"Boyfriend?"

Addison snorted. "Smooth, Aurora."

"Shut up." Aurora’s cheeks went slightly pink. "Fine. My partner who I occasionally take on dates. Better?"

"Worse, actually."

Aurora flipped her off and kept scanning.

I pulled out my phone to check what my actual balance would be after all this. Except Aurora caught my hand before I could unlock the screen.

"No. Don’t ruin it by counting." Her green eyes met mine. "Just say thank you and accept that I’m helping you."

"I’m supposed to be the one helping you. That’s how this arrangement works."

"The arrangement changed." She finished scanning and showed me the total. "Nine thousand three hundred credits. Final offer."

My stomach dropped. "Aurora, that’s insane. I can’t let you spend—"

"Too late." She handed Camila her student ID. "Ring it up."

Camila took the card with a knowing smile. "Generous girlfriend."

"The best kind," Aurora agreed.

Aurora very deliberately didn’t look at me while Camila processed the transaction. Addison’s grin had teeth in it.

The bags came out. Six of them, packed with everything I’d tried on plus extras Addison had added when I wasn’t paying attention. Camila handed them over with a cheerful reminder that all items were final sale.

We walked out into the hallway, me carrying four bags while Aurora and Addison split the other two.

"You good?" Aurora asked.

"Honestly? No. I feel like I just got adopted by a sugar momma."

"Aww." She patted my cheek. "That’s exactly what happened. Get used to it."

Addison laughed loud enough to echo off the concrete walls. "I like him. He’s funny."

"He has his moments," Aurora agreed.

We headed back toward the dorms, drawing stares from everyone we passed. The clothes were obviously expensive, high-quality pieces that stood out against standard academy issue. People noticed. People talked.

"So." Addison fell into step beside me. "When do I get to try this touch ability Aurora won’t shut up about?"

I nearly dropped all my bags.

Aurora burst out laughing.

"Addy, you can’t just ask that."

"Why not? You’ve been going on and on about how good it feels. Naturally I’m curious." Addison’s violet eyes found mine again. "Unless it only works on Aurora? Is it a monogamy thing?"

"It works on anyone," I heard myself say.

"Interesting." Her smile was all teeth and danger. "Very interesting."

Aurora’s hand found mine, squeezing once in what might have been warning or encouragement. "Don’t let her intimidate you. She’s all bark."

"Mostly bark," Addison corrected. "I do occasionally bite."

"That’s not helping."

We reached Building C and took the elevator up. Students made room for us, their eyes tracking the bags, the girls, me standing between them looking like I’d won some kind of lottery.

Different lottery. Better lottery.

At my door, Aurora turned to Addison. "Help him organize everything. I need to make some calls about Saturday’s reservations."

"On it." Addison took the bags from me. "Come on, Jace. Let’s see what you’ve got to work with."

Aurora disappeared toward the common area with her phone already to her ear. Addison walked into my room without invitation and started unpacking bags onto my bed.

"Uniforms here. Casual there. Gym stuff separate." She worked with efficient movements, sorting everything by type and color. "You’re going to need to get rid of half your current wardrobe. The academy has donation bins near the rec center."

"Sure."

"I’m serious. Keeping old clothes that don’t fit is sad. Makes you think you might need them again someday. You won’t." She pulled out the leather jacket and held it up. "This is your new baseline. Everything you own should be this quality or better."

I watched her organize my entire life into neat piles, her combat boots heavy against my floor, her purple highlights catching the afternoon light. She moved with confidence that bordered on arrogance. Comfortable in her body and her space and her right to be here.

"Aurora really likes you," she said without looking up from the clothes.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. She doesn’t usually bring people shopping. Doesn’t usually buy them nine thousand credits worth of shit. And she definitely doesn’t usually let people into her actual life." Addison finally looked at me. "So don’t fuck it up."

"Wasn’t planning on it."

"Good." She pulled out her lollipop and pointed it at me. "Because if you hurt her, I’ll use my ability on you. And trust me when I say you don’t want that."

"What’s your ability?"

"Death-aspected scythe manifestation." Her smile turned sharp. "Want a demonstration?"

"I’m good."

"Smart boy." The lollipop went back in her mouth. "Now try on the casual stuff so I can make sure it works."

Aurora appeared in the doorway. "How’s it going?"

"He needs new underwear. These boxers are tragic."

"Ain’t no way..."

"I’m just saying. If you’re going to look good dressed, you need a proper foundation." She tossed the pillow back. "Aurora, back me up here."

"She’s not wrong." Aurora leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "But we can save that for another shopping trip."

"Another trip?"

"Obviously. You’ll need winter clothes eventually. Plus workout gear upgrades. Plus formal wear for academy events." She counted off on her fingers. "This is just phase one."

Addison nodded seriously. "Foundation wardrobe. Getting him from tragic to acceptable."

"I was acceptable before."

"You were functional," Addison corrected. "Different standard."

Aurora pushed off the doorframe and walked to my bed, examining the organized piles Addison had created. "Perfect. Everything he needs for the next month at least." Her hand found my arm. "Feel better?"

I looked at the clothes. Then at her. Then at Addison, who was putting shirts on hangers with the care usually reserved for museum artifacts.

"Yeah," I admitted. "Actually, yeah. Thank you."

"You’re welcome." Aurora smiled, genuine and warm. "Now get dressed in your new outfit. I want to see the full effect before we leave."

"Leave for where?"

"Lunch. We’re taking you somewhere nice." She headed for the door. "Five minutes, Monroe. Look presentable."

They left me standing in my room surrounded by more clothes than I’d owned in my entire previous life.

I grabbed the black jeans and a dark grey button-up. Pulled them on and checked the mirror.

The person looking back could have been on a magazine cover. The jeans sat perfectly at my hips, showing off legs that had actual muscle definition now. The shirt followed the lines of my torso without clinging, professional but not stuffy.

I looked like someone who belonged here. Someone who killed Silver bosses and dated ranked hunters and maybe, possibly, had his shit together.

Even though I absolutely fucking didn’t.

I grabbed the leather jacket, and walked out to find Aurora and Addison waiting in my living room. They both turned when I entered, and I swear to god the temperature in the room rose five degrees.

"Fuck," Addison said.

"Right?" Aurora’s smile was pure satisfaction. "That’s what I’m talking about."

Addison walked a slow circle around me, examining everything. When she got behind me, she whistled low. "I was right about the ass. Those jeans are doing God’s work."

"Can we please stop talking about my ass?"

"No," both girls said simultaneously.

Aurora grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door. "Come on. Lunch awaits. And I want to show off my new accessory."

"I’m not an accessory."

"You’re absolutely an accessory." She looked back at Addison. "Right?"

"Hot accessory," Addison agreed. "The kind that makes other girls jealous."

"Perfect."