Ridgeview institute

Kai didn't say much that night.

After Family Day ended, and the polite smiles and fake boundaries faded back into the background noise of Rosewood, he retreated into himself a little. Not fully. Just enough that Julian stopped cracking jokes. Just enough that Elio started watching him a bit more closely. Just enough that Luca's teasing turned into soft touches instead of smirks.

They let him be quiet. But only for a little while.

Then they started moving.

Julian disappeared after dinner.

Elio convinced a staff member he needed extra time in the rec room for "therapy purposes."

Luca stuck close to Kai, herding him around like a possessive bodyguard. He kept one hand hooked loosely through Kai's belt loop the entire time.

"You're doing the thing," Kai finally mumbled.

"What thing?" Luca asked innocently.

"The thing where you hover. Like a hot helicopter."

Luca grinned. "Is that a complaint or a compliment?"

Kai didn't answer.

When they finally made it back to their dorm room, Kai opened the door—and froze.

The lights were off. But tiny string lights glowed from where they'd been strung along the walls, creating a golden halo around the space. The beds were pushed together into one massive, messy pile of blankets and pillows. On the desk sat a tray: hot chocolate in mismatched mugs, cookies that were definitely from the dining hall but now had smiley faces drawn on them in icing.

And in the middle of it all—Julian, looking far too pleased with himself.

"Welcome to your emotional recovery pit," he said with a wink.

Kai blinked. "What... is this?"

"Operation: Un-Pretend," Elio said, appearing from behind the bathroom door, a soft blanket already draped over one shoulder. "It's where we undo all the fake smiling and staff-pleasing."

"You looked like you were holding your breath all day," Julian added. "We thought you deserved a night to just be."

Luca guided him in gently, closing the door behind them. "So. You're ours for the night."

"And by that," Julian added, tugging Kai down into the pile of blankets, "I mean you're going to be kissed, fed, cuddled, and possibly pinned."

Kai laughed—a surprised, honest sound.

"You guys really did all this?"

"For you," Elio said simply.

"And also for us," Julian admitted, "because seeing you all sad makes me want to throw hands."

Kai looked around the room—the lights, the warmth, the ridiculous amount of pillows—and then back at the three boys he never expected to find here, in this place, in this life.

"I don't deserve this," he whispered.

"You deserve better than this," Luca said. "But we're what you've got, so we're gonna make it good."

"Now come here," Elio said, tugging him toward the middle of the bed fortress. "Lay down before Julian tries to spoon you without asking."

Julian shrugged. "Too late."

Kai ended up squished between Elio's chest and Julian's arms, with Luca lying just behind him, a protective arm resting over his waist. Warm. Safe. Not even pretending to be normal anymore.

Just... real.

"Is this what it's like?" Kai whispered after a few minutes.

"What?" Elio murmured against his temple.

"To be loved."

Luca's voice came low from behind him. "No."

Kai blinked.

"This is what it's like to be wanted," Luca clarified. "To be loved? That's even better."

Kai smiled into the blankets, eyes fluttering shut.

For the first time, he believed them.