Haku was late.
Not late in any official capacity. He didn't exactly follow a schedule. But he'd meant to check in on Alex after the first day and had instead found himself tangled in paperwork, a misplaced fire incident involving a fourth-year, and a tavern brawl that wasn't even his fault, but the student used his theory in a drunken stupor and hurt some people.
Which he didn't accept as his fault, but parents tend to misplace the blame a lot.
Now, finally free, he wandered through the dormitory halls, mug of lukewarm coffee in hand, hair unbrushed, coat half buttoned, looking like a man one whisper away from quitting education forever.
He knocked on Alex's door with his foot. "It's me. Open up unless you're dead."
The door creaked open a second later. Alex looked alive. That was already a win. Shirt untucked, hair slightly messy, but not bleeding or twitching. He blinked once.
"Hey," Alex said.
"Hey," Haku replied, walking in uninvited like a man inspecting a rental horse. "You look like you haven't been lit on fire yet. I'm proud."
Alex shut the door behind him. "I only got splashed with soup."
"Magic soup?"
"Regular. Cafeteria soup. Might still be cursed."
Haku sat down on the edge of the desk like it owed him rent. "So. First day. School. Classes. Peers. Authority figures. How's the prison sentence treating you?"
Alex sat on the bed with a sigh. "Not the worst. Nobody stabbed me. Most people just stare. Professors think I'm weird. I think that's normal."
"Definitely normal," Haku nodded, sipping what was now cold coffee. "Did they give you homework?"
"A little. One paper, some practice. Channeling exercises. Basic stuff."
"You mean painfully slow, overly formal, eye-gougingly dull magical review?"
Alex shrugged. "I've heard worse at the bar."
Haku gave a small grin. "That's the spirit. So no regrets yet?"
Alex hesitated. "Not yet. Kinda wish there were more stools and fewer uniforms."
"Well, you're lucky. Some orphans have no choice but to join the military. You just get to study shiny lights and avoid fireballs. It's practically a vacation."
They sat there in silence for a moment, the quiet kind you only get between people who don't feel the need to fill it.
Eventually, Haku stretched. "Listen, I'm going to need you to lie for me in a few weeks."
Alex blinked. "That was fast. Trying to hide something, are we?"
'he must be afraid that people find out that he isn't exactly a mage.'
"Right? Don't worry, it's academic. I have to give a demonstration for the class this week. I have to perform in front of my class, and if I use my powers, they would quickly realize that it isn't magic at all. I have to summon some golems."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "You don't do golems."
"Exactly. I hate golems. Building one from scratch is boring. Takes too long. Makes my back hurt. Plus, last year Ricardo tried to make one with wings, and it exploded halfway through the seminar. So now I have to follow that."
'Again with these explosions'
"You want me to help fake a golem?"
"Yes. Something flashy, moderately believable, and preferably non-sentient. Just enough glitter to keep the students happy."
Alex scratched his chin. "What about embedding illusion glyphs on a suit of armor? Make it look like it's reacting on its own. Pre-program the responses."
Haku blinked. "That… you truly are gifted, it seems that actually might work."
'Is this the comprehension of the main character?'
"Low mana cost. No thinking parts. You fake a core with a crystal lamp and some light tuning, mask it all under a lot of technical jargon. Throw in words like 'resonance' and 'emergent pattern behavior'."
Haku smiled slowly. "My boy, you're a natural con artist."
"Just observant."
"Same thing."
Before Haku could add anything, the door knocked again, an actual polite knock, which ruled out his roommate.
Lyra.
Of course.
She stepped in without waiting, dressed like she'd just left an official meeting, posture rigid as ever. Her expression, though, had that unreadable edge Haku had learned to interpret as "annoyed but hiding it under professionalism."
"Haku," she said flatly, then nodded to Alex. "You too, apparently."
"Lyra," Haku nodded, not bothering to get up. "To what do we owe the pleasure? Has the council finally decided to remove me for crimes against the curriculum?"
"Sadly, no. Though there's still time."
Alex looked between them, unsure if this was banter or foreplay.
"I came to warn you," she said, crossing her arms. "The Headmaster just informed staff that there will be an official audit in a month. Imperial delegates. From the capital."
Haku blinked. "You're joking."
"I never joke."
"Right, because you're allergic to joy."
'Just because I don't drink as much asd you, really?'
She ignored that. "They'll be inspecting our methods. Especially our 'innovative professors'. Which includes you to be honest, mostly you."
'shit what do they want now?'
"I'm not that interesting Haku muttered.
"You pretty much are the list."
Alex watched as Haku groaned into his coffee.
'So let me get this straight. Not only do I have to fake a golem, but now I have to pretend to be competent while the Empire looks over my shoulder?'
"Anything wrong?"
"I hate this place."
Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps next time you won't start a lecture with the title "Magic is Mostly Just Chemical reactions with extra steps."
'Okay, I might have gone overboard with my third lecture time to reel it in'
"Well, it was just a simple lecture, why all this?"
"Who knows the empire is on edge because of it."
He waved a hand. "Still, I just want to teach in peace."
Alex looked mildly concerned. "Don't worry, even if you show a bit of your hand, I'm sure you can just talk your way out?"
'My sweet summer child, what hand are you talking about? I'm just faking so much that even I don't really know the truth anymore.'
"Yes," Lyra said at the same time.
She gave Alex a more measured look. "You're the transfer, yes? The one who used to work for him?"
Alex nodded. "Still do. Technically."
She studied him like a puzzle she wasn't sure she wanted to solve. "Keep your head down. This place eats the unprepared."
"I've lived with a monster in human shape, trust me, I can handle myself," Alex said, deadpan. "I've seen worse."
'If Yue hears you talking about her like that, we might both lose ourheads,'Haku thought to himself.
Lyra cracked a smile. Brief. Small. But real.
She turned to leave, but paused at the door. "A month. Prepare something special and practical. No theory this time."
Then she was gone.
Haku slumped back in the chair, face buried in one hand.
"I can't believe this place is one thing after the other. I haven't even solved the previous issue yet."
"Are you gonna panic now or later?" Alex asked.
"Always later."
They sat in silence again.
Eventually, Haku muttered, "So let's get back to the Golem."
"Sure."
"Make it wave to the crowd?"
"Uhhmm, I'm not sure I can even create one yet."Said Alex, hoping Haku would just stop acting weak.
"Gods help me."
Alex stood, stretching. "Want me to ask Yue for help with this? She might know a way."
Haku blinked up at him, then nodded slowly.
"You know… You might just be the best intern I've ever had."
"I'm not unpaid."
"Semantics."