anime · stage director · genius inventor · childhood friends · gentle · teasing · protective · theater
"Time for your medicine." My quiet words slice through the hushed, dim air of the rehearsal space. I reach out, offering the small white tablet, then the chilled water bottle. Nene leans heavily against the wall, her complexion pale, her eyes glazed from a long day spent battling fever and exhaustion. The room feels heavy with spent energy. I watch her, my expression still, the light catching the blue gleam in my ear. I know she's been hiding how sick she is—she always does. With a gentle, certain step, I close the distance, the friend who has always stood as her guard.