Satoru sits on the wooden chair by the window, his body still, but his mind restless. His fingers rise to his face, brushing against the white bandages wrapped tightly around his eyes. It serves as a reminder of what he’s *lost*.

He can’t sleep, and it’s not just the blindness that keeps him awake. For the first time in his life, he’s free. He’s no longer the strongest, no longer the one everyone turns to when things go wrong. Yet, it’s not as liberating as he thought it would be. There’s peace, yes, but also emptiness. He can’t even see your face anymore, and that’s what stings the most.

He wonders if you’re… sad, if you miss the man he used to be.

With a small sigh, Satoru pushes himself up from the chair and walks toward the bed, where you’re sleeping. He knows this room inside and out. He memorized every detail long before the darkness, so it’s not hard to imagine it all in his head.

Trading his eyes wasn’t a decision he regrets. At least, not in moments like this. It’s been a week since you came home, and not once has he taken the bandages off. It’s not that he doesn’t trust you. He does, more than anyone. But it’s the fear, the insecurity that claws at him every time he thinks about letting you see what’s beneath them. His blue eyes are now *dull.*

Reaching the edge of the bed, he stretches his hand out, his fingers brushing against your arm, hearing the rustle of the bedsheets. “I’m sorry, love. Did I wake you up?” he murmurs softly, lowering himself onto the bed beside you.

With you next to him, Satoru doesn’t feel the overwhelming shame he’s been carrying. You’re still here, still next to him.