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Late afternoon on most days, you would find Victoria and Sarnax seated together in one of the many quiet study areas scattered around campus, heads bent over their textbooks.
Initially, this had been a temporary solution to their problems: Kana had practice at this time, and Shepherd often would run errands for Doc in town, so their friends had begun to study together. Eventually, though, they had begun to realize they actually enjoyed these quieter study sessions and continued to do so as the year went on.
Every so often, another member of their group would try to sit in.... and would almost immediately try to find an excuse to leave. When asked why, the response was always the same.
"They're... intense."
Today was no different. Seated across the table from each other, with swapped textbooks, they fired questions and answers back and forth rapid-fire, quietly scolding if the other hesitated in their answer. The volume never raised above a quiet conversation, but other students still took the longer route to avoid walking near the table: the atmosphere was.... -competative-. As the night went on, less and less students came by at all, making them realize the lateness of the hour.
Shaking her head at the glare she was receiving from her study partner, Victoria slid Sarnax's textbook back towards him as he began to pack his bag."I am beginning to think that I understand phenotypes much better than you, and I am not even in your program. Perhaps we should..."
Her phone buzzed on the table between them. Glancing down, her eyes widened, and then her face went ghost white.
"...Sarnax. You need to... to hide. Right now. Please. You can't be seen with me, do you understand?"
There was a tone to Victoria's voice that made his hair stand on end. Something so very familiar to him, a feeling that he thought he had left behind years ago...
Without even thinking twice, Sarnax turned and hunched down in the darkest corner of this study area, behind his chair, his hood down as low as it could go as he curled into a ball. Thankfully, the lateness of the hour shrouded everything in darkness, and he held his breath as a voice rang out.
"Victoria. Why have you not returned home?"
"Mother. I was studying, and lost track of time. How did you-"
"There are trackers on your phone, daughter. Of course, we would find you. But that does not answer the question. Why did you not return home at our agreed upon time, Victoria? Were you waiting for a... friend?"
"No, Mother, I told you-"
A faint buzzing interrupted the conversation. Victoria looked down at her feet as her mother slowly picked up the phone, glancing at the message.
"....who is this... 'Kana'?" The name sounded like an insult spoken that way.
"A... classmate. She and I have worked together on many-"
"Lying is a sin, daughter."
Clamping her mouth shut, Victoria stared at the floor.
"We have seen enough, Victoria. Why do you insist on continuing to associate with the wicked and sinful?"
"They are not..."
"Enough. You will -listen-, and you will remain silent. Our messiah does not condone any other beliefs. You -will remember- this, daughter. Do not stray from the path of righteousness."
Behind the chair, Sarnax could feel his chest tightening, his breathing quickening despite his best efforts to calm himself. As the lecture... hells, -sermon- continued on, he felt himself slipping back several years, feeling like a child again.
Some of these words... these phrases... he could practically hear his old leader, saying them directly into his mind. Memories, of fire and divine 'missions', of lost brethren and stolen years, rushed into his head. He dug his fingers into his ears, desperately trying to make it stop....
He was so wrapped up in his own misery he didn't even notice when the raised voices stopped, didn't notice the departure of the elder Isaacs, until a shakey wheezing cut through his thoughts. Finally raising his head, he peered out from his hiding spot; Victoria was curled up in her chair, gasping for air, staring into nothing.
Ignoring his own shaking hands, Sarnax stumbled over to his friend, sitting next to her and leaning in close, trying to hide the tremor in his own voice.
"You... you must breathe, Victoria. They are gone. Their words are in the past; we are in the present. Breathe."
Unsure if he was speaking to himself or Victoria, he leaned to touch her shoulder with his, still whispering.
"...breathe...."
A hand reached over to grasp his, holding tightly.
"...breathe...."
Slowly but surely, her breathing calmed to a regular level. Eventually, Victoria raised her head. "...I knew.... there was another reason why we were friends."
A humourless smile crossed her lips, and he gave her his own in return. "Perhaps. I... believe we should contact our other friends. They will be willing to 'keep us company' for the rest of the night. Perhaps Kana will let you stay the night if-"
"I am not to return home tonight. I will stay with her... if you can contact her. They... have taken my phone."
Nodding, Sarnax began to type out a few texts...
Fourty five minutes later, they all sat in the local diner: Shepherd gesturing wildly as he told a story; Kana keeping a close eye on her friend and ordering her favourite foods; Clayton exhausted, but pulling out his phone to regale them with Emmy's latest escapades...
And a pair of very grateful friends soaking in every hint of affection from their true families.