Awake

Darkness pressed against Orion from all sides, thick and suffocating.

His body felt heavy, almost as if he were sinking into something deep—something he couldn't pull himself out of. His limbs refused to move. His chest felt tight, as though something unseen was holding him down.

A voice.

Playful. Amused. Familiar.

"Hey, sweetie. You did good."

His mind stirred before his body did, the words dragging him out of the hazy void. His thoughts were slow, sluggish, like he was trying to swim through molasses.

The next thing he registered was warmth—the feeling of something soft beneath him.

Then, light.

A soft, artificial glow pierced through his eyelids, causing him to stir slightly. His head felt like it had been cracked open and stuffed with cotton, and a dull, throbbing ache settled behind his eyes.

With effort, Orion forced his eyes open.

The ceiling above him was familiar.

Dull white, slightly discolored from years of use, illuminated by a dim, ambient glow. His gaze slowly moved to the side, scanning the room.

His dorm.

His desk was still messy, a pile of books stacked haphazardly on one corner. His window was partially open, letting in a faint breeze. The sound of distant chatter filtered in from the hallway outside.

It felt... normal.

Too normal.

His body tensed slightly. The last thing he remembered was—

His thoughts halted as his gaze landed on the person sitting beside his bed.

Cas.

Arms crossed, leaning back in a chair, watching him with an amused glint in her eyes.

"Finally awake?" she said.

His voice came out hoarse. "Did you just call me… sweetie?"

Cas smirked. "Yeah?"

He blinked at her, still groggy. "...That was unexpected."

She shrugged, leaning back. "You almost drowned. I figured I'd be nice—for once."

A small huff of laughter escaped him, but it was cut short by a sharp pain in his ribs. He winced. His entire body ached.

"How long was I out?" he asked.

Cas tilted her head. "Two days."

Two. Days.

Orion's eyes widened. "...What?"

He sat up too fast and a sharp ache shot through his body. He winced, gripping his forehead

Can held up a hand." Easy there, drama king. Tou were out cold. The professors had to call in people to carry you and the others back from the far end of the campus."

That made him pause.

"Wait… get me from where?"

Cas's expression flickered slightly. "The far end of campus."

His heart skipped a beat.

"...What?"

"You heard me," she said. "That's where they found you."

Orion frowned. His memory was hazy, but he knew for a fact—he had entered the trial from the lecture hall.

So how the hell did he end up on the far end of the campus?

Something wasn't right.

Before he could say anything else, a knock on the door interrupted them.

Without waiting, Neil walked in, carrying a bag.

"Well, well. Look who finally decided to rejoin the land of living."

Orion gave him a tired look. "You act like I was in a coma."

Neil grinned. "Two days, dude. That's like... serious nap energy."

Behind him, Rin strolled in, arms crossed. "I told him to let you rest, but nooo—Neil insisted on seeing 'the patient.'"

Neil shrugged. "We brought food. That should earn us forgiveness."

Orion's stomach growled on cue.

Cas smirked. "I think that's a yes."

Neil placed the bag on the bed. "Anyway, before you get too emotional over breakfast, we got you a little something."

Orion blinked. "A gift?"

Neil reached into his pocket and tossed a small box onto the bed.

Cas smirked. "Open it."

Orion hesitated before peeling the box open.

Inside was a sleek, high-end pair of earphones.

His breath hitched slightly. His old ones were still fine, but this—this was an upgrade.

"Figured you'd need an upgrade after your heroic stunt," Neil said, smirking. "Consider it a passing gift."

Cas leaned back. "And a recovery gift."

Orion ran a thumb over the smooth surface of the earphones. It was a small gesture, but something about it made his chest feel warm.

He looked up at them, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"...Thanks, guys."

Neil nudged him. "You can thank us by not almost dying again."

Orion chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll try."

And for the first time since waking up, he felt a little lighter.