19:56 HRS – Home
The front gate creaked louder than usual. Aiden stepped in, shirt clinging to him like wet tissue, stained through with the deep maroon of dried blood. Some still fresh under the collar. His sleeves, soaked from the close-up kills. A patch of crimson streaked down his side—where the bullet had grazed him.
His steps were slow now.
Not because he was tired.
But because he knew.
The front door opened before he even reached for it.
"…What the actual—"
His sister stood in the doorway.
Too observant. Too fast with her words.
Her eyes dropped instantly to his shirt.
To the blood.
To the tear in his sleeve.
"What the fuck happened to you?"
Aiden blinked. "I tripped."
Sophia didn't move. Her eyes narrowed.
"Did you trip into a woodchipper?"
He stepped past her. "Stairs were aggressive."
[Smile Points +3]The God of Sarcasm is wheezing.A Beast of Brutality chokes on laughter.
"Seriously. What is this?" She pointed at the soaked shoulder. "Did you get into a knife fight on your first day?"
He unbuttoned the top of his shirt, walking straight toward the fridge like this was routine.
The door slammed behind her.
"SIT. DOWN."
"A little loud for a senior," he muttered, sitting at the kitchen island.
She crossed her arms, looking like she wanted to throw something.
"You think this is funny? You're bleeding. This is actual blood—yours, and some that probably isn't. What the hell are you mixed into?"
Aiden glanced at the faint gash. Not deep. Burned like hell though.
"I told you," he said flatly. "I tripped."
[System Notification]▸ User has lied. Badly.▸ Smile Points +2 (Pity Bonus)▸ A Celestial Entity mutters: "Look at this dude. ah hell nah, what the fuck man? He's DONE for."▸ System Comment: 'I tripped.' Bro really thinks this is high school theater.
The front cabinet slammed shut.
Their mom walked in.
Then she saw him.
"Oh my—"
One second. Two. A hand over her mouth.
Then it started.
"Aiden, what—are you okay?! —oh my god, is that a cut?"
"I'm good," he said.
"You're bleeding!"
"Technically not anymore. Clotted."
"I don't care about your clotting!" she snapped, storming over with a towel and sanitizer. "Why is your uniform RED? What is going on?!"
"I tripped," Aiden repeated with a small sigh.
[Star Stream is Rolling in Laughter.]▸ A Woman Draped in Lightning says: "This mortal is entertaining."▸ A Judge Without a Face whispers, "He lies so smoothly. I hate him."▸ A Rotten Prince adds: "He's an idiot. I like him."
His sister leaned on the counter, glaring at him like she could see through bone.
"Was this why you didn't answer my texts?"
"I had my hands full."
"Doing what? Wrestling bears?"
"Sure."
She threw a kitchen towel at him.
It landed on his head and stayed there.
His mom began dabbing the wound with a mother's intensity — the kind that bordered on actual violence.
"OW—gentler, please."
"I am being gentle!"
"Feels like you're treating me like the damn enemy."
"You look like you just escaped from a war zone!"
"…Kinda did."
[System Message]▸ Reminder: You have 3 years until the world ends.▸ Also, your mom's first aid stat is terrifying.▸ System Advice: Stop lying. You're making it worse.▸ A God of Cruelty says: "I would've told them everything just to see their panic."
His sister slumped onto the couch, staring at him like he was a puzzle with missing pieces.
"I'm calling dad."
Aiden tensed.
"Where is he, anyway?"
"Shanghai," she muttered. "Business trip. Landed this morning. He'll be back by the weekend."
He nodded slowly.
"Don't call him."
"Oh I will, if you don't stop giving me this action movie bullshit lie."
He looked at the bloody shirt again. Then at his sister's deadpan eyes.
Then back at the system.
"Can I get a new body again?"
[Request Denied.]▸ One-time perk exhausted. Also: L take.
He exhaled. Slumped back. Closed his eyes for a second.
The day was finally over.