To Triumph Over the Shadows

He had lived his entire life in the shadows.

Shadows of the past, shadows of his father, shadows of his brother.

Every action he made was criticized. Every word he said was compared to those who already passed.

And, slowly but surely, his proud shoulders drooped, his eyes stopped shining, and his laugh stopped echoing across the room. The smile became a frown, and his smooth face was marred by premature wrinkles.

His hands could never stay still. They always trembled now – afraid that he would be punished for not being good enough.

She came into his life in a blur of fire. She lived with no consequences, she laughed without relief, and she smiled recklessly. She was bright, fiery, and everything he wasn’t.

And he envied her. He envied her freedom, her courage, her life, her wildness…

He never expected her to stay. She was like a candle. Once his darkness and shadows grew too oppressing, the flame would wink out, leaving him alone once more. But she stayed. And her light always glowed, even on the bad days when he couldn’t leave his house.

Slowly but surely, she gave him some of her light. Slowly but surely, he began to see color again. Slowly but surely, his shoulders rose, his smile grew, his laughs occurred more frequently, his hands stopped trembling, and he began to live.

The shadows were still there.

But her light – his light – their light – overpowered the darkness. The shadows.

And on the days where his light was dim and flickering, she burned brighter than ever, shielding him from the whispers and the criticisms.

He began to stand on his own two feet, even though he wobbled at times. He began to do things for himself, began to gather a group of friends who were loyal to him, and began to grow and mature and fight against the presence of the shadows.

She stayed by his side the entire time.

And when he could stand on his own without fear of falling, she was still there.

And, together, their lights grew. Their lights burned and flickered and danced across the shadows – beauty the world had yet to see.

But they were beautiful.

Beautiful apart, perfect together.

And, together, they burned the shadows down.

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