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Evening fell quietly over the secluded house. The trees outside swayed gently in the wind, and a distant owl called out. Aster and Caden climbed the wooden stairs, each step creaking softly under their feet. Downstairs, in the living room, Ink was sprawled out on the old couch. One arm hung casually over the armrest, his eyes slowly following the curls of smoke from a stick of incense he had lit.
“Go to sleep, boys,” Ink muttered with a yawn, nestling his head in the pillows. “I’ll be here… if anything happens.”
Aster paused, a small smile on his lips. “You mean, if you’re awake by then.” His voice was soft, but the playfulness in it was unmistakable.
Ink moved his hand as if waving something away. “Have faith, Aster. No one does anything unexpected… except maybe you.”
Caden, who usually stayed in the background, let out a small, suppressed laugh. The air felt a little lighter, if only for a moment. Then they continued upstairs.
In the bedroom, the darkness felt like a wall slowly closing in on them. Caden took a deep breath and put down his bag. He tried to hold himself together, as he always did, as he kicked off his shoes and crawled under the covers. The mattress creaked slightly. Aster sat down on his own bed, leaning against the wall.
“Quiet place here,” Aster said, his voice light, as if he didn’t feel the tension. He knew better.
But Caden didn’t answer. He stared at the ceiling, at nothing in particular. His breathing was even, but just a little too tight, as if he were holding himself back.
The darkness crept around him like a cold mist. He knew he was safe here—he knew. But that wasn’t what his body felt. The memory of cold, damp walls and the smell of mold from the cabin basement loomed. The coldness of being alone, locked up, without light, and the suffocating contact of someone he didn’t dare resist. He shivered, invisible in the dark.
Aster heard the change. Caden seemed silent, but Aster knew the silence that spoke too much. “Are you okay?” he asked carefully, his voice just loud enough to pierce the darkness.
“Yes,” came the answer, sharp and a little too fast. Caden turned away from him, his face to the wall. He bit his lip. It felt ridiculous to miss this—the involuntary touches, the holding that had once smothered him, but whose absence now felt like a gaping hole. He felt alone, so intense it stole his breath.
Aster watched him, knowing he couldn’t force anything. He could hear Caden’s breathing quicken, no matter how hard he tried to stay still. The silence, filled with unspoken fears, felt almost unbearable. Without a word, Aster stood up. His movements were calm, deliberate.
Caden noticed the shift, the lack of presence behind him. For a moment, he felt the chill of the darkness more strongly. What did Aster do? He didn’t want to turn around, didn’t want to admit that he needed something at that moment, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. He turned slowly, his eyes watering, a sigh escaping him.
What he saw surprised him. Soft light danced along the walls. Planets and stars, small luminous wonders, filled the room with a calm glow. Aster sat on the edge of his bed, not looking directly at him, but keeping his gaze somewhere in space, as if giving Caden space to let the moment sink in.
“I thought the universe could bring some light,” Aster said softly.
Caden felt his breathing finally relax. The tension in his shoulders eased, and he blinked briefly to hold back the tears that were welling up. He wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. He could only nod, the light of the stars protecting them from the darkness that no longer seemed so threatening.
Caden laid his head on the pillow and let his eyes wander over the small stars that twinkled softly on the ceiling. For the first time in a long time, the darkness didn’t feel like an enemy. He turned to Aster, who was now quietly crawling into his own bed, the light of the stars reflecting in his dark green eyes.
“Thank you, Aster,” Caden whispered, his voice almost inaudible.
Aster glanced at him, a soft smile on his lips. “Always, Caden.”
With those words, the silence fell over them again, but this time it felt peaceful. Aster closed his eyes, and Caden did the same, the small lights guarding their dreams.