The cafeteria buzzed with the chaotic hum of dozens of students. Plates clattered, voices rose and fell, and the smell of roasted meats and herbs filled the air. Kuro carried his tray cautiously, scanning for a place to sit.
Mika was already seated at his usual table near the back, arms crossed, expression unreadable as ever.
"Come, let eat our lunch," Mika muttered flatly, glancing at Kuro. "Eat quickly. you Don't want to get distracted here since you're an elf people will be coming after you."
[Oh, sure. The great and terrifying Mika telling you how to eat. What a f***ass horror show,] Elvastia grumbled in Kuro's mind. [And you're just going to follow him like a f****** lamb.]
{I'm not a lamb.}
[Yeah, right. Keep telling yourself that while he stares at you like a hawk. Honestly, Kuro, this is peak insanity.]
Kuro slid into the seat across from Mika, setting his tray down. "I like having a quiet spot," he said softly. "Away from the crowds." Mika smiled.
[Quiet? You've got the living embodiment of a f****** storm in front of you. Good luck with that.]
{I… don't mind it.}
[Ha! You really are a f****** idiot.]
Mika's pale eyes flicked up briefly, catching Kuro's gaze. In his gaze, a subtle softness lingered—he shifted slightly, letting Kuro feel included without changing his aloof tone. "If you need quiet, that's fine. Just… sit here with me...or if you make friends, I guess you won't sit here...," he said, voice neutral but faintly considerate, but gradually got quieter.
Kuro began eating, choosing small bites at first, watching Mika out of the corner of his eye. The quiet between them was comfortable, even if Mika's expression stayed cool and distant. He really does become a whole new person inside of school.
[Comfortable? Don't be ridiculous, Kuro. This is dangerous. He's going to stare right through your soul if you relax too much,] Elvastia muttered.
{I… don't mind it.}
[Ha! You really are a f****** idiot.]
Mika let out a soft sigh, almost imperceptible. "You pay too much attention to everything around you," he said quietly, not looking directly at Kuro. "Focus on the meal, or you'll waste your energy thinking about idiots."
[See? He's giving you advice. He cares, Kuro. He's just… incapable of doing it nicely.]
{Um, I noticed, he has always done that um...are you ok Elvastia}
[...]
The bell over the kitchen clanged, signaling a break in the lunch rush. Students shifted and left their tables in waves.
"You'll get weak if you keep worrying about everyone else," Mika added, still staring at his food. "Even if you think you're helping them." This time, the words were a little gentler, aimed at Kuro, but when Mika's gaze flicked toward Elvastia in his head, the sharp edge returned: "Don't get in anyone's way or die from idiocy."
[Translation: Don't let anyone touch him, ever,] Elvastia muttered darkly. [And if someone so much as sneezes near him, Kuro, I swear…]
Kuro suppressed a smile. {You really care, don't you?}
[I do not! I just… prefer him in one piece. Is that so wrong?]
He could feel the faint tension in Mika beside him—an almost imperceptible shift as if Mika were aware of Elvastia's presence. Mika's fingers tapped against the table once, muttering, "You're too careful sometimes. Don't act weak." The words sounded harsher than his normal voice, but the tone was directed at Elvastia's "advice," not Kuro.
Kuro looked up. "Maybe. But I want to make sure we're both safe."
[And there it is. You said it right. Smart move.]
Mika's gaze lingered on Kuro for a fraction longer than necessary. Though he didn't smile openly, the softness in his eyes—an almost invisible warmth—was unmistakable, a silent reassurance that Kuro mattered.
The rest of lunch passed in relative silence. Kuro ate steadily, occasionally glancing at Mika. Occasionally, he felt Elvastia muttering in his head, complaining, swearing, and warning him… yet underneath all the curses, there was a strange sense of protection, a quiet thread of concern for Kuro's well-being.
When they left the cafeteria, side by side, Kuro realized he didn't mind the quiet between them. He didn't mind Mika's aloofness. And, as always, he didn't mind Elvastia's incessant swearing. Somehow, it all felt like home.