There was no space between them now.
Her arms closed around him fully, pulling him into her chest, her body curving around his as she held him in place.
He tried to speak.
It broke apart.
She caught his breath as it hitched, her hand sliding briefly to his throat, feeling the movement there, then back to his chest, pressing again, steady, anchoring.
"I have you," she said quietly. "Stay here with me."
"Why," he said. His voice was thin and uneven. "She said she loved me. She said—why did she—"
"I don't know," Shizuka said, without hesitation. "I don't know, Kai."
"She was fine," he said. "Last night she was fine. She was happy. We talked a lot last night."
His voice failed.
His hands came up again.
She caught them.
Both.
Held them for a second, then guided them down, keeping one of his hands in hers while the other returned to his chest under her palm.
He broke.
The sound came out of him low and uncontrolled, his body following it as the tension gave way all at once.
