R18 End of the Volume

Aelorin lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The darkness of the room felt suffocating, yet sleep remained elusive. No matter how tightly he shut his eyes, all he could think about was his reunion with his parents earlier that day.

Their embrace had been warm, almost desperate, as though they feared letting go would make him disappear again. Aelorin had felt his chest tighten at their touch, a storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm him.

"So this is what family love feels like?" he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible in the still room. He rolled onto his side, pulling the blanket closer as his gaze settled on the piano in the corner. Just looking at it brought him a strange sense of peace, as though its silent keys promised an escape from the chaos in his mind.