They were both on the ground, and it took Wave a few seconds to open his eyes and see the curve of Dan’s neck beneath him. The other’s chest was moving rhythmically against his body, and the warm, steady breath contrasted with the cold floor. Slowly, Wave lifted his gaze to meet his rescuer’s face. Those eyes were fixed and concerned, with hands firmly but gently holding Wave’s shoulders, as if afraid of causing any harm.

“D… Dan…” Wave stammered, feeling his heart leap in his chest.

As soon as he said this, Dan’s arms around him loosened, and he lifted his torso, forcing Wave to do the same. However, to Wave’s surprise, they didn’t pull away; instead, Dan looked at him with intense, enigmatic eyes, leaning in slightly and parting his lips.

“You look like a kid! You need to pay more attention.” Dan said in a low but reprimanding tone, then stood up completely, rubbing his hands on his clothes to remove any dust.

As Dan stepped back, Wave felt like he was relearning how to breathe after a few seconds of being winded. His mouth was inexplicably dry, and his heart wouldn’t settle; he thought it was due to the shock of the fall. Still looking into space, he started counting out loud in a murmur:

“One, two, three…” He continued the count silently and then finished, “Eight, nine, ten, eleven!” He broke into a wide smile, directing it at Dan, who seemed puzzled. “Eleven! Eleven words! You just gave me eleven words at once!”

Wave’s smile widened even more as he raised his arms in celebration. This made Dan turn his back and start sorting out the other costumes that had fallen from the box in the accident.

“I’m so happy!” Wave said, his voice brimming with excitement, as he began tidying up the mess he had made without realizing it. “If I had to fall to hear your voice, I swear I’d fall a thousand times a day.”

He spoke the words that came to mind at that moment, not even understanding their meaning. In fact, he didn’t realize that the sentence hadn’t come from his mind, but from the purest impulse of his heart, as if that organ had gained a voice for a few seconds. Wave was very smart but slow with some things, to the point where he didn’t notice what he was trying to say and the effect it had on the other. Dan was turned away and, upon hearing that phrase, froze completely for a few seconds, as if time had stopped.

It was beautiful, and he had said it with all the truth of his being, even if he didn’t know it.

Wave continued to organize the costumes and then stared at the fabric of one for a few seconds, feeling the texture and thinking about how interesting it was that Dan was around to stop him from falling for the second time since they had met. His movements were precise, as if he were silent and in his own world, but at the same time, attentive and alert in case the other needed anything.

“That’s it!” he shouted, gripping the fabric tightly between his fingers. Then he turned to the guy. “I get it now!”

Without warning, Wave dropped the box he was organizing and approached Dan. His fingers gripped the guy’s arms with a firmness that seemed more reflexive than intentional, locking his eyes on Dan’s face. The tension in his shoulders and the intensity in his gaze showed how deeply he was immersed in his discovery, making Dan focus entirely on him. While excitedly explaining:

“Adrien isn’t about a serious look, detachment, or coldness. Adrien is someone who can’t express himself well and seems like he’s not paying attention to the other person, but he is! In fact, he’s observing every step and action of the other, especially to intervene or help if needed!” With each word, he pressed Dan’s arms with enthusiasm. “It’s not just the intensity of the look but when to cast it. It’s not the lack of words but the right words said at the perfect moment!”

With each of Wave’s enthusiastic expressions, Dan blinked, uncomfortable, trying to subtly move away from the excited senior. He stopped moving only when Wave finally calmed down and looked at him with serenity, saying:

“Thank you!” Wave said, gradually breaking into a beautiful smile. “Thank you for helping me understand this. I feel like I’m closer to doing a good job here!”

Dan didn’t respond, merely watching the figure in front of him as if trying to anticipate the next move. However, Wave released him and tossed his own hair back as if pondering something.

"You helped me! Now I need to find a way to repay you." Various ways to thank him crossed Wave’s mind, and he looked at Dan with excitement. "Are you hungry?"

Dan just shook his head.

"Okay, I won’t take you out to eat." Wave thought for a moment and then listed his ideas one by one: "How about a movie? I could buy you something? Help you organize here at the theater for two days? Or give you my notes and old exams from my first year?"

He went through the options, watching Dan lose interest with each suggestion until the last one made Dan’s eyes light up a little more and his lips curve into a hint of curiosity.

"Notes and old exams?" Dan laughed. "That’s easy! Do you really need them that badly?"

Dan looked at him and nodded.

"Great! I can give them to you today if you come by my place to pick them up."

Dan tried to refuse but eventually agreed when realized how much he needed the material. In the following minutes, they organized the remaining boxes and set off on their bikes toward Wave’s apartment, which was a bit of a distance away. The ride was quiet, with both of them pedaling calmly through the evening air in a peaceful, end-of-day setting.

As I’ve mentioned before, Wave was a nature guy, and you can imagine what his apartment might be like, right? The problem was, Dan hadn’t quite grasped his senior’s hobbies yet, so arriving at a place filled with all kinds of plants from floor to ceiling was, to say the least, odd. It wasn’t just real plants; the rest of the decor was based on animal and nature paintings. It really felt like stepping into a jungle in the middle of a concrete building.

Wave walked in and immediately headed to the corner where his plants were. He gently touched each leaf, whispering soft words as if he were talking to old friends. With a serene smile on his face, he waved at each one, calling them names only he knew. Dan, standing by, tilted his head, eyes wide, trying to understand this peculiar ritual. Wave, oblivious to Dan’s presence or any oddness it might cause, continued his walk among the plants as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Did you all do well? Huh? Did you miss me?" he said, kissing one of the leaves. Then looking at Dan, he added, "You can wait here in the living room. I’ll get what you need and be right back."

Wave wasn’t sure if he should have promised a “right back” because he really didn’t know where he had put the notes. He got lost in his own clutter while searching for at least fifteen minutes before finally finding a heavy folder with everything he needed. He quickly went to the living room and handed it to Dan, who was sitting, absorbed in the surroundings.

"Here you go," Wave said, handing over the folder. "Just take what you need, so it’s not too heavy for you. I’ll look into some things about the play in the meantime."

While Dan organized the materials nearby, Wave delved into research on his phone. He was looking for references in stories, movies, and series that might help him better understand the character dynamics and the main couple.

"I think I found something interesting…" he murmured to himself, catching Dan’s attention. He turned his phone screen towards him, making Dan pause his activity. "Check this out—this character has a lot in common with Adrien. It’s a movie where the woman is kind of clumsy, talks a lot, and is a bit awkward. Meanwhile, the guy, who’s her love interest, is serious and reserved. Their dynamic is great; she’s all chaotic and he’s super laid-back. They balance each other out."

"…"

"I see the connection, even though I think it would be hard for me to fall for someone so different from myself," he said, flashing a brief smile at Dan.

"…"

"I read some spoilers to understand better," he continued, still looking at the screen. "The guy turns out to be much more sensitive than he seems. The things he does, even subtle ones, have a big impact and completely change her perception of him." He smiled, continuing to read. "It’s interesting to see how they connect despite their differences."

"How does it end?"

Yes, Dan had asked a question out loud. Wave almost jumped off the couch but held back his excitement to avoid startling him. Instead, he turned with eyes brighter than ever.

"I have no idea! I’m going to watch it to see if I can find the missing piece to create the perfect Adrien." He took a deep breath. "But I hope they end up together in the end, don’t you think?"

He was being sincere; he hoped the two characters would have a happy ending, and it showed in his eyes. Dan, on the other hand, remained silent, staring off into space for a moment as if processing something. Then, almost imperceptibly, his lips curved into a half-smile, and he lowered his gaze, hands still resting on the papers. The gesture was subtle but enough for Wave to know that, in some way, Dan was on the same page as him.