A sudden movement made her pause - Kieran's hand stretched toward her, close enough to feel warmth. For just one breath, it seemed he might draw her near again, returning to how things once were. Yet his fingertips only skimmed her face, light as a whisper. That small contact held something unspoken, maybe even fragile, a kind of vow that now felt uncertain.
"You don't have to be that girl, Selene," he said softly. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to. But you don't have to do this alone, either."
For a second, she shut her eyes, letting his voice settle deep inside. Blocking out emotion took years - pushing down what she felt for Kieran - but still, it lingered beneath. No effort could erase it completely, even after all that time.
"I don't know what to do," she whispered.
Kieran's voice was steady, reassuring. "You don't have to know, not right now. All I know is that I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."
Then she turned to face him, her gaze shaky just like his. That instant, Selene realized - no matter what came after, nothing would go back to how it once was. Both worn thin by old wounds, marked deep, yet drawn together anyway. A force stronger than caution tugged at them, slowly closing the gap, until surrender felt closer than breath.