The room felt normal again, which was exactly why Lucas didn't trust it.
He walked in without slowing, but his attention stayed sharp, tracking movement, tone, the way people grouped without thinking about it. After everything they had been put through, you'd expect hesitation or overcorrection. Instead, there was a strange kind of confidence in the air, not loud, not careless, but settled. People weren't second-guessing every step anymore. They weren't clinging to structure either. It looked like balance.
Lucas didn't buy it.
Tomas fell into step beside him, glancing around. "Feels… better," he said, like he wasn't sure if he was allowed to think that.
Lucas nodded slowly. "Yeah. That's the problem."
Tomas frowned. "You're exhausting."
"Probably," Lucas said. "But I'm not wrong."
