Ivey's Pov
The last spoonful of soup was warm going down, settling softly in my stomach like it belonged there, like I hadn't spent the last day unraveling.
Lucas set the bowl back on the tray and quietly adjusted the pillow behind me, as if I were made of glass.
He didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Everything he wanted me to hear was in the way he looked at me. The quiet concern. The fierce protectiveness. And something else.
"Thank you," I murmured, my voice still hoarse.
He gave me a small smile, one of those real ones again, the kind that didn't ask for anything in return, and then he stood. "Get some rest. I'll be back soon."
And then he was gone.
The door clicked shut behind him, and silence filled the room again. Except it wasn't empty. His presence lingered in the air, in the blankets, in the way my chest felt a little less heavy.
Why is he doing this?
No one's ever taken care of me like this before. Not like I mattered. Not like I was someone worth the effort.
Most people love the version of me that's put together, sharp, laughing. Not the one sick in bed, puffy-eyed and barely able to lift a spoon.
But Lucas… he stayed. He fed me like it was normal. Like it didn't make me weak. Like I deserved it.
I lay back, eyes blinking slowly. My body still ached, but my heart felt something it hadn't in a while. I felt safe.
Through the wall, I could hear a muffled voice it was Kayla, probably.
"…you're treating her like a patient," she said, a teasing tone under the concern.
Lucas responded without missing a beat. "If you won't let me take her to the hospital, then I'll bring the hospital to her."
That made my eyes sting all over again, not from sadness this time, but from something warmer. Softer. Something terrifyingly close to hope.
I turned to the side, burying my cheek against the pillow.
Who does that? Who stays like this?
I didn't have an answer. Only the sound of his voice echoing in my chest, anchoring me to something I didn't know I needed.
By the time he returned, I didn't have the strength to keep my eyes open.
But I felt it, the soft creak of the door, the careful way he moved, the quiet exhale when he saw I was asleep.
And just before the haze of sleep took me under again, I felt the edge of the blanket being pulled gently up over my shoulder.
Lucas.
Still here.
Lucas's Pov
I stood at the doorway for a while, just watching her sleep.
She looked peaceful now, but there was still tension in the way her fingers curled slightly in the blanket, like even in rest, she wasn't fully letting go.
The towel had slipped a little. I reached over and gently adjusted it again, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. Her skin was still warm, but not as fiery as before.
I sat beside the bed, careful not to make a sound, and just stayed there. Watching her breathe. Listening to the storm start to drum against the windows. The rain had picked up and it was really heavy and constant. I could hear thunder strike a short distance away.
I checked my phone. 6:52 PM.
It didn't feel that late, but the sky was already dark and the roads… they weren't going to be safe.
I sighed and stood, heading back into the hallway where Kayla was finishing up cleaning the dishes. She looked up the second I walked into the kitchen.
"I know what you're going to ask," she said before I could even open my mouth. "And normally, I would say no."
I raised an eyebrow, ready to plead my case, but she beat me to it.
"But the weather is really bad, and I don't think you can get home safely. So… you can stay. Couch is yours." She gave me a look, somewhere between teasing and serious. "I already told Ivey's parents she's staying over at my place tonight. So you don't have to worry about her getting in trouble."
I blinked. "You… really thought of everything, huh?"
She smirked. "You're not exactly subtle, Lucas."
Fair enough.
I pulled out my phone and texted my mom:
Hey, I'm crashing at Kayla's. Weather's bad. Can't drop Ava tomorrow , she'll need another ride. I'll go straight to school.
She responded a few minutes later with a thumbs up and a heart emoji <3.
That was settled.
I made my way back to the room, quietly pushing the door open. The light was still dim, casting soft shadows on the wall.
And then I saw her.
She was crying in her sleep.
Tears slid down her cheeks in slow, steady tracks, her body trembling under the blanket. Small, choked sounds escaped her lips, almost inaudible. But they shattered something in me.
"Ivey…" I whispered, sitting beside her again. "Hey… it's okay. You're okay."
She didn't wake, but her brow furrowed like she heard me somewhere in the haze of her dream.
"I'm here," I said gently, brushing my thumb along the curve of her cheek, wiping the tears away. "Whatever it is, whatever you're reliving… it's over. You're safe now."
I stayed like that, whispering small reassurances, not even sure if she could hear me. But I kept talking anyway.
And then, her hand found mine.
Still half-asleep, she reached for me blindly, fingers clutching like she was afraid I'd vanish.
I didn't hesitate.
I climbed onto the bed beside her, careful and slow, pulling the blanket over both of us. She shifted, curling into my chest like it was the most natural thing in the world.
And I held her.
Not like a boyfriend. Not like a hero. Just someone who cared. Someone who didn't want her to cry alone anymore.
Her breathing steadied a little after that. Mine did too.
The storm outside didn't stop. But in that room, with her finally wrapped in something other than pain, it didn't feel as loud.
Eventually, her tears dried. Her hand loosened. Sleep took her completely.
And after a few minutes, I slept too.