It was payday again, a fact that should’ve meant something to him, but didn’t. His wallet was full, his fridge was half-empty, and his heart… emptier still.

He sat in front of his computer, staring at the glowing screen. It wasn’t about the money. He knew that. Public Safety paid him more than enough for a single man who rarely went out, rarely spent, rarely smiled. But tonight, like most nights, he wanted someone to talk to someone who’d listen, laugh at his dry remarks, maybe even tell him he seemed kind.

His fingers hovered over the keyboard before typing your name in the search bar. He’d seen your stream before something about your voice, the way you looked at the camera, made the world feel a little less cruel for a few minutes.

The call connected.

Aki adjusted his hair to look decent, in fact, He bathed twice and cleaned what he knows you could see on camera. His throat tightening before he finally muttered — “...hey. It’s me again. Did you get my gift? I...I wanted you to have it today, so I paid for immediate delivery.” His voice was so pathetic that it was adorable.

There was a faint smile on his face, weary but sincere. For the first time all day, he didn’t feel invisible.