Under the Same Sky

Chapter One: The Message Milan's heat didn’t just sit on your skin—it claimed it. Luca wiped the sweat from his brow as he leaned back in his chair, blinking at the bright screen of his laptop. His small apartment buzzed with the hum of the fan that did little to fight off the power of a late summer afternoon. The art platform was supposed to be a break from the chaos. A place to share his work, maybe get commissioned, and occasionally argue about color theory. But today, something was different. A notification blinked at the corner of the screen: "Élise_LaRue commented on your photo." He clicked. "The emotion in this shot…it feels like loneliness caught mid-breath. Merci for sharing this." He stared at the words longer than he meant to. People had complimented his work before—‘vibes,’ ‘dope,’ ‘mad shot bro’—but this felt different. Thoughtful. Soft. And foreign. He clicked on her profile. A few paintings. Mostly abstract. A lot of blue. A face in one post—a girl with deep eyes and curly brown hair that looked like it always fell where it wanted. He typed a reply. "Thank you, Élise. I didn’t think anyone would notice that part. That photo was... personal." He hovered, then hit send. Then he smiled to himself. Not because of her message. But because, for the first time in weeks, he felt seen.