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I: So You Can Hear Me
The cafeteria is always busiest around noon.
The poor, miserable students who have to show up early for morning classes crowd the area with the best food on campus. They can get actual filling meals here instead of settling for a sandwich and the biggest cup of coffee available. Having lunch here is the light at the end of the tunnel. As for the students who are morning people, well, they certainly can’t turn down good food.
Heizou and Lyney are far from morning people. If one of them sleeps past their alarm, the other just woke up and is rushing to shake them awake.
Heizou, for his part, has been dreaming of katsudon all morning. As he stands in line for it with Lyney to keep him company, he salivates at the thought of sinking his teeth into the deep-fried meat.
He tries to look ahead of them. The line is so long, it’s starting to run into the back of another line. They’re nowhere near the front.
“When was the last time we moved?” Heizou asks, barely audible over the lively chatter.
“Ten minutes ago,” Lyney says, raising his voice.
“When did we get here?”
Lyney checks his phone. “Half an hour ago.”
Heizou groans loudly. His stomach is so empty, it hurts.
He thinks he hears Lyney’s voice again, but can’t make out the words. Squinting at him, Heizou exclaims, “Huh?”
Whatever Lyney says is drowned out by his overwhelming hunger making everything fuzzy for a couple of seconds.
“Uh…” Heizou blinks himself back to the present, frowning at Lyney’s expectant look. “What was that?”
Lyney shakes his head with a long-suffering sigh. Heizou almost feels bad for not hearing him when Lyney leans in, a steadying hand on his shoulder, and whispers in his ear. “We should try eating from somewhere else.”
A shudder licks down his spine. His whole body burns. Lyney’s lips brushed his skin, breath fanning over his cheek, and he still hasn’t pulled away. Heizou nearly melts on the spot.
“Well?” Lyney prompts, and Heizou can hear the amused smile in his voice. “What do you say?”
“I— yeah,” Heizou fumbles, gulping. “Let’s eat somewhere else.”
“Pizza?”
“Sure.”
His heart hammers in his chest as Lyney draws back and leads him out of the line. Heizou follows close behind.
If it ends with Lyney so close to him, he wouldn’t mind waiting half an hour in a loud cafeteria again.
II: So You Don’t Get Hurt
“This street is a nightmare to cross,” Heizou complains, glaring at the parked cars lining both sides of the road. “We can’t tell if any cars are coming.”
Unfortunately, this is the street they live on. The bus stop is between their building and the nearest stoplight, and Heizou insists that legally crossing and doubling back would be a waste of time. Lyney only stays with him to be a second pair of eyes.
Yes, he’s a criminal justice and forensic science double major. So what? He values his precious time.
“We still have time,” Lyney says as a speeding car zooms by. “The bus doesn’t get here for another fifteen minutes.”
“Excuse me?” Heizou stares at him like he’s caught him in an outrageous lie. “Do you mean we missed our usual bus?”
“Didn’t you see it?” Lyney asks. “It passed us a couple minutes ago.”
“Was I looking away?”
“Down the other end of the road? Probably.”
Heizou buries his face in his hands, then raises his head in determination. He takes a deep breath through his nose and squeezes his eyes shut. “No, it’s fine. It’ll be fine. It’s not like I have a lab to prepare for or anything.”
“I thought your lab was tomorrow.” Lyney sighs. “I’m sorry, Heizou.”
“For what? It’s not your fault.” Heizou goes on his tiptoes to check for cars. It barely helps. “Waking up earlier wouldn’t do us much good. The stores around here open before we’re up on Tuesdays.”
“I know, but still. You’ve told me that every second counts in lab prep.”
“That’s true. I’ll just bite the bullet this time. I’m smart enough to make up for it.” Heizou strains his ears. No rumbling engines, no heavy tires rolling on the pavement. “Okay, let’s go.”
He takes exactly one step before Lyney grabs his arm and yanks him back. A cyclist rides past them, none the wiser.
“Whoa,” Heizou breathes, eyes wide. “That… could have gone a lot worse.”
“Are you alright?” Lyney clings to his arm, checking him over. “You’re not hurt, are you?”
“I’m fine, thanks to you,” Heizou assures him, smiling. “I didn’t know you could move so fast.”
“You were in danger. I’m just glad I was fast enough to stop you.” Lyney sticks his head out and looks both ways, then drags Heizou across. “I’m not letting you go until we’re on campus.”
Heizou chokes on his own spit. “W-what? Not even on the bus?”
“Especially not on the bus.” Now that they’re safely on the sidewalk, Lyney takes them to the bus shelter and pulls Heizou inside. “If we have to stand, what’ll happen if you fall? You never hold on tight enough.”
“That’s because bus drivers shouldn’t be acting like they’re on the racetrack gunning for first place.” Heizou huffs. “My life is in their hands. It’s not my fault if they fail.”
“This is exactly why I’m not letting you go.” To prove his point, Lyney holds his arm tighter. “One near miss is too much for one morning.”
“We might not even have to stand—!”
“Nope, too bad.”
He begrudgingly relents, subtly leaning into the touch. He’s grateful that Lyney cares about him, but does he need to fluster him in the process?
III: So You Feel Better
They’re eating cereal at the kitchen counter when Heizou’s phone pings and vibrates against his thigh. Dropping his spoon in the bowl, he fishes his phone out of his pocket. He frowns in distaste.
“What’s the matter?” Lyney asks, taking a spoonful of fruity cereal.
“It’s from the class site.” Heizou opens his phone against his own will, mentally preparing himself. Normally, he’d never do this while he’s eating. That’s a recipe for losing his appetite even if it goes well. “We got a quiz back.”
“Which class?” Lyney leans over to see and Heizou moves the phone closer to him.
“Forensic Psychology.” Heizou bites his lip and pushes the “View Grade” button in the email. Did the internet slow down for no reason? “Oh, Archons,” he grumbles, “put me out of my misery.”
“I’m sure you did spectacularly as always.” Lyney smiles at him. “I wouldn’t worry, if I were you.”
The page loads. The phone slips out of his grasp and he doesn’t notice Lyney swiftly catching it, taking a peek at the grade.
“See? I was right.” Lyney waves a hand in front of his blank face. “Heizou? Don’t tell me you’ve been blinded by your own intelligence.” Frowning, he taps his arm repeatedly. “Heizou?”
“You saw that, didn’t you?” Heizou asks slowly. “My grade.”
“I did. What’s so bad about it?”
“Half a percent.” Heizou latches onto Lyney’s shoulders. “I was half a percent away from getting a 90! They couldn’t give me the little extra boost? A little bit of mercy? Why take off half a percent? To ruin my peaceful Saturday morning?”
Lyney laughs before he can stop himself. He knows that Heizou isn’t in the deep despair he’s acting like he is. He plays along. “Maybe they want to keep you humble. You still scored high, but they were terrified of your ego and pride.”
“The professor and the TA must have teamed up against me,” Heizou asserts, crossing his arms. “They can’t knock me down forever.”
“You’re a force of nature,” Lyney agrees. “You’ll take the detective world by storm. In the meantime, I guess you’ll have to deal with your enemies.”
“Don’t they know I have needs?” Heizou whines. “So cruel.”
Lyney rubs soothing circles on his back. “Why don’t you show them who’s boss next time? Get a hundred percent. They can’t argue with that.”
Heizou pouts. “They’ll nitpick and find a so-called ‘mistake’ to chop my marks off.”
“If they really do that, see if you can dispute it.”
“This professor is actually stingy. I doubt that would get me far.”
“Then call me in as your backup.”
Heizou snorts, covering his mouth, then starts laughing. “You? My backup?”
“Who else?” Lyney’s arm slides around his shoulders like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “I may not know much about forensic psychology, but I’ll pick up a thing or two if you give me a night to prepare.”
Is this a real, tangible plan, or are they still messing around? Heizou finds himself leaning into Lyney’s side. “Can’t hurt. You’re already the best partner in crime.”
Lyney grins. “It seems I may have to take a new elective.”
IV: So You Don’t Lose Focus
The moon shines outside their window, gentle beams pouring onto the furniture. The microwave clock shows the time in bright green numbers: 2:30am. This is the third late night they’ve had this week, and it won’t be the last.
It’s the dreaded midterm season.
They huddle on the couch, each illuminated by their own laptops. Lyney cut them off from coffee four hours ago and they’re both feeling the effects of that decision.
After the first few times Lyney’s head bobs forward, Heizou nudges his side. “Hey.”
“Huh?” Lyney startles awake. “What is it?”
“Let me know if you’re too tired to go on,” Heizou says. “Then we’ll stop.”
“I’m fine.” Lyney rubs his eyes and squints at the time. “We need to be up in five hours,” he murmurs, speech slurred with fatigue.
“Wanna go to bed? I don’t mind stopping for the night.”
Lyney brushes his hair out of his face and pinches his own cheek. “No, let’s keep studying.”
Heizou slogs through four slides of notes before a weight falls on his shoulder.
He must be losing steam, Heizou thinks absently, focusing on his laptop. Two slides later, there’s a light, unmistakable snoring in his ear.
Lyney’s hand rests on the keyboard, the other sliding down his thigh and landing between their laps. He’s fast asleep.
“Lyney,” Heizou calls him in a whisper.
“Hm?” Lyney mumbles, a finger holding down the “f” key.
Heizou curses and takes Lyney’s hand away from the keyboard. He reaches over and deletes the row of letters, then shuts the laptop. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”
“No.” Lyney squeezes his hand and cuddles closer. “Study.”
“You’re not studying like this,” Heizou argues.
No response.
He sighs. Lyney must have been telling him to study and not worry about him, because of course he would.
The last thing he wants to do is wake him up, so Heizou opts to stay put for the night. He’ll read as many words as he can, absorb every bit of information his brain can handle until his eyelids droop and refuse to open. Even if he feels stiff and sore, he won’t move an inch.
Regrettably, he has to let go of Lyney’s hand to make some small notes here and there, but he instinctively goes right back to holding it once he’s finished. He swears Lyney mutters his name once or twice, but he thinks nothing of it.
Their muscles are going to ache when they wake up.
V: So You Understand What I Mean
Heizou’s legs dangle over the side of the chair as he reads his detective novel of the month. Sitting sideways in the chairs littered across campus never lasts long, but it’s extremely comfortable until the arm rest digs into his back.
Across from his seat, Lyney shuffles a deck of cards over the low table. He says it’s a nice way to empty his mind. Whenever he asks if Heizou’s sure he doesn’t find it annoying, Heizou always tells him he thinks the sound of fluttering cards is soothing.
Today is no exception. It’s the only reason Heizou doesn’t throw his head back and groan when a character does something stupid.
He’s been devouring this book for so long that his eyes begin to lose focus. Ah, he’s straining them again. The woes of being engrossed in the narrative.
Raising his head, he blinks a few times to reset himself. He rotates to sit in the chair properly and stretches his arms for good measure. Maybe he should rest his eyes by watching Lyney…
His friend hasn’t broken concentration. Heizou swears up and down that once they graduate, Lyney will be the greatest magician in Teyvat. Though he studies performing arts, Heizou loves watching him do magic tricks, some classic and some original.
His gaze drifts from the cards to Lyney’s hair. He hums thoughtfully, pursing his lips.
“I know you’re looking at me, Heizou,” Lyney teases with a smile.
“I’ve been wondering for a while now,” Heizou starts, bringing a curled finger to his chin. “How does your braid sit so perfectly like that? I would think it’d hang straight down, but it doesn’t.”
“You want to know my secret? How to put it— oh!” Lyney’s smile grows. “Why don’t I show you?”
“Show me?” Heizou echoes.
Lyney stands and steps around the table, coming up beside him. “I’ll give you a demonstration. May I braid your hair, dear Heizou?”
His voice is caught in his throat, right beside his heart. His mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water. Giving up on a proper response, he silently nods.
Lyney gets right to work, combing through Heizou’s hair with his fingers. As Lyney braids his hair, Heizou fights a blush and the urge to squirm with all his might.
No one’s ever done his hair like this before. Does he talk, or let Lyney work his magic? He spends so much energy overthinking and basking in the intimate touch, time passes him by.
When Lyney finally pulls away, he admires his handiwork with an approving nod. “See? You look great too. That black streak in your hair stands out even more.”
Heizou brushes his fingertips along the edges of the braid. “I think I get it now. The, uh… I don’t know many hair words, but you’re not braiding from one spot and going downward. It goes along your head. That’s why it stays like that, isn’t it?”
“Very astute, detective.” Lyney winks. “Now we match.”
+1: So We Don’t Get Separated
The landscape in Mondstadt is open and green with rolling hills, smooth valleys, and steep cliffs that jut out of the ground. The air is crisp, and the warm breeze caresses their faces.
Heizou stares up at the spinning windmills. He’s heard that the city of freedom boasts gorgeous architecture and delicious food. His mouth waters at the thought of the famous Good Hunter’s sticky honey roast.
This week-long trip won’t be long enough.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Lyney muses, his voice soft and his eyes softer as he watches Heizou.
“It is,” Heizou breathes, then swallows his sudden hunger and clears his throat. “We should search for the inn, shouldn’t we?”
“You’re right.” Lyney pulls out his phone and opens the directions from their location. “We’re at the city entrance— oh no.”
Heizou whips toward him in alarm. “What? What is it?”
“Now that I look at the map with the city right in front of me, it really seems like a maze.” Lyney frowns. “I’d expect us to miss a few turns.”
He rushes to peek at Lyney’s phone, suitcase clattering on the cobblestone behind him. “And the highlighted path is all twisty.” He sighs in frustration. “Why did we pick the inn on the other side of the city?”
“It was the cheapest one, remember? If we wanted one closer to the entrance, we couldn’t afford to stay for our whole week off.”
“I know, I know.” Heizou picks up his suitcase in his left hand. “I’m still gonna complain a little. Especially when we get there and our feet are killing us.”
Lyney zooms in as much as possible to see every twist and turn of the gray roads on the screen. “It’s next to a pastry place, at least. We can grab a snack while we recharge.”
“Thank the Archons it’s not a tavern or we’d never sleep.” Heizou takes Lyney’s other hand and tugs him forward. “Ready to go?”
“Huh?” Lyney pauses, cheeks pink. He fumbles for his own suitcase. “Wait, my stuff! I was holding that, you know.”
“Put it on your phone arm,” Heizou says.
“How?” Lyney twists around and loops his arm through the long handle. It seems he can stand and walk straight. “Oh, that’s how. I didn’t know you could be so insistent on holding my hand, Heizou.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Heizou’s grip tightens. He hopes his hands aren’t sweaty. “You said we could get lost. That means we could easily get separated, so…” He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, cheeks flaming red. “I don’t want to lose you here, that’s all.”
Lyney’s eyes widen, his cheeks matching Heizou’s in colour. “I-I see. That makes sense.” He shuffles forward, shoving his phone a bit too close to his face. “Just follow me.”
As much as it embarrasses him, Heizou can’t let go of his hand now. He’s gotten this far. He needs to hold out until they reach their inn room, then he can hurry to the bathroom and silently scream at the mirror.
But when Lyney adjusts their hands so their fingers interlock, Heizou thinks that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t so reckless after all.