Obsidian Blade

Monday morning descended into chaos faster than anyone had anticipated. With the TapWatch system undergoing a sudden update, nobody received their wake-up alarm. "Guys, we overslept!" Gabe called out, the room suddenly erupting into chaos with all five guys cramming into their shared bathroom simultaneously, completely obliterating their carefully constructed schedule on their very first morning together.

"Jimmy! Seriously?" Gabe yelled, dramatically covering his eyes as Jimmy nonchalantly stepped from the shower area, towel barely secured around his waist, dripping water everywhere. "Can you at least pretend modesty exists?"

Jimmy laughed, entirely unbothered, flexing jokingly in front of the mirror. "Modesty? What's that?" He winked playfully at Tim, whose cheeks flushed deeply as he hurriedly looked away.

Frank abruptly stuck his shampoo-covered head out from behind the shower wall, eyes narrowed accusingly. "Yo, Jimmy, did you take my body-wash again?"

Jimmy smirked mischievously. "Who, me?"

Without hesitation, Frank's hand shot out and yanked at Jimmy's towel, causing him to lunge forward with an exaggerated gasp, clutching his dignity. "Dude!" Jimmy shouted, bursting into laughter despite himself. Ethan, who had been quietly brushing his teeth, choked on toothpaste, sputtering into laughter as he attempted to recover.

"Morning rituals with straight guys are terrifying," Tim muttered anxiously to Ethan, visibly embarrassed by the chaotic scene.

Gabe groaned dramatically. "This is exactly what we tried to avoid with the schedule!" He quickly dodged aside as Jimmy and Frank resumed their playful scuffle, sending water splashing onto the floor and making it dangerously slippery.

"Careful!" Ethan shouted just as he lost his balance, slipping awkwardly and nearly colliding with Tim. Tim instinctively reached out, grabbing Ethan's arm. They froze, faces inches apart, both immediately blushing as they hastily stepped away from each other.

Jimmy paused mid-wrestle, a broad grin spreading across his face. "Aw, how adorable."

Gabe threw his hands into the air in mock surrender. "That's it, I'm moving out. I can't live like this."

Frank finally stepped out of the shower, grinning innocently as he dried off. "Come on, guys. At least we're bonding, right?"

"Bonding? This is pure, embarrassing chaos!" Tim exclaimed, trying to regain his composure. He immediately slipped on another puddle, nearly sending Gabe toppling to the floor with him.

Jimmy laughed loudly, thoroughly amused. "Welcome to dorm life, gentlemen! No secrets, no shame. This was every morning in our last dorm."

Gabe shook his head, chuckling despite his earlier complaints. "Clearly."

After several more slips, shouts, and laughs, the boys finally managed to get ready, emerging from the bathroom breathless and flushed, each wearing amused grins from their unexpected morning of chaos.

"Well, that was certainly an icebreaker," Ethan joked as they all began grabbing their gear for the day.

"Yeah," Tim replied, still a bit red but smiling. "Though next time, let's try not to break all the rules in one go."

"Agreed," Gabe added emphatically. "Or at least wait until after breakfast."

Jimmy and Frank laughed, completely unrepentant. "No promises!"

Shaking their heads but sharing amused glances, the group headed toward the mess hall, still laughing over the chaotic start to their day.

As Jimmy and Frank eagerly jogged ahead to join the girls for the walk to the mess hall, Ethan, Gabe, and Tim hung back, falling into a comfortable pace behind them.

"You know," Gabe began thoughtfully, shaking his head with a chuckle, "Jimmy and Frank are definitely not who I thought they'd be."

"Yeah," Ethan agreed, glancing ahead at their new roommates animatedly chatting with the girls. "They're a bit shameless—okay, extremely shameless—but they're actually pretty entertaining. Kind of fun, too."

Tim laughed softly, nodding in agreement. "Definitely shameless, but surprisingly sweet underneath all that chaos."

Ethan glanced at Tim warmly. "How are you feeling about them being our roommates now? You alright with it?"

Tim smiled shyly, thoughtful for a moment. "Honestly, yeah. They were awful to me for so long, but now…I don't know. They're trying so hard, and I genuinely think they've changed. It's nice."

Gabe placed a reassuring hand on Tim's shoulder. "You know, people grow. It's pretty clear Frank and Jimmy realized what jerks they were, and they're trying hard to fix it. That counts for something."

Tim nodded again, an uncharacteristic hint of malice in his voice. "I think you're just glad to have other straight guys in the dorm with you." Ethan burst out laughing and nodded his head in agreement, and Gabe just shook his head with a smile.

Up ahead, Jimmy glanced back briefly, noticing the trio trailing behind. He nudged Frank lightly. "Hey, can you believe after all the crap we put Tim through, he's actually cool with us now?"

Frank laughed softly, a little embarrassed. "We were idiots, man. Tim's a great guy—smart, funny, kind. It's honestly hard not to like him. I feel like an absolute ass for how we treated him all those years."

Jimmy nodded solemnly, a rare sincerity in his eyes. "Yeah, me too. But you know what? I think this whole roommate situation turned out great. I'm glad we're getting the chance to actually be friends."

"Absolutely," Frank agreed enthusiastically. "Who knew being decent human beings could actually feel good?"

They both laughed at their own revelation, feeling a genuine sense of camaraderie forming among them.

As they approached the mess hall, Ethan, Gabe, and Tim quickly caught up, joining the group with lighthearted grins.

"So, what's for breakfast?" Gabe asked jokingly.

"Chaos, probably," Jimmy quipped with a wink. "Just like our morning."

The entire group laughed together, the mood relaxed and full of newfound friendship as they entered the mess hall, eager to start the day.

Once inside the bustling mess hall, the group quickly found a table and settled down with trays of food. They all pulled out their TapWatches, comparing schedules for the day with animated conversation.

"I've got academics after breakfast," Jimmy noted, scanning his watch.

"Well, I've got combat drills with Ethan," Gabe said, visibly excited.

"Oh cool, me too," Tim chimed in, clearly pleased. "I wish there was a set schedule. It seems like classes are scheduled so randomly here. Waking up everyday to a surprise schedule is weird."

"It's a control thing," Ethan responded, annoyance in his voice.

Kelly chimed in, changing the subject. "Alright, spill it. How did the five of you manage getting ready together this morning?"

Frank laughed loudly, shaking his head. "Complete disaster."

"Yep, an embarrassing disaster!" Tim nodded his head in agreement, laughing and blushing simultaneously.

Jimmy jumped in, grinning widely. "I heard Tim tell Ethan that morning rituals with straight guys were terrifying." Causing the entire table to erupt in uncontrollable laughter.

Steph giggled, shaking her head. "Honestly, boys' bathrooms must be a war zone."

"Pretty accurate," Gabe admitted, shrugging good-naturedly. "But hey, at least it's never boring."

Tim nodded sheepishly, cheeks still pink. "Definitely keeps things interesting."

"Never a dull moment," Kelly said warmly, smiling at the group. "I guess these morning stories are becoming a new tradition."

"Tradition or torment?" Gabe teased, feigning exhaustion.

"Maybe a bit of both," Ethan laughed.

"Exactly how we like it," Frank concluded cheerfully, raising his juice in a mock toast.

With laughter echoing around their table, the group eagerly dove into their breakfast, enjoying each other's company as they prepared for the day ahead.

As Ethan, Gabe, and their friends enjoyed their lighthearted breakfast, a starkly different atmosphere enveloped an obscure private dining hall deep within the EarthCorp facility. Admiral Levine sat rigidly at an ornate mahogany table, posture tense, awaiting the arrival of Blackstone Rocker, the enigmatic and intimidating Chairman and CEO of EarthCorp. The request for this urgent meeting left the Admiral apprehensive.

The heavy doors swung open silently, and Blackstone Rocker strode into the room with commanding authority. Dressed impeccably, his presence was as overwhelming as his reputation. Admiral Levine rose respectfully, nodding as Blackstone took his seat opposite him.

"Good morning, Admiral," Blackstone greeted, his voice smooth but chillingly composed.

"Good morning, sir," Levine replied, voice cautious.

"I won't waste our time with pleasantries," Blackstone began sharply. "We need to address Ethan Blade and Gabriel Starlight."

"Of course, sir," Levine said, leaning forward slightly. "We've maintained continuous surveillance, as instructed. They exhibit extraordinary capabilities, making direct confrontation... challenging."

"I'm aware," Blackstone said dismissively, his eyes narrowing with penetrating intensity. He reached down to his briefcase, clicking it open, retrieving an object wrapped meticulously in dark velvet. With deliberate precision, he unfolded the cloth to reveal an obsidian blade. Its surface was impossibly black, reflecting no light, as though absorbing everything around it. Intricate, ancient runes etched along its blade glowed faintly with a sinister, deep red hue. The handle, carved from twisted, charred wood, was inlaid with veins of molten crimson.

"This," Blackstone declared gravely, "is the obsidian blade forged in the fires of Hell itself. It's the only weapon capable of permanently eliminating Gabriel Starlight."

Levine's eyes widened momentarily before he quickly composed himself. "Sir, you understand the complexity involved—"

"I do," Blackstone interrupted sharply. "You'll use this blade. Once Gabriel is out of the way, Ethan Blade will be taken into custody, accused of Gabriel's murder."

Levine's breathing quickened noticeably. "Custody? And then?"

"Transport him immediately to EarthCorp headquarters in San Francisco. The halo must be extracted and returned to Azazel," Blackstone's voice grew darker, "the real power behind EarthCorp."

Levine swallowed hard, fully grasping the gravity of the situation. "Understood, sir. This will require precision and patience. We must carefully orchestrate the event to avoid suspicion."

"Precisely," Blackstone agreed, carefully rewrapping the obsidian blade and placing it back into his briefcase. "Ethan's attachment to Gabriel runs deep. Exploit that. Their emotional connection is their vulnerability."

The Admiral nodded slowly, already mentally planning his next moves. "I'll arrange the details personally, sir."

Blackstone stood abruptly, signaling the end of their meeting. "See that you do. Azazel does not tolerate failure, Admiral."

Levine rose immediately, a bead of sweat tracing down his temple. "It will be done."

Blackstone exited silently, leaving Admiral Levine alone, his mind racing with the dangerous and daunting task ahead. The fate of Ethan Blade and Gabriel Starlight now rested squarely in his hands, the consequences of failure unthinkable.