Chapter 84: Things Are Finally Back to Normal

Several dozen minutes passed after her departure. Inside the house, calm had returned. The board game had been put away, and everyone had gone back to their own activities. May had settled down in the living room in front of the television, quietly enjoying the rest of her evening, while Peter and Gwen had gone up to the young man's bedroom.

The two of them were sitting side by side on Peter's bed, close enough that their shoulders were almost touching. Gwen's phone was placed in front of them, displaying a group video call with their entire group of friends.

And this time, absolutely everyone was there… even Flash. In fact, he was the one who had started the call.

— "FLASH! IT'S BEEN SO LONG!" Liz shouted, happy to see him.

— "My ears, Liz!" Sally muttered, slightly annoyed.

On the screen, Flash smiled as he saw all those familiar faces he hadn't seen since his departure.

— "Hey, Liz, how are you? How are all of you doing?"

— "Yeah, we're all doing great, man! What about you?" Harry replied.

— "Yeah, so, how's it going in the army?" Miles asked in turn.

Flash slightly readjusted himself in front of his camera before answering. Even through the screen, he seemed different from the person they used to see every day. His surroundings had changed, his habits too, and it could even be felt in the way he talked about his experience.

— "Oh, well, you know, it's going alright. I gotta say, it's pretty tough, especially at first. With the whole change of environment and all the new rules, it can hit pretty hard at first, but after a while, you start getting used to it. Well, those who are actually determined do, anyway…"

— "Did anyone quit?" Gwen asked curiously.

— "Well… no one's actually quit yet, but you can definitely tell some of them are reaching their limit."

— "And, like, you managed to make it?" Anya asked sarcastically.

Flash immediately lifted his chin slightly, wearing a triumphant expression as though she had just given him exactly the opportunity he had been waiting for.

— "Well, yeah! Impressed, huh?!"

Anya immediately rolled her eyes.

— "No… no, not at all!"

Peter, who until then had been calmly sharing the screen with Gwen, suddenly leaned toward the phone until he took up almost the entire image, solely so he could join the conversation and tease Anya.

— "She's lying, Flash. She says no, but she's actually impressed. Trust me!"

— "Will you shut the fuck up?!"

Several laughs immediately erupted throughout the call. Flash, meanwhile, spent a few moments watching his friends bicker exactly the way they had before he left. And that simple sight made him feel incredibly good.

Despite the distance, despite the weeks he had spent away from them and everything that might have changed in their respective lives, their group remained the same. Peter and Anya still provoked each other, Sally was always complaining about something, Liz was still bursting with energy, and Harry still treated him with the same easygoing attitude.

Nothing had really changed.

And Flash found that deeply reassuring.

— "So, when are you coming back?" Peter asked.

— "I'll be back in September."

— "Oh yeah, so there's still a little while before you come back." Sally said.

Before Flash could answer, a deep, powerful voice suddenly rang out in the distance from wherever he was. Even through the phone, the tone left no doubt about the identity of whoever had just spoken, nor about the fact that someone was probably about to get in trouble.

— "WHO'S STILL AWAKE?!"

Flash's expression changed instantly.

— "Shit, guys, I gotta go! See you in September!"

— "Alright, good lu—"

Flash's screen suddenly disappeared.

He had ended the call before Peter even had time to finish his sentence. The young man remained frozen in front of the phone for a few seconds, his mouth still slightly open.

— "Fuck… he didn't even let me finish…"

— "Serves you right!" Anya said, clearly delighted to seize yet another opportunity to make fun of him.

The group burst into laughter. Peter slightly shook his head, pretending to be offended, while Gwen moved closer to him and tenderly wrapped her arms around his body.

Peter naturally relaxed against her, a smile appearing on his face as their friends' laughter continued to echo through the phone.

After all the arguments, the losses, the secrets, the anger, and the events that had turned their daily lives upside down, this evening felt almost ordinary. And that was precisely what made it so pleasant.

The calm had returned.

And with it, so had the balance.

TO BE CONTINUED.