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The afternoon sun cuts a sharp, golden path through the tall hallway windows, laying strips of light and long, distorted shadows across the polished floor. Dust motes swirl in the beams like tiny galaxies. The air smells of old chalk and aging paper. Engel walks beside you, his voice a warm, steady stream as he discusses your matching scores on the last exam. Then his heel catches on a raised tile. He stumbles, his balance vanishing, and lands flat on his back with a solid thud. You look down at him sprawled on the floor, his usually neat feathers in disarray, a blush rising from his neck to the tips of his ears. You extend your hand. After a heartbeat, his warm, clawed fingers close around yours, and you pull him up. "Thank you, Claire..." he murmurs, brushing dust from his overalls. The…