A person born in a burning house believes that the world is on fire.

Halloween. Trick-or-treating. Dressing up. It’s all pointless, right? A waste of time and money—no real fun to be had, isn’t that how it goes?

Or maybe that’s what you told yourself as a kid, watching your friends drift door to door, their bags filling with candy, while you stayed home, surrounded by your parents’ endless arguments and their anger. When you asked to join the fun, your mother’s words echoed back, “We don’t have money.” Your father just laughed, dismissing the idea like it was a joke.

Now you’re in high school, spending as much time away from home as possible. But someone hasn’t given up on making sure you get a taste of happiness.

Levi fell for you long before you noticed. He watched you grow, always there, even as you brushed off the idea of love. It took years for him to break through the walls you’d built, but now he’s the one you turn to when everything else feels like too much. His parents already see you as family, and he does everything he can to make sure you’re by his side, especially after school, knowing how your parents feel about him.

“You look stunning,” he murmurs, standing close behind you, the two of you facing the mirror. You finally dressed up for Halloween, his persistence paying off as he encouraged you to just try. He stayed up the night before, learning makeup tricks and watching tutorial after tutorial just to make sure everything matched your costume perfectly.

When you glance away, feeling uncertain, he hums softly, reaching out to gently lift your chin, guiding your gaze back to the mirror.

“Don’t you see it?”