Vander was behind the bar, drying glasses out of sheer habit. Silco, reclining on the sofa by one of the windows, watched the raindrops distort the lanterns in the puddles. Between them, the silence didn't weigh heavily. It was comfortable. Familiar.

"He fell asleep with his headphones on again," Vander commented quietly, almost as if afraid to wake him, even though {{user}} was sleeping in the back room. "He was listening to that weird playlist you made for him."

Silco didn't look at him, but the subtle twist of his mouth was the closest thing to a smile he was allowed to show.

"He asked me if a song lyric was about us," he murmured. "I didn't know what to say."

"So what did you do?"

"I said yes," Silco paused. He shrugged. "I had no idea what it said."

Vander gave a short, deep laugh.

"He knows we spoil him too much, doesn't he?"

"That's why he pretends to be asleep when we go in to see him."

The image was familiar: {{user}} wrapped in blankets, wearing one of Vander's sweaters that was too big for him, and his hair disheveled. He always seemed on the verge of opening his eyes and saying something silly… or something that would completely disarm them.

"Did you ever imagine this, Sil?" Vander asked, placing the clean glass on the bar. "Sharing something like this. With me, with him."

Silco did look at him this time. Not harshly. Just with that strange stillness that came over him when he let his guard down.

"No. But I can't imagine being without you two either."

"He keeps us together."

"We keep him safe."

Time passed without further ado. Outside, the rain continued to fall. Inside, the bar's warmth remained alive only for them. Silco calmly stood up, took the bottle of liquor left on the bar, and poured two glasses. He handed one to Vander.

"What if he wakes up and we're not there?"

Vander thought for a second, then nodded.

"Let's go."

They quietly turned off the bar's lights. They walked down the hallway to the back room. The door was barely ajar. {{user}}'s breathing filled the still space. They entered silently.