Room Of Requirements

Level 5

[ Next Morning ]

As the first light of dawn crept through the curtains, Grey remained peacefully asleep, undisturbed by the early hour. Meanwhile, Pax stirred awake, his senses immediately alert. With a habitual glance upwards, he expected to find the familiar figure of his Nong ( little brother) Grey still nestled in his bunk, but the bed above him lay empty. The memories from last night flashed through his mind. A pang of concern fluttered in his chest before he swiftly rose from his own bed and hurried across the room. There, in a corner of the kitchen by the table , Felix and Theo were engrossed in an impromptu competition, their laughter echoing off the walls as they attempted to juggle three colorful paprikas. Pax couldn't help but smile at the sight, relief washed through his body as he mumbled ' Ahh, Good thing P'Theo looks alright now '.

Pax tapped the table switching to asian mom mode nagging them to not play with the items to be eaten. They oddly obliged to his command and went back to shower. Pax stayed in the kitchen making them chicken congee with the leftover rice and hot egg drop soup as he remembered someone asking for it on Day 1.

As Grey gradually emerged from the depths of sleep, he became aware of the subtle sounds of morning routine echoing through the bedroom . Felix and Theo, his friends , moved about with a practiced ease, the faint shuffle of clothes and the patter of water signaling their turn in the bathroom. With a sigh, Grey stretched and rose from his bed, feeling the comforting warmth of the morning sunlight filtering through the curtains. He made his way to the bathroom, where steam billowed out as Felix and Theo took turns showering and dressing casually for the day ahead. The sound of running water mingled with their casual banter, a familiar symphony that brought a sense of normalcy to their unconventional lives. After his shower, Grey emerged to find a scene that warmed his heart: a table set with a steaming pot of chicken congee and a bowl of fragrant egg drop soup. The aroma of comforting spices filled the air, promising nourishment and comfort on this crisp morning. With a grateful smile, Grey settled into his seat, while scooping his share.

Felix took a spoonful of the soup, his expression lighting up with delight as he exclaimed, ' This deserves a diamond ring ' . Pax, sitting across from him, reached out his hand toward Felix's bowl, a playful challenge in his eyes as he teased, ' Go on, I'm waiting '. The exchange carried a subtle tension, the air thickening with unspoken words and suppressed emotions. Grey, observing the interaction, felt a pang of annoyance at the subtle flirtation between his friends . He attempted to conceal his feelings behind a neutral expression, but Theo, ever perceptive, caught the fleeting glimpse of irritation in Grey's eyes. Despite the surface tranquility of the scene, beneath it lay a complex web of hidden dynamics and unspoken desires, each member of the trio navigating their own emotions amidst the shared intimacy of the breakfast table.

Theo distracted them by nagging at Pax to shower and join them before the bell for the mission rings. As the younger left , there was an awkward silence wavering at the table. Grey tried to lighten up the mood by a dad joke saying ' The highlight of the dishes reminds me of something, How does a chicken send a message? '. Theo and Felix looked at him confused while kneeling answered ' iMessage..? '. Grey answered ' By eggspress delivery! '. The oldest and youngest got along well in one thing despite their age gap , their love for lame jokes. Grey had an idea about it and threw the ball , it was a strike as tears streamed down their cheeks as they doubled over, gasping for breath between uncontrollable fits of laughter. Pax was watching them and couldn't relate , he mumbled ' That's funny...? ' as he grabbed the towel and clothes to change while walking into the shower room.

The trio on the table started a Dad joke parade, Theo asked ' Why did the scarecrow win an award? ' . Grey stared at the two with a neutral face as he didn't want to imagine it. Theo answered ' Because he was outstanding in his field! ' , Felix held his stomach laughing hard. A little giggle escaped from Grey's mouth but he absolutely denied it. Felix took the challenge, ' Did you hear about the restaurant on the moon? ', Theo played along saying ' Tell us the answer please '. Felix shot the gun of laughter by firing the answer ' Great food, no atmosphere! '. Grey couldn't hide his chuckle this time, cause the joke was funny and his style. The " I laughed so much, my stomach hurts I couldn't breathe " duo became trio. Pax decided to have breakfast later as he didn't have the energy to handle the dumb brothers.