The Nurse’s office.Dim lights.Quiet hum of the air vent.

  Ethan didn’t even remember closing his eyes. One moment he was staring at a speck on the floor, fighting gravity pulling his eyelids down… and the next, he felt himself slipping — not just into sleep — but toward that warmth in his chest.

  Eri’s warmth.Soft. Pulling him in. Whispering.

  Just rex… come back… you belong as me… you belong as us…

  His breathing softened. His fingers twitched. Fox ears almost pricked through hair that wasn’t there yet — an echo trying to form.His tails — phantom but real to him — curled instinctively around his legs in his half-dream.

  He mouthed something — half-word, half-plea.

  “…Eri…”

  And then—

  A shadow fell over him.

  “Dude?”

  Alex's voice poked into the quiet, confused, skeptical. “you almost passed out mid-math css and now you’re—”

  He stopped.

  Ethan felt movement near his chest — a tiny tug.The chain around his neck.

  He blinked awake blearily — too slow.Too tired to hide anything.

  Alex’s fingers hovered just above the gem.

  “Since when do you wear jewelry?” Alex whispered. Not mocking — confused, curious. Concerned.

  His eyes scanned Ethan’s face — really looking now.Seeing the exhaustion. The red eyes. The trembling breath.

  “Hey… you okay? Seriously?”A whisper. Almost gentle.

  Ethan’s hand flew instinctively to his chest, closing around the neckce and tucking it into his hoodie.His heart smmed against his ribs.

  “I— it’s nothing,” he choked.Voice failed on the st word.Too shaky. Too defensive.

  Alex narrowed his eyes.He wasn’t loud.He wasn’t teasing.He looked almost… hurt.

  “You’re clearly not okay,” he whispered. “You didn’t even notice me come in. You were mumbling. And you look like you haven’t slept in a week.”

  Ethan couldn’t answer.Everything in him felt fragile — stretched thin, cracking.

  Alex stepped closer — unusual for him.Quiet, serious tone now.

  “If you’re in trouble — if something’s happening at home, or you’re… changing, or…”His voice trailed off.He didn’t even know what he was asking — but he knew it mattered.

  “Talk to me.”

  Inside Ethan?Conflict. Panic. Longing.A silent scream yered behind his ribs.

  I want to tell you.I want someone to know.I want to be Eri again so bad it hurts.

  But his mouth only formed one desperate lie.

  “I’m fine.”

  Neither of them believed it.

  Alex watched him another long moment — jaw tight, brows drawn.Then he stepped back, hands up in surrender.

  “Okay. Fine.”

  Ethan stared at the floor, heartbeat pounding against the neckce like it wanted to fuse into him again. Like Eri was pushing to the surface even now.

  He squeezed his hand around it — not to hide it.To hold onto it.

  To hold onto her.

  And Alex watched silently…eyes troubled, suspicious — and worried in a way Ethan didn’t know what to do with.