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The courtyard smelled like damp earth and crushed mint leaves—someone had clearly trampled through the herbs again. Professor Crewel isn’t going to be pleased with that.
Silver sat on a stone bench, a swirl design tracing the armrests, arms crossed tight. Ruggie stood not too far away, fiddling with his phone before putting it in his blazer pocket.
It had been just a few minutes since he arrived, greeting Silver with a toothy smirk as the silver-haired boy nodded back at him before closing his eyes. No words were spoken between the two. They didn’t really have to speak to be comfortable in each other’s presence.
Ruggie bets Silver has been waiting here longer though; the agreed time was half an hour ago and Ruggie had only just arrived, having to finish up on his homework. Considering how tight Silver’s crossed arms were, the hyena beastman is guessing he arrived way earlier.
All they were waiting for was the other of their trio–
“You guys!” shouted Kalim as he arrived, a small bucket clasped under his arm; sleeves fluttering with unchecked energy, “I brought mangoes from the kitchen, I was going to bring pineapples but I remembered Silver’s allergic”
–to arrive.
“Geez man finally you arrived ‘was worried I was gonna have to bring my blanket and sleep on the bench” Ruggie snickered as he walked up to the white haired boy, arms behind his head.
“You were late as well Ruggie”
“Geez Silver, trying to give me a heart attack?”
“I apologize”
Silver’s small smile showed he wasn’t truly sorry. Silver had awoken and was now right behind Ruggie, giving very little personal space.
Turning back to Kalim, Ruggie assumed Silver was going to offer a ‘hello’.
“How are you feeling after Jamil’s overblot”
Or not?! Sometimes Ruggie forgot about Silver’s straightforwardness, even if he doesn’t show it often. The hyena beastman’s shock probably was shown on his face as he quickly looked between his two friends.
Kalim’s smile dropped slightly and his face paled a little but his energy was still high, so Ruggie guessed he was doing okay. Well, as okay as someone can be after being involved in an overblot situation.
“Silver, dude, you cannot just ask that straight out” Ruggie exclaimed, “also, back up a bit you’re in my space”
Silver blinked twice before he nodded his head at Ruggie then stepped one step back.
“You mean your bubble?”
“Duh, dude respect the bubble”
Kalim’s laughter broke through the ‘argument’ between the two. Kalim’s face was brighter and his smile was back up, as if it never went down.
“You brought mangoes?”
Kalim nodded his head, taking the bucket out and presenting it like a gift. Probably because it was a gift. Ruggie took the wooden bucket and rounded back to the stone bench, making himself comfortable with the bucket in his lap.
The other two weren’t far behind, with Kalim taking the spot next to Ruggie and Silver opting for the floor.
“That’s nasty” Ruggie spoke, mouth full of mango juices. Silver rolled his eyes, getting a bit disgusted at how some mango juices were spat on him.
“As if you don’t eat off the floor”
“Hey man, five second rule”
“That’s a rule?” Kalim asked, his hand already in the mango bucket. Ruggie nodded.
“Is it a universal rule?” he questioned again.
“Pretty sure”
“No I think it came from the Heartslabyul dorm”
“Really Silver?” Silver shrugged. He hadn’t really eaten off the floor before, sure some of the food his father made back when he was younger came from the ground but it was either boiled clean or was some sort of Briar Valley vegetable.
He guesses Kalim, living as an heir, didn’t do that either.
Silver didn’t respond, just opened up his hand, asking silently for the fruit.
It was silent as the three ate, not uncomfortable at all. Well..
Silver’s question from earlier still hadn’t been answered and it seemed like Kalim didn’t want to answer. Ruggie understood that. He really did. Being involved in an overblot himself, even being in the center of it. Ruggie still shivers anytime that nightmare of a day worms itself back into his memories. It was very uncomfortable and Ruggie himself doesn’t like showing discomfort around others, so when Jack had asked him if he was okay, he wore his signature smile and waved his junior off.
Truly Ruggie gets why Kalim doesn’t want to talk about it–
“Jamil still needs to go to the infirmary at the end of every week, nurse says it’s just a check up on the mind”
–Or not. Wow, Ruggie is so off today.
No one spoke, a few students walked past the three, talking loudly, making up for the silence before Kalim spoke again. A hint of worry in his voice.
“Of course that’s going to happen, I mean it’s what Azul said. I mean” he huffed, grabbing onto his half eaten mango tightly, dents slowly forming, "obviously Jamil isn’t going to be okay straight away but everytime he comes back from the nurse he looks worse, I know he, well I probably don’t but.” Kalim sighed as he trailed off, leaning his head back to rest on the railing of the stone bench.
Silver only nodded his head encouragingly, but remained silent. His fruit now being placed on the ground, his full attention on his friend.
Ruggie was staring straight ahead, memories flooding back. He gets exactly how Kalim feels.
“I’m not really, to answer Silver’s question before, okay I guess,” Kalim raised his head back up, his earrings catching in the sunlight, flashing like a warning. “it’s just….messy? Like when you tip over an ink bottle and it soaks everything, but” he wipes his mouth “but it washes out, if that makes sense?”
Ruggie hummed. Feelings are complex and friendships are messy.
“Took me weeks to admit I wasn’t feeling okay,” Ruggie spoke, looking at Kalim seriously. “It took Jack finding me havin’ a panic attack to make me realize. Look, Kalim,” He paused, thinking. Friendships are messy, but for his friends here, he guess he can get messy too. “I have no idea what you two went through, only what you’ve told us.” Ruggie points a finger to himself, then to Silver who had a deep look on his face.
“Could barely look Leona in the eyes, waiting for the moment his claws to seep out.”
Kalim looked confused. Heck, Ruggie didn’t even know why he was bringing this up.
“But they never did. I know the situation isn’t the same but keeping all that shit bottled up ain’t good for you, nor for Jamil”
“I-I guess”
“He wanted change right?” Silver asked, finally speaking. Kalim nodded, answering. “Be treated the same, no master and no servant.”
“Don’t treat him any differently then” Silver continued. “Even if he hates your guts forever,” Kalim winced a bit, “don’t treat him like a delicate object.”
“That’s really good advice Silver” Ruggie exclaimed, pushing Silver’s head forward.
“Thanks”
“Well you should’ve given me that advice after Leona overblotted cause man, did I flinch at every turn” Ruggie joked, setting the mango bucket in front of Silver. “Could’ve avoided Jack” he grumbled that last part.
“That’...heh,” Kalim smiled, letting go of his mango and letting it fall to the floor, “thanks guys”
“No problem Kalim”
“I expect some compensation, geez I didn’t want to get emotional” Ruggie flicked at his cheek as if he were wiping away a tear. Silver sighed softly as he picked his mango back up from the ground.
“You’re not going to eat that right?” Ruggie scrunched his nose in disgust.
“Mhm?”
“Silver that’s so disgusting”
“Thought you said five second rule Ruggie?”
“Yeah, 5 SECONDS, not 5 minutes”
“It’s only been five minutes?” Kalim looked at his phone, confirming that it has been five minutes.
“Five minutes of juggling feelings ain’t good for me”
“I thought it was you who said it wasn’t good to bottle things up?” Silver said, now standing up, the wooden bucket in between his legs.
“Shut up”
“Oh,” Kalim called out as he stood up suddenly, “Jamil just texted me, his check up went quickly today so he's out early”. Ruggie just rolled his eyes as he too got up.
“You make it sound like he just got out of prison,” Silver commented.
“More like time out.” Ruggie added.
Kalim just laughed. It was nice to hang out with his friends.