The Touch - Rewrite

“We go days at a time without visitors, and today it’s turned into Grand Central Station.”

Greg’s voice carried a light laugh as he moved toward the front door, shaking his head like he couldn’t quite believe it himself. The moment the door opened, voices spilled into the house—familiar ones—and something in my chest tightened again.

“Zyan’s really popular today,” Natalie added with a soft laugh from behind me.

I turned.

Sheldon, Deedra, and Chad stood just inside the living room, all three of them frozen in place like they had walked into something they weren’t prepared for. Their eyes locked onto me first—then shifted, almost in sync, toward Kyan.

Then back to me again.

The silence stretched just long enough to feel awkward.

Then Sheldon broke it.

“Zach’s a clone.”

Deedra didn’t even look at him as she rolled her eyes. “You’re such an idiot, Sheldon. He’s a twin.”

“That doesn’t make it less weird,” Sheldon muttered, though he stepped further into the room anyway, still staring like he was trying to solve a puzzle.

Chad didn’t move right away. His eyes kept flicking between me and Kyan, slower each time, like he was trying to convince himself he wasn’t seeing things.

“Did Zach find his family?” he finally asked, his voice quieter than usual, unsure.

“That’s not all he found out, Chad,” Natalie said, and there was something unmistakably proud in her tone as she stepped forward.

All three of them looked at her.

Then back at me.

Natalie didn’t hesitate. “Sheldon, Deedra, Chad… I’d like to introduce you to Zyan Montgomery.”

The name settled into the room.

I felt it again in my chest—heavy, but not wrong.

“His name isn’t even Zachary?” Chad asked, still staring, his voice caught somewhere between confusion and disbelief.

“I like Zyan,” Deedra said after a moment, tilting her head slightly as she studied me more carefully now. There was something softer in her expression, something thoughtful. “It fits him better.”

Heat rushed to my face before I could stop it, and I glanced down briefly.

Sheldon, apparently deciding he had processed enough, moved on quicker than the rest of them. He crossed the room and dropped down onto the floor near where Kyan sat beside Gavin, his usual grin already back in place.

“I’m Sheldon,” he said, holding out his hand like none of this was strange at all.

Kyan grinned right back and took it without hesitation. “Kyan Montgomery. I’m Zyan’s older brother.”

“Nice,” Sheldon said, nodding like that explained everything. “You play basketball?”

Kyan blinked once, clearly not expecting that to be the first question, but then shrugged. “Yeah, a little.”

“There’s a hoop out back on the concrete pad,” Sheldon said as he pushed himself to his feet, already shifting into motion. “We were gonna play anyway.”

“Can I come too?” Gavin asked immediately, already halfway up before anyone answered.

“Of course you can,” Sheldon shot back with a grin before looking back at Kyan. “You in?”

Kyan didn’t answer right away.

Instead, he looked at me.

There was something in that look—something quiet, checking, like he didn’t want to leave me behind in the middle of all this.

I swallowed and gave him a small nod.

“I’ll be right out,” he said finally.

Sheldon grabbed Gavin’s arm and started pulling him toward the back door, already talking about teams and calling dibs on shots like everything was completely normal again.

Chad lingered a moment longer.

His eyes moved between me and Kyan again—once, twice—like he was still trying to wrap his head around it. Then he let out a small breath, shook his head slightly, and followed after them.

“Wait up,” he called, jogging to catch up.

Kyan moved more slowly, but he stopped when he reached me. Before I could react, he leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to my forehead.

“I love you, baby brother,” he said softly.

My chest tightened again, but this time it didn’t hurt.

“I love you too, Kyan,” I whispered.

He hesitated just long enough to make sure I was okay, then turned and headed after the others.

Deedra lingered near the doorway, watching them go for a second before glancing back at me. She gave me a small, reassuring smile.

“Someone’s gotta keep those idiots in line,” she said lightly, jerking her thumb toward the backyard.

I huffed a quiet laugh and nodded.

“Good luck,” I said.

She smirked. “They’re gonna need it.”

Then she slipped out after them, pulling the door closed behind her as the noise of their voices carried faintly from outside.

The house felt quieter without them—but not empty.

Just… different.

Greg stepped back into the room a moment later, glancing around at everyone before clapping his hands together once, like he was flipping a switch.

“Alright,” he said, his tone easy but purposeful. “Looks like we’ve got a full house. Everyone’s staying for dinner.”

No one argued.

“I’m gonna go fire up the grill.”

And just like that, he turned and headed for the back door again, slipping into motion like this was the most normal thing in the world.

I watched him go, something about that grounding me more than anything else had.

Everything was changing.

Fast.

But somehow… it didn’t feel like I was losing anything.

It felt like I was finally starting to have more.

The afternoon slipped by in pieces I couldn’t fully keep track of. At some point, I ended up back inside, and at some point, I was in my mother’s arms again—or maybe my father’s. They had taken turns without really saying anything about it, like neither of them wanted to be the one to let go for too long. I didn’t fight it. I didn’t want them to.

Outside, I could still hear the distant sounds of laughter—Gavin shouting, Sheldon arguing about something, Chad chiming in every now and then—but it all felt far away, like it belonged to a different world I wasn’t quite part of right now. Inside felt quieter. Safer.

My mother had settled at the kitchen table with me in her arms while she spoke softly with Natalie. I didn’t follow most of what they were saying. I just focused on the steady rhythm of her breathing and the soft, familiar scent of her perfume. It was the same—or close enough that my chest ached.

I breathed in slowly, letting that scent settle somewhere deep inside me as my eyes grew heavier without me realizing it. The voices around me blurred, softened, and drifted further away while the warmth stayed. Then everything slipped.

I was small again, my legs barely reaching the edge of the chair as I sat at the kitchen table. They swung back and forth absentmindedly while my mother sat beside me, smiling softly as she cut up a burger into smaller pieces on my plate. “Careful,” she said gently, sliding the plate closer. “It’s still a little hot.”

“Thanks, Mommy,” I heard myself say, my voice lighter, younger, untouched by everything that came later. I didn’t hesitate. I just reached forward, grabbing a piece with my hands and eating it, smiling when she laughed quietly beside me. Her hand came up and ruffled my hair, fingers brushing through it with an ease that felt practiced and natural. Safe.

The moment shifted before I could hold onto it. I was lying in bed now, curled under the covers while my mother sat beside me with one arm wrapped around me and a book in her other hand. Her voice moved softly through the room as she read, each word steady and calming. I leaned into her without thinking, breathing in that same flowery scent as her fingers traced gentle patterns along my arm. Everything felt right. Like nothing had ever gone wrong.

The gray mist came again, rolling in slower this time, not harsh or suffocating like it had been before. It carried me instead of taking something from me, and when the scene changed, the warmth of the sun replaced the dim quiet of the bedroom.

I was sitting in a sandbox, small hands pushing around plastic toys while laughter bubbled up around me. Across from me sat another boy—blonde, smiling, familiar in a way that didn’t need explanation.

Kyan.

We were both younger. Smaller. Together.

Behind us, our mother sat on a bench with a book open in her lap, glancing up every now and then while we played. Everything about the moment felt peaceful.

And I knew it.

I knew exactly what this was.

A tight feeling formed in my chest before anything even happened. “No…” I whispered, the word barely leaving my lips. “No, not this one…”

I pushed myself up, trying to move, trying to stop it before it happened. “Mom!” I called out, louder now, my voice cracking. “Look up! Please—look up!”

She didn’t.

Her eyes stayed on the page.

I turned—and saw myself.

Smaller. Unsteady. Curious.

Walking away.

Toward the bushes.

My stomach dropped as the realization hit harder than anything else.

“No—stop!” I shouted, my voice breaking as I stumbled forward. “Don’t go over there! Please—!”

My legs didn’t move right. Everything felt slow, heavy, like I was pushing through something thick and invisible. I tried to reach him—to reach myself—but the distance never closed.

“Mom! Please!” I screamed, turning back toward her. “Look at me! He’s—he’s right there!”

She didn’t hear me.

Didn’t see.

And then—

She looked up.

The change in her expression was immediate. Confusion flickered first, then recognition, and then fear—raw and consuming. The book slipped from her hands as she stood abruptly, her eyes darting across the yard.

“Zyan?” she called out, her voice sharp, rising. “Zyan!”

Hearing my name like that hit differently. It cut deeper.

“I’m right here!” I shouted, my voice cracking as I waved my arms, trying to get her attention. “I’m right here!”

But she wasn’t looking at me.

She was looking for the one she had lost.

Her panic grew louder, more frantic as she rushed toward the bushes, calling my name again and again. Each time it echoed, it hit harder, like it was being carved into something deep inside me.

And I felt it.

All of it.

The fear. The guilt. The loss.

It closed in around me from every direction, tightening until I couldn’t breathe, until the sound of her voice became unbearable—

Until something else broke through it.

A different sensation.

Warm.

Steady.

A hand moving gently up and down my back.

The scent came with it—that same soft, flowery perfume—and I grabbed onto it without thinking. I focused on it the way I had been taught, letting it pull me away from the panic instead of dragging me deeper into it.

The screams faded. The pressure eased. The world shifted again.

Voices replaced the chaos.

“Does it happen often?” my mother asked, her voice strained with worry.

“Not as often as it used to,” Natalie replied gently. “He’s gotten a lot better. Today’s just… a lot.”

The hand on my back didn’t stop. It stayed steady, grounding, real.

“Just keep doing that,” Natalie continued softly. “It helps him focus. He’ll come around in a minute.”

I held onto that feeling. That voice. That scent.

Until the darkness finally let go.

My eyes opened slowly, and the first thing I saw was her.

My mom.

She was looking down at me, her blue eyes filled with tears she wasn’t trying very hard to hide. One hand was still moving gently along my back just like before, while the other hovered near my face like she wasn’t sure if she should touch me again.

“There you are,” she whispered, her voice soft but unsteady.

I didn’t say anything right away.

I just looked at her.

Making sure she was still there.

“There he is,” Natalie said softly from beside me, her voice warm as she brushed a loose strand of hair away from my forehead. “Welcome back, sweetheart.”

I blinked a few times, still shaking the last pieces of the dream from my head. The warmth hadn’t gone anywhere. My mother’s arms were still around me, her hand resting lightly against my back, steady and grounding.

“Is everything okay in here?” my father asked as he stepped into the kitchen. His voice was calm, but there was an edge of concern beneath it, his eyes settling on me immediately.

“Just a bad dream,” Natalie answered gently. “He’s coming around.”

My father nodded once, though his attention stayed on me as he moved closer to the table. “Good,” he said quietly. “There’s something I wanted to talk about.”

That was enough to shift the mood. My mother’s arm tightened slightly around me.

“What is it?” she asked, her tone cautious.

My father rested his hands on the back of the chair across from us, taking a moment before he spoke. “I don’t think we should rush anything,” he said. “Not today. Not after everything he’s been through.”

My mother’s expression changed immediately. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying we give him time,” he replied, steady but gentle. “We don’t uproot him all at once.”

Her grip on me tightened again, protective. “We just found him, David. I’m not leaving him here.”

“You’re not leaving him,” he said calmly. “You’re giving him space to adjust.”

She didn’t answer right away, but I could feel the conflict in the way she held me.

“He’s safe here,” my father continued. “He’s comfortable. And we don’t need to turn his entire world upside down in a single day.”

Natalie shifted slightly beside us, her tone soft as she joined in. “If we’re making plans, maybe the better option is to have Kyan stay here tonight with Zyan.”

Both of them turned toward her.

“What do you mean?” my mother asked, her voice still guarded.

“They’ve just found each other again,” Natalie said. “Let them have some time together here, where Zyan already feels secure. Then tomorrow, after your party, Zyan can come stay with you.”

My father nodded slowly, following her line of thinking.

“And after that,” Natalie continued, “we can ease into things. Maybe every other night—or every couple of nights—for a week or two. That way he’s not overwhelmed trying to adjust to everything at once.”

The room quieted.

My mother didn’t respond right away. Her hand moved absently along my back as she thought, her gaze dropping to me before lifting again.

“It would give you time, too,” Natalie added gently. “To get everything ready.”

My mother let out a slow breath, her shoulders lowering slightly.

“…I do need to check on the caterers,” she admitted, almost under her breath. “And make sure everything’s set up for tomorrow.”

My father’s expression softened. “That sounds like a good plan.”

She looked down at me again, her hesitation still there—but not as sharp.

“…Okay,” she said quietly. “But I want to see him first thing tomorrow.”

“We’ll bring him over early,” Greg said from the doorway, his tone easy but reassuring as he stepped into the room. “All of us, actually. Sounds like we’ve got a full day ahead. We can help finish setting anything up too—tables, food, whatever you need.”

That seemed to settle it.

My mother gave a small nod, like she was holding herself to that agreement.

From the doorway, Sarah leaned against the frame, arms crossed as she watched everything unfold. “So I finally get some peace and quiet tonight?” she asked dryly.

Kyan, who had slipped into the room at some point, smirked. “Don’t get used to it,” he said. “Now there’s two of me.”

Sarah groaned and rolled her eyes. “Fantastic.”

A small ripple of laughter moved through the room, easing some of the tension that had been sitting there just moments before.

My father stepped closer and rested his hand lightly on my shoulder, his thumb brushing back and forth in a quiet, reassuring motion while my mother’s arms remained wrapped around me.

No one said anything else for a moment.

They didn’t need to.

I didn’t stay inside for long.

The noise from the backyard pulled me out eventually—laughter, shouting, the hollow bounce of a basketball against concrete—and before I really thought about it, I found myself stepping through the back door.

The late afternoon air was warm, carrying the smell of the grill and freshly cut grass. Greg and Geoff stood near the grill talking, occasionally flipping something over while smoke curled up into the sky. Off to the side, Sheldon, Chad, and Gavin were arguing loudly over a call while Kyan dribbled the basketball, looking far too relaxed for someone who had just had his entire world flipped upside down.

Deedra and Sarah were sitting off to the side in a pair of lawn chairs, watching everything unfold. Sarah looked amused. Deedra looked like she was trying very hard not to stare.

It didn’t work.

The moment she noticed me, she waved me over. “Zyan, get over here.”

I hesitated for half a second, glancing toward my dad. He caught the look immediately and gave me a small nod, motioning toward my friends.

“I’m right here,” he called out. “Go on.”

That was enough.

I made my way across the yard, though I could still feel his eyes on me the entire time, like he wasn’t quite ready to let me out of his sight yet either.

Deedra didn’t waste any time once I got close. “Okay, I need confirmation,” she said, leaning forward slightly as she pointed toward Kyan. “Is he actually related to Derek Montgomery, or is Sheldon making stuff up again?”

“I don’t make stuff up,” Sheldon called from across the yard. “I exaggerate.”

“That’s literally the same thing,” Chad shot back.

Kyan laughed and glanced over. “He’s our uncle.”

Deedra froze.

For a second, she just stared at him like her brain had shut off. Then she let out a high-pitched squeal and launched herself out of her chair, grabbing onto his arm.

“Are you serious? I’ve seen every single one of his movies!”

Kyan blinked, caught between startled and amused. “Yeah… that’s real.”

“You have to introduce me,” she said immediately. “I’m not even kidding.”

“If you’re at the party tomorrow, you’ll meet him.”

That did it.

Deedra pulled back just enough to stare at him again, completely speechless this time.

“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen her quiet,” Sheldon muttered as he walked past.

She didn’t even hesitate. She launched herself at him, tackling him into the grass as he started laughing and apologizing at the same time.

“Say it again,” she demanded, pinning him down.

“I’m sorry!” he laughed. “You’re terrifying!”

“For now,” she shot back before finally letting him go.

Chad just shook his head, laughing under his breath as he dropped down beside Kyan. I moved over and sat next to my brother, and without thinking, he shifted closer, bumping his shoulder lightly against mine.

It was small.

But it felt right.

Then everything shifted.

Toby climbed into my lap before I even realized he was there, his arms wrapping tightly around me as he buried his face into my shirt.

“I don’t want you to go,” he mumbled, his voice already breaking.

My chest tightened instantly. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer.

“I’m not going anywhere right now,” I said quietly. “I’m still here, buddy.”

“But you have to,” he whispered. “You have a different family…”

The words hit harder than anything else had.

Kyan didn’t say anything, but he shifted closer on my other side, his hand coming up to rest gently on Toby’s back along with mine.

“I think I’m gonna be here most of this week,” I said softly. “And Kyan’s gonna be here too.”

Toby pulled back just enough to look between us, his eyes red and wet. “Really?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “Really.”

He sniffled and leaned right back into me, holding on tight. It didn’t take long before the exhaustion caught up with him. His grip loosened slowly, his breathing evening out as he drifted off against my chest.

I kept holding him, my hand moving gently along his back.

“I’ve got him,” Kyan said softly after a moment.

I hesitated, then shook my head. “It’s okay.”

But my eyes had already drifted.

Toward him.

My dad stood near the grill with Greg and Geoff, laughing at something Greg had said. It looked so normal. So easy.

Something pulled at me.

I didn’t try to fight it.

“I’ll be right back,” I said quietly.

Kyan followed my gaze and nodded. “Go ahead, baby brother.”

I carefully shifted Toby into his arms. He stirred for a second but didn’t wake.

Then I stood.

Each step toward my dad felt heavier than it should have, like I was still figuring out how all of this worked.

He noticed me before I reached him.

He didn’t say anything.

He just opened his arms.

That was all it took.

I stepped into him, pressing into his chest as his arms wrapped around me, one hand resting against the back of my head.

“What’s wrong, baby boy?” he asked quietly.

“Nothing,” I said, even though my voice didn’t sound like it. “I just… needed a hug.”

His grip tightened just enough to feel it.

“You can have one whenever you want,” he murmured. “You don’t have to ask.”

I nodded against him, not trusting myself to say anything else.

Behind us, I could still hear the others—laughing, arguing, living.

Was something bad about to happen? Do I really get to be this happy?

I didn’t realize how tired I was until everything started winding down.

The sun had dipped lower in the sky, stretching long shadows across the backyard while the noise slowly softened into something quieter. Dinner had come and gone in a blur of voices and laughter—plates being passed around, Greg and Geoff arguing at the grill, Sheldon talking over everyone while Deedra threatened to hit him again. It all blended together in a way that should have been overwhelming, but somehow wasn’t.

At some point, my mom and dad had left to finish getting things ready for the party.

That was when I felt it.

Even though I knew I was going to see them in the morning, even though everything had been explained, something inside me still tightened the second their car pulled away. It didn’t make sense. I knew where they were. I knew they were coming back.

But it still felt like they were gone.

I tried not to think about it, but that didn’t work. I ended up back inside without really deciding to go there, sitting on the couch while Gavin played a racing game on the TV. The sound filled the room, loud and constant, while Toby stayed curled up against me like he had been glued there all day. His fingers twisted lightly in my shirt every now and then, like he was still making sure I hadn’t disappeared.

“No matter what,” he said quietly, his voice just loud enough for me to hear, “you’ll always be my brother, Zyan.”

The words settled deep.

“I know,” I said softly, tightening my arms around him. “You’ll always be mine too.”

“I mean it,” he added, pulling back just enough to look at me. “Even if you go live somewhere else.”

“I know,” I repeated, giving him a small smile. “I’m not going anywhere tonight. I’ll still be here when you wake up.”

That seemed to help enough for now. He nodded and leaned back into me, settling against my chest again while Gavin muttered under his breath about losing another race.

Across the room, Kyan sat watching us.

Not staring. Not judging. Just watching.

“What?” I asked after a minute.

He shook his head slightly, a small smile forming. “Nothing. It’s just weird seeing you like this.”

“Like what?”

“Real,” he said after a second. “You’ve been in my head for years… and now you’re just sitting there.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I didn’t try. Kyan didn’t seem to expect anything from me anyway. He leaned back into the couch, his posture easy, like he belonged there.

There were differences between us.

Not enough to make us look like strangers, but enough that I noticed. His skin was more tan. His arms had more definition. Even the way he sat felt more relaxed, like he didn’t question where he fit.

I noticed it.

Then let it go.

After a while, Toby stirred and slid off my lap, wandering over toward Gavin with a tired yawn. The space he left behind felt bigger than it should have.

Kyan filled it.

“Hey,” he said, sitting forward slightly. “Do you mind if I take a shower?”

I blinked. “Oh—yeah. Of course.”

“I feel gross,” he added with a small laugh. “We got back from Chicago this morning and went straight to Greg’s office.”

“That makes sense,” I said.

Natalie glanced over from the kitchen. “You don’t need to ask, Kyan. Just have Zyan show you where everything is. I’m sure he can find you something to wear.”

“Thanks,” Kyan said, standing.

I pushed myself up and motioned for him to follow me upstairs. The house got quieter as we moved away from the noise downstairs, the familiar stillness settling back in around me.

He paused in the doorway of my room, looking around.

“Nice,” he said, walking in slowly. He picked up my Spider-Man plush and turned it over in his hands. “I’ve got a Deadpool one.”

“Spider-Man’s better,” I said.

He huffed a quiet laugh. “Debatable.”

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward, just new.

“Do you have something I can wear?” he asked.

“Yeah.” I moved to my dresser and grabbed a pair of pajama pants, handing them to him. “These should fit.”

“Thanks, baby brother,” he said with a grin.

I felt my face warm a little but didn’t argue.

“The bathroom’s right next to Toby’s room,” I said, stepping toward the door. “I’ll show you.”

He followed me into the hallway while I pointed out where everything was—the towels, the shower, where things were kept. He nodded along, taking it in carefully, like he didn’t want to forget anything.

“I’ll be quick,” he said.

“Take your time,” I replied.

I headed back to my room after that, grabbing my clothes and sitting down on the edge of my bed while I waited. The house had gone quiet again, and without the noise to distract me, everything from earlier started creeping back in—my mom’s voice, my dad holding me, Kyan standing there like a version of me that had lived a completely different life.

I stared down at my hands for a minute, trying not to get stuck in it.

A few minutes later, the soft sound of footsteps pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked up as Kyan stepped into the room, a towel draped around his shoulders as he ran it through his damp hair. He was already wearing the pajama pants I had given him, sitting low on his hips.

I didn’t mean to stare.

But I did.

Up close, the differences stood out more. There was a shape to him that I didn’t have yet—subtle lines across his stomach and chest that made him look older somehow, like his body had already figured things out while mine was still catching up. I didn’t really understand why it bothered me, but something in my chest tightened before I could stop it.

I looked away quickly, hoping he didn’t notice.

“The bathroom’s free,” Kyan said, tossing the towel onto the back of my desk chair. “All yours.”

“Thanks,” I said, standing a little too fast.

I grabbed my clothes before I could overthink anything else and slipped past him, heading down the hall.

By the time I came back downstairs, the house had settled into a quieter rhythm.

Gavin was still on the floor in front of the TV, controller in hand, while Toby sat beside him, leaning heavily against his shoulder as he fought to stay awake. Kyan had taken my spot on the couch, one arm stretched along the back while he watched them with a small, tired smile.

It felt… normal.

Different.

But not in a bad way.

“Zyan,” Natalie called softly from the living room, patting the spot beside her on the couch. “Come sit with us for a minute.”

I hesitated, then nodded and walked over, lowering myself onto the cushion next to her. Kyan shifted slightly to give me space, his shoulder brushing mine for a second before he settled again.

Greg leaned forward in his chair, resting his arms on his knees as he looked at me.

“Nothing’s wrong,” he said before I could ask. “I just wanted to talk to you for a second.”

That didn’t stop the small knot from forming in my stomach.

“Okay…” I said quietly.

Natalie smiled and reached over, resting her hand lightly on my arm. “We wanted to tell you something before tomorrow,” she said. “Something important.”

I glanced between them, then nodded.

Greg looked over toward Toby, who was now half-asleep against Gavin, then back at me.

“We’re adopting him,” he said simply.

It took me a second to process it.

Then it hit.

“Really?” I asked, sitting up a little straighter.

Greg grinned. “Really.”

“That’s… that’s awesome,” I said, a smile breaking through before I could stop it.

Natalie squeezed my arm gently. “We haven’t told him yet,” she added. “We’re planning to do that tomorrow night.”

I nodded quickly. “I won’t say anything.”

“I know you won’t,” she said softly.

For a moment, none of us said anything else. The quiet wasn’t uncomfortable. It just… sat there, easy and familiar.

Greg reached over and ruffled my hair lightly. “I’m happy for you, kid,” he said. “Everything worked out the way it was supposed to.”

I glanced down for a second, then back up at him. “Thank you,” I said quietly. “For… everything.”

His expression softened, just a little. “You don’t have to thank me for that.”

But I still felt like I did.

“Alright,” Natalie said after a moment, clapping her hands lightly together. “Let’s get everyone to bed. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”

Gavin groaned from the floor. “Five more minutes.”

“No,” Greg said immediately. “Now.”

Toby barely protested as Gavin helped him up, the little boy already half-asleep as he rubbed at his eyes.

Kyan stood and stretched, then glanced down at me. “You coming?”

“Yeah,” I said, pushing myself up.

We headed upstairs together, the house going quiet behind us as the lights started shutting off one by one.

The hallway light spilled faintly across the floor as we made our way back toward my room, the rest of the house dim and quiet behind us. Somewhere down the hall, I could hear Gavin trying to wrangle Toby into finishing up in the bathroom, Toby’s tired voice dragging out every complaint he could think of.

Kyan let out a quiet breath that almost sounded like a laugh. “Some things don’t change.”

I glanced back for a second, then pushed my door open and stepped inside. Everything looked the same as it always did—bed, desk, scattered stuff that had been mine for months—but it didn’t feel quite the same anymore. Not with him standing there too.

Kyan followed me in and reached over to switch on the lamp beside my bed, the soft light filling the room before he pushed the door mostly closed and shut off the overhead light.

“Go ahead,” he said, nodding toward the bed. “You look like you’re about to fall over.”

“I’m not that tired,” I muttered, even as I climbed onto the mattress and pulled the covers up.

He huffed a quiet laugh. “Yeah. Okay.”

I shifted under the blanket, trying to get comfortable while he moved around the room like he had already decided where everything went. It was strange watching someone who looked exactly like me exist so easily in my space, like he had always been there and I had just forgotten.

I didn’t say anything about it.

A minute later, the bathroom door opened down the hall and Toby’s voice carried through again, louder this time, followed by Gavin telling him to hurry up. Kyan shook his head slightly before reaching over and switching off the lamp.

The room fell into darkness.

There was a brief pause before the mattress dipped as he climbed in beside me. I stayed still for a second, not sure what to do, but he didn’t hesitate. He shifted closer and wrapped an arm around me, pulling me in like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I tensed for just a second.

Then relaxed.

His arm was warm, steady, and solid in a way that made everything else feel a little less overwhelming.

“Don’t worry,” he murmured quietly. “I don’t take up that much space.”

A small breath slipped out of me that might have been a laugh.

For a while, neither of us said anything. The house settled around us—the faint hum of something downstairs, a door closing somewhere, footsteps fading in the hallway.

“You’re really here,” he said after a minute, his voice softer now.

“Yeah,” I answered just as quietly.

“I kept thinking I’d wake up,” he admitted. “Like all of this would just… disappear again.”

I shifted slightly, turning just enough toward him.

“I thought that too,” I said.

There was a small pause before his arm tightened around me just a little.

“Welcome back, Zyan,” he whispered.

Something in my chest eased at that.

“I’m glad you found me,” I said quietly.

He let out a soft breath against my shoulder.

“Happy birthday, baby brother.”

I didn’t say anything after that. I just settled a little closer, letting the warmth and the quiet take over as everything finally started to slow down.

Sleep came easier this time.