The bull, whose name was indeed Vic, looked at them with his head slightly bowed. He hesitated for a few seconds, but finally nodded. It didn't seem like a bad idea: there would only be three of them, and his shyness could handle it.
Even so, he couldn't help feeling a little nervous. Tri was taller than him, standing at 1.70 meters, while both Diamond and Vic barely reached 1 meter in height, the most common height among rag dolls.
Diamond positioned himself between them as they resumed walking toward the lunch area. They were a little late because they had gotten distracted, but it didn't matter too much.
During the walk, Diamond spoke in a low, gentle voice to Vic, asking him how his studies had gone or if he needed any help. He placed a hand kindly on Vic's shoulder, and with the other, he took Tri's hand, the three of them walking together.
Upon arriving at the dining hall, they took their empty trays and went to serve themselves. Diamond handed a tray to Tri and, with his usual gentleness, explained how to do it
"Look, you have to use this big spoon here. Do you have any allergies?" he asked.
Tri shook his head silently.
When they reached the end of the line, where the sweet desserts were, there was only one left. Vic had already taken his, so Diamond grabbed the last one: a chocolate chip cookie. Without thinking, he placed it on Tri's tray.
"You can have this," he said with a smile.
Tri looked at him, surprised by the gesture. Diamond continued walking beside them toward the farthest table, looking for a quiet spot so Vic wouldn't feel overwhelmed by the crowd. "...Thanks..." Tri murmured, barely audible.
Diamond, who was a step ahead, didn't quite hear him, distracted by the bustle of the dining room and the sound of the conversations around them
They sat together, and Tri was the first to put the cookie in his mouth, even before tasting anything else. As he did, he felt it was the best thing he'd ever eaten. Not because of its sweet taste, but because it was the first time anyone had shared something with him.
While Diamond and Vic chatted animatedly, Tri remained silent, thoughtful... almost fearful.
"Are you okay, Tri?" Diamond asked, noticing his expression, placing a hand on his soft shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah," Tri replied quickly, trying to hide his discomfort. "It's just... I didn't do my homework. Could you let me copy it?"
Diamond puffed out his cheeks in a tender gesture.
"If you copy them, you won't learn to do them yourself. Let's do this: I'll take you to my favorite place and help you with anything you need. You'll see it's easier than it seems."
Tri let out a soft sigh, accompanied by a small smile.
"Alright, whatever you want, little bookworm," he teased gently.
Diamond chuckled happily, and for a moment, the atmosphere seemed to grow even warmer.
Just as he had promised, after lunch Diamond said goodbye to Vic with a tight hug. Tri couldn't help but watch them silently, his gaze unwavering, though he said nothing. When they separated, Diamond took Tri's hand and led him to the place where they would study, finally leaving them alone
They arrived at an area of reinforced glass: a spacious indoor garden filled with beautiful red flowers. From the circular glass ceiling, they could see the outside of the ship: the stars, the moon, and, depending on their position, the height from which they were rising above the ground. For some, this could cause vertigo... but the place had a serene and hypnotic beauty.
Tri and Diamond sat together on a bench. Diamond moved as close to him as possible, taking out his books to help him with the homework. He explained each step patiently and gently, trying to make it simple.
"Look, here you have to add these numbers, and then divide them by these others..." Diamond murmured, concentrating.
Tri half-listened. In reality, his attention was on Diamond's eyes, his thin lips, and the soft way he spoke. He took notes only to disguise himself, pretending to follow the lesson, when the only thing that was really distracting him was Tri.
When they finished the homework, Diamond looked up at Tri and asked him:
"Have you read the book they asked us to read?"
"No... I don't like to read," Tri replied, gently shaking his head and looking away.
"That's okay," Diamond said with a smile. "I can read to you. But only because I do like to read... and because I don't want you to fail the exam."
Tri glanced at him, surprised, as Diamond carefully opened the book. Then he began to read aloud, in a soft, calm tone, almost like a lullaby.
Tri leaned back a little, staring at the glass ceiling. He listened in silence, letting Diamond's voice fill the garden. As the minutes passed, his eyelids slowly closed, overcome by the calm of the moment.
Diamond noticed when the weight on his shoulder increased. He smiled tenderly, slowly closed the book, and hugged him from behind, holding him gently as he let him sleep.
In the darkness, Tri heard a familiar voice: deep, resonant... terrifying.
"Tri... don't waste time."
He opened his eyes with a start, gasping. His breathing was ragged, and his heart pounded. Diamond, still beside him, closed his eyes for a moment, startled by the reaction. Then, quickly, he took hold of Tri's shoulders and began gently stroking his blue fur.
"Tri, are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?" he asked with concern.
Tri looked up at him, trying to calm himself, forcing slower breathing.
"Yes... but it's nothing," he finally said, shaking his head as he sat up to face Diamond
Diamond watched him silently for a few more seconds, still keeping his hands on his shoulders, fearing that this response was just a way of protecting him from something he didn't yet understand.
"You know, when I'm scared or have nightmares, I usually sleep with someone. I usually go see Vic..." Diamond said softly, with a shy smile. "Would you like to sleep with me tonight?"
Tri looked at him silently for a few seconds and then sighed.
"I don't know what could be lurking in the dreams of a girl with such a sweet and peaceful life on this ship..." he murmured, his tone half teasing, though not without affection. "But okay... fine, I accept."
Diamond smiled happily, gathered his things, and without hesitation, also took Tri's backpack so he wouldn't have to carry any weight. Tri, surprised but resigned, just watched him with a mixture of tenderness and bewilderment.
Together they began walking through the ship's lit corridors, while Tri led him toward her room
Upon arriving, Tri opened his bedroom door and held it open for Diamond to enter first. The little boy put his things in a corner and, without wasting any time, approached the bed. With a careful gesture, he pulled back the sheets and took off his shoes.
Tri looked down, curious, observing Diamond's feet.
"I thought you really did have little deer feet... since you always wear those boots," he commented with a slight smile.
Diamond shook his head, amused.
"No, I don't have them... but they're my favorite boots, that's why I always wear them," he explained, as he climbed onto the bed and settled in, waiting for Tri.
Tri hesitated for a moment before climbing in as well. He felt somewhat tense, unsure how to react to such closeness. However, that discomfort gradually faded as Diamond gently embraced him, letting him rest his head on his flat, velvety chest.
The rhythm of Diamond's breathing, slow and serene, began to fill him with a calm he hadn't felt in a long time.
Diamond was the first to fall asleep. Noticing this, Tri watched him silently for a long moment. Gently, he stroked his cheek, feeling the velvety texture of his fabric skin, as soft as a dream. His nails dug barely into the velvet fibers as his thoughts clouded over.
"I'm sorry, Diamond..." he murmured almost inaudibly, before closing his eyes as well
The next morning, Diamond woke up slowly. He blinked, stretched a little, and noticed that Tri was no longer in the room. He purred softly, thinking that perhaps he had gotten up early for some reason.
He put on his favorite boots, straightened his clothes carefully, and left the sleepy bedroom, ready to look for him. But he had barely taken a few steps outside when the door opened again, and Tri bumped into him as he returned.
"Sorry," Tri said, somewhat surprised.
"It's okay," Diamond replied with a smile. "Where were you?"
Tri shrugged, looking to the side.
"I thought I should return some of the affection you've shown me," he replied calmly, holding out his hands.
In them, he held a small plush shark. It had no wrapping or ribbon, but it was beautiful in its simplicity.
Diamond's eyes widened in wonder, and he quickly hugged the gift with a radiant smile
"I love it! Thank you..." she said excitedly, squeezing the stuffed shark to her chest.
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