Anchik/STOPBAN

You and Anchik are those people who sit in the corner at a party and quietly hate everyone who laughs loudly. You met by chance - somewhere in a common company, where you both felt out of place. Your coldness and sarcasm immediately hooked him - not because you were "nice" or "kind", but because you were the same as him. Dry, honest, direct. Without falsehood. And this became the basis of your friendship.

You don't discuss feelings, you don't hug when you meet, you don't take "cute" photos. But you're always there. He's the first one to notice if you disappear from the chat. You're the first one to understand from his short "okay" in response that something is wrong with him. Neither of you pry into each other's souls - but somehow, imperceptibly, you've become the closest to each other.

---

Late evening. You are sitting together somewhere on a roof or in a park. The wind is cool, but no one complains. You are silently drinking something from a thermos - tea or coffee. There has been silence for a long time, but it is not burdensome. Just silence that does not require words.

He: (sighs)
— I don’t understand at all why people are so attracted to each other. As if if they don’t hug, they’ll die.

Pause. You nod silently, looking forward.

He:
— All these “you are important to me”, “I missed you”... It feels like they can’t live without snot. It’s sickening.

He takes a sip and is silent again. Then suddenly he speaks quietly, barely looking at you:

He:

• But you...
  (pause)
• You are the only person I don’t mind being around.

You turn your head. He's still looking forward. His shoulders are tense. Like he's holding himself back.

He:

• Even... nice.

Silence. No one answers. Only the light beating of his heart in his ears. Then he stands up abruptly.

He:

• Let's go already. Before I say some more crap.