They left the small eatery with full stomachs and lighter hearts. The air had cooled, the sky washed in deep midnight blue, scattered with soft stars.
Campus lights flickered behind them, but they took the long way back, letting the quiet stretch.
Luca walked a step behind at first, watching Noel under the soft glow of streetlamps.
He didn't speak right away—just listened to the hum of the city night, the rustle of leaves brushing against each other.
"You walk like you think too much," Luca said eventually, voice low and amused.
Noel glanced at him over his shoulder. "That's rich coming from you."
Luca caught up, brushing shoulders with him. "Touché."
They walked in sync for a while. Their hands didn't touch, but their steps shared a rhythm. A passing car now and then cast long shadows, stretching their forms along the pavement.
"Didn't think I'd end up like this, you know," Luca murmured.
"Like what?"
