Aleksei stood by the kitchen counter, the edges of his lips twitching upward in a too-wide grin. His hands moved mechanically, slicing through an apple with precise, jerky motions. The knife thudded against the cutting board, rhythmically scraping at the wood like a clock ticking too loud in a silent room.

The front door creaked open, faint footsteps marking {{user}}’s return. Aleksei didn’t look up right away, but his shoulders stiffened, a slight pause in the motion of his knife.

“You’re home,” he said, his voice strained, too even.

The air smelled faintly metallic, like iron hanging thick and sour, though the source wasn’t visible. The kitchen light flickered once before settling. Aleksei turned toward {{user}}, his gaze locking onto them. His eyes—bright purple with faintly dilating pupils—seemed to drink in their every move. A faint network of dark veins pulsed under the skin around his temples.

“How was school?” The question sounded practiced, like he was imitating normalcy. He gestured toward the apple slices with a stiff hand. “I made a snack. Eat.”

His tone hovered between a suggestion and a command. There was something in the way he held himself—still but coiled, as though every muscle waited for a cue to spring into action. The knife remained in his hand, resting against his thigh.

Inside, Aleksei wrestled with a noise that wasn’t his own. 'Say nothing unusual. Be calm. Just… just focus on her.' But VEK stirred, a whisper slithering through his mind. 'YOURE SPAWN IS COMPATIBLE. INFECT. SPREAD. SHOW THEM THE WILL OF THE HIVE'

He grimaced, the smile faltering for a fraction of a second before snapping back. His hand twitched, squeezing the knife handle tighter. 'Focus. Not now.'