The room fell into a comfortable lull, the only sounds being the occasional hum of a car passing outside and the soft ticking of the clock on the wall.
Nathan, now fully settled in, draped an arm over the back of the couch, shifting slightly to face rlin.
"You know," Nathan mused, "This is the first ti I've ever been in your space, and you haven't tried to run away yet."
rlin didn't look up from his phone. "Yet."
Nathan chuckled. "You're seriously allergic to social interaction, aren't you?"
rlin didn't respond, still scrolling through his screen with an expression so blank it was almost impressive. Nathan sighed dramatically, leaning his head back against the couch.
"You should talk to people more," Nathan continued, tapping his fingers against the fabric. "I an, I get that you're all broody and mysterious or whatever, but I'm telling you, it's gonna be a problem soday."
rlin finally glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "And why's that?"
Nathan grinned, as if he had been waiting for the question. "Because, my dear rlin, one day you're going to be stuck in a life-or-death situation, and you'll realize you have no one to rely on."
rlin let out a quiet breath through his nose. "I don't need anyone to rely on. I have myself and I'll be strong enough to protect myself. I don't drag others into my own trouble."
Nathan just stared at him for a mont before shaking his head, his smile dimming slightly. "That's a terrible way to live."
'How is that even terrible?'
rlin didn't argue.
Nathan sighed again, stretching out his legs. "Alright, fine, I won't lecture you. But at least let co over sotis. It's not like I'm gonna wreck the place."
rlin raised a brow. "That's debatable."
Nathan laughed. "Co on, you think I'm that bad?"
'Yes, you failed at saving your own world, dumbass. You are the worst.'
rlin just looked at him.
Nathan put a hand over his heart in mock offense. "Wow. You wound ."
rlin set his phone down on the coffee table, rubbing his temple. "You talk too much."
"Yeah, yeah, I've been told." Nathan waved a hand dismissively. "Anyway, you're lucky I'm not one of those friends who takes things personally."
"I told you. We're not friends."
Nathan gasped dramatically. "How dare you."
rlin pinched the bridge of his nose, but there was no real malice in the action. He was getting used to Nathan's energy, for better or worse.
The room fell quiet again, and for a mont, neither of them spoke. Nathan stared up at the ceiling, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.
"…You know, you really are different from the others," he murmured.
rlin glanced at him. "What?"
Nathan turned his head slightly, eting rlin's gaze. "I don't know. It's hard to explain. But you feel… different."
rlin held his gaze, his expression unreadable. "That's because I am different."
Nathan snorted. "See, it's stuff like that. Normal people don't say things like that."
'I am different, I literally don't belong in this world.'
rlin leaned back, closing his eyes. "Maybe I'm just not normal."
Nathan humd in agreent. "Yeah, no argunt there."
Silence stretched between them again. This ti, it wasn't uncomfortable, it was sothing else.
rlin exhaled, rubbing his temple as Nathan stretched lazily on the couch, looking far too comfortable for soone who wasn't even supposed to be there.
"Why don't you just go ho?" rlin asked, standing up.
Nathan made no effort to move. "Ehh, it's late."
"Exactly."
Nathan grinned. "Which is why I should stay the night instead of wasting money on a taxi."
"Not my problem."
"I an, it kind of is, since I'm already here."
rlin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't have a guest room."
"The couch is fine."
rlin narrowed his eyes. "You planned this, didn't you?"
Nathan grinned. "I would never."
rlin stared at him, weighing his options. Kicking him out at this hour was more trouble than it was worth, and knowing Nathan, he'd probably find a way to stay regardless.
"…Fine. But if you snore, I'm throwing you out the window."
Nathan bead. "Got it, got it. You're the best, rlin."
rlin rolled his eyes, already regretting his decision.
rlin sighed, rubbing his temple before turning away. "Suit yourself."
Nathan took that as full permission and imdiately sprawled out on the couch like he owned the place.
He stretched his arms behind his head, grinning like a satisfied cat. "Man, your couch is actually pretty comfortable. You sure you don't wanna trade?"
'He cannot be fucking serious.'
rlin shot him a deadpan look. "I'd rather sleep on the floor."
Nathan laughed. "Your loss."
Ignoring him, rlin turned toward the hallway. "I'll get you a blanket. Don't touch anything."
"I'd never," Nathan said, way too quickly.
rlin didn't trust that at all.
He disappeared into his room, grabbing a spare blanket from his closet.
His room was just as sparse as the rest of the apartnt—minimalist, with only a bed, a desk, and a single bookshelf tucked against the wall.
There were no decorations, no unnecessary belongings. Nothing that hinted at personality.
When he returned to the living room, Nathan had already made himself at ho. His jacket was draped over the armrest, and he was casually flipping through his phone, looking completely at ease.
rlin tossed the blanket at his face. "Here."
Nathan yelped, pulling it off his head with a glare. "Rude."
"Then leave."
Nathan grinned. "Nah."
rlin sighed and walked past him toward the kitchen. He wasn't tired yet, so he poured himself a glass of water.
Behind him, Nathan shifted on the couch. "Hey, rlin."
rlin didn't turn around. "What."
Nathan hesitated for a second before continuing. "Do you always live like this?"
rlin took a slow sip of his water. "Like what."
"I don't know. Just… you don't have anything personal here." Nathan waved vaguely at the room. "It feels kind of empty."
rlin placed his glass down with a quiet clink. "I don't need anything else."
Nathan studied him for a mont before exhaling. "You're really bad at this, you know?"
rlin frowned. "At what?"
"Being human."
'What the hell is he even saying?'
rlin turned his head slightly, eting Nathan's gaze. Nathan wasn't mocking him, wasn't teasing—his expression was lighthearted, but there was sothing genuine beneath it.
rlin looked away. "And you're bad at shutting up."
Nathan laughed. "Yeah, yeah. I'll shut up now."
rlin finished his drink and left the glass in the sink before heading back to his room. "Good. Go to sleep."
"Night, roomie..Oh could you brung a pillow..?"
rlin closed the door behind him without even bothering to answer.
He stood there for a mont in the dim light, letting out a quiet breath.
Nathan was an idiot.
But for so reason, rlin hadn't kicked him out.
He sat down on the edge of his bed, running a hand through his hair.
The apartnt was quiet now, save for the occasional shifting sounds from the living room where Nathan had settled in.
He exhaled. He wasn't tired. He rarely was.
Instead, he pulled up his system.
'System. Training nu.'
[Training (Daily) Currently available]
[Would you like to proceed with the training? Y/N]
It appeared in front of his vision, its familiar interface glowing faintly in the dark.
'Yes.'
The interface flickered for a second.
rlin frowned. That was new.
Then—
[ERROR.]
[Training Mode Unavailable.]
[System Malfunction Detected.]
rlin's fingers tightened around the edge of his bed.
"…What?"
He tried again, resetting the system, navigating back to the training function.
[ERROR.]
A cold sense of unease settled in his chest. The system had never failed him before. It was one of the few things he could rely on, one of the few advantages he had over this world's natural order.
Yet now—
rlin closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.
'What the hell?'
Sothing was wrong.
rlin stared at the glowing error ssage for a few more seconds before closing the interface with a flick of his hand.
'It's not like I can do anything..'
Whatever the problem was, he wasn't going to solve it now. If the system was malfunctioning, it would either fix itself or he'd have to figure out an alternative later. Worrying about it wouldn't change anything.
'Oh..the pillow.'
With a quiet sigh, he stood up and grabbed a spare pillow from his closet. He walked back into the living room, where Nathan was sprawled out on the couch, already half-asleep.
"Here." rlin tossed the pillow onto Nathan's face.
Nathan let out a muffled noise before grabbing it and glaring up at him. "You could've just handed it to ."
rlin ignored the complaint and turned back toward his room. "Don't touch anything."
Nathan huffed. "Yeah, yeah. Goodnight to you too, ice prince."
rlin didn't dignify that with a response. He shut his bedroom door behind him, climbed into bed, and closed his eyes.
For now, he'd sleep.
Tomorrow, he'd deal with whatever was coming next.
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