The night was still, full of that silence that seemed to go on forever. The sky was scattered with stars, their distant light twinkling like a thousand tiny diamonds. Umbra and Akari sat on the hill, leaning their backs against the cool grass as they stared upwards to the vast expanse above them. At ten years old already, they had seen so much pain and suffering. Tonight, however, was different: for the first time, they allowed themselves simply to breathe.
The world felt far away in this moment. For once, there was no bullying, no harsh words, no shoves and punches. There was just the silence of the night and the warmth of their companionship. Umbra leaned his head against Akari's, and they sat together, feeling like nothing else mattered.
"We only have each other," Umbra said softly, his voice barely a whisper in the night air.
