peter declared, placing a hand over his heart. "I am the epitome of gentleman."
Lux gave him a look. "You flirted with Ahri in broad daylight."
"I flirt with everyone," Peter shrugged. "It's called being consistent."
"Still no," Poppy muttered again.
Peter chuckled, surrendering with a lazy raise of his hands. "Alright, alright. I get it. My charm is too dangerous to be left unsupervised."
He turned toward the extra tent pitched just off to the side. "Guess I'm flying solo tonight."
"Your loss," Jinx called after him with a wink.
Lux stayed quiet, but when Peter glanced back, her eyes lingered just a little too long before she looked away.
He found the spare tent, unzipped it, and tossed his bag inside. It was smaller, but quiet. Private. Just the way he liked it.
Peter crouched by the fire one last time. The others were starting to settle, the crackle of the flames mixing with light chatter and crickets. He looked up. The stars were sharp and countless overhead.
So many stars.
So much light.
So many lies trying to stay hidden under all that sparkle.
Secrets made people interesting.
He stood and stretched with a faint smirk.
"And this group?" he muttered to himself, ducking into his tent.
"They're very interesting."
Just behind him, out of sight, the flap of another tent shifted slightly. Janna, silhouetted in silver light, had been watching again.
Her voice, soft and thoughtful, barely broke the hush of the night.
"...Lux might've been right."
The wind outside the tents softened. Night wrapped the camp in silence, save for the occasional snap of burning wood or rustle of pine needles.
Peter laid back against his sleeping bag, arms crossed behind his head. He stared at the dim outlines of stars above through the small holes in the tent ceiling. He counted them.
One. Two. Three...
And then he slept.
He dreamed.
A golden blur—a person, moving with impossible speed—crashed down onto a ruined street surrounded by fire. Buildings broke apart. Cars flipped. The world screamed.
He saw others nearby. Familiar shapes, but their faces were indistinct. Covered by fog. Shadows. Static.
They moved like warriors. A team. A family.
Someone shouted something—"Tony!"—but Peter didn't hear it. Or rather, he did... but the sound was garbled. Like a scratched record. The name skipped into silence.
The blurred man at the center—Adriel, though Peter didn't know it—fought alongside them. Wearing his old Spider-Man suit. Surrounded by an aura that felt divine.
The dream shifted.
A new battlefield, darker. Cold, like metal. Red eyes swarmed in the distance. Peter saw the figure from before again. The golden blur. Leading the charge with that same ghostly team—slightly larger now.
A mechanical voice echoed through the chaos: "You are obsolete."
Ultron.
He recognized that name.
The mechanical tyrant stood tall, arms outstretched as black wires reached across the world like veins. His glow was unnatural. Wrong.
Peter's mind fought to remember—but the static returned. Faces flickered, glitched. He heard May's voice in the background:
"You did great today, sweetheart. They're saying you're going to be invited soon..."
"To the—" But the name didn't come through. Just fuzz.
"Think Tony'll be there?" he heard himself say, a boy's voice—young, full of hope. "Maybe Ad—" again, the name vanished under static.
"No," he had smiled. "Forget them. Let's just eat together, yeah? Just us."
A chuckle. "Alright," May had said warmly. "Just us."
The memory sharpened. They sat in a cheap diner. Vinyl seats. Greasy fries. A cracked napkin holder. Peter remembered the smell. The way her hand felt when she rested it on his.
"I'm proud of you," May said gently. "Not just because you're brave. But because you care. He's been taking such care of you... Ad—" the glitch again "—said you where progressing amazingly. He's said you where going to be ready when the time comes."
"You think I'll ever stand with the big guys?" he'd asked, embarrassed.
She reached across the table. "You won't just stand with them, honey. You'll be a part them. And become the hope this world needs."
Peter closed his eyes.
He didn't want the dream to end.
But it did.
He stirred at the faint sound of feet outside. The dry crunch of grass and dirt. A sharp breath. Whispers.
His eyes opened, staring at the tent roof again.
"...That memory aged like wine," he muttered.
But the edge in his voice—sarcastic, bitter—cut through the quiet. Because the truth was, it didn't. His universe hadn't aged at all.
It had died.
And he was the only one left alive.
He sat up slowly, listening.
Someone was moving. Not casually. Frantic. Quick.
He reached over and quietly unzipped the tent flap. Eyes narrowing, muscles taut. Not out of fear.
Out of habit.
Because something wasn't right.
And he'd learned the hard way—nightmares didn't always end when you woke up.
The crackle of the dying campfire was the only sound left when Peter stirred from his tent.
He sat up, eyes sharp despite the weight of sleep still clinging to his bones. He could hear it—movement. Fast. Scrambling. Hushed voices. Not the peaceful kind. Urgent. Focused. He tugged the zipper down in one smooth motion and slipped out into the cold night air, hoodie zipped halfway and bare feet crunching softly on grass.
Just ahead, four figures clustered near the tents, bathed in moonlight.
Lux. Jinx. Janna. Poppy.
They were clearly not expecting company.
All four froze the moment they spotted him.
Peter blinked once and raised an eyebrow. "...Okay. Either someone made really weird plans for a sleepover, or something's wrong."
Poppy, always the quickest to recover, crossed her arms. "Everything's fine. You should get back to bed."
He looked around them, scanning the trees and shadowed trail behind camp. "Where's Lulu?"
That made Lux flinch—just slightly. Jinx looked away.
Peter's tone shifted, softer now. "She's gone, isn't she?"
"She woke up," Janna offered, calmly, though her fingers curled tightly around the fabric of her sleeves. "Walked off into the woods. Probably sleepwalking again. We were just about to look for her."
"Right. At two in the morning. While you're all whispering like you're hiding something."
Jinx tried to wave it off. "Just our usual midnight girl-scout recon. S'more patrol."
Peter smirked faintly but didn't press. Of course they were lying. They didn't know that he already knew.
They were Star Guardians.
He knew that since day one. Since he sensed the starlight tangled around them. Since he traced the residue of cosmic magic after they used their powers discreetly. Since the very moment Lux, Jinx, and Janna's energy practically screamed chosen.
But he didn't say that. He never would.
He just sighed and gestured toward the trees. "Mind if I help look for her?"
Poppy immediately stepped forward. "No offense, but—"
"I'll be careful," Peter cut in smoothly. "Promise. Just... it's Lulu. I'd rather not risk it."
The four girls looked at each other. A long pause.
"Fine," Lux said, clearly hesitant. "But stick close. We're splitting up."
"Not my first manhunt," Peter quipped, turning toward the darker part of the woods. "Though if any void-spawn show up, I might cry. Just so we're clear."
Poppy narrowed her eyes. "Void-what?"
"Kidding," he lied smoothly. "Mostly."
Lux stepped forward, brushing past Jinx.
"I'll go with him," she said simply.
Jinx visibly pouted. "Of course you will."
Peter raised his hands. "Relax. I'm not stealing anyone's thunder."
Jinx crossed her arms. "Damn right you're not."
He turned to walk, and Lux quickly followed, her footsteps matching his pace.
Behind them, the other three girls waited.
"He knows more than he lets on," Poppy muttered.
Janna looked toward the darkened path. "And yet, I think he's holding back. On purpose."
Jinx sighed, grabbing her weapon bag. "If anything happens to him, I'm blaming you, Lux."
"Noted," Lux called back, already disappearing into the forest beside Peter.
Peter and Lux walked in silence at first. The air was damp with dew and thick with the scent of pine.
"Sorry about earlier," Lux finally said. "For, you know... being weird."
"Weird is relative," Peter said casually. "You're charming compared to most girls I've met."
"I doubt that," she muttered.
He glanced at her sidelong. "So. Any idea where Lulu might've wandered off to?"
Lux shook her head. "She's... intuitive. Dreamy. Said she saw new stars in her sleep earlier."
Peter's smile faded. That dream, he thought. So it already started.
The dream of new Star Guardians. He knew it because he had seen it before. Because he'd lived through the same cycles of light and darkness. And Lulu, bless her pure soul, was always the first to sense new beginnings.
But he didn't say that.
Instead, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small flashlight, though he didn't need it. His eyes already adjusted to the dark. "She can't have gotten far. Not with those stubby legs."
Lux laughed softly, then stopped herself. "Sorry. That sounded bad."
"No, it was perfect," Peter replied, smirking. "Besides, I've said worse."
They moved deeper into the trees.
Quiet.
Until Peter frowned.
Something in the wind changed.
A vibration—almost imperceptible—crawled up his spine. Like the tension before a lightning strike. Like reality itself twitching.
He narrowed his eyes.
Something else is out here.
And then—
"There," Lux pointed, her voice barely above a whisper. Through a break in the treeline, a faint glow shimmered against the mist. Peter followed her gaze.
In the center of a quiet meadow, Lulu sat on a red and white checkered blanket, staring up at the stars like nothing was wrong. A bag of oranges rested beside her, untouched.
Peter and Lux stepped into the clearing.
Lulu's head snapped around.
"Lux! Peter!"
Peter blinked. "Lulu... What are you doing out here?"
She grinned innocently, as if she hadn't just terrified her entire team. "The new stars are coming. I had to see them."
Lux stiffened slightly beside Peter.
He noticed.
And pretended not to.
He chuckled gently instead, crossing his arms. "You could've at least left a note. What if a bear got you? Or a raccoon? Or worse—a very territorial pigeon."
Lulu giggled, but Lux was already rushing forward, kneeling beside her friend and checking her over. "You're okay? You didn't see anything strange? Hear anything?"
"Nope," Lulu said brightly. "Just stars. And whispers. But nice whispers."
Peter raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.
The sound of footsteps behind them made all three turn.
Janna arrived first, looking breathless and relieved.
"Lulu!" she rushed forward and enveloped the smaller girl in a soft but urgent hug. "Don't scare me like that. You know better."
Lulu looked sheepish. "Sorry, Janna... I just had to see the sky from here."
Poppy and Jinx stumbled into the clearing next, slightly winded from the uphill trek.
"Oh good, she's not bug food," Jinx said, hands on her knees. "I had a whole speech prepared."
"You okay, Lulu?" Poppy asked, glancing around. "We felt something weird."
Peter stepped slightly forward, casually inserting himself between the group and the shadows behind them. "She's fine. Just stargazing. Though I gotta say... this spot feels off."
The ground trembled.
Barely. Just a shudder beneath their feet.
Jinx went still.
"...You felt that, right?"
"Yeah," Lux said quietly.
Peter's expression hardened.
The air grew heavier. Thick.
He looked toward the edge of the clearing. That same sickly vibration returned, crawling up his spine.
Here we go again, he thought.
Then, as if on cue—
The ground split with a low, jagged groan.
Green-black light pulsed from the cracks, tendrils of mist slithering outward like searching fingers. From the ruptured earth, the first of the Voidlings emerged—chitinous bodies, mandible mouths, and glowing, soulless eyes.
"Everyone back!" Lux shouted, her voice sharp and commanding as the first tremors split the ground.
Peter didn't flinch. He stepped forward instead, gaze narrowing at the creatures crawling through the rising mist.One... two... seven... no, more. Too many. And they weren't charging blindly. They were moving in a pattern. Coordinated. Smart.
That was never a good sign.
"Peter, move!" Lux turned to him. Her hand outstretched—not to pull him into the fight, but to push him away.
Poppy stepped up, hammer braced in both hands as she put herself squarely between Lulu and the approaching swarm. "We've got this," she said, steady as steel.
"Form a circle," Janna instructed, floating upward slightly, eyes glowing with focused energy. "Protect Lulu."
Peter opened his mouth in protest, "The hell are you guys talking about?! We should all run away!"
He didn't move from his spot.
Jinx noticed. She narrowed her eyes. "Dude. This is not your vibe. You've been cool, but unless you're hiding a rocket launcher in that hoodie—run."
Peter looked between the five of them. His expression turned more serious."You're seriously telling me to run while you're dealing with whatever the hell that is?"
Lux stepped toward him. Her tone was urgent but strangely gentle."Please. Peter, just trust us on this. We can handle it. We'll be right behind you. But you can't be here when things go down. You shouldn't see this."
He raised an eyebrow. "See what?"
Lux hesitated. Janna cut in smoothly, already gathering wind magic."There's no time. Please—just go. Now."
The concern in their voices wasn't fake. They were trying to protect him. Not because they thought he was weak—but because they still believed he was normal. Civilian. Innocent.
That thought almost made him laugh.
Peter tilted his head like he was mulling it over. Then sighed."Alright, alright. I'm gone."
He backed away—hands raised in surrender, feigning reluctance.
"Just don't die before I get back," he added with a grin.
Lux gave a tight, anxious nod.
Peter turned and sprinted into the trees, disappearing into the thick fog. The moment he was out of view—
—he stopped.
His body rose slightly off the ground, a shimmer of dark energy pulsing through his veins. From his sleeves, the black symbiote slithered out—coating his limbs, his chest, his face—until his entire form was encased in the pitch-dark sheen of his other half.
Eyes flashed white.
His iconic symbol formed on his chest.
"Showtime," he whispered.
From the branches above, Peter crouched and observed the battlefield. His aura muted. His movements silent.
They were doing well—but the tremor he felt before hadn't come from these Voidlings. Something worse was hiding nearby. Watching.
A Dark.
The Voidlings were a distraction. Bait.
Peter's eyes scanned past the fight—toward the far edge of the meadow, where the mist grew too still.
There. That's where you are.
He turned his head back for one final look at the girls. Lux was trying to lead, but her movements were hesitant. Janna was the only one with calm precision—her magic flowing like controlled wind in a storm. Jinx was yelling wild war cries while firing haphazardly with Shiro and Kuro. Poppy swung her hammer like a wrecking ball—effective, but wild. And Lulu—glowing faintly with starlight—stood in the center, wide-eyed and unsteady, protected more by luck than strategy.
Peter narrowed his eyes slightly.
How do they even hide their Magical Mediums from the world?
He'd always sensed them—those tiny, cosmic beings buzzing just out of phase with normal perception. Most people couldn't see them.
But he wasn't most people.
Still, he never acknowledged it. That would raise too many questions. Like why some random guy in a hoodie could track celestial familiars tied to the First Star.
Yeah... not exactly something you bring up during casual small talk.
He exhaled slowly, eyes scanning the treeline.
"You're strong," he muttered under his breath. "But if they tampered with this story... and those things are juiced by a Dark..."
He vanished into the fog, footsteps silent.
"...Then I'll be the one hunting the hunter."
To Be Continued...