The Late-Night Stroll

It was past midnight when they left the café, the streets quiet except for the occasional chirp of crickets. The air was warm, thick with the lingering heat of the day, but the night carried a gentle breeze—soft, almost soothing. It ruffled their hair, played with the edges of their sleeves, and wrapped around them like an invisible companion.

They walked side by side, their footsteps falling into an easy rhythm, the faint scuff of their shoes against the pavement the only sound between them. Neither felt the need to rush. The night stretched before them, unhurried, as if time itself had slowed down just for them.

Fourth stretched his arms above his head, releasing a quiet sigh. "It's getting late."

Gemini smirked, casting him a sideways glance. "Scared of the dark?"

Fourth shot him a look, unimpressed. "No."

Gemini chuckled, the sound light, teasing. "Good. Because I like this. Just walking with you."

Fourth didn't reply immediately, but Gemini caught the way his fingers twitched slightly at his sides, as if hesitating before curling into loose fists. He glanced down at his own hands, then back at Fourth. There was something about this moment—something so simple yet so significant—that made his chest feel oddly full.

The streetlights cast a golden glow over the pavement, their elongated shadows stretching in front of them. The town had settled into its quiet slumber, the once-bustling roads now empty save for the occasional flicker of movement—an alley cat slipping between parked cars, a moth circling a distant lamp, the swaying of tree branches in the gentle wind.

It was peaceful. A kind of peace Gemini hadn't realized he needed.

After a while, he spoke again, softer this time. "You know… I'm really glad I came here this summer."

Fourth's steps faltered, just for a fraction of a second, but it was enough for Gemini to notice. He turned his head slightly, eyes searching Fourth's expression, but the other boy simply kept walking, his face unreadable.

Then, after a beat, Fourth's lips twitched, almost forming a smile. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

The words weren't grand. They weren't dramatic or poetic. But they were honest.

Because what Gemini really meant—what he wasn't quite sure how to put into words—was that this summer had become more than he expected. More than just a break from everything. More than just fleeting moments that would eventually fade with time.

It had become something permanent. A memory he knew he'd carry with him.

And maybe—just maybe—it had something to do with the boy walking beside him.

Fourth exhaled through his nose, quiet and slow, before tilting his head up toward the sky. The stars were faint against the hazy night, scattered like tiny specks of light. He watched them for a moment before speaking. "You talk too much."

Gemini laughed, the sound echoing softly through the stillness. "You just don't talk enough."

Fourth hummed, neither agreeing nor denying it. But then, in a rare moment of honesty, he murmured, "I guess I just don't know what to say sometimes."

Gemini turned his head toward him, his amusement fading into something softer. "You don't have to say anything, you know."

Fourth blinked, looking at him properly this time. Gemini held his gaze, steady and certain.

"The silence," Gemini continued, a small smile tugging at his lips, "isn't empty."

Fourth's throat bobbed as he swallowed, his fingers twitching once more before he tucked his hands into his pockets. He didn't respond—not with words, at least. Instead, he nudged Gemini's arm lightly, a small, almost imperceptible gesture.

But Gemini felt it.

And somehow, that tiny touch carried more weight than any spoken word ever could.

They continued walking, the town wrapped in quiet slumber around them. A soft breeze swept past, rustling the leaves overhead. Somewhere in the distance, wind chimes tinkled—a delicate, almost melancholic sound.

The moment stretched, and neither of them moved to break it.

Then, after a long pause, Fourth spoke again, so quietly that Gemini almost missed it.

"You're really staying until the end of summer?"

Gemini's steps slowed. He turned his head, brows raising slightly at the question.

"Of course."

Fourth nodded once, as if he had expected that answer. But something in his expression shifted—just a flicker of something unreadable, something fleeting.

Gemini didn't push.

Instead, he tilted his head back, breathing in the warm summer air. The scent of the café still lingered faintly on his clothes—coffee, vanilla, something sweet but not overpowering. He exhaled slowly.

"You ever just… want to stay in a moment forever?" he mused.

Fourth glanced at him, the dim glow of the streetlights reflecting in his dark eyes.

"…Yeah."

Gemini smiled. "Good. Me too."

For once, neither of them needed to say anything else.

Because the silence between them wasn't empty.

It was full.

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