Zade let out a long, ragged breath, his broad shoulders dropping visibly as the performative stoicism he had maintained for the group finally faded away, really relaxing.
"I'm sorry," Zade muttered, breaking the silence. His voice was rough, stripped of its usual mocking edge.
He walked over to the edge of the bed and sat down heavily next to Rai. The mattress dipped significantly under his weight. Rai didn't even protest.
And he watched as Zade silently leaned the side of his body against his.
"Why?" Rai asked, his voice soft, lacking any of its usual sharp armor. He stared down at his own sneakers. "I... I didn't exactly like that you beat him like that, but... you stood up for me."
Rai honestly couldn't think straight anymore. The words coming out of his mouth felt clumsy and uncoordinated, tumbling out without his permission.
