Havenfell

Chapter 24: For Once Joy Is Here

Felicity sat on the worn sofa in the hotel lounge, surrounded by their friends. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of the lamps casting long shadows on the walls. Despite the somber atmosphere, there was a faint sense of warmth and camaraderie. The group was trying to find a moment of peace amidst the chaos that had consumed their lives.

Nathan was propped up on pillows, his bandaged wrist a stark reminder of their recent battles. Callum sat beside him, his hand resting protectively on Nathan's shoulder. Bree and Rin were curled up together on the other side of the sofa, while Pete and Juno lounged on the floor, leaning against each other for support.

"So," Bree began, breaking the silence, "does anyone remember the time Nathan tried to do a backflip to impress Callum and ended up in the hospital?"

Nathan groaned, a blush creeping up his cheeks. "Do we really need to bring that up?" he asked, though there was a hint of a smile on his lips.

"Absolutely," Callum said with a grin. "It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. You were so determined to impress me, and then... bam! Flat on your back."

Nathan rolled his eyes but couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, yeah. I thought it would look cool. Turns out, I'm not exactly acrobatic."

Felicity chuckled, feeling a warmth spread through their chest. Despite everything, moments like these reminded them of the strength of their bond. They glanced at Juno, who caught their eye and gave them a playful wink. Felicity felt their cheeks flush.

"Speaking of impressive feats," Juno said, nudging Felicity with her elbow, "I heard a certain someone finally made a move."

The group turned their attention to Felicity, who could feel their face growing even hotter. "Oh, come on," they mumbled, trying to hide their smile.

"Details!" Bree demanded, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "We need all the details."

Felicity sighed but couldn't help but smile. "Fine. Juno and I kissed last night."

The room erupted in cheers and teasing comments. "About time!" Callum said, laughing. "We've all been waiting for this to happen."

Juno grinned and leaned closer to Felicity. "And it was worth the wait," she said softly, making Felicity's heart skip a beat.

"Alright, alright," Felicity said, waving their hands to quiet everyone down. "How about we talk about the time Callum accidentally sent Nathan a frog meme confessing his crush?"

Callum's face turned bright red as the group burst into laughter. "I thought I was sending it to Bree!" he exclaimed. "I was so embarrassed when I realized it was Nathan."

Nathan chuckled and squeezed Callum's hand. "It was adorable," he said. "And it worked out in the end, didn't it?"

"It sure did," Callum agreed, leaning in to give Nathan a quick kiss.

Pete, who had been quiet, finally spoke up. "You know, we should change the name of our group chat. Something more fitting."

"Any suggestions?" Rin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How about... 'Whores on Tour'?" Pete suggested with a mischievous grin.

The group burst into laughter again, the sound echoing through the room. Bree pulled out her phone and changed the group chat name, holding it up for everyone to see.

"Perfect," she said, giggling. "It's official now."

For the first time in what felt like forever, the group found themselves laughing and joking together. The weight of their losses and fears lifted, if only for a little while. Felicity looked around at their friends, feeling a deep sense of gratitude. They had been through so much, but moments like these reminded them of the strength they drew from each other.

As the laughter died down and the conversation continued, Felicity felt Juno's hand slip into theirs. They shared a quiet smile, feeling a warmth that went beyond the touch of their fingers. Despite the horrors they faced, despite the grief and fear, they had each other. And that was something worth fighting for.