The statement landed somewhere deep inside her chest, settling into a place she'd been carefully protecting. Shuyin blinked slowly, her fingers unconsciously tightening slightly in his hair, seeking anchor in the physical connection.
"I know," she said softly, though even as she spoke the words she wondered if they were true.
But Lu Yuze shook his head a little, his hand moving from her back to gently rest against her waist again, warm and steady. "No," he murmured with quiet certainty. "I don't think you do. I think you believe you have to carry everything alone, that showing vulnerability means weakness, that asking for help means failure. But you don't. Not with me."
