The fire had burned down to a quiet, steady glow, no longer leaping or snapping, just breathing. Embers pulsed like slow heartbeats beneath a skin of ash, casting soft orange light that crawled across tree trunks and sleeping faces.
The forest had settled into its night rhythm. Crickets stitched sound into the dark. Somewhere far off, an owl called once, then fell silent again.
Tala slept curled on her side, blanket pulled up to her chin, herbs from earlier tucked beside her pack. Jer lay sprawled in a way that suggested she'd passed out mid-sentence, one arm flung over Yora's leg. Yora didn't seem to mind, her breathing deep and even. Patricia slept sitting up against a log, arms folded, head tilted forward like she'd simply decided sleep could wait until she said otherwise.
And then there was Tomora.
He lay flat on his back, hands tucked beneath his head, eyes open. The canopy above him was broken just enough to let the stars peek through—sharp pinpricks of light scattered across black. He followed them without really seeing them, letting his thoughts drift wherever they wanted.
Footsteps shifted softly nearby.
Connor's voice cut through the quiet, low and careful.
"…Tomora. You sleeping?"
Tomora didn't move his head.
"Nope."
A beat passed. Fire crackled. Something in the distance rustled and then faded.
Connor huffed a quiet breath, somewhere between a laugh and a sigh.
"Heh. Figures."
Tomora felt Connor sit up. He didn't have to look to know the posture—knees drawn up, arms resting loosely, shoulders squared but not tense. That was the stance Connor took when he was done joking.
When he was about to say something that mattered.
"Look…" Connor said, voice pitched just low enough not to wake the others. "The girls didn't notice."
Tomora's gaze shifted, just slightly.
"But during that fight—"
Tomora turned his head, eyes catching the firelight now.
"—you used water…" Connor continued, choosing each word with care, "…and lightning."
Silence dropped hard between them.
The fire popped, sending a brief spray of sparks upward. One ember landed too close to a blanket, then died out harmlessly.
Tomora clicked his tongue.
"…Tch."
He exhaled slowly, breath fogging faintly in the cool air.
"I could say the same about you," he said at last.
Connor didn't answer right away.
"Your earth attacks—" Tomora went on, eyes drifting shut, "—those rocks were hot."
Connor's jaw tightened. Tomora could hear it in the way his breathing changed, in the slight scrape of teeth.
"Yeah."
The word landed heavy.
They sat like that, two silhouettes carved out of firelight and shadow, neither looking at the other. The truth sat between them, ugly and undeniable, like a third presence crouched by the flames.
Tomora broke it first.
"So…"
He shifted, elbows digging into the ground as he propped himself up slightly.
"…you're a mim—"
"Irregular."
Connor's interruption was calm. Too calm. The word slid into place like it had been practiced.
Tomora froze for half a heartbeat.
Then he sat up fully and burst into laughter.
"Hah—!"
The sound came out too loud, too sudden. A bird startled somewhere overhead.
"Yeah! An irregular!" Tomora said quickly, waving a hand. "That's what I meant! Totally!"
Connor stared at him.
Not annoyed. Not amused.
Just… staring.
"…You are not a good liar," Connor said flatly. "What are you hiding."
Tomora's laugh cut off like a snapped string.
"NOTHING," he shot back, a little too fast.
Connor leaned back slightly, unimpressed.
"Ohk, Mr good liar," he said, dripping sarcasm.
Tomora looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. His fingers caught on a healing bruise and he winced, though he pretended not to.
"Shut up."
The fire shifted again, shadows stretching and collapsing. For a moment, Tomora's face darkened—not with anger, but with something deeper. Something old.
And then—
FLASH.
A tiny weight landed on his head.
A chibi version of the hooded figure popped into existence, legs dangling over Tomora's forehead like he owned the place. The miniature cloak fluttered dramatically despite the lack of wind. His grin was obnoxiously wide.
"Kiddooo~"
Tomora twitched.
…That bastard is rubbing his stupidity on me.
The chibi leaned forward, hands on knees, eyes sparkling with smug delight.
"Like student like master~"
Tomora's fist clenched so tight his knuckles cracked.
I'm gonna kill him.
The chibi vanished in a soft poof, leaving behind nothing but Tomora's irritation and a faint sense of being judged by someone who absolutely should not be allowed to judge anyone.
Connor had gone quiet.
He was watching Tomora now—not staring, not prying. Just… watching. Like he was piecing something together and deciding how much of it he wanted to acknowledge.
"You thinking about someone?" Connor asked.
Tomora's gaze dropped to the fire.
"…Yeah."
The flames reflected in his eyes, twisting and bending, never staying still.
"An annoying idiot."
Connor snorted softly.
"Sounds interesting."
A quiet chuckle slipped out of Tomora before he could stop it. Connor followed, the sound low and rough but genuine. It didn't last long. It didn't need to.
The night wrapped back around them, warmer now somehow.
Above them, the stars burned on—unaware, uncaring, steady.
And for the first time in a long while, Tomora didn't feel entirely alone beneath them.