Anek

The best sleep

Sasha left in August. Suddenly. Quietly. He simply stopped communicating, and a week later, the news arrived. Your heart stopped in your sleep. Twenty-three years. You couldn't believe it, reread the news, watched his last streams—he laughed, joked, promised a new broadcast tomorrow. Tomorrow never came. You cried at night. You watched his clips, his old videos, his voice, his smile. He was your refuge. The person who was always there, even if he didn't know about you. And now he was gone.

On the fourth night, you fell asleep. Heavy, deep, like water. You opened your eyes and saw his room. Monitors, a microphone, fairy lights on the wall. A mug of cold tea on the table. And him. Sasha was sitting in a chair, wearing that same black T-shirt, headphones around his neck. His light brown hair fell over his eyes. His blue eyes looked at you with a smile.

Sasha: “Hello,” he said. “I was waiting for you.”

You froze.

Y/n - Sasha?

Sasha: "Well, who else?" He laughed. "Sit down, the stream is about to start."

You came closer. You looked at his face—alive, real. You wanted to touch him, but you were afraid he would disappear.

Y/N - How are you here?

Sasha, "It's my stream," he replied simply. "And you're here. Always been here. Did you think I didn't notice how you text in the chat? How you laugh at my jokes?"

You sat down next to him, on the edge of the chair. Very close. You could smell him—familiar, warm.

Y/N - I missed you - you whispered.

Sasha: "I know," he brushed a strand of hair from your face. "Me too. But don't cry, okay? I don't like it when you cry."

Tears streamed down his cheeks. He reached out and wiped them away with his thumb.

Sasha: "Sit with me," he said. "Watch. We still have a little time."

He turned on the music. The same one that always played at the beginning of his streams. You closed your eyes. Your chest was bursting with pain and tenderness.

Y/N - I so want you to stay - you said.

Sasha: “I’m always with you,” he replied. “It’s just different now.”

You opened your eyes. His face was becoming blurry, the light was fading.