Lian Ziho left early.
Too early.
The apartment felt different the moment the door closed behind him too quiet, too empty.
Suo Ran told himself it was fine. He'd been alone before.
This was nothing.
Then the power went out.
The lights flickered once… twice… and died.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Suo Ran froze.
His breath came shallow as the familiar fear crawled 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. "It's just a blackout."
He reached for his phone.
His thumb hovered over Cai Lang's name.
Then stopped.
After everything…
After the apology that wasn't one…
He locked the screen.
Instead, he called Lian.
"Hey," Lian answered, voice distant, echoing.
"What's up?"
"There's a power cut," Suo Ran said, trying to sound calm.
"Oh," Lian said. "Yeah, I heard. I'm not in the city though. Hotel generator's on."
Suo Ran swallowed.
"Okay."
"You alright?"
"Yeah," he lied.
They hung up.
The silence rushed back in.
Suo Ran slid down to the corner of the room, pulling his knees to his chest. His hands shook despite himself.
It's nothing. Just darkness.
But his body didn't listen.
Elsewhere, Cai Lang stood by the window of his apartment, watching the city plunge into shadow.
Power outage.
His phone buzzed with notifications.
And then
He remembered.
Suo Ran, sitting stiffly on his couch.
The way he'd flinched when the lights dimmed.
How they'd ended up sleeping in the living room together, back to back, pretending it meant nothing.
Cai… I don't like the dark.
Cai Lang grabbed his jacket.
He dialed Suo Ran.
No answer.
Again.
Still nothing.
His chest tightened.
Back in the dark apartment, a sound echoed in the hallway.
Footsteps?
Suo Ran's heart slammed painfully.
He pressed himself tighter into the corner, breath uneven. His phone shook in his hand as he finally made the call.
"Cai," he whispered the moment the line connected. "I'm scared."
Cai Lang stopped walking.
"There's someone outside," Suo Ran said, voice breaking. "I think… I think they're at the door."
Cai Lang answered immediately, voice steady. "Suo Ran. It's me."
"What?"
"I'm outside your apartment," Cai Lang said gently. "Open the door."
Suo Ran scrambled up, hands trembling as he unlocked it.
The door opened
And he walked straight into Cai Lang's arms.
Suo Ran hugged him tightly, fingers clutching his coat like he might disappear if he let go.
Cai Lang froze for a second.
Then his arms came around Suo Ran, firm and steady.
"I've got you," Cai Lang said quietly. "You're safe."
Suo Ran's voice came out small, muffled against his chest.
"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to."
Cai Lang's hold tightened just a little.
"I know," he said softly.
No questions.
No explanations.
Just understanding, in the dark.
They stayed like that for a moment longer long enough for Suo Ran's breathing to calm, long enough for Cai Lang to feel the weight of what he almost lost by staying away.
Outside, the city was still without light.
Inside, neither of them moved.
Cai Lang stepped back just enough to reach for his phone.
"I'll make a call," he said.
Suo Ran nodded, still standing close, arms wrapped around himself now.
Cai Lang spoke quietly into the phone, his voice low and controlled. After a brief exchange, he ended the call.
"The power should be back in a few hours," he said. "It's not a big outage."
"Oh," Suo Ran replied. "Then… you can go."
Cai Lang frowned. "I'll stay until the lights come back."
Suo Ran shook his head immediately. "No. I'll be fine."
"You were shaking five minutes ago."
"I said I can manage."
Cai Lang crossed his arms. "And I said I'm staying."
They stared at each other, tension slipping into something almost familiar.
"I don't need you to" Suo Ran stopped himself, then blurted, "Go stay with your An Xin."
The words fell too fast.
Too sharp.
Suo Ran's eyes widened immediately. "I..I mean...forget it. It's nothing."
Cai Lang's expression changed. "What did you say?"
"Nothing," Suo Ran said quickly, turning away. "I didn't mean "
"What An Xin?" Cai Lang asked, voice calm but edged with something dangerous.
Suo Ran shook his head. "No one. I misspoke."
Cai Lang studied him for a long second, then let it drop.
But the name stayed with him.
The silence stretched until Cai Lang's stomach betrayed him.
A low growl echoed in the dark.
Suo Ran blinked… then laughed.
It surprised both of them.
Suo Ran covered his mouth, still smiling.
"Sorry."
"You look cute when you laugh," Cai Lang said without thinking.
The words landed between them.
Suo Ran slowly lowered his hand.
Their eyes met.
The darkness felt warmer now heavier.
Suo Ran cleared his throat and turned toward the kitchen. "You're hungry. I'll make something."
"You?" Cai Lang teased. "Should I be worried?"
"I make good noodles," Suo Ran said defensively.
A few minutes later, he handed Cai Lang a bowl.
Cai Lang tasted it, thoughtful. "…Not bad."
Cai Lang smiled faintly. "Better."
Suo Ran narrowed his eyes.
"How do you know I can't cook well? You didn't even try that day."
He hesitated, then added softly,
"…Or did you?"
Cai Lang didn't answer right away.
He took another bite, then looked up, the corner of his lips lifting slightly.
He didn't say yes.
He didn't say no.
He just smiled.
Suo Ran's heart skipped for reasons he didn't want to name.
The room went quiet again, filled only with the faint sound of slurping noodles and the hum of the city outside.
The darkness no longer felt frightening but it felt dangerous in another way.
Suo Ran sat across from him, hugging his knees, pretending not to stare.
Cai Lang finished eating and placed the bowl aside.
"See?" he said lightly. "You cook fine."
"…Thanks," Suo Ran replied.
Another pause.
Cai Lang leaned back against the couch. "I'll stay until the lights come back."
This time, Suo Ran didn't argue.
Somewhere between fear, noodles, and unfinished questions, neither of them realized how close they were drifting again
toward that night,
toward that name,
toward something neither was ready to face yet.