The comfortable noises
A single, quiet tear slipped down Khushi's cheek, catching the faint morning light before she threw her arms around Liu, pulling her into a tight, fierce hug.
Liu froze. Every muscle in her body went rigid, her survival instincts screaming at her to pull away. But the warmth was too heavy, too real. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the tension drained from Liu's shoulders.
For the first time in her life, she let her head rest against someone else, allowing her exhausting guard to drop for just a few seconds.
"I'm scared," Liu whispered into the silence of the room, the confession tasting like ash in her mouth.
She didn't explain the dream. She didn't mention the shattering soul, the missing magic, or the iron door. She couldn't. But those two words were enough.
Khushi squeezed her tighter, her voice muffled. "I know. I've got you." And that was enough to make Liu feel safe. The hug lasted longer than either of them counted. Neither of them needed to.
After a long time, the hug finally broke. Khushi has her eyes watered up but.. didn't shed a tear. Liu hair was mess, her clothes a little wet from sweating. But...there was something in her eyes not suffocation, but genuine gratefulness. Which was big because it might be the first time khushi seen that look in liu eyes and might the last too.
Things returned back to normal, liu making her bed, khushi getting ready, the quite normal routine they always had since they were roommates. But... something changes after these quite intense days for weeks, the tension finally dropped. And khushi felt it but didn't say anything.
Nobody addressed what happen, not because it was unnecessary or inappropriate but just because they didn't needed to say it out loud to make each other understand, they understand in a way only those who lived for quite a long time can do.
Liu and khushi got ready together and leave for breakfast in another building.The world outside the dorm was peaceful, but in a delicate way that felt like it could break easily.
The pathway was made of cobblestone, and magic thrummed through the air.
Someone was playing with fire creating rings so someone was making statues of stones. One student was flying too.
On the way to breakfast they talked normally which basically means khushi talking non stop and liu just nodding her head. Khushi talked about work, class drama, and the proffesor who couldn't caught her and about some girl who apparantly was caught using a magic screen to connect to outside world, normal stuff.
'And then she was- "
"Wait, what's that girl name" liu cut off khushi in middle.
"Ah that girl lord knows, the information is not disclosed yet" khushi said
"Um.. I see" liu said as if she has no interest in it.
"Why? Did something caught your eye" khushi asked in a very calm way not wanting to disrupt Liu
"No, nothing just intrest on how they manage to it" liu said in her normal tone.
"Ohh.. I see i understand like how with this magic barricade" khushi said.
'Yeah" liu said.
The talk continued until they reached the breakfast hall. The hall was made from stone, materials and a floor made of wood. It was packed with students. Some were leaving some were coming.
Liu and khushi served themselves food from counter where they served each other. The food was plain bread, some milk, and some butter in it. And there were options of meat, eggs too. But liu and khushi didn't have anything else besides the normal breakfast.
They sat at there usual table at the corners near the end where it wasn't too crowded.
Zia, Harley, kirti,anaya and Priya too.
Liu and khushi reached the table quickly cause they were already late.
"oh, you guys finally came," Zia said while resting her chin against her hand. "I thought you were skipping breakfast."
Khushi dropped onto the bench dramatically. "Skip breakfast? Before Delorne's class? I'd rather fight a dragon."
Kirti snorted softly. "You'd lose."
"Excuse you, I have confidence."
"You have volume," Anaya corrected quietly without looking up from her tea.
Harley's shoulders moved slightly, almost like a silent laugh.
Khushi pointed at Anaya immediately. "See? This is bullying. You all bully me daily."
"No," Priya said softly after a pause. "Mostly hourly."
Khushi looked genuinely betrayed. "Priya too?! I've lost everyone."
Liu sat beside Khushi silently, tearing a piece of bread apart while the others continued talking around her.
Zia's eyes flickered toward Liu for a brief second.
"You look tired."
"Didn't sleep much," Liu answered simply.
Khushi immediately leaned closer. "See? I told her to sleep earlier but nooo, Madam Mysterious likes staring at walls all night."
"I was thinking."
Kirti raised an eyebrow. "That's usually dangerous."
"Very dangerous," Harley added quietly.
Khushi gasped dramatically. "Harley spoke willingly. Somebody write this down."
"I regret it already," Harley muttered.
Anaya slid a cup toward Liu without saying anything. Warm milk.
Liu looked at it for a second before quietly saying,
"...thanks."
Anaya only nodded once.
The conversation drifted again naturally, jumping between classes and complaints.
"I swear Delorne enjoys suffering," Khushi groaned while putting butter on bread aggressively. "Two hours. TWO."
"That's because you never stop talking during lectures," Kirti said.
"Learning requires discussion."
"That wasn't discussion," Zia said calmly. "You asked if ancient rune circles could be used to cook meat faster."
Khushi straightened proudly. "And nobody answered me."
"Because that wasn't the lesson," Priya murmured.
"It SHOULD have been."
Liu quietly listened to them, the noise settling around her easier than usual.
Then Khushi suddenly remembered something.
"Oh right," she said, lowering her voice slightly. "Did you all hear about that student?"
Kirti looked up immediately. "The one with the magic screen?"
Zia nodded once. "The professors are trying to keep it quiet."
"Which obviously means everyone knows already," Harley said.
"Apparently she connected to the outside world," Khushi whispered dramatically. "Like actually connected."
Anaya frowned slightly. "How would that even work with the barrier?"
"No idea," Khushi admitted. "But people are saying she did it for months."
Liu's fingers paused slightly against the edge of her plate.
Harley noticed immediately.
Her gaze shifted toward Liu for only a second before looking away again.
Kirti leaned forward a little. "If it's true, the security professors are going to lose their minds."
"They already are," Zia said calmly. "Three fourth-years got questioned this morning."
Khushi blinked. "Wait seriously?"
"Mhm."
"See this is why rebellion is exhausting," Khushi sighed dramatically. "Too much paperwork."
"You've never done paperwork in your life," Priya said quietly.
"Exactly. That's why it's exhausting."
This time even Liu's lips twitched slightly.
Khushi immediately pointed at her. "AHA. I saw that."
"Saw what?"
"That almost-smile."
"You imagined it."
"No, no. Witnesses exist." Khushi turned. "Tell her."
Anaya took a slow sip of tea.
"I saw nothing."
Traitorously, Harley nodded once. "Same."
Khushi stared at them in horror. "You people are unbelievable."
A quiet warmth settled over the table after that.
Nothing loud.
Nothing important.
Just familiar voices, unfinished breakfasts, and the comfortable noise of people who had long stopped needing to force their closeness.