The Ice Breaking

Students began to file out of the arena, their conversations a low hum of excitement as they discussed the fight. Ezra watched them go, but his attention was drawn to the front where Rowan had walked off the stage, a wide grin spreading across his face.

As Rowan made his way through the crowd, he approached a familiar group—Silas, Asli, and Atlas. Without missing a beat, Rowan reached out and casually ruffled Atlas's meticulously arranged hair, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.

"Well, well, Rowan. Another win," Atlas remarked, his voice smooth and dripping with approval as he raised an eyebrow, though he quickly smoothed his hair back into place.

Rowan chuckled, running a hand through his own messy hair. "What can I say? Can't help it when you're just that good."

Silas leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed, giving Rowan an appraising glance.

"You did well."

"That's all you've got to say to your older brother?" Rowan teased, feigning offense.

Silas rolled his eyes but didn't respond, the familiar banter between them obvious.

Rowan's grin widened as he turned his attention to Asli. "Now, where's my little pirate?"

Before Asli could react, Rowan grabbed him under the arms and effortlessly lifted him into the air, making him dangle like a child. Asli squirmed but couldn't hide the smile creeping onto his face.

"Ro? Is that you?" Asli asked, half-laughing.

"Duh, who else would it be?" Rowan shot back, chuckling as he finally set Asli down.

Ezra watched the interaction with growing curiosity. The camaraderie between them was easy and natural, but before he could process it further, Rowan's gaze snapped to him. Their eyes met for a brief, charged moment before Rowan turned to Atlas, whispering something.

Atlas's eyes flicked toward Ezra, and then he beckoned him forward with a tilt of his head.

"Ezra," Milo whispered beside him, nudging him slightly, "I think he's calling you."

Ezra swallowed hard, his pulse quickening.

"I'm not going alone," he muttered, grabbing Milo's sleeve and dragging him along as they made their way toward the group.

Rowan's eyes lit up when he saw them approaching. "Ahh, so you're the new talk of the school," he said, his voice rich with amusement. As Ezra drew closer, he couldn't help but realize just how much taller and larger Rowan was compared to him. His broad shoulders and towering figure gave him an almost intimidating presence.

"I'm Ro," he said casually, offering a hand for a shake. Ezra squinted as he took in the details—Rowan's eyes were a piercing green, his eyebrows marked with a faint cut, and his sharp canines flashed with every grin. His tan skin had a natural warmth, dotted with freckles across his cheeks, and his posture was confident, even playful. It was clear that Rowan exuded charisma.

Ezra hesitated, then grabbed Rowan's hand, giving it a quick shake. But as their hands locked, Ezra's brow furrowed slightly—Rowan's grip was surprisingly strong. His fingers began to ache as Rowan's grin widened even further. It felt as though his hand might actually be crushed under the pressure.

"Ro, your grip," Atlas said with a raised eyebrow, his voice tinged with warning.

Rowan blinked, seeming to realize only then how tight he was holding Ezra's hand. "Oh, sorry," he said, his grin softening slightly as he quickly released his grip.

Ezra shook his hand, flexing his fingers as he tried to shake off the lingering pressure. He shot Rowan a look, his own smile slightly strained. "No problem," he said, though his hand still throbbed a little from the force.

Milo, stood awkwardly behind Ezra. 

 "And you are?"

"Oh, I'm—" Milo started, but Asli, peeking over Rowan's arm, cut him off.

"Your name's Milo, right? He's our classmate," Asli said, his tone light, almost teasing.

Milo blinked, his face flushing pink as he stuttered, "You know my name?"

"Of course I know your name, Milo," Asli giggled, leaning casually on Rowan. "You always answer questions in class. You're pretty easy to spot."

Milo's face deepened in color as he looked at the floor, clearly embarrassed by the attention. Ezra couldn't help but smile at the scene—Milo's shy demeanor was endearing, especially with the way Asli playfully teased him.

"Well, don't mind him," Rowan said with a small chuckle, putting an arm around Asli's shoulders. "Asli's always got his eye on the quiet ones."

Milo gave a small nod, still pink but now seeming a bit more at ease with the group.

Rowan turned to Ezra, towering over him with a curious gleam in his eyes. "You're the one Atlas was talking about, huh? So, you're a fire-spitter like Nora?"

"Yeah, I guess," Ezra replied, feeling a little uneasy under Rowan's intense gaze.

From the back, Silas spoke up, his voice casual as he checked his nails. "Ro, you're scaring them."

Rowan shot a glance at Silas, raising an eyebrow. "What did I do now?"