It was an unusually quiet morning at the dorms, with the warm light filtering through the windows as the day began. Laura was walking through the hall on her way to breakfast when she spotted something amusing near the entrance to the lounge: Millium practically glued to Fie, hanging off her arm like an energetic child refusing to let go.

"Fieeeee, come on!" Millium whined in her usual cheerful but persistent way, tugging gently at Fie's sleeve. "Let's hang out this morning! You're my hero, after all."

Fie, as always, looked nonplussed by Millium's antics. Her expression was flat, though the faintest hint of weariness betrayed her thoughts. "Didn't we already hang out all last night? I'm gonna get breakfast," Fie muttered, trying to tug her arm free as she half-heartedly walked forward.

Laura chuckled softly at the sight, stepping into the lounge. "You seem quite fond of Fie, Millium," she observed with an amused smile.

Millium turned, still holding Fie's arm as if she might float away at any moment. "Of course I am!" she declared, puffing out her chest proudly. "Fie's the bestest! She's so cool and strong, but also like, a super great protector too!"

Fie gave Millium a sidelong glance, her eyebrows knitting together slightly. "What are you even talking about?"

Laura tilted her head curiously. "Protector?"

Millium's eyes widened dramatically. "Oh! Okay, so last night I listened to this really scary radio show about ghosts, right? Like, super scary! And then—" She paused for emphasis, holding up a finger. "—I had this awful nightmare. Ghosts everywhere! They were chasing me, and I woke up all freaked out."

Laura smiled knowingly, already piecing together where the story was going, but Millium continued with gusto.

"So, I went to Fie's room and asked if I could sleep with her! And you know what? She said yes!" Millium beamed, her excitement practically radiating off her. "And let me tell you, Laura, it was magical! It was like there was this protective shield around me with Fie there. Nothing could get me. No ghosts, no nightmares. It was like I was in a forcefield. Fie's the bestest!"

Fie gave an awkward shrug. "Hmph. It wasn't a big deal," she muttered, looking away as though she suddenly found the wall very interesting.

Laura couldn't help but smile at Fie's reaction, recognizing the telltale signs of bashfulness peeking through her usual stoic demeanor. "It was very kind of you to protect Millium like that," Laura said warmly, her voice gentle yet teasing. "It must have been comforting for her to be in your arms."

"I just didn't want to listen to her complain all night," she grumbled, her tone nonchalant. "That's all."

"Nu-uh!" Millium piped up, grinning ear to ear. "Fie's just being modest! She's super nice under that cool, tough exterior, y'know."

Fie gave her a mild glare, though there was no real heat behind it. "You're loud."

Laura let out a soft, melodic laugh at the exchange. "Well, I think Millium is right in this case," she said with a smile. "You're very thoughtful, Fie, even if you try to pretend otherwise."

"Mm." Fie crossed her arms.

Laura watched the two of them with quiet amusement. "Perhaps I'll have to seek Fie's protection next time I have a bad dream," she teased lightly.

Fie gave her a sharp look, a faint trace of pink on her cheeks. "You're not serious."

"Hmm, I might be," Laura said playfully, though her tone was kind. "You seem to have a talent for making others feel safe."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Fie muttered under her breath, though Laura caught the corner of her lips twitching upward.

Millium, oblivious to the subtle moment between the two, tugged on Fie's sleeve again. "Fie, breakfast! Let's go!"

"Fine, fine," Fie sighed, finally relenting. As she turned to head for the dining area, Laura caught one last glance of her face. The faintest smile remained.