The Academy grounds were quiet under the night sky, most students already settled into their dormitories after the long journey back from holiday break.
Luna walked with her head down, black hair falling forward to hide her face, silver eyes fixed on the stone path beneath her feet.
Damian walked beside her, hands in his pockets, his longer crimson hair tied back.
They’d arrived hours ago, gotten their preliminary check-in done, but neither had headed to the dormitories yet.
The eastern garden stretched before them, ornantal trees casting shadows across manicured lawns, benches positioned near decorative fountains that caught moonlight.
Damian stopped walking and turned to look at one of the fountains.
Luna took three more steps before she realized he’d stopped.
She stood there, frozen, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.
Then she stopped moving entirely.
Damian waited, giving her ti.
The fountain’s water made soft sounds, filling the silence between them.
"Luna?"
His voice ca out quiet.
"...What happened?"
She didn’t turn around and didn’t lift her head.
"...Why aren’t you disappointed?"
The question ca out barely above a whisper.
Damian’s eyebrows rose slightly.
"What?"
Luna’s hands clenched tighter, her nails digging into her palms.
"When we saw the announcent... when Grandfather publicly acknowledged ..." Her voice trembled. "You had no reaction. Nothing except... relief. Why?"
Damian looked at her for a long mont, then shifted his gaze to the moon hanging above them.
"And why should I not be relieved?"
His voice remained calm, almost gentle.
Luna’s head snapped up, her silver eyes finding him, and sothing flashed across her face.
Anger.
Pure, righteous anger that made her voice co out sharper than she’d probably intended.
"Grandfather only acknowledged ... He didn’t acknowledge you."
Her hands were shaking now, not from fear but from emotion magnified a hundred tis by her skill.
Damian exhaled slowly.
"Why does it matter?" His tone remained calm, almost gentle. "You’re acknowledged and you have the protection. That’s what Mom and Dad wanted."
He t her eyes directly.
"I already have the Headmaster’s protection... That’s enough."
"No!"
Luna took a step toward him, her voice rising.
"Mom and Dad wanted BOTH of us acknowledged. Both of us protected. Not just–"
"Luna."
Damian interrupted quietly.
"I’m not related by blood to Vice Director Onyx."
The simple statent hung between them.
Luna stared at him, her face contorting with emotions she couldn’t fully control.
"Does it even matter?! You’re part of our family. Blood doesn’t–"
She cut herself off, breathing hard, trying to gather her thoughts.
"I don’t want this protection. Not if it ans you’re being treated like..."
She couldn’t finish the sentence.
Damian watched her struggle.
"You don’t even call brother nowadays."
His voice ca out soft, without accusation.
"Why do you want to be acknowledged as your brother now?"
Luna went completely still, her mouth opening and closing.
"I... this... this is different."
The words ca out weak, unconvincing even to her own ears.
She looked away, her cheeks flushing slightly.
Then she tried changing the topic, grasping for different ground.
"I saw the comnts on the forums. The whole Federation is thinking of you as soone who isn’t even accepted by his own family. Like... like eating those Monsters turned you into sothing they can’t acknowledge... Sothing shaful."
Her voice cracked slightly on the last word.
Damian smiled, the expression small and genuine as he looked at her.
Then he tilted his head back, looking toward the stars.
"I don’t care."
Luna opened her mouth to protest, but he continued before she could speak.
"Luna... learn to take advantage of everything you get."
He turned to face her directly, crimson eyes reflecting moonlight.
"You’re getting protection from your grandfather. Use it. Use this mont of quiet and safety to progress your rank, develop your skills, build your foundation."
His voice carried weight despite remaining quiet.
"The world doesn’t wait for you to be ready. It doesn’t care about fairness or your feelings about how things should be. It just moves forward, and you either move with it or get left behind."
Luna took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions churning inside her chest.
The magnification made everything feel overwhelming, like drowning in feelings that weren’t entirely her own.
"You’ve beco too calm about everything ever since the portal and..."
She trailed off, unable to finish.
’Ever since finding out about his family being exterminated.’
Damian understood what she wasn’t saying.
He’d heard versions of this concern from her multiple tis over the past weeks.
"There’s a difference between accepting reality and being defeated by it."
His voice ca out thoughtful, asured.
"I could rage against the injustice of what... happened. I could also resent Felix Onyx for only acknowledging you."
He looked at her directly.
"But anger without direction is just noise and rage without a plan is just pain wearing a different mask."
His hands remained in his pockets, posture relaxed despite the weight of his words.
"So I accept what I cannot change right now. I acknowledge the reality of where I stand. And I work toward the mont when reality bends to my will instead of the other way around."
Luna stared at him, her silver eyes wide.
The anger was still there, burning in her chest, but sothing else mixed with it now.
Understanding, maybe. Or just the crushing weight of knowing he was right even when she didn’t want him to be.
"You make it sound so simple."
Her voice ca out small.
"It’s not simple."
Damian’s expression softened slightly.
"It’s just necessary."
****
They walked in silence toward the student council building, the massive structure rising against the night sky like a monunt to Academy authority.
Lights were still on inside despite the late hour.
The main doors opened before they reached them.
Robert Gilligan stood in the entrance, his butler’s uniform immaculate as always, gray hair perfectly combed, weathered face showing genuine warmth as his eyes found Damian.
"Young Sir Damian."
The old man’s voice carried respect and affection.
"Welco back. We’ve missed your presence these past weeks."
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