Liv fell silent.
Jay exhaled shakily, his forehead pressing briefly to hers, not in affection, but in exhaustion.
"Liv… do you have any idea what it felt like?" he whispered, voice trembling in a way that betrayed how tightly he'd held himself all day. "Searching for you… imagining the worst…" His voice cracked. "Not knowing if I would ever see you again-"
Soft.
Liv pressed her lips to his, quick, gentle, trembling.
Jay froze for a second… then his hand moved to the back of her head, pulling her closer, returning the kiss with something raw and desperate, like a drowning man finally breathing.
When they parted, both were breathless.
Liv looked at him, eyes soft, voice barely above a murmur.
"I'm sorry for making you scared."
Jay closed his eyes slowly, as if the apology hit him deeper than expected.
His hand moved to cup her cheek.
"I thought I was losing my mind." His voice was raw. "Just because you were gone."
