Ari’s POVI woke up to the sound of quiet. The kind of quiet that stretches across the morning, settling into the bones of the house, filling every corner with a thick, heavy stillness.The kind of quiet that reminded me of Cross.It happened this way every now and then since he left… since he passed. I would just randomly awake to realize he was a vacuum in my life now, one that nothing would ever fill up. I turned onto my side, staring at the ceiling, willing my thoughts to move elsewhere. It had been too long since I let myself feel this way, and I wasn’t about to spiral now. Not when I was trying. Not when I had Derek.Derek.I sat up, running a hand through my hair. He had been sick all night, his fever raging, body burning up against mine. I had held him, whispering soft reassurances, pressing damp cloths against his forehead, my fingers ghosting over his skin. I had watched his features twist in discomfort, had listened to the slight groans he made in his sleep, had worried.
Last Updated : 2025-03-17 Read more