Chapter 99: Chapter 93: The Sass Strikes Back

The morning sun filtered through the dorm windows, casting warm light over the common room where everyone had gathered again. Breakfast plates were scattered across the table, Venti was sipping his matcha lazily, and Amber was humming as she munched on toast.

At the center of it all sat Scaramouche, arms crossed, one leg draped over the other, his face plastered with his signature scowl. Across from him, Aether was leaning against the couch armrest, munching on yet another apple with that infuriatingly smug grin.

It was clear to everyone: round two was about to begin.

“Do you always eat apples like some cartoon villain, or is today special?” Scaramouche said, narrowing his eyes at Aether.

Aether smirked. “What can I say? I’m just naturally cool.”

Scaramouche’s lip twitched. “Cool? You? Oh please, your entire personality is ‘golden retriever energy’ mixed with two brain cells fighting for dominance.”

Amber let out a loud snort, almost choking on her toast. Ayaka delicately covered her mouth with her hand, but her shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter.

Aether, unfazed, took another loud bite of his apple. “Jealous much, Kuni?”

That was it. The mention of that name.

Scaramouche stood up so quickly that the chair scraped against the floor. “Stop. Calling. Me. That.”

Aether leaned back with his arms behind his head, a grin still plastered on his face. “Make me.”

Without a second thought, Scaramouche shoved Aether. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to send the golden-haired boy stumbling back onto the couch with a loud THUD!

Amber’s eyes went wide. “Oh no, he did not!”

Venti gasped dramatically, clutching his matcha cup. “Violence! Sweet, sweet entertainment!”

Lumine, who had been walking in with a cup of tea, sighed loudly. “Seriously, again? Can you two not go five minutes without fighting?”

Scaramouche turned toward her, arms crossed, eyebrows raised. “I wasn’t fighting, I was correcting an issue.”

Aether, now lounging dramatically on the couch, groaned. “I’m being oppressed. Someone call the authorities!”

Albedo, seated nearby with his tablet, barely looked up. “Technically, Aether instigated this altercation, so the fault isn’t entirely Scaramouche’s.”

“Thank you, Albedo,” Scaramouche said smugly, pointing at Aether like he’d just won a court case.

“But,” Albedo continued, adjusting his glasses, “physical retaliation was unnecessary. So, technically, you’re both at fault.”

Scaramouche scowled, crossing his arms tighter. “I’m surrounded by idiots.”

Amber giggled. “Oh, Scara, you love us and you know it.”

“No. I tolerate you people at best,” he shot back, before turning his glare back to Aether, who was now munching on a second apple. “And you—stop eating like it’s your last day on earth.”

Aether grinned around a mouthful of apple. “What? Scared I’ll steal your spotlight, Kuni?”

Scaramouche lunged forward again, and Lumine quickly stepped between them, holding up her hands. “Okay! That’s enough!”

Both boys froze, glaring at each other over Lumine’s head.

Lumine sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Honestly, it’s like babysitting two toddlers.”

Ayaka finally spoke, her voice calm but firm. “Gentlemen, if you’re done embarrassing yourselves, perhaps we can move on with our day?”

Scaramouche huffed, turning away dramatically and flopping back onto the couch with his arms crossed. Aether, still lounging, waved his apple triumphantly like it was a trophy.

Amber clapped her hands together. “Alright, before round three starts, can we please decide what we’re doing today? Group movie marathon? Karaoke night? Something peaceful?”

Venti raised his hand. “I vote karaoke. I have excellent pipes.”

Scaramouche rolled his eyes. “You mean you have a megaphone for a voice. You could shatter glass, bard.”

Venti gasped, placing a hand on his chest. “Rude!”

Albedo sighed, closing his tablet. “It seems whatever we do, chaos will follow.”

Lumine shook her head with a tired smile. “Honestly, I’m just going to let you all figure it out. I’ll be in the kitchen.”

As Lumine walked away, Scaramouche shot one final glare at Aether. “Stay away from me. And stop eating apples.”

Aether smirked, holding up his third apple like a trophy. “No promises, Kuni.”

“I swear to—”

Before Scaramouche could launch himself across the room again, Amber grabbed his arm, laughing. “Okay, okay, let’s calm down! Boys, you’re both... special.”

Venti raised his cup of matcha. “To another chaotic day!”

The group collectively groaned, but no one could stop the small smiles from forming on their faces.

The day had barely started, and already, Scaramouche and Aether had set the tone for yet another eventful chapter of chaos.

There's was literally having a blackout in my place rn so I'm bored I'm posting this chapters