The second day of school began with a slight drizzle, cobblestones slick under their shoes. Wads walked with measured steps, dark eyes noting the smallest details—the way other students hurried past, the puddles forming near the fountain, and even how Liora's silver hair caught the dim light as she moved.
Klyden, ever oblivious to subtlety, bounced beside him, splashing in every puddle he could find. "Hey, Wads! Come on, don't be so serious! It's just a little rain!"
Wads' lips twitched almost imperceptibly. "I don't like wet socks."
"That's not the point!" Klyden laughed, shaking water from his coat. "The point is fun!"
Liora, walking a few steps behind them, rolled her eyes but smiled. "You two are ridiculous," she called, voice a mix of amusement and mild annoyance. "Try not to drown before lunch."
Wads noted how effortlessly she commanded attention without demanding it. Her presence balanced Klyden's chaotic energy and his own careful observation.
During class, the three found themselves seated near each other. Klyden immediately tried to chat with everyone around him, while Wads quietly observed, mentally noting the teacher's routines and students' behaviors. Liora, with her sharp eyes and dominant presence, kept an eye on both boys, occasionally making sarcastic remarks that had Klyden snorting with laughter and made Wads raise an eyebrow.
At recess, they wandered toward a small grove behind the school. Klyden darted ahead, daring Wads to catch him. Liora followed at a measured pace, her heterochromatic eyes flicking between the boys.
"You really are as boring as you look, Wads," Liora teased, crossing her arms.
"I am not boring. I am cautious," he replied calmly.
"Cautious isn't the same as boring," she said with a smirk, stepping closer. "Try having a little fun for once."
Wads didn't respond immediately, but the faintest hint of a smirk tugged at his lips. Klyden, meanwhile, had disappeared behind a tree, laughing as he tried to startle a passing squirrel.
The day ended with small victories for each of them: Klyden had made two new friends, Wads had memorized the schedule and all shortcuts through the school, and Liora had quietly observed them both, intrigued by the strange balance between them.
By the time they left, a subtle bond had begun to form—a balance of Klyden's chaotic energy, Wads' cold logic, and Liora's dominant yet playful presence. Even without speaking much, they each knew that this was the start of something that would grow far beyond ordinary childhood friendships.