Soon after giving the gems to the professor, Gray and Lyra decided to take a small walk on the beach.
Splash, plop~
The waves lapped gently against the shore, brushing over Gray's boots before fading back into the glittering blue.
The sunset was almost over, staining the sea in shades of gold and orange. The wind was warm, carrying the faint scent of salt and flowers from the nearby dunes.
Lyra walked barefoot, her shoes dangling from her hand as she kicked at the sand every few steps.
"You know," she started softly, "it feels like forever since we came to the academy…"
Gray kept his hands in his pockets.
"Yeah. Hard to believe it's only been, what, a couple of months?"
"Mm." She smiled faintly, looking out at the horizon.
"Remember the first day? You looked so serious. I thought you were going to punch me before even talking."
"I probably was. After all, that exam was meant for us to kill each other," Gray chuckled lowly.
