Juni slept better that night. He didn't dream of shouting voices or narrow hallways. He dreamed of warmth.
The next morning, the bus stop looked the same. The bench. The cracked pavement. The low hum of the city waking up.
But Juni felt different standing there—less coiled, less alert for danger that hadn't arrived yet. Elian noticed immediately.
"You look… lighter," he said.
Juni blinked. "Do I?"
Elian nodded.
Juni considered that. "…I think your mom broke something," he said slowly.
Elian frowned. "In a bad way?"
Juni shook his head. "In a good way."
On the bus, Juni talked more than usual. About nothing important—music he liked, a teacher who had finally stopped mispronouncing his name, a sketch idea he hadn't been able to stop thinking about.
Elian listened, smiling faintly. The ease between them felt different.
Less careful.
At school, they sat together during lunch without scanning the room first. Juni noticed the shift halfway through eating.
"…I didn't check who was watching," he said softly.
Elian glanced up. "And?"
Juni paused. "…I don't think I needed to." The realization startled him.
After school, they walked slowly, shadows stretching long across the sidewalk.
"…Your mom didn't ask anything," Juni said. "Not about me. Not about… stuff."
Elian nodded. "She's good at that."
Juni swallowed. "…Most adults want answers."
"She wants people to breathe first," Elian replied.
Juni's steps slowed. "That's… really rare."
Elian watched him carefully. "…You deserved that." The words landed deeper than Elian intended.
Juni stopped walking.
"…No one's ever said that to me before," Juni said quietly.
Elian's chest tightened. He wanted to say more—to explain, to justify. Instead, he stayed silent. Let the truth stand on its own.
Juni nodded slowly, eyes glistening. "…Thank you," he whispered.
Not for the words. For the space around them.
That evening, Juni found himself sketching again. Not tension. Not fear. But hands resting side by side.
Open. Unhidden.
When Juni reached the bus stop the next morning, Elian was already there. Juni sat beside him without hesitation.
Without fear.
He didn't know how long the feeling would last. But for now—The safety lingered. And that was enough.