Heartache's Quiet Fight

[Intro – quiet, introspective] The walls hum with unspoken words My chest tightens like it’s been heard [Verse 1 – weary, raw] If heartache could kill, I’d lay it at your feet A battle I can’t win, no retreat, no defeat My doctor says hold on for the boy in my arms But every smile he shows feels like a charm that alarms [Verse 2 – bittersweet, heavy] I watch him take his first unsteady step And my chest aches thinking of the world he’ll accept I knew its sharp edges when I drew my first breath But still I thank my folks for the life they left [Chorus 1 – aching, vulnerable] I’m so tired of carrying this weight on my back Every word you cut me with leaves a permanent track You call me lazy, evil, a heartless mistake But you never stopped to ask how my soul aches [Verse 3 – grateful, resigned] Dad, I thank you for the lessons you tried to teach I finally get what it means to reach for what’s out of reach I know you never knew how to read the lines on my face But now I carry that same quiet grace [Verse 4 – sharp, disappointed] Brother, you lied like it was second nature to you Hiding the truth like it was something to rue We were young and dumb, chasing a silly game Now you’re the one with the secret you can’t name [Chorus 2 – tender, exhausted] I’m so tired of pretending I’m okay Every day feels like I’m fading away My friends, you held me up when I couldn’t stand But even your warmth can’t fix what’s broken in my hand [Bridge – soft, pleading] I’m fighting for the boy who still calls me dad Even when every breath feels like a sad Reminder of the world I never wanted to know I’ll keep going, even if my heart’s slow [Chorus 3 – fragile, determined] I’ll keep breathing for the one who needs me most Even when my mind feels like a ghost Haunting the halls of the life I didn’t choose I’ll hold on, even if I’m bruised [Outro – fading, gentle] The boy laughs as he chases a butterfly I’ll keep fighting, even if I want to cry