~Reo’s~

“You don’t have to say it every time, you know. Just… show it.”

Her voice echoes in his mind as Reo steps onto the balcony. It's quiet and early, where the sky is still painted in faint purples and soft orange seams. The city is waking slowly, but Jennie’s already up. She’s always up before the world breathes right.

He sees her just as she bends to lift the last box from the birthday cleanup; tugging, not asking for help, and her jaw clenched like it always is when she’s pretending she doesn’t feel everything. Reo crosses the space without thinking. He reaches out before she can flinch.

“Let...