I sit on the bed, my gaze locked with Vega's. The room is silent now, the violence of the broken door fading into a heavy stillness.
I am the first to look away. Shame burns hot under my skin. I am so embarrassed being seen looking like this. I know exactly what I look like. I am dishevelled in appearance, my hair a tangled mess, my face tear-stained, and my eyes puffy and red. I let out a wet sniffle, the sound loud in the quiet room.
This is too fucking embarrassing. I can't bear his scrutiny. I want to hide myself in the covers, to bury my ugly grief where he can't witness it. That's exactly what I do, scrambling backward to pull the duvet over my head.
But Vega suddenly pulls me up. He doesn't let me retreat. He sits beside me on the bed and, without a word, pulls me into a warm embrace.
My face is pressed against his chest. I feel his hand resting at the back of my head, his fingers threading through the strands, stroking my hair in comfort.
