Wesley’s head snapped up at the crashing through the trees just in time to hear, "YOOOO! Wil' Wil' Wes!" And just like that, something in his chest eased.
"CJ?" The grin came before he could stop it. Watching CJ nearly eat dirt while still talking at full speed made Wesley laugh under his breath as the other boy dropped down beside him, scattering ducks across the pond.
"Still got it, huh?" he snorted. For the first time all week, he actually felt lighter. As CJ launched into his chaotic rant about paintings, flirting, and British witches being terrifying, Wesley laughed again, shaking his head. "No, the paintings here are actually unhinged," he said. "One told me I looked like I had the attention span of an overstimulated kneazle." He leaned back slightly, watching CJ gesture wildly.
"Yeah, I think British witches are just built different."
A quieter pause followed before Wesley glanced out over the pond. "Not gonna lie, seeing you here helps," he admitted. "This year’s been… a lot." Then he looked back with a small grin. "But yeah. This is better."
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