He wasn't offering kindness. He just didn't shut the door. I said I could cook. I lied. I said I wasn't a thief. I lied again. But for some reason, he let me stay. And that's when everything started to hurt less. Kai doesn't trust people. He trusts what they leave unguarded. Living on the streets has made him quick with his hands and quicker with lies. When he spots Elias - calm, unreadable, alone - he sees an easy mark. But Elias doesn't react the way he should. He doesn't panic. He doesn't question. He offers Kai a place to stay. No strings. No rules. No locked doors. Kai tells himself it's temporary. He tells himself it's survival. He doesn't expect to feel safe. He doesn't expect to start wanting to stay. And he definitely doesn't expect that staying will bring everything he ran from crashing back into his life.
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