Chapter 21 : Something he couldn't name

The door to Mikael's dorm clicked shut behind him.

He leaned against it for a moment, exhaling deeply. His room was dim, a sliver of moonlight bleeding in through the curtain. Everything was quiet, peaceful, even.

But he wasn't.

He dropped his bag by the desk and sat on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees. His heart was still beating faster than it should have been.

What just happened?

He had stood up to Lucas without hesitation, without fear. He wasn't even sure where that confidence came from, only that when Lucas insulted Evan, it felt like someone had spat on something precious.

Precious?

He blinked at the word in his mind.

Evan was… his friend. A kind, awkward, funny guy who made the world feel a little less complicated.

But tonight, standing so close to him, holding his cheek like that..

Mikael ran a hand through his hair, groaning softly.

"This is crazy," he muttered to himself, lying back on the bed, eyes on the ceiling.

He tried to sleep. Really, he did.

But every time he closed his eyes, Evan's face appeared in his mind, laughing at the library, eyes wide in surprise at the touch, the way he hesitated before smiling at him, like he wasn't used to kindness.

That smile was now burned into Mikael's brain.

His chest ached, not in pain but in confusion.

What was this feeling?

Was it… more than friendship?

And if it was.. was that okay?

He turned to his side, gripping the pillow tighter. The warmth in his chest was unsettling. Soft. Intimate.

Evan.

That name had never felt this heavy before.

---

Elsewhere, the city lights blurred past in streaks of white and gold as Lucas drove far too fast down the empty highway.

His grip on the steering wheel was tight, knuckles pale.

He didn't even know where he was going.

All he knew was that he had to get away from campus. Away from them.

The image of Mikael standing in front of Evan like some kind of hero burned behind his eyelids.

The way he looked at Evan.

The way Evan didn't say a word, but also didn't hide.

Lucas's jaw clenched. His chest felt like it was splitting in half.

Why the hell do I care so much?

Why does it piss me off this much?

He'd told himself before: he didn't like Evan. Evan was annoying. Weak. Too soft. Always smiling like nothing hurt, when everyone could see he was a walking target. Lucas had tried to break him down. Remind him where he stood.

And yet…

Why did it bother him that Mikael wanted to protect him?

Why did it sting that Evan had smiled at someone else?

That someone else wasn't him?

Lucas slammed a hand against the steering wheel, the sound cracking through the silence of the car.

"This is stupid."

But no matter how many times he told himself that...

It didn't stop the heat in his chest.

Or the way his thoughts kept looping back to Evan.

Again. And again.

---

The morning air was crisp. A gentle breeze stirred the leaves outside the main study hall building. Students milled about, some heading to lectures, others lingering with coffee cups in hand.

Evan walked alone, hugging his books to his chest. His head was filled with worry, about Lucas, about Mikael, about everything. His sleep had been restless.

As he approached the entrance of the study hall, he heard hurried footsteps behind him.

"Evan!"

He turned, surprised.

Mikael jogged up to him, his expression bright, brighter than Evan had ever seen it. His usual calm confidence was there, but this morning there was something more. Something soft.

"Hey," Mikael said, a little breathless. "I was hoping I'd catch you."

Evan blinked. "Oh. Morning."

Mikael smiled. "Morning." His voice was unusually gentle. Like he was choosing every word with care.

They stood there in a pocket of silence, surrounded by the buzz of other students, yet somehow separate from it all.

Mikael's gaze lingered on Evan for a moment, longer than usual. There was something in his eyes. Something kind. Warm. Protective.

Something that made Evan's heart skip a beat.

"You look tired," Mikael said softly.

Evan gave a tiny shrug. "Didn't sleep much."

Mikael nodded. Then his eyes crinkled with a smile. "I've been thinking about you."

Evan's breath caught in his throat. "…Huh?"

Mikael chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Not in a weird way. Just, about yesterday. About everything. I just… I want you to know I'm here. For real."

Evan couldn't speak. Couldn't even move.

Then Mikael reached out and gently straightened the strap of Evan's bag on his shoulder, fingers brushing his collarbone for a moment.

"I'll walk you in?"

Evan only nodded.

And as they stepped through the doors side by side, something warm bloomed quietly between them.

Something unnamed.

But undeniably real.