The Ring Of Fire || L.S ✔

2. First Breeze

Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Early October 2022

The back of the rental sedan closed with a loud thump as the two friends embraced each other.

"Take care bro." Niall smiled as he pulled back from the hug.

Harry easily reciprocated the smile. Both of them were more than friends. They had met at collage and their friendship had been a natural click right from the start. After that came the hundreds of projects and assignment and research which both of them undertook together as well as the lazy late-night shenanigans.

But through years of dedicated hard work with brains to back them up, both were now quite well known in the academic world.

And this fame is what brought the peculiar exploration invitation to Harry's inbox while he was lecturing at MIT, one windy Tuesday morning.

Niall had reacted predictably upon reading the invitation. The Irish brunette had rushed to the music studio in search of flute and hadn't returned empty handed. He had then proceeded to serenade Harry with a soul-murdering version of 'my heart will go on'.

Turned out Harry's soul weren't the only ones which died that night.

Niall was now on temporary probation for the instrument room in MIT. But Harry understood why Niall, quite the genius by his own rights, had committed such a heinous atrocity.

It was for him.

In spite of all the tempting offers the invitation promised, there was one glaring downer- The invitation was for him and him alone.

And before Harry could send in a request to let Niall join him, Niall himself received a mail for some personal endeavor somewhere off the west coast. And Harry wasn't selfish enough to hold Niall back for his sake.

After years of working together, they now had to go their separate ways.

And they both knew it was especially hard for Harry. Particularly after what had happened in the past.

"I'll miss you." Harry murmured though his mask as his friend squeezed his waist one last time. He stepping back and pushing back his wavy, borderline curly hair from his face. It had grown longer during the pandemic.

Niall sighed dramatically. "I know. But you must learn to share my awesomeness with the entire world. You can't hog my Irish charm all for yourself Haz!"

"On second thoughts... I don't think I will be missing you quite that much."

Harry had forgotten just how dramatic his lunatic best friend could be. Afterall, Niall did dress up as Shakespeare for Halloween just a week back and had wenteth around the campus announcing-" Dissemble 'r treateth. I wanteth candies and vodka. Giveth me candies and vodka! I demandeth it!"

And this was when he was a visiting speaker. Not a student or even a resident professor.

"Aww don't be like that, mi compadre!" Niall bumped is shoulders. "I even made a playlist containing my other flute masterpieces in your phone for you to listen and appreciate when you mope around missing me."

Harry was genuinely scared for Niall's new partners. May the Gods be with them for the sake of their sanity. "I must go now. Don't want to make a bad impression."

Niall nodded. Harry could see it was just as hard for Niall as it was for him. But both of them needed to grow and move forward. "Farewell, my friend. I'll miss you." Harry smiled softly and removed his mask as Niall did the same. The wind dancing in his hair with the crisp scent of fall and sea.