Kaisler walked through the streets, hands in his pockets, the cold air biting at his skin. His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten all day. Spotting a small shop with a glowing neon sign, he pushed open the door, the warm scent of fresh food washing over him.

He barely glanced at the shelves before hearing a familiar voice.

Juno.

She was standing at the counter—with Buddy.

Her hoodie was too big for her frame, her arms crossed tight over her chest like she was holding herself together. She looked… exhausted. Even more than usual. But before Kaisler could think too hard about it, he smirked and walked over.

Kaisler (grinning): "Yo, Buddy—you got a new girlfriend? Or did Sarah finally dump you?"

Buddy (snorting): "What’s up, bro? Nah, Sarah just told me to get Juno some food."

Kaisler (raising an eyebrow at Juno): "Juno, what you want? I’ll buy it for you."

Juno hesitated, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

Buddy (dramatically sighing, shaking his head): "Thank GOD, bro. I was not tryna pay for this girl’s food."

Juno shot him a glare.

Juno (flatly): "Don’t call me ‘girl’ like I’m some stray dog. And I’ll take a breakfast burrito."

Kaisler let out a short laugh.

Kaisler (sarcastically): "Oh wow, such a polite way to ask. But alright."

He pulled out a few bills and paid, ignoring Juno’s stubborn expression as she watched him. When the cashier handed over the food, Kaisler held it out to her.

She snatched it from his grip.

Juno (grumbling): "Didn’t ask you to do that."

Kaisler (smirking): "Yeah, yeah. You owe me now."

Juno took a bite, barely looking at him.

Juno (mouth full, muttering): "So what?"

Kaisler (mockingly serious): "Oh, I’ll keep you to that. Trust."

Juno rolled her eyes, focusing on her food.

Kaisler dapped up Buddy, ready to leave, but for a second, he hesitated. Juno wasn’t just tired—she looked drained. He’d seen her fight before, seen her push herself past her limits, but this was different. Something weighed on her.

But before he could ask, she spoke.

Juno (sarcastically): "Wow, so cool. Just leave."

Kaisler watched her for another moment, then smirked.

Kaisler (soft chuckle): "Aight, later then."

He turned and walked away, hands still in his pockets.

Juno didn’t look up.

Kaisler walked home, eyes on the sky, admiring how beautiful it was. The deep blues and purples of dusk stretched across the horizon, scattered with the last traces of sunlight. For a moment, it almost felt peaceful.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake off the look on Juno’s face. The uneasiness in her eyes. The way she carried herself around him, like she was waiting for him to hurt her again.

Maybe it was because of their fight.

He sighed, running a hand through his twists, feeling the sweat and dust clinging to them from training.

Kaisler (muttering to himself): "Man... I knew I fucked up. Why the hell did I have to fight her?"

He pushed open the front door, stepping into the familiar mess of his apartment. His duffel bag from earlier sat abandoned by the door, clothes were piled in the corner, and stray energy drink cans littered his desk. His bed was the only somewhat clear space, mostly because he collapsed onto it every night after training.

He didn’t even bother cleaning. He just kicked off his shoes and dropped onto the mattress, letting out a deep breath. His body ached, but his mind refused to quiet down.

Then the front door creaked open.

Buddy strolled in, dropping his keys on the counter like he owned the place. He barely even glanced at the mess before smirking.

Buddy (grinning): "Damn, never thought I’d see you this down bad. If you wanted her here so bad, why didn’t you just go get her? Like, did you really have to wait a week? Hell, she had to buy a plane ticket and work a month of back-to-back overtime just to see you."

Kaisler scoffed, staring at the ceiling.

Kaisler: "I know you're dumb, but even you know how prideful she is. She’d just hate me more if I tried."

Buddy let out a low chuckle, plopping onto the foot of Kaisler’s bed.

Buddy: "Yeah... You’re screwed."

Kaisler didn’t answer. He just exhaled sharply, eyes locked on the cracked ceiling above him.

Yeah.

He already knew that.

Kaisler (looking tired, sighing deeply): "Do you think I could use what she owes me to get her to go on another date with me?"

Buddy (grinning, with a teasing tone): "Where would you even go?"

Kaisler (slightly frustrated, shrugging): "I’d get Ava to let me use her territory for a while."

Buddy (raising an eyebrow, sarcastic): "Yeah, you’re dumb."

Kaisler (defensive, confused): "How?"

Buddy (snickering, shaking his head): "First of all, why would you take another girl to a place that belongs to a girl you barely even know? And secondly, she already doesn’t like you—remember the fight? You won, told her to kill herself, and left her tied up."

Kaisler (softly, guilty): "I know, I know—it’s bad, but—"

Buddy (rolling his eyes, sarcastic): "But what? If you wanna deal with Juno without having to meet Ava, just sneak into Ava's place. What’s she gonna do, fight you?"

Kaisler (hesitant, unsure): "She’s still stronger than me."

Buddy (grinning mischievously, confident): "She won’t do anything knowing you’re my best friend."

Kaisler (quiet, uncertain): "I don’t know, man... I don’t wanna force her to go on a date with me."

Buddy (shrugging, casual): "Yeah, she probably hates you, but you can try."

Kaisler (frustrated, annoyed): "You’re not even helping."

Buddy (mocking, unapologetic): "Yeah, I know."

Kaisler (snapping, frustrated): "You’re fucking insufferable."

Buddy (laughing, teasing): "When did you add that to your vocabulary?"

Kaisler (smirking, a little defensive): "Maybe it’s because I have infinite basic knowledge."

Buddy (chuckling, light-hearted): "Just tell me if you need money, alright?"

Kaisler (dismissive, trying to stay calm): "I’m as rich as you, bro. Just chill."

Buddy (smirking, a bit more serious): "No, you're not. So just call if you need money."

Kaisler (smirking, nonchalant): "Okay, whatever. Let’s just pick the drip I’m gonna wear."

Buddy (raising his voice, seriously): "Do NOT wear a fucking suit. I swear to God, if you wear a suit, I’ll kill you."

Kaisler (chuckling, sarcastic): "Yeah, that’s why I have you here."

Buddy (grinning, casually): "Okay, get your hair redone, like, get it retwisted, since you're black."

Kaisler (interrupting, defensive): "What do you mean by that?"

Buddy (holding up his hands, trying to explain): "Let me finish—since you’re black, I’ll let you wear my roll neck and a clean chain necklace with your emerald and ruby rings."

Kaisler (raising an eyebrow, skeptical): "Isn’t that overdressing? And we haven’t even thought about the clothes yet."

Buddy (waving it off, confident): "I’m getting to that. You’ll wear black jeans, Jordan 3s, and a black jacket."

Kaisler (still unsure): "Are you sure about this?"

Buddy (smirking, smug): "You’re talking to the guy who got Sarah as his girlfriend and used have others in his DMs, remember?"

Kaisler (rolling his eyes, sarcastic): "You’re just saying that so Sarah won’t kill you."

Buddy (grinning, unapologetic): "Does it matter?"

Kaisler (shrugging, resigned): "Nope."

Two hours later

Juno was sitting at her small kitchen table, her hands wrapped tightly around a warm mug of tea, the steam curling upward in the dim light. The aftershock of the dream still lingered in her chest, the weight of the loss and terror making her feel as if she hadn’t truly woken up at all. The quiet hum of the city outside did little to calm her.

Her phone buzzed on the table, and her eyes flicked down to the screen. It was a message from Kaisler. She hesitated for a moment, still unsure how she felt about everything between them. But after everything that happened with the demons and her past, she wasn’t exactly in the mood to think too deeply about it.

She unlocked her phone and opened the message:

Kaisler: “Got a deal, remember? Time to pay up. 30 mins. Be ready. I’ll be waiting outside your place. Don’t keep me waiting.”

Juno’s brows furrowed. The memory of their deal earlier—the one where she agreed to owe him a favor in exchange for his help—came rushing back. He wasn’t exactly the type to take no for an answer. She could already hear his voice in her head, the same cocky tone that always made her want to slap him, but also made her feel like he was always two steps ahead.

She stood from the table, pacing around her cramped apartment, feeling the nervous tension build in her chest. A date? With him? That was… unexpected.

But Juno knew better than to back out now. There was something in his tone that made her think this wasn't just some casual hangout. It would likely turn into something more complicated. But she owed him. And if she was going to get through whatever mess he’d pulled her into, she needed to get comfortable with him—at least enough to keep him from becoming an enemy. Or worse, making everything worse.

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She grabbed her coat off the back of the chair and slipped into it quickly. The thought of what might happen on this "date" sent a twinge of anxiety through her stomach. But she’d been through worse, and if anything, this could be the beginning of understanding exactly who she was dealing with.

She snatched up her phone and typed out a quick response, more to assert some control in the situation than anything else:

Juno: “I’ll be ready. Don’t get too excited, though. I’m not your idea of a perfect date.”

She hit send and took a deep breath.

Kaisler: "I know. I remember when you tried to kill me. Don’t even think about pulling that stunt again."

Juno: "Yeah, yeah. Obviously, I won’t try anything like that again."

Kaisler: "I’ll be waiting. Don’t keep me waiting."

Outside Juno’s Apartment, 30 minutes later

Juno stepped out of her building, her breath visible in the chilly evening air. She glanced around, looking for any sign of Kaisler. The street was quieter now, with only a few pedestrians scattered across the sidewalks. But her eyes quickly found him. He was leaning against the black sports car parked at the curb, his tall frame easily visible even from a distance.

Kaisler was wearing his signature black hoodie, the hood up, hiding most of his face in shadow, but his stance—cocky, laid-back—was unmistakable. He was tapping a rhythm on his phone with his thumb, waiting for her with the same smirk he always wore.

Juno’s eyes narrowed as she approached him, crossing her arms over her chest.

Kaisler glanced up when he heard her footsteps, his smirk widening. “Took you long enough. I thought you might bail.”

Juno rolled her eyes, stopping a few feet away from him. “As if I’d let you think you could boss me around forever.” She paused, then raised an eyebrow. “So, where are we going?”

He pushed off the car with a fluid movement, locking eyes with her. “You’ll see.”

Juno frowned, the uncertainty lingering, but she wasn’t about to let him see how much it was getting to her. “You know, you could’ve made this less... weird.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” He smiled, clearly enjoying the discomfort he was causing. “Besides, it’s not like I’ve ever been a ‘normal’ guy.”

“You’re telling me,” she muttered under her breath as she got into the car beside him.

Kaisler slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine with a soft hum. The car smoothly pulled away from the curb, the city lights reflecting off the windshield as they sped off into the night.

Juno stared out the window, still unsure what to make of it all. A part of her wondered if this was just some game to him, another way to manipulate or control her. But another part—maybe the part that knew how complicated things were getting—wondered if this was more about her just surviving whatever this world had in store.

Whatever the case, she wasn’t going to back down. Not now.

Juno (annoyed): "Why are we in a car? Can’t you just swing us around the city or move us at, like, beyond light-speed?"

Kaisler (teasing): "What, you wanna be in the middle of all that chaos?"

Juno (frustrated): "Would be better than sitting in this car, trying to act all normal and stuff."

Kaisler (explaining): "I was actually just trying to get us to the Nexus Gate so we can grab our private teleporter. Then we’ll be able to jump to our own part of the multiverse."

Juno (curious): "Private teleporter? How'd you even get one of those?"

Kaisler (nonchalant): "Don’t worry about it. Let’s just say I have some connections."

Juno (impatient): "Right, so how long is this car ride gonna take?"

Kaisler (grinning): "About two hours."

Juno (annoyed): "Nah. Just run us there with your speed."

Kaisler (defensive): "Hell no. I spent good money on this car, and we’re using it."

Juno (sighing): "Fine, whatever."

Two hours later…

Juno (scrunching her face): “Finally, I’m out of this shitty car.”

Kaisler (defensively): “It’s not a shitty car. It’s a very expensive car.”

Juno (dismissive): “Doesn’t matter. Where’s the private teleporter?”

Kaisler (pointing): “It’s behind the main Nexus Portal.”

Juno (shrugging): “Alright, let’s just go. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

(will contune to part three of the chapter)