Radio to the heart

Growing closer 

The hotel lobby was dimly lit, the soft glow from the fireplace casting long, flickering shadows across the room. The fire crackled, trying to warm the coldness that clung to the sterile atmosphere of the hotel. I sat opposite Alistair, feeling every shift in my body as though I couldn't settle into the plush chair beneath me. My fingers fidgeted, twisting and untwisting the edge of my sleeve. Despite the fire, a chill still crawled beneath my skin, as if the warmth didn't quite reach me. Alistair, however, sat comfortably, leaning forward slightly, his gaze on me steady and observant. He always had that way of looking like he knew something I didn't.

I looked away from him, my gaze shifting to the flames. "It's strange, isn't it?" My voice sounded small against the quiet backdrop of the lobby. "Being here feels like I'm... suspended, like time's not moving at all." I swallowed hard, trying to find the words that had been swimming in my mind for what felt like weeks. "The more I think about it, Alistair... the more I feel like maybe you're right. Maybe I am meant to be here. The normal world never accepted me. But here? Here, even though people are hateful and seem to have an issue with me... it's like I've ended up where I'm supposed to be. Maybe this place is more like home than anywhere else."

Alistair's lips curved into a soft smile, his eyes warming as he listened. Without a word, he reached across the space between us and gently took my hand, pressing a light kiss to my knuckles. The gesture startled me, but I didn't pull away. It was the kind of comfort I hadn't known I needed.

"You're right," he murmured, his voice low and soothing. "You may not fit into the underworld... just like you never really fit into the world above. Life or death, there's always a place for someone. And here, well, it seems like this is your place. It reminds me of a story I learned a long time ago. A story about finding where you truly belong, even when it feels like nowhere else will take you." His eyes gleamed with something almost like hope, the kind you could borrow when you had none of your own.

I hesitated, feeling the firelight soften the tension that had been etched into my face for so long. Alistair's words were gentle, but they settled over me with a surprising weight. I leaned forward slightly, mirroring him, though my gaze dropped to my lap. The words I needed to say were lodged deep, struggling to escape the years of silence I'd built around myself.

"I haven't really talked about it with anyone," I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. "But things haven't been easy lately. There's... there's a lot I'm still trying to process. I know I don't necessarily have to talk to someone to get through this, Alistair. I've managed on my own for so long." I paused, feeling the weight of my admission pressing down on me. "But... it's nice. It's nice to have someone who understands. Someone who'll listen. Thank you, Alistair."

I glanced up at him, catching the flicker of surprise in his eyes. It wasn't often that I said anything like that, much less let anyone this close. His fingers squeezed mine gently, his expression softening further.

"You're welcome," he said, his voice filled with quiet admiration. There was no need for anything more; his presence was enough, his understanding a balm for the unspoken.

The warmth from the fire had spread throughout the room, and the lobby felt smaller, more intimate as Alistair and I sat in that charged silence. It was like the world outside faded away, the voices of the distant hotel guests blending into the background, leaving just us and the crackling flames. Alistair's expression softened, and he leaned back a little, giving me space. He wasn't pushing, wasn't demanding-just... there. His eyes, however, never wavered from me. Attentive, patient, waiting.

"You don't have to explain if you don't want to," he said softly, his voice like a low hum. There was no pressure, just the steady rhythm of his words offering a lifeline. "But if you do... I'm here."