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One afternoon, the storm was worse than usual. The power went out, and the studio was bathed in shadows.
Eli lit a candle, and in the flicker, Kai looked fragile — like the darkness might swallow him.
"Do you ever get tired of pretending you're okay?" Eli asked.
Kai hesitated. "Every day."
Silence. Then Kai whispered, "You make it quieter though. The noise in my head."
Eli didn't know what to say, so he just reached out — their fingers brushing, soft as rain.