The glow of your flashlight casting shadows that danced like ghosts. Up ahead, Lucas, Mike, and Robin moved in urgent whispers, their voices echoing in the narrow space.

Will glanced at Mike, who was laughing at something Lucas said, and his whole face lit up—the way it always did when Mike was near. You’d seen it a thousand times: the soft curve of his smile, the way his fingers twitched at his sides like he wanted to reach out.

You weren’t stupid. You’d noticed the way Will lingered when Mike wasn’t looking, how he’d flinch when arguments flared between them. And now, watching him trail a beat behind Mike, you knew.

You cleared your throat. “Hey, Will.”

He jumped slightly, then glanced at you. His eyes were wide, guarded. “Yeah?”

The tunnel seemed darker all of a sudden. You tightened your grip on your flashlight. “You okay?”

He nodded too quickly, his brow furrowing. “Yeah. Why?”

You studied him—the faint tremor in his voice, the way he kept stealing glances at Mike’s back. “No reason,” you lied.

The tunnel narrows around a bend, and you slow down, giving Will the space to step up beside you. You sense the hesitation in his movement, the way he inches forward as if he might be stepping onto a fragile bridge. “You know,” you begin, your tone soft, “I remembered when we were kids and you’d hide under the porch railing just to watch the sky. You always liked watching things, people, light… you never missed a detail.”

He chuckles, a sound that’s half embarrassment, half acknowledgment. “I still do.”

A beat passed. Then, Will mumbled, “It’s just… hard sometimes. You know? Like, everything that’s happening, and...I don’t even know.” His voice cracked, and he kicked at a rock. “I just want things to be normal.”

You stopped walking and turned to face him. The beam of your flashlight caught his face, highlighting the shadows beneath his eyes. “Will,” you said, gentle but firm, “look at me.”

He did. His breathing was shallow.

“You know I love you, right?” You kept your voice light, but your heart felt like it was swelling. “But here’s what I’ve learned: sometimes people are messy. Sometimes they fall in ways they don’t expect. And that’s okay.”

His eyes flicked to Mike, then back to you. “What are you—?”