You were woken up by your phone ringing and you tiredly reached out a hand to grab it. You squinted at the screen and slid your finger over it to accept the call, "hello?" you asked in a warbled voice.

"Woah, did I wake you up?" you heard Isen's voice.

"It's fine, what's up?" you sat up rubbed at your eyes.

"First things first, what's up with you?" Isen asked in concern, "it's past noon."

You yawned, "oh, sorry. I didn't realize."

"What happened?"

You stood up from your bed and exited your room to check on Remi, "it might be something you should come over for." You told him, "or at least, sit down before I tell you."

"(y/n), you're scaring me." Isen's voice sounded worried.

"Just," you took a deep breath, "get over here. And bring Blyke too."

"We'll be there in a few minutes." Isen promised and hung up. You checked Remi's room and saw that it was empty and the bag you helped pack the night before was gone. You checked your phone and saw a notification that was telling how you got a text from Remi. You opened it up and it read, 'didn't want to wake you up this morning before I left. Thanks for last night.'

You were already waking up so you decided to change out of your pajamas before the boys got here. You quickly did just that, and was combing your hair when you heard a knock. You quickly went to the door and pulled it open, "hey."

"What's up?" Isen asked in concern as he and Blyke entered your room.

You fiddled with the edge of your shirt, "Rei's dead."

Both boys froze and it was almost as if Sera had appeared and caused time to stop, "what?" Blyke choked.

"Remi's on her way home, so that's why she's not here." There was silence as the boys took in what you said. You stayed like this for a few moments. Isen and Blyke were frozen wide-eyed in shock, and you stood awkwardly in front of them. However, the moment was broken by Blyke getting a text.

He clumsily took out his phone and looked at the message, "we challenged Agwin to a turf war." He reported.

"What are you going to do with Remi not here?" Isen asked.

"I assume Arlo's going to ask Sera." Blyke answered. He took a deep breath, "do you guys want to come?" you and Isen looked at him in shock. Weren't turf war battles restricted to just those who were fighting? "Y'know, to," he kicked the floor, "take our minds off of things."

"Are we allowed to?" Isen asked the question you were wondering.

Blyke rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm not sure actually. I'll ask Arlo." He answered and started texting a response to Arlo. A moment later he had a response, "okay. You're not allowed to come. But we'll be going by train, maybe you want to just hang out on the platform?"

"No." Isen responded the same time you responded with "sure."

You looked at Isen, "we should try to get out. It won't do us any good to stay cooped up inside." He sighed, but nodded in agreance.

"It's in 3 hours," Blyke reported, "get ready, I'll meet you guys in front of the school in 15 minutes and we'll grab some lunch at the convenience store before we head out."

You nodded and he and Isen left your room. You quickly finished the rest of your morning routine before grabbing your phone and hurrying out of your room to meet them in the front.

"Let's go." Blyke stated when you arrived, "we'll grab some food then meet the rest of the team at the train,"

"Okay." You nodded and the three of you exited off of school grounds.

It was quiet as the three of you walked through town, "so that's why you didn't wake up until I called you." Isen noted and broke the silence.

"Yeah," you nodded, "just trying to support Remi." The conversation fell silent again and the three of you entered the convenience store. You made a beeline for their pre-made sandwiches and grabbed one, as well as (favorite drink). Blyke and Isen had food as well and the three of you paid for your food. The three of you began to walk to the train station, again, in silence. "So...were you guys close to Rei?" you asked the guys to try and make small talk.

"I know he was King before Arlo," Isen stated and you nodded.

"He graduated before I got to know him," Blyke added his own two cents and both you and Isen agreed.

"It's crazy, isn't it?" you murmured.

Blyke nodded, "he was more powerful than Arlo!"

"Ember always felt like some outside force, it wouldn't happen to us." Isen mused and both you and Blyke turned to look at him.

"And now it has." You finished Isen's thought and he nodded. The three of you arrived at the station and began to eat your food as you waited for Arlo, Elaine, and Sera to arrive. "Are you ready?" you asked Blyke.

"I've got to be." He smiled wryly.

"You can do it!" you told him encouragingly, "just focus on the present." He nodded and turned back to his sandwich.

Isen clapped Blyke's back, "if you don't, Arlo will totally beat your butt." He tried to joke. It worked, the three of you started to laugh and the atmosphere lightened.

"Wonder why he challenged Agwin," you mused, "Wellston is unchallenged number one."

"Well," Isen declared and rolled up his trash in a ball, "whatever the reason, let's hope it doesn't make us look like fools." He tossed his trash into the trash can but he missed.

"Boo!" Blyke joked and Isen threw him a nasty look as he went to pick up his trash. Blyke grinned and crumpled up his own trash and threw it at Isen. Unlike Isen's throw, Blyke's hit his target and Isen scowled when the trash hit him. Both you and Blyke laughed at Isen picked it up and threw it away.

"Here." You handed Blyke your trash that you crumpled up into a ball.

"Don't." Isen warned as Blyke wound up to throw the ball.

"Try me." Blyke grinned and launched the trash at Isen, it hit Isen in the face and both you and Blyke burst out laughing. Your laughing was cut short when you heard Arlo.

"I thought I told you they couldn't come." Arlo scowled when he approached the three of you and Blyke glared at him in return.

"Relax," you stepped up, "we'll stop at the train platform over there. We won't get anywhere near your turf war."

"You better not." Arlo threatened with a frown.

"Let's just get it over with," Sera shoved past your group and scanned her train card to let her into the station.

Arlo gave you and Isen one last glare before he and Elaine followed Sera. "Umm, I'm having second thoughts about this." You told Blyke, "maybe Isen and I will just go to the mall or something."

Blyke raised an eyebrow, "if this is about Arlo being salty..."

Isen shook his head, "no, I needed to get some socks anyways. (y/n), do you want to come?"

"Yeah, sure!" you nodded.

"Alright," Blyke waved uncertainly, "I'll see you guys later." He scanned his card and entered the train terminal while you and Isen waved at him until he was out of sight.

"It was totally because Arlo was being salty." Isen told you.

"Definitely." You replied, you turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Socks?"

His face flushed, "it was the first thing I could come up with okay!"

You laughed and led him out of the train station to the closest mall, "I'm going to find you the cutest socks out there."

"What?" Isen asked in surprise," why?"

"Because you need socks, that's what you told Blyke." You teased.

"Aw come on," he whined but you just laughed.

☆☆☆

You had dragged him into Justice and was currently looking in their sock section, "how about this pink one with pugs on it!" you asked him eagerly and showed him the hot pink sock with glitter somehow woven into it.

"Is that even going to fit on my foot?" he asked dubiously.

You squinted at the tag, "maybe. What's your shoe size?"

"10."

"Hmm," you looked at the sizing chart on the back of the sock, "I don't think so." Behind you, you could hear Isen sigh with relief, "I know Target has some cute socks!" you brightened up and grabbed his hand to drag him out.

He groaned but let you drag him out of the store, as you were leaving you heard a girl shout, "you guys make a cute couple!"

Both you and Isen froze and looked around, she wasn't talking about you, right? You spotted a girl with shoulder length brown hair smiling at the two of you, "is she talking to us?" you whispered to Isen and let go of his hand.

"I really hope not," he whispered back and your heart skipped a beat. Did he say that because he didn't want to date you? Or was it because you weren't dating and it'd be awkward to explain it to her? "Let's just go." He suggested, you nodded and the two of you nearly sprinted away from the store.

The two of you were far from the store when you said, "well that was awkward." You tried to laugh off the encounter but you could still feel your face flushed.

Isen laughed, "definitely." You noticed his ears seemed to be red, but you brushed it off.

"So...socks?" you suggested and the awkward atmosphere was lifted. You led the way to Target and searched around for the socks. "You could try to help, y'know." You told Isen as he trailed behind you.

"Help you with my demise?" he asked, "no thank you."

You pouted, "meanie."

"Hey, you could spend your money on socks that I'll actually wear." He suggested.

"Where's the fun in that?" you laughed. You saw the rack of socks out of the corner of your eye and you ran over to it in excitement. "Giraffe heads?" you held up the bright blue socks with a pattern of giraffe heads. He shook his head. "Ooh here, this one is somewhat normal." You held up a white sock that had a panda face on the foot, "nobody will be able to tell."

Isen sighed, "since you're so insistent." You looked at him expectantly, "it's fine."

You punched the air, "yes!"

"Now it's my turn." He looked at the rack of socks and you looked at him in curiosity. "No looking." He told you and you pouted but covered your eyes with your hands. "You can open your eyes now." You opened your eyes and didn't see a pair of socks in Isen's hands.

"Did you pick something?" you tilted your head to the side in confusion.

"Yeah." He answered.

"Can I see it?" you questioned and tried to peer at his other hand which he had hidden behind his back.

"Nope." He responded cheekily and started in the direction of the check out.

"What if I don't like it?" you continued to grill him in an attempt to see what he had chosen.

"Then I'll just return it," he shrugged.

"But that's a hassle." You argued.

He gave you a smile, "I know you'll like it."

"Oh?" you quirked an eyebrow at him, "is that a challenge?"

"Not really." He responded. The two of you got in one of the check-out lines, you in the front, and Isen behind you. You put the socks on the conveyor belt and paid for them. You got a text on your phone, and during the time that you were distracted, Isen bought and paid for the socks that he got.

You frowned when you saw the text. It was from Isen and it read 'look away.' "That was sneaky."

He smiled, "sorry, but hey, it worked!"

"So, what'd you get?" you asked and handed him the bag with the socks you got for him. He handed you his bag and you looked into it and finally saw the socks. You took them out and your eyes lit up, "aww! It's so cute!" you gushed. It was a (f/c) sock with (favorite animal) faces patterned on it.

Isen has a smug smile, "see, I knew you'd like it."

"All right, you win." You smiled back. The two of you exited the store and started to make your way back to the school, "I wonder if that Turf War finished." You mused.

Isen shrugged, "who knows. Blyke seemed a little concerned about it."

"Yeah," you nodded in agreeance.

"So...about that thing that girl shouted at us earlier." Isen started and his ears turned red again.

"That thing...?" you thought about what he said and tried to recall it from your memory, "oh! You mean that girl at Justice?" Isen nodded and your face flushed, "what about it?"

"Do you see us as doing that?" he questioned but didn't look at you.

"Dating?" you wondered and Isen nodded, "I don't know." You too couldn't look at him.

"Do you want to try it?" your eyes darted up to see him looking at you. When your eyes met his eyes wandered away, "dating, I mean."

You thought about it, did you? You always enjoyed his company, and walking with him at the mall was a lot of fun. Plus, it's not like he was bad looking either. "Sure." You smiled.

"Really?" the red from Isen's ears had spread to his cheeks.

"Yeah!" you nodded and your heart felt lighter, "it'll be our secret, because Blyke might blow up the school if he finds out." You laughed.

Isen nodded, "you're not wrong." His hand found his way to yours and both of your faces turned redder than they were before.

"This is nice." You muttered as you felt the warmth of his hand against your own.

"Yeah."