Fated to kill you

My Friend

It was twilight by the time Sath and Leah returned to the dorm. Sath pushed the door open for Leah who walked in without a word. She sank into the couch in the living quarters. Sath stared at her for a while before breaking the silence.

"I'll make some tea" he said.

Leah nodded faintly, staring at space.

Sath knew this was one of those moments where words would only go so far, so he didn't speak much. When he returned with tea, he found Leah curled up on the couch, hugging a cushion to her chest. He placed the steaming mug on the coffee table in front of her and sat down on the other end of the couch, giving her space.

"Thanks," she murmured, reaching for the tea.

They sat in silence for a while, the quiet punctuated only by the ticking of the clock on the wall. Sath leaned back, drumming his fingers on his knee, searching for something to say that wouldn't feel hollow.

"Do you remember the time you tried to bake cookies and accidentally used salt instead of sugar?" he said suddenly, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Leah looked up, she stared at him as if coming back to earth, her brow furrowing in confusion. "What?"

"You were so confident they were going to be amazing," Sath continued, leaning forward now, "and then you made me try one first. I thought I was going to die."

For the first time that evening, a faint smile broke through Leah's gloom.

"That would be your fault. You said it looked good," she scoffed.

"My fault? You practically shoved it in my mouth!" Sath exclaimed, feigning outrage.

Leah let out a small laugh, and Sath felt a quiet sense of victory. She wasn't okay—not yet—but this was a start.

As the evening passed on and night fell upon them, Sath suggested watching a movie, and Leah agreed. They shared a bowl of popcorn, and though Leah wasn't quite herself, she laughed a little more as the movie went on.

As the credits rolled, Leah stretched and leaned back against the couch, her head resting against the cushion. Sath glanced at her, his heart tugging at the sight of her—her tired eyes, the slight curve of her lips as she smiled faintly at something she remembered from the movie.

"You're a good friend, Sath," she said suddenly, her voice quiet but sincere.

Leah felt Sath's gaze pierce her for a split of a moment.

Sath stared at her for a moment. He wanted to be more than that, but he knew now wasn't the time. She needed him as a friend, and he wasn't about to risk losing her by making it about his feelings.

"I suppose I am," he said with a gentle laugh.

Leah turned to him, her gaze lingering. For a moment, neither of them said anything. The space between them felt charged, not with the weight of sadness, but with something else—something unspoken.

"Thank you," she said again, her voice softer this time.

Sath met her eyes and smiled. "Anytime."

As she got up to head to her room, she hesitated by the door. "Goodnight, Sath," she whispered.

"Goodnight," he replied, watching as she disappeared to her room.

Sath leaned back on the couch, exhaling deeply as he wondered when she would move on from her heart break.

The days at the UL passed on, and Leah found herself settling back into routine. She tried to avoid Liam as much as possible. She cut her library hours and studied at the dorm.

To add to her comfort Sath had a way of lightening the atmosphere around her, even when she didn't feel like laughing. He was always there—offering to share breakfast, leaving her favorite snacks on the counter, or casually challenging her to card games in the evenings or movie nights together.

Before Leah could understand what was happening, she found herself spending all her free time with Sath. He would make their morning coffee, tease her about her messy bun. He'd walk beside her on campus, making offhand jokes that somehow always made her day better. When he spoke to her, his attention was unwavering, as if she were the only person in the room.

Leah didn't realize it at first, but she was starting to look for Sath in ways she hadn't before.

One afternoon, as Leah walked into the UL common grounds, she froze at the sight of Sath sitting on the grass with Lena, notes sprawled across them . It looked like they were discussing a lesson. Sath leaned forward to listen to something Lena said and started laughing.

Leah suddenly felt an unexpected twist in her chest. She frowned, annoyed at the sudden pang of irritation that surged through her. Why did it bother her? He was just probably talking to her. But then again, Sath never laughed around others.

Not wanting to intrude she started walking away. She didn't know why she felt this way, after all he was just her friend.

Later that evening, Leah was in the kitchen when Sath wandered in, hands in his pockets. He leaned against the counter, watching her as she stirred her tea.

"You okay?" he asked, his tone casual but curious.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she replied, avoiding his gaze.

He raised an eyebrow. "You seem a little off"

"I'm fine," she said quickly.

Sath didn't push her. Instead, he stepped closer and reached for a mug. "You know, you're bad at hiding your feelings."

Leah stiffened, her heart skipping. Did he know? Could he see what even she didn't fully understand?

"I'm not hiding anything," she said, her voice defensive.

Sath leaned closer, his gaze playful with a soft smile. "If you say so." He chuckled and left to his room.

Leah watched him walk away, thankful Sath did not see her flustered face. Her feelings going hay wire. "He's just my friend" she whispers to herself.