Tension

After that kiss, exactly what you'd expect happened.

While the other boys slumbered in the cold bedroom, River and Raven spent several hours together in the soothing embrace of the showers. As the early morning started to rise, they finally paused, needing a moment to catch their breath.

"Woah, Raven, what the fuck just happened?" River uttered, a sense of confusion and an oddly contented feeling washing over him.

Raven merely gazed at River, who sat beneath the cascading water, searching for answers. Without uttering a single word, Raven silently stood up and walked away, leaving River even more bewildered than before.

At what must have been around 10 in the morning, the door to the bedroom creaked open, and Nima gingerly entered the main room, his face still bearing traces of sleep. Using his makeshift crutches, he moved gently, wobbling a bit. After freshing up, he made his way toward the kitchen area.

With soft kindness, humming a happy little tune, Nima began to slowly arrange the table for breakfast. He navigated the pantry with just one hand, seeking out suitable breakfast options.

Just then, Raven came from the hallway, clad in a bathrobe and clutching his clothes. There was an unusual look on his face, and a brief exchange of glances occurred between him and Nima. Nima's brow furrowed in confusion as he observed Raven, who swiftly averted his gaze and disappeared into the bathroom.

Nima stood there perplexed for a few moments, furrowing his brows, before resuming his search in silence. He then set aside some cans of peaches and evaporated milk.

One by one, the other kids from the bedroom trickled into the kitchen.

"Jeez, was it freezing in there", Cove grumbled, still wrapped up in his white blanket as he shuffled toward the table.

Finn let out a sigh. "Yeah, we heard you. You've been reminding us all night", he replied with a touch of frustration but a gentle tone, ruffling his blonde hair casually.

Sage joined in with a soft laugh. "Nima, did you set the table by yourself? You could've asked me for help", he said, with a touch of concern in his voice.

Nima's smile in response to Sage's worry was genuine. He knew Sage cared, but he also treated him like an equal, not someone to fuss over. "Nah, it's alright. You were still sleeping, I didn't want to disturb you."

Sage moved closer to the kitchen counters. "Let me at least warm up this milk. You just add a little water to a saucepan and..." Nima listened attentively as Sage explained, working alongside him to prepare breakfast, setting out little bowls of peaches for everyone.

As breakfast was almost ready, River entered from the same direction Raven had earlier, a somber expression on his face and his bleached hair still damp. He greeted everyone with a soft nod, avoiding direct eye contact, and chose a seat without much thought.

Nima observed him for a moment, piecing together the situation. His eyes widened in understanding, and his heart ached in an unexpected way.

Finn, who hadn't seen Raven leave the hallway, looked at River with concern, sensing something amiss. However, River deliberately avoided meeting his friend's gaze.

Raven joined the group shortly after, his usual resting bitch face on, dressed in his normal clothes. Seeing food being served, he took a seat diagonally across from where River had chosen. Everyone offered nods of acknowledgment, except for Nima, who stared at Raven in shock, and River, who finally lifted his gaze, unsuccessfully attempting to lock eyes with Raven.

Breakfast was finally ready, and the group ate in an atmosphere thick with unspoken tension. The silence was palpable, each boy keenly aware of the underlying unease in the room.

Nima nervously poked at his food with his fork, while Sage's worried gaze flitted between his friend and Raven. Even Cove, who was usually not very good at reading the room around him, sensed something was wrong and exchanged a concerned look with Sage. Throughout the meal, River's eyes remained locked on Raven, but he appeared unfased, his focus solely on the peaches before him.

Finn eventually broke the silence, turning his attention to Sage. "Is your headache better today?" he inquired gently.

Sage responded with a faint smile. "Yes, thanks. I had a good night's sleep, and it helped a lot." Cove looked at him, smiling with relief.

Finn nodded approvingly. "Good to hear. Just let us know if you need anything."

With that, Finn stood up and gathered the group's attention. "Now that we're all here, we need to discuss what happened last night to River and me." He glanced toward River, as if expecting him to contribute, though River remained silent. Finn continued, his voice clear and steady. "As Sage and Cove already know, we had a visitor."

Finn's words piqued the curiosity of both Nima and Raven. He proceeded to explain the details of Han's visit—the gas mask, the biryani, and his offer of help. " Here's the most interesting part: he also gave us a newspaper reporting what happened outside and why we're here, but we didn't look at it. We thought it would have been nice to do it all together", he said. Then he walked to the white bag Han gave them and took out the paper, holding it up for everyone to see.

Raven's voice broke the silence like a thunderclap. "So, you're saying someone opened that damn trapdoor, and none of you two thought about getting us out of this mess?" River's gaze towards him brimmed with frustration.

Finn met Raven's intensity with measured composure. He paused, counting to five before responding, his voice even. "I understand where you're coming from, Raven", he acknowledged. "However, jeopardizing the only lifeline we have, the person willing to risk his career – if not worse – just to help us, might not be the best idea. Plus, we don't know what's waiting for us outside. The fact that they've hidden us underground and rationed us with so much canned food is... concerning."

Raven's eyes narrowed, his tone dripping with sarcasm and a hint of aggression. "Oh sure, 'trust the mysterious guy who visits once.' I bet I could convince this Han guy to let us out in a heartbeat."

"Maybe you were too busy for that", Nima mumbled under his breath, his gaze still focused on his nearly untouched food, his words lost in the air.

Finn sighed, his frustration palpable yet restrained. He placed the newspaper on the table, ensuring it was visible to all. Cove approached the paper, his eyes scanning the headlines on the front page.