The sound of the pen tapping was rhythmic, a melody Joe could recognise as Tricronika’s. It had made him smile earlier, but now it was getting a little annoying.

“Hachin?”

The tapping paused as Hachin turned to look at him.

“What’s up?”

“Can you stop tapping?”

Hachin looked down at the pen in his hands. The look on his face made it clear that he hadn’t even noticed he was doing it. “Oh. Yeah, sure.”

For a while, they sat next to each other, trying to do their homework. Joe was trying to do math, while Hachin was struggling with an essay.

 

After a few minutes, the tapping resumed. He glanced at Hachin, who was staring intently at his notebook. The pen tapped against the paper in the same rhythm as before.

“Hachin?”

“Huh?” Hachin’s eyes moved to his hands. The tapping stopped. “Fuck. Sorry man.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Hachin went back to toiling over his essay. Turning his eyes back down to his own homework, it didn’t take long before a different noise started.

When he looked at Hachin this time, he caught him chewing on the end of his pencil. The wood easily gave way to Hachin’s sharp fangs. Was it healthy to ingest that? His instincts told him no.

“Hey,” he started, making Hachin look up.

“Aw man, did I do it again?”

“No, not this time, but uh.” Joe looked between Hachin and the crumbling pencil. “You wanna borrow a stim toy?”

Hachin squinted at him, confused. “A what?”

Joe got up, fetching a box full of fidgets. “A friend from work left them here. I think you’d like them.”

Hachin peered into the box, eyes scanning the toys. “I guess…?”

Hachin picked up a flower-shaped PopIt, obviously sceptical.

 

Watching Hachin from the corner of his eye, Joe smiled. Once the novelty of it wore off, it seemed like he was actually able to concentrate for a while for once.

Maybe he’d get Hachin one to keep later.

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