nt

nd the little silver cross in my pocket. My thumb traced its smooth edge

de-cinnamon, maybe cloves, warm and sweet. The scent made the p

ght. I could just slip the cross under his door, send h

d take a step bac

, damp hair pushed back as though he'd just come from the show

remembered. It had a steadiness to it th

ncing it on my palm like it might burn me if I kept it too lo

on the cross, but not reaching

ce shaking more than I wanted it to. "But you

against my fingers as he took it. The contact was brief, but i

e he was trying to memorize its feel

o with my hands now that they felt od

o mine, steady, u

be... something yo

ng it into his palm. "Some things deserve to be

ere, the weight of unspoken things

near the couch cast the space in soft, golden light. There were two

ute?" he asked suddenly. "I have

as no. But what came out

-

e born from an argument. It was soft, almost deliberate, the kind of quiet th

e couch, pressing my palms flat a

en moved toward the kettle in the corner of the room. He fil

find it?" he asked w

"It was behind the lab, near the security

ot facing me. "I thought I le

he

filling the space with its low breath. Finally

ertips brushed the back of my hand when he passed it over, warm and deliberat

, like he'd caught himself reveal

It's hot

ofter than usual, like it

g between us. I wrapped my hands ar

finally, because silence wa

lifted. "Di

ped me. You seemed closed off. Like

sn't," he s

oes it get easier? Being in

t felt like he could see too much. "No

ehind him, but neither o

eeling stupid for asking s

something weighted underneath it. "You don't have to

" I pr

tted saying anything. "A man who doe

"Maybe nobody's real

led. It didn't quite make it all the way, but it so

really come h

flection trembling on the surface.

's no

ispered. "

, still and patient, like a

.. needed to see

between us then-qu

," I add

turned it over in his palm like it

t," I said. "After you walked me ho

dn't ha

d. "You don't know what it

something in his eyes seemed to open,

ky breath. "Bet

e other

still

tful, like he understood m

own, fingers tr

be alone all the ti

e he wasn't sure how to pro

an it's goo

touched his mouth again, qui

-

ike something tangible, wrapping around t

tant, stiff from sitting too s

ck, like leaving me to walk out alone

fallen yet. Street lamps hummed faintly as they blinked awake one by one. A dog barked so

he doorframe. "Be careful walking home," he said,

wil

. "You don't have to stay locked u

lightly. "It

sn't always

e empty street, and for a moment, it felt like he

said suddenly, almost like he

nked.

ightly, dismissing i

railing. The air between us felt different now-full, like

" he said

d back.

imple movement-and took my hand. His palm was warm, his gr

ain, voice thick with s

wed. "Fo

hand lifted slightly, holding the cr

something ache in my chest. "You

make my breath catch. Then, almost like he realized what he was doing,

eyes stayed on mine a moment longer, li

t the absence of his touch

hand curled loosely around the cross. And for one strange, suspended second, I wondere

miled-small, shy-and p

-

ym

wallowed her silhouette, until s

th her when she left. I closed the door slowly and leaned my foreh

too quiet now, like it had

again. The edges dug slightly into

ieved it still meant something. I'd tucked it away because every time I

let the cross rest in my palm, staring o

didn't have

I even do with company anymore? How do you let some

ot pitying, not afraid. Just... seeing. Like maybe

me more than bei

en. I poured myself a glass of water and stood at t

myself. She deserves better th

had lingered in mine for that small, suspended secon

-

nt

an I remembered. Maybe it was just my mind replaying things I didn't know how to s

ay, thumb brushing the fabric as though

ere I knew the light in our kitchen still burned. My sister would be inside,

losed my eyes for a sec

avier but softer. Something like being pulled toward

in the narrow stairwell. I thought about the way he'd held that cross like it was a pie

ickering just enough for me to see

in the kitchen, humming softly as she stirred something on the stove. Sh

ay?" sh

iled faintly. "Yeah.

it for now, and turn

king onto the bed. My fingers curled into my lap automati

l the way home with a single

re, Raymond... but I t

-

ym

come easily

aving only a deep, hushed darkness behind. The cross still rested on the table

ad-soft, sure, you don't ha

the chair, and for the first time in

t... sc

-