Home is Where the Heart Isn't!

The hum of conversation and the clatter of utensils filled the air as Zteel sat around a corner table in the bustling cafeteria. Plates and trays of half-eaten food scattered before them, each member picking at what was left in their own way.

Kilo leaned back in his chair, balancing on its rear legs with a mischievous grin. He shoved a fry into his mouth before pointing at Nyota with another. "You know what we should do? We should hit up Kai's place again. That last time was fun!"

Nyota, seated across from him, paused mid-sip from his glass of water. He raised an eyebrow and set the glass down carefully. "Are you serious? We already pushed it last time. I'm all for making new allies—and that, we've done—but as the mediator of sorts, I don't think abusing that luxury is among our best interests."

"Yeah, but look how well it turned out," Kilo replied, gesturing dramatically. "She let us stay, didn't she? Even said we could lounge there regularly! So, really, it's not unannounced anymore. It's tradition."

Sage shook his head. "Yeah, I don't remember her saying that." He, sitting beside Nyota, leaned forward with his chin propped on his hand. "And what do you mean 'tradition?' That's a stretch, even for you."

"Call it whatever you want," Kilo said with a shrug, popping another fry into his mouth. "I just think we're overdue for a visit."

Aurora, seated next to Kilo, had been quietly stirring her drink, her eyes fixed on the swirling liquid. She looked up suddenly, surprising everyone. "I think it's a good idea."

The table went silent for a beat, all eyes turning to her. Nyota furrowed his brow, clearly thrown off. "Wait—you're agreeing with him?"

Aurora shrugged, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Why not? We've been working nonstop lately. A little downtime with friends might be good for us."

Kilo clapped his hands together triumphantly. "See? Aurora gets it. I knew you were the smart one."

Sage shook his head, smirking. "I'm questioning everything I know about you, Aurora."

Nyota sighed, subtly biting at a fingernail. "I still don't think it's a good idea. She might not even be home."

"Oh, she'll be home," Kilo said confidently, leaning forward now, his chair thudding back onto all four legs. "You've got her schedule memorized, don't you, Nyota?"

Nyota shot him a sharp look, but before he could respond, Sage interjected, a sly grin spreading across his face. "You know, he has a point. You've been suspiciously accurate about Kai's whereabouts and interests."

Aurora raised an eyebrow with a breaking smile, looking between Nyota and Kilo. "Interesting."

Nyota groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "For the record, it's called paying attention, not stalking. I've… spoken with her long enough to know her habits."

"Uh-huh," Kilo said, leaning back again, arms crossed. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, buddy."

Aurora tapped her drink thoughtfully, then set it down with a decisive clink. "So, are we going or not?"

Nyota hesitated, glancing at Sage, who gave him a helpless shrug. Sage then resigned. "Fine. But if she throws us out, it's on you, Kilo."

Nyota's eyes widened with a panicked frown.

Kilo grinned ear to ear, already pushing his chair back to stand. "So it's settled then, we ride at dawn! Or dusk… She won't throw us out. She loves us."

As they cleared their trays and headed out, Nyota couldn't shake the feeling that this was going to backfire spectacularly—but then again, that was par for the course with Kilo's plans.

He reasoned with himself, believing maybe Kai would allow their impromptu appearance at her clandestine abode. But in actuality, though he had gotten the chance to know Kai quite well for some time, he was still a stranger in the grand scheme of things.

--

The hallways of Polaris Academy buzzed with the usual afternoon energy—students chatting, lockers slamming, and teachers calling out reminders about assignments. Amid the lively backdrop, Fazian moved through the crowd with uncharacteristic silence, his shoulders slouched and his gaze fixed on the floor.

Marcus and Ethan caught sight of him near the lockers. Normally, Fazian would've been cracking jokes or goading them into some mischief, but today he seemed lost in thought.

"Hey, man," Marcus called out, leaning casually against the row of lockers. "You've been acting all… I don't know, quiet lately. What's up with you?"

Ethan chimed in, waving a hand in front of Fazian's face. "Yeah, you okay? You've been zoning out all week."

Fazian forced a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah, I'm good," he muttered, though his tone betrayed him. "Just... stuff, you know?" He closed his locker with a dull clang and started walking toward his next class, Marcus and Ethan falling into step on either side of him.

The two exchanged a glance before Marcus pressed on. "Does this 'stuff' have anything to do with Kai?"

Fazian's steps faltered for a fraction of a second, but he quickly recovered. His expression remained neutral. "I'm fine, guys. Really," he insisted, though his voice lacked conviction.

The group reached Fazian's classroom, and he stepped inside without another word. Marcus and Ethan lingered outside the door, exchanging a mix of concern and curiosity.

Fazian sank into his seat, dropping his backpack beside the desk with a sigh. He rubbed the back of his neck absentmindedly, his mind wandering until a familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Hey, Fazian," came a gentle but firm greeting.

He looked up to see Naomi, Kai's closest friend, standing beside his desk. Her brow was furrowed with concern, and she leaned slightly against the edge of the desk.

"You've been looking pretty down lately," she said, cutting straight to the point. "What's going on?"

Fazian hesitated, his gaze dropping to the scratched surface of his desk. "It's nothing, really," he mumbled.

Naomi raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Doesn't look like nothing to me. You've been off all week. If you don't want to talk to Marcus and Ethan, fine, but you know I'll get it out of you eventually."

A small, humorless laugh escaped Fazian as he shook his head. "You don't give up, do you?"

"Not when my friends need help," Naomi replied simply, pulling a chair over and sitting beside him. "So, spill. What's going on? Is it about Kai?"

Her straightforwardness caught Fazian off guard, but he nodded slowly. "Yeah, kind of," he admitted. "It's just… things have felt weird between us lately. Ever since we hung out at that café a while ago, she's been distant. I tried talking to her, but I don't want to push too much, you know? I don't want to mess things up more than they already are."

Naomi tilted her head, her expression thoughtful. "That's strange. Kai didn't even mention the café thing to me. Usually, she tells me about stuff like that. Did something happen between you two?"

"I don't know," Fazian replied, running a hand through his hair. "I don't think so? I just wanted to hang out and have a good time, but now I keep thinking maybe I said something wrong or… I don't know. She's been avoiding me, and I can't figure out why."

Naomi studied him for a moment before leaning back in her chair. "Kai can be hard to read sometimes, but I don't think she'd avoid you without a good reason. Maybe she's dealing with something she hasn't told you about. Have you thought about asking her directly?"

"I tried," Fazian said with a shrug. "She just brushed it off. I don't want to pry into her business if she doesn't want to share."

Naomi smiled faintly. "You're a good guy, Fazian. I get why you're giving her space, but don't shut yourself down in the process. If she's important to you, don't be afraid to keep the lines of communication open."

Fazian nodded, her words offering a small glimmer of reassurance. "Thanks, Naomi. I'll think about it."

"Anytime," she said, standing up. "And if you need someone to vent to, you know where to find me."

Fazian chuckled softly as she walked away, leaving him to his thoughts. Though her words gave him some clarity, the knot in his chest remained, tied with the weight of unspoken feelings and unanswered questions.