Suo ran had been sitting cross-legged on the floor beside the coffee table in his apartment.The living room was quiet except for the soft tapping of keys from his laptop and the occasional hum of passing traffic outside the balcony doors.A half-finished cup of tea sat beside a stack of documents he was trying very hard to focus on.The apartment itself felt unusually empty lately.
Cai Lang's distance lingered in every quiet moment like an invisible weight.Suo ran rubbed tired eyes and glanced toward his phone lying face down beside him.No messages.He looked away.He wasn't going to check.He wasn't going to think about it.He had spent days telling himself it was fine.Cai Lang wanted distance.Fine.I had been alone before.This was nothing.
The lights overhead flickered once.Suo Ran paused.The laptop screen dimmed briefly before recovering.He frowned and looked up then the lights flickered again.A little longer this time.The refrigerator hummed strangely from the kitchen.And then everything went black.
Suo ran froze and his breath caught halfway through his chest as familiar fear crawled slowly up his spine.He hated the dark.Not because of shadows.But because of what his mind filled them with."It's okay!"he whispered to himself,forcing air into his lungs."It's just a blackout."His voice sounded small in the darkness.He reached for his phone and unlocked it.The screen illuminated his face.His thumb hovered over Cai Lang's name then stopped.
After everything.After the apology that wasn't one.After the distance.He thought that and locked the screen.Instead,he called Lian Ziho."Hey!" Lian ziho answered . "What's up?"Suo ran swallowed."There's a power cut."Lian ziho hummed."Yeah,I heard about it.The whole district lost power.I'm not in the city though.Hotel generator's running."Suo ran stared into the darkness around him."Okay.""You alright?"Lian asked after a brief pause."Yeah."Suo Ran lied."Just annoying."
Lian ziho didn't sound convinced,but eventually said,"Call me if you need anything." When the call ended,the silence rushed back stronger than before.Suo ran slowly slid down beside the couch until he was sitting on the floor with his back pressed against it.He pulled his knees to his chest. His hands trembled despite himself.It's nothing.Just darkness.But his body didn't listen.
Elsewhere,Cai lang stood near the window of his apartment,watching entire blocks of the city sink into shadow.Buildings that usually glowed with life now sat dark against the night sky.His phone buzzed repeatedly with outage notifications.Then a memory surfaced unexpectedly.Suo ran sitting stiffly on the couch months ago during another storm.The lights dimming.The brief flash of fear crossing his face.Cai...Lang...I don't like the dark.
Cai Lang was already reaching for his jacket before the memory finished.He called Suo ran once.No answer then he called again still nothing.His chest tightened uncomfortably. Back in the dark apartment,a sound echoed from somewhere beyond the front door. He heard Footsteps or maybe imagination.Suo ran's heart slammed painfully against his ribs.He pressed himself tighter into the corner.His breathing turned uneven.His hands shook as he unlocked his phone and finally made the call.The line connected almost immediately."Cai Lang!"he whispered,the relief already audible in his voice."I'm scared."
Cai Lang stopped walking."There's someone outside,! Suo ran said,his voice breaking slightly."I think...I think they're at the door."For a second silence filled the line.Then Cai Lang answered calmly."Suo Ran."His voice was steady.Warm."It's me."Suo Ran blinked."What?"A pause."I'm outside your apartment."Cai Lang said gently."Open the door."Suo ran was moving before the sentence finished.He nearly dropped the phone while unlocking the door.
The moment it opened,he stepped forward without thinking and walked straight into Cai lang's arms.His fingers grabbed handfuls of the dark coat.He held on tightly.Cai Lang froze for a heartbeat.The familiar scent of tea and laundry detergent.The warmth pressed against him.Then his arms slowly wrapped around Suo ran's shoulders.One hand settled gently against the back of his head."I've got you!"Cai Lang said quietly."You're safe."
Suo ran buried his face against his chest.His voice came out muffled."I'm sorry...I didn't mean to."Cai lang's hold tightened slightly."I know."His hand brushed slowly through Suo ran's hair once before stopping.Suo ran felt it anyway.They remained like that longer than either intended.When they finally separated,Cai lang kept one hand lightly on Suo ran's shoulder as if making sure he was really okay."You didn't answer your phone!"he said quietly.Suo ran looked away."I wasn't going to call you."Cai Lang raised an eyebrow."Clearly."Suo ran flushed immediately."I changed my mind."
Something almost amused flickered through Cai Lang's eyes."Good decision."Suo Ran rolled his eyes but didn't step away.Cai Lang reached for his phone."I'll make a call."A few minutes later,he ended the conversation and slipped the device back into his pocket."The power should return in a few hours,"he said."It's not a major outage.""Oh."Suo ran nodded awkwardly."Then...you can go."Cai Lang frowned immediately."I'll stay until the lights come back."Suo ran shook his head."No.I'll be fine."Cai Lang simply stared at him."You were shaking five minutes ago."
Suo ran crossed his arms defensively."I said I can manage."Cai Lang crossed his own arms."And I said I'm staying."They stared at each other.The argument felt strangely familiar.Comfortable."I don't need you to..."Suo Ran stopped himself.Then blurted,"Go stay with your An Xin." Then he realised what he said."I...I mean..."His eyes widened."Forget it."Cai Lang's expression changed instantly."What did you say?"Suo Ran looked horrified."Nothing.""What An Xin?"Cai Lang asked quietly."No one,"Suo ran replied too quickly."I misspoke."
Cai Lang studied him for several long seconds.Then surprisingly let it go.They didn't spoke for minutes until a loud growl echoed through the apartment.Cai Lang looked away.Suo ran blinked then laughed. Cai Lang stared at him, suo ran covered his mouth while still smiling."Sorry."Without thinking,Cai Lang said,"You look cute when you laugh."
Suo ran lowered his hand slowly."What are you saying?"His ears turned red immediately. Cai lang looked equally caught off guard."Nothing."Suo ran narrowed his eyes."That wasn't nothing."Cai Lang cleared his throat."You're imagining things."Suo ran pointed dramatically."You literally called me cute."Cai Lang looked away."You're still talking."Suo ran stared before laughing again despite himself.He turned toward the kitchen."You're hungry.I'll make something." Cai Lang followed him."You?"
Suo ran looked offended."What's wrong with me?"Cai lang leaned against the counter. "Should I prepare emergency medical services?" Suo ran grabbed a packet of noodles and threw it at him.Cai Lang caught it effortlessly."Rude."Ten minutes later,they sat together on the couch with steaming bowls balanced on their knees.The apartment remained dark except for candlelight and phone flashlights resting on the table.
Cai Lang tasted the noodles thoughtfully. "...Not bad."Suo ran narrowed his eyes suspiciously."That's not a compliment."Cai Lang took another bite."Better."Suo ran looked pleased despite trying not to. "Thanks."After a moment he glanced over."How do you know I can't cook well anyway?You didn't even try that day."His voice softened."Or did you?"Cai Lang paused.He remembered last time when suo ran mafe food he tasted secretly.He looked at suo ran across the flickering candlelight. He didn't say yes.He didn't say no.He just smiled faintly.
Suo ran's heart skipped.Cai Lang finished eating and placed the bowl aside."See?"he said lightly."You cook fine."Suo ran hugged his knees against the couch cushion. "Thanks."Cai Lang leaned back against the couch.Their shoulders brushed lightly but neither moved away."I'll stay until the lights come back!"he said quietly.This time,Suo ran didn't argue.A few minutes later,without thinking about it,his hand shifted on the couch until their fingers brushed.For a second both froze.Neither looked at the other.Then Cai Lang slowly turned his hand over and let their fingers rest together.