The morning after the long party, Luca is making Nicholas food in the kitchen, planning on taking it up to him so Nicholas can have breakfast in bed after he wakes up.

It’s mostly so Luca can do something with his hands. Last night was a lot of probing questions that left Luca wanting to plant his feet because they were strangers who knew too much -already calling Luca an Ayad branch member cousin before he even introduced himself- and that’s never a good sign.

Then when Haochen took them around himself after the speeches, it was incomprehensible chatter despite how hard Luca tried to follow along, interspersed with Haochen gesturing vaguely at the boys like he’s pulled out a nice wine to show off. Why does Haochen know about Nicholas’ extension classes projects at school? How could the man possibly know about Luca’s duelling proficiency when all he saw were a few beginner stances every time Luca flinched into position when Haochen stepped around corners at him?

At least Luca recognised a few names Haochen spoke about. Verma from the resistance but Luca isn’t sure what she does now, High Mage Niaa whom Luca already has plans for, and something about Confederacy funding. There was also a brief mention of spectating a duelling tournament that Haochen turned down on the grounds of it being for amateurs – and that’s when Haochen insultingly stated that Luca dabbled in duelling.

The closest Luca ever got to politicking before was crashing a few parties and starting a fight. Right now, Luca is kind of feeling like he’s waiting for the fight part.

And so of course Haochen swans into the room and holds out a familiar grimoire, a hardcover in black leather with rune work stamped into it and a magic aura that seems to breathe.

Luca drops the pack of cheese on the bench and backs up. Does Haochen know? Can he feel Luca’s magic better when the high mage is like this – with a clear mind and the power practically rolling off him?

"I don't know why you have my magic," Haochen states and ignores Luca's flinch. "Strange, considering you seem to not have taken it from this grimoire, which is the only piece I’m missing. I'm quite sure it's a trap, or some kind of bait since you're not even a real person according to your thin records that spontaneously appeared recently." He holds out the grimoire closer to Luca. "Keep this close, I will know if you don’t."

"What will it do?" Luca asks even though he knows the answer.

"You're not in a position to be asking questions," Haochen says mildly.

"And...do you have any questions?" Luca asks hesitantly, definitely expecting more. Maybe not screaming and torture from this clearly sane and controlled Haochen but not nothing either.

"Of course," Haochen muses. "But it's not like you can run from me, and the grimoire will soon know more than enough."

Haochen's influence is sweeping across Asia, gaining traction in Europe like it never has before. Luca’s Stavros explained before, how Haochen acted in his prime. Right now, it’s not hard to imagine the man is so high on his easy, overwhelming success that a little boy is hardly going to be a threat to him.

Maybe Haochen considers the power Luca has to be fake, which would be an easy explanation. It’s not the first time people have dismissed Luca just based on their own ego and denial.

Luca takes the grimoire because he can do nothing else.

"This will be slowly absorbing my magic," Luca warns, holding up the thin grimoire cautiously by the corner like it’s about to bite him.

Nicholas munches on his sandwich. "Is that good?"

"No, it's horrible and it might hurt people," Luca admits.

"Why are you carrying it then?"

"Because Xia told me I had to," Luca explains. "I will be writing in his grimoire-"

Nicholas laughs. "What, he actually just gave you that like an idiot?" Then he quickly reigns himself back in. "No, sorry, continue."

"It doesn’t have any of his personally-made spells or knowledge like a real grimoire – or it does, but it’s guarded by the only person he trusts which is…himself," Luca sighs.

There’s a long, sordid history behind the book because Haochen was not always this powerful. There are far more high mages than anyone thinks, it’s just that they always have accidents. That power is hard to hide, so babies are snuffed out in cradles, toddlers slip and drown in ponds, and even if they hide? If they get stronger faster than anyone else? People are even warier.

Haochen was broken once. Shattered apart at just sixteen and he was dying in an empty room, in a foreign place with no friends and no help, after having watched his father walk away chatting to the high mages that did that to him.

But the boy was nothing if not a survivor and he gathered all he could into the closest vessel strong enough to hold the pieces, a grimoire – something already containing his magic, with his own crafted spells and all the power that holds. Haochen will never be whole, and the fractured boy left hidden in the pages will never really grow.

Wei Zhang, that hollow boy, told Luca about this a long time ago. Monologued about it really, as Luca lay crumpled on the ground from Wei absorbing his magic. What makes it all the more tragic is that Luca, even at the end, thought they were friends.

"I will be writing to it,” Luca says, clearing his throat. “And it will be taking some of my…excess magic from my core…so it’ll basically be eating my soul."

"Excess?"

"Potential possession," Luca continues because he didn't tell Nicholas about the soul sweeper device, not when Nicholas is too close to Haochen's influence. "He doesn’t like doing it but he can so…just be aware if I'm acting strangely."

"How do I stop it possessing you?" Nicholas asks.

"You will not be able to win a fight with him," Luca admits. "Just…stay out of his way, I’ll fight my way out."

"Well, you know, never say never," Nicholas argues. "I could take a book. Look how thin it is, it doesn't stand a chance against me."

"This is Haochen Xia at sixteen," Luca clarifies. "He will destroy you."

"Well I've never fought him before-"

"Nicholas, please, this is not about your ego right now. Do not fight the grimoire. Please."

Nicholas frowns. "Yeah, fine," he grumbles. "As long as he doesn't start shit first."

"Nicholas."

After getting back to Ayad Manor, Luca writes in the grimoire like he talks to his Stavros; all about Nicholas, constantly, with much enthusiasm.

Wei hates it – he tries to change the subject but that reminds Luca of another one of Nicholas’ stunts and it spirals until Wei just straight up stops writing back at times because he’s so sick of Nicholas and seethes with resentment, spilling ink all over Luca’s words in frustration.

Luca is interrupted in his writing when he sees through the window Nicholas come bounding back up the walkway, arms loaded up with groceries, Jordan following behind at a calmer pace. Luca quickly drops the pen back down and shoves the grimoire into one of his drawers.

Not that Luca uses his bedroom much because he sleeps with Nicholas.

Admittedly, Nicholas is also conditioned from school because his bed is three steps away but he still sleeps in Rafael or Stavros’ beds instead, so without them he doesn’t fall asleep as easily. Good thing he has a Luca now.

Vinaya looks up from feeding the pigeon a treat when all three cluster into the kitchen. “Perfect timing. Sweetie, you have a letter.”

“Which sweetie?” Jordan asks.

“The newest sweetie,” Vinaya clarifies and holds it out to Luca as the pigeon takes off.

Luca sees the school crest of crossed staffs wrapped in rays of light and opens it up while the others unpack groceries. “It’s Headmaster Selwood, she’s replying about my transfer.” Luca looks up and smiles at Nicholas. “We’re going to school together.”

Nicholas yeets the carrots at his mum and tackles Luca into the wall with a delighted squeal.