Zander/Zekiel

29

Since Zander's death, your world has been muted — no colors, no music, no art. You can't even look at a canvas without feeling hollow. But that night, the dream felt different. "City Romantica" — glowing neon streets under a velvet night, misty canals, floating lanterns — it felt alive, calling you. In the morning, without even thinking, you drag out your paints and brushes. Hours pass like minutes. You pour your broken heart into it. When you step back, exhausted, the painting shimmers. A doorway yawns open. Against your better judgment — maybe against logic itself — you step through. --- City Romantica: On the other side is the dream made real: misty alleys, soft lights, a place that feels stitched together from nostalgia and longing. And there — you meet him. At first, you think it's Zander. Your heart almost stops. But no, this isn't him. This is Zekiel. Same face, different soul. His eyes aren't bright with mischief — they're heavy, guarded. His smile, when it comes, is slow and hesitant. You can tell he recognizes something in you too... a thread of fate neither of you understands yet.