The Clockwork Heart (ViktorxOC)

Chapter 9: Old Habits, New Paths

The academy was settling into a quiet rhythm as the end of the semester approached, the usual bustle giving way to the intensity of upcoming final tests. Khione's small lab had become a safe space in these last few weeks, a place where she and Jace could escape the formalities of the academy and sink into their shared projects. The cluttered workbench, covered in scattered blueprints and mechanical parts, had grown more chaotic as the semester wore on, but Khione found a certain comfort in the mess.

Sitting at her workbench, she flipped through her notebook, filled with pages of scribbled designs and ideas. Over the last few weeks, the lab had served as more than just a place for tinkering—it was a reflection of her growing independence, a space where she didn't have to be the daughter of House Devika. Here, she could simply be Khione, exploring her interests without the weight of her family's expectations.

The blue gem they'd been working on sat on the desk, glowing faintly in the dim light of the lab. It had become more stable over the weeks of careful experimentation, but it still felt volatile, like it could shatter at any moment. But for now, it was holding together, a small victory in the grand scheme of things.

Khione sat back, stretching her arms above her head, feeling the stiffness in her muscles from too many hours spent hunched over her work. She glanced at the clock—Jace was due to arrive soon, as he had most evenings, to help finish their last experiments before the semester ended.

As if on cue, there was a soft knock at the door, and when Khione called out for the visitor to enter, Jace stepped in, his easy smile lighting up the room. He carried a small bag with him, no doubt filled with more tools or components for their work.

"Still tinkering away, I see," he teased, setting the bag down beside the workbench.

Khione shrugged, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Someone has to make sure we don't blow up the academy."

Jace chuckled, rolling up his sleeves as he moved to join her at the desk. "I'd say we've been doing a pretty good job at not blowing things up lately. Improvement, right?"

Khione smiled softly, the warmth of his presence grounding her. Despite the constant pressure of her studies, and the mounting tension of final exams, moments like this allowed her to breathe. With Jace, she didn't need to be perfect. She didn't need to maintain the poised facade that had been her armor for so long. Here, in the confines of her small lab, she was allowed to simply be.

"You know," Jace said as he inspected the gem, his tone lighter now, "I've been meaning to tell you. The Kirammans found me a new place. A small apartment near the academy with a private lab."

Khione looked up from her notebook, her eyebrows raised. "Really?"

Jace nodded, leaning against the workbench. "Yeah, I'm moving in over the semester break. It's not much, but it'll be nice to have a bit more space. Plus, it means we won't have to keep everything crammed into this little lab."

Khione's mind raced with possibilities. They had been storing most of their shared materials and projects here in her lab, but the thought of moving it all to Jace's new space was appealing. The small lab was growing cramped, and the idea of having a more organized workspace was tempting.

"That's great," she said, a smile spreading across her face. "It'll be easier to work if we have more room."

"Exactly," Jace replied, his own grin widening. "Once I'm all set up, we can bring everything over. It'll make things a lot smoother."

Before Khione could respond, there was another knock at the door, and this time it was Caitlyn who entered. Her arrival wasn't as unexpected as it used to be—Caitlyn had become a more frequent visitor in the last few weeks, often stopping by to see how their work was progressing or simply to spend time with them.