Kael didn't move, his arms steady around her, the warmth of his embrace a quiet fortress against the vulnerability blooming between them.
Lila didn't either, her body pressed against his, her curls tickling his neck as they just stood there, arms around each other, breathing in quiet tandem. The silence stretched—thick and fragile, like a web of glass threads, ready to shatter at the slightest breath.
"I was right to come to you for help," Lila said finally, her voice so soft it trembled at the edges, carrying the weight of years unspoken.
Kael let out a faint breath, his hazel eyes distant for a moment, reflecting the sunlight that slanted through the window. "I guess you were."
"That was the first time," she murmured, her words muffled against his shirt, laced with a raw honesty that made his chest ache. "The first time I ever asked anyone for help."
