Zach didn’t sleep that night. He lay awake long after the house went quiet, staring at the ceiling, replaying breakfast, replaying Sudan’s face in the hallway, replaying the silence that now stretched between them like an ocean. His heart ached in a way he didn’t have language for. Because he loved him. Because he feared him. Because he didn’t recognize him. Somehow, all three were true.By morning, Zach felt hollowed out, brittle around the edges. He moved through the house quietly, avoiding the parts of the mansion where he might run into his parents. He just needed… space. A little air to breathe, to gather himself, to find some version of clarity. He ended up outside.The winter sun was weak, barely cutting through the frost on the lawn. Cold bit into his skin, but it felt grounding, real, unlike the emotional fog choking him inside. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie and walked the long stone path leading toward the greenhouse. He wasn’t expecting to find Sudan
Last Updated : 2025-12-15 Read more