Description: KK wakes up already overwhelmed and in a bad mood. Kayleigh tries to cheer her up the only way she knows how—teasing, poking, joking—but KK keeps shutting it down without meaning to. When she finally snaps, Kayleigh thinks she’s done something wrong and withdraws. KK realizes too late what happened and has to fix it the only way she really knows how: by showing up and staying.
KK wakes up wrong.
Not in a dramatic way.
Not in a noticeable way.
Just… off.
Like her brain is already running before her body catches up.
Too many thoughts at once.
Too much noise in her head even though the room is quiet.
She stares at the ceiling for a long time before she even moves.
When she finally gets up, everything feels slightly irritating.
Light too bright.
Phone too loud.
Blanket too heavy.
Even breathing feels like something she has to be aware of.
By the time she gets out to the living room, Kayleigh is already there.
And she notices immediately.
Of course she does.
Because Kayleigh always notices.
KK doesn’t say anything.
Just sits down.
Quiet.
Short answers when spoken to.
Minimal reactions.
Kayleigh watches her for a minute.
Then, carefully—
“Morning.”
KK hums.
Not unkind.
Just… flat.
Kayleigh tilts her head slightly.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” KK says automatically.
Too fast.
Too automatic.
Kayleigh doesn’t believe it.
So she does what she always does.
She tries to get her out of it.
At first it’s small.
She nudges KK’s shoulder lightly.
KK exhales.
“Stop.”
Not angry.
Just distracted.
Kayleigh smiles anyway.
Pokes her again.
KK shifts away.
“Kayleigh.”
That warning tone.
But Kayleigh pushes a little further.
Not mean.
Never mean.
Just playful.
“Come on, you’re grumpy,” she says softly. “It’s kind of funny.”
She pokes her cheek this time.
KK grabs her hand.
“Stop.”
But it’s still not sharp.
Just tired.
Kayleigh laughs under her breath.
“You’re like—”
KK cuts her off again.
“Stop, I’m serious.”
Kayleigh pauses.
Her smile fades just a little.
But she thinks it’s still okay.
Still fixable.
So she tries once more.
A light tug at KK’s hoodie sleeve.
“Just smile for me, please—”
That’s when KK snaps.
She pushes Kayleigh’s hands off her.
Harder than intended.
Her voice raises before she even fully processes it.
“Can you stop? It’s annoying.”
Silence.
Instant.
Sharp.
Kayleigh freezes like she didn’t expect that at all.
KK immediately realizes something is wrong.
But her brain is still too scrambled to fix it quickly.
Kayleigh nods slowly.
“Oh.”
Just that.
Quiet.
She stands up.
“I’m sorry.”
KK opens her mouth.
But nothing comes out fast enough.
Kayleigh already steps back.
“I didn’t mean to bother you.”
And then she walks away.
Into the hallway.
Into her room.
Door closing softly behind her.
Not slammed.
Worse than slammed.
Careful.
KK sits there for a second.
Still irritated.
Still overwhelmed.
Still… alone in a way she didn’t want.
Then it hits.
The silence is different now.
Not peaceful.
Empty.
She exhales sharply and rubs her face.
“…damn it.”
⸻
It takes her a while.
Long enough that she starts noticing the absence.
No Kayleigh in the kitchen.
No soft humming from down the hall.
No teasing comments.
No presence.
Just quiet.
Too quiet.
KK gets up slowly.
Walks down the hallway.
Stops at Kayleigh’s door.
Knocks once.
No answer.
She opens it.
Carefully.
Kayleigh is sitting on the edge of the bed.
Head down.
Shoulders tight.
And she’s crying.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
Just… quiet tears she’s clearly been trying not to let happen.
KK’s whole chest drops.
“Kayleigh…”
Kayleigh wipes her face fast.
“I’m fine.”
KK shakes her head immediately.
“No, you’re not.”
She steps in.
Slow.
Careful this time.
Kayleigh doesn’t look up.
“I didn’t mean to make you mad,” she says quietly.
KK freezes.
Because that’s what Kayleigh thinks this is.
KK walks over and crouches in front of her.
“Hey,” she says softly. “Look at me.”
Kayleigh hesitates.
Then does.
Her eyes are red.
KK’s expression changes instantly.
All the frustration from earlier is gone.
“I woke up wrong,” KK says quietly. “That’s on me. Not you.”
Kayleigh swallows.
“You yelled at me.”
“I know.”
KK doesn’t dodge it.
“I shouldn’t have.”
A pause.
Her voice softens even more.
“You were trying to help.”
Kayleigh looks down again.
“I thought I was just annoying you.”
KK shakes her head immediately.
“No.”
She reaches for Kayleigh’s hand, slower this time.
“I was already overwhelmed before you even touched me.”
Kayleigh sniffles.
KK squeezes her hand gently.
“I didn’t communicate that. I should’ve.”
Silence.
Then KK adds, softer:
“I don’t want you to think you did something wrong just by being you.”
That lands.
Kayleigh’s breathing shakes.
KK shifts up onto the bed beside her.
Careful distance at first.
Then a little closer when Kayleigh doesn’t pull away.
“I’m sorry,” KK says again.
Kayleigh whispers, “Okay.”
KK looks at her for a second.
Then lightly bumps her shoulder.
Not playful this time.
Just grounding.
“I didn’t mean what I said like that.”
Kayleigh shakes her head slightly.
“I know… I just didn’t want to make it worse.”
KK exhales.
“You didn’t.”
A pause.
Then softer:
“I missed you immediately after you left.”
That makes Kayleigh look up again.
KK’s expression is steady.
Honest.
“I don’t like it when you’re not around.”
Kayleigh blinks.
Another tear slips down.
KK gently wipes it with her thumb.
“There you are,” she murmurs.
Kayleigh gives a small shaky laugh.
KK leans in and presses a soft kiss to her forehead.
Then another.
Then just stays close.
“I’m okay now,” KK says quietly. “I just needed to reset.”
Kayleigh nods slowly.
KK wraps an arm around her this time.
Properly.
Pulls her in.
Kayleigh relaxes into it immediately.
Like she’s been waiting for it.
KK rests her chin lightly on her head.
“I should’ve told you earlier,” she says. “I wasn’t okay.”
Kayleigh mumbles into her hoodie, “I’ll stop teasing you in the morning then.”
KK snorts quietly.
“Don’t do that.”
Kayleigh looks up slightly.
KK’s expression softens.
“Just… ask first next time.”
Kayleigh nods.
“Okay.”
A pause.
Then KK adds, quieter:
“And I’ll try not to wake up like a menace again.”
That gets a real laugh out of Kayleigh this time.
Small.
But real.
KK smiles faintly.
“There you go.”
And they just stay like that.
Until the morning doesn’t feel like a mistake anymore.
Description: After a brutal argument between Juju and Rian, they go to separate rooms until a nightmare sends Rian spiraling in the middle of the night, forcing her to find her way back to Juju for comfort they both didn’t realize they needed.
It starts too loud.
Too fast.
Too sharp.
“I’m not doing this with you right now, Rian.”
“Oh so you just shut down and leave like always?”
Juju stops walking.
Slowly turns back.
“…what?”
Rian’s breathing is already uneven.
“I said what I said.”
Juju laughs once, but there’s no humor in it.
“You don’t even hear yourself right now.”
“Oh my GOD, Juju—”
“No, seriously,” Juju interrupts, voice colder now. “You always do this thing where you act like I don’t care just because I’m not reacting how you want me to.”
Rian’s eyes go glossy instantly.
“That’s not what I said.”
“It is what you meant.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Rian shakes her head.
“You don’t get it.”
Juju steps closer slightly.
“Then explain it.”
Rian tries—but her voice breaks halfway through.
“I just feel like I’m always—always the one chasing you emotionally and you don’t—”
Juju cuts her off again, frustrated now.
“I’m RIGHT HERE, Rian!”
Rian flinches.
That’s the moment everything goes wrong.
Because now it’s not just words.
It’s hurt.
Rian whispers:
“…you don’t even love me like that.”
Juju freezes.
Completely still.
“…what did you just say?”
Rian regrets it instantly.
But it’s too late.
Juju shakes her head slowly.
“No. Don’t do that.”
Rian’s voice cracks.
“I didn’t mean—”
Juju steps back like she got hit.
“You don’t get to say that.”
“I was upset, I didn’t mean it—”
Juju laughs bitterly.
“You always mean it when you’re upset.”
That lands.
Hard.
Rian goes silent.
Juju grabs her hoodie from the chair.
“I’m done talking.”
And walks out.
Door shuts.
Final.
Rian sits on her bed later staring at the wall.
Everything feels too quiet.
Too big.
Too wrong.
She tries to sleep.
Can’t.
Every time she closes her eyes—it replays.
“I don’t love you like that.”
Juju’s face.
The silence after.
Her chest tightens.
She turns over.
Breathing uneven now.
Then—
A nightmare.
Not even specific.
Just loss.
Distance.
Juju leaving and not coming back.
Rian jolts awake.
Gasps.
Her heart is pounding so hard it hurts.
“Juju—”
She grabs her phone immediately.
Calls.
Once.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
Her hands start shaking.
“Please…”
Voicemail.
She can’t breathe properly now.
She gets up immediately.
Bare feet on cold floor.
And walks.
Down the hall.
To Juju’s room.
She hesitates at the door.
Then knocks.
Nothing.
So she opens it slowly.
Juju is in bed.
Back turned.
Still.
Rian whispers:
“…Juju.”
No response.
Rian’s voice breaks instantly.
“Please don’t hate me.”
That gets her.
Juju turns over slowly.
Sees her.
And everything in her face shifts.
“…Rian?”
Rian is already crying now.
“I had a nightmare and I— I tried calling you and you didn’t answer and I thought— I thought you left me for real—”
Juju sits up immediately.
All anger gone.
Gone.
“Hey. Hey—come here.”
Rian doesn’t even hesitate.
She climbs into bed.
Right into Juju’s arms.
Juju pulls her in instantly.
Tight.
Protective.
“I’ve got you,” she whispers.
Rian is shaking.
“I didn’t mean it,” she repeats. “I didn’t mean what I said earlier.”
Juju closes her eyes for a second.
“…I know.”
Rian looks up at her.
“You do?”
Juju nods slowly.
“I was hurt. That’s all.”
Rian sniffles.
“…I thought you were… gone.”
Juju softens completely.
“I’m right here.”
Rian clings tighter.
Juju strokes her hair slowly.
“You’re shaking,” she murmurs.
Rian whispers:
“I hate fighting with you.”
Juju exhales.
“…me too.”
Silence.
Then softer:
“I shouldn’t have walked away like that.”
Rian shakes her head quickly.
“No, I shouldn’t have said that thing—”
Juju gently cups her face.
“Hey.”
Rian stops.
Juju looks at her for a second.
Then:
“I don’t ever want you thinking I don’t love you.”
Description: JuJu and Rian have an argument after JuJu is seen getting too close with someone else. It turns into something neither of them actually means—and almost breaks them before they realize what they really feel.
It starts with a picture.
That’s always how it starts now.
A blurry one.
Someone posted it.
JuJu laughing.
Leaning in.
Close.
Too close.
Rian sees it while she’s mid-edit.
And something in her chest just drops.
She doesn’t text right away.
Doesn’t call.
She just stares at it for a long time.
Then she shows up.
Knock on JuJu’s door.
Fast.
Sharp.
JuJu opens it, confused.
“Rian?”
Rian doesn’t step inside.
Not yet.
“Who is that?”
JuJu blinks.
“What?”
“The girl in the picture.”
Silence.
JuJu exhales.
“Oh my God.”
“It’s a simple question.”
“It’s a teammate.”
Rian laughs once.
Cold.
“Right.”
JuJu frowns now.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means you were pretty comfortable.”
JuJu steps closer to the doorframe.
“So what, I’m not allowed to talk to people now?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“Then what are you saying?”
Rian’s voice rises slightly.
“I’m saying it doesn’t look like nothing.”
JuJu goes quiet for half a second.
Then:
“You don’t trust me.”
That lands.
Rian’s jaw tightens.
“I don’t know what to trust.”
That makes it worse.
JuJu shakes her head slowly.
“So that’s it?”
Rian finally looks at her fully.
“I just don’t get how you can act like that with her and then look at me like I’m crazy for noticing.”
JuJu’s voice drops.
“I didn’t do anything.”
“Yeah, okay.”
That snaps something.
JuJu steps out of the doorway now.
“You think I’m what? Cheating on you?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Then Rian says it.
“I think you’d be fine without me anyway.”
JuJu freezes.
“What?”
Rian looks away immediately.
Because she didn’t mean to say it.
But it’s out.
JuJu’s voice changes.
“…wow.”
“No—”
“So that’s what this is about?”
Rian shakes her head fast.
“JuJu—”
“You think I don’t care about you.”
Rian’s breathing gets uneven.
“I think I care more than you do.”
That does it.
JuJu laughs once.
Except it’s not funny.
“You don’t even know what I feel.”
Rian snaps.
“Then tell me!”
JuJu steps forward.
“I shouldn’t have to prove it!”
Rian’s eyes are glassy now.
“Then why does it feel like I’m the only one trying?”
Description: It wasn’t about the event. It was about how small she felt in it.
Kayleigh doesn’t notice when it starts bothering her. That’s the worst part. There isn’t a clear moment where something goes wrong, no single thing she can point to and say this is why. It builds quietly, piece by piece, until it’s already there sitting heavy in her chest before she even realizes it shouldn’t be.
The event feels too warm. Not physically, the air is cold enough that people keep adjusting sleeves and rubbing their hands together, but everything else feels crowded, full, layered with voices that don’t stop long enough to let anything settle. Conversations blur together into noise and laughter rises and falls around her like waves that never quite break.
She stands near one of the tables with a cup in her hand she hasn’t taken a sip from in a while, the ice already melted down into something watered and useless. She notices that. She notices everything right now because she doesn’t have anything else to focus on except her.
KK is across the room.
Of course she is.
She’s moving easily between groups, smiling, talking, laughing in that way that makes people lean closer without even thinking about it. It’s not forced. It’s never forced. That’s what makes it worse. She looks like she belongs here. Like she belongs everywhere.
Kayleigh watches the small things without meaning to. The way KK tilts her head when she’s listening. The way her hand brushes someone’s arm when she laughs. The way she stays in conversations just a second longer than necessary like she’s fully there, fully engaged, like the person in front of her matters.
It shouldn’t bother her. She knows that. KK is just being herself. This is normal. This is who she is.
But then KK doesn’t look for her.
Not once.
No quick glance across the room. No subtle check in. No moment of eye contact that says I see you.
Kayleigh shifts her weight, her grip tightening slightly around the cup without realizing it. She looks down for a second, then back up again like maybe something will be different.
It isn’t.
And that’s when it settles wrong. Not sharp. Not loud. Just heavy. Like something sinking slowly into place where it doesn’t belong.
When KK finally walks back over, it’s like nothing happened.
“you good?”
Her voice is easy. Normal. Like this is just another conversation.
Kayleigh looks at her. Really looks this time, searching for something that might explain it, something that might make it feel less like what it does right now.
“yeah.”
It comes out short. Too short.
KK notices immediately. Her expression shifts just slightly, brows pulling together.
“what?”
Kayleigh exhales through her nose, her eyes dropping to the cup for a second before she looks back up.
“nothing.”
KK doesn’t buy that. She never does.
“Kayleigh.”
There’s a softness in the way she says her name now, something more focused, but it’s too late for that to fix anything.
Kayleigh swallows, her voice quieter now but more honest than she wants it to be.
“you were talking to like… everyone.”
KK blinks, confused more than anything.
“okay?”
That one word lands wrong instantly. Kayleigh feels it in her chest like a small drop that turns into something heavier the second it settles.
“okay?” she repeats, her voice tighter now.
“I was just talking,” KK says, like that explains everything.
“I know.”
“so what’s the problem?”
There it is. Not the words. The tone. Too light. Too easy. Like this isn’t something that should matter.
Kayleigh’s fingers tighten around the cup.
“you didn’t come find me once.”
KK pauses then, actually thinking about it. For a second Kayleigh thinks maybe this will fix it, maybe she’ll see it.
“I didn’t think it mattered.”
The word hits harder than anything else.
Mattered.
Kayleigh’s chest tightens so sharply she has to look away for a second.
“it does.”
Her voice is quiet now. Not angry. Just real.
KK exhales, running a hand through her hair.
“it doesn’t have to be a big deal.”
Kayleigh lets out a small breath that almost sounds like a laugh, except there’s nothing funny about it.
“it is to me.”
KK looks at her more directly now, but there’s still that disconnect, that gap where she doesn’t fully understand what’s happening.
“you’re making it bigger than it is.”
Silence falls between them in a way that feels louder than the entire room.
Kayleigh goes still. Completely still. Like if she moves too much something worse will happen.
“okay,” she says softly.
And that’s when KK realizes she messed up.
She steps forward slightly.
“that’s not what I meant.”
“no it’s fine,” Kayleigh says, nodding once like she’s agreeing with something she doesn’t believe.
“it’s not a big deal, right?”
KK hesitates. Just for a second.
But Kayleigh sees it.
“yeah,” she says before KK can answer.
She sets the cup down without finishing it.
“I’m just gonna go.”
“Kayleigh—”
But she’s already walking away, her steps steady even though everything in her chest feels off balance.
KK doesn’t follow.
Not right away.
And that moment is the one that stays.
Not the argument. Not the words. Just that. Walking away and not hearing footsteps behind her.
The next few days feel wrong in a quiet way neither of them knows how to fix. They still see each other, still exist in the same spaces, but everything that used to be easy now feels like it requires thought. Conversations are short. Touches are gone. Even silence feels different, heavier, like something that used to be comfortable now carries too much meaning.
Kayleigh feels it in the small moments. When she picks up her phone and doesn’t text. When she thinks about calling and decides not to. When she realizes how easy it is for distance to grow if neither of them reaches for the other.
By the time the party happens, she’s already tired of feeling like this.
So she drinks.
Not enough to lose control. Not enough to make herself sick. Just enough to soften the edges of everything sitting in her chest.
The music is louder than the event was, the room more crowded, voices blending together in a way that makes it easier not to think.
She laughs easier. Talks louder. Lets herself lean into people without thinking about it. A hand on someone’s shoulder. Fingers brushing someone’s arm. Staying close without meaning anything by it.
It doesn’t mean anything.
But it looks like it does.
KK sees it the second she walks in.
Her stomach drops immediately because she knows Kayleigh. And this isn’t her. Not really. This is something else. Something covering up something deeper.
“She’s been like that all night,” Morgan says quietly beside her.
KK doesn’t look away.
“how much?”
“enough.”
Kayleigh laughs again across the room, leaning into someone a little too easily, and this time it hits differently. Because now KK understands. Not perfectly. Not completely. But enough.
“can you take her home?”
KK nods before she even fully processes it.
“yeah.”
When she reaches her, Kayleigh just blinks up at her slowly, eyes unfocused but still trying to recognize her.
“hey.”
Her voice is softer now, slower.
“hey,” KK answers, her hand settling gently around Kayleigh’s arm.
“we’re leaving.”
Kayleigh nods without arguing.
“okay.”
She leans into KK as they walk, her weight heavier, her head brushing KK’s shoulder for a second before lifting again.
KK holds her there instinctively.
The dorm is quiet when they get back. Too quiet after everything else.
Kayleigh sits on the bed, swaying slightly, watching KK like she’s trying to focus on something steady.
“arms up,” KK says softly.
Kayleigh listens, lifting her arms as KK carefully pulls her hoodie off, her fingers gentle against her skin. She moves slower than usual, more careful, like she’s trying to make up for something she can’t undo.
She removes her jewelry one piece at a time. Earrings. Necklace. Then the ring.
The promise ring.
Her fingers pause for just a second before sliding it off carefully.
Kayleigh watches that.
Really watches it.
Something shifts in her expression.
“why did you do that?”
KK looks up immediately.
“what?”
Kayleigh’s brows pull together slightly, her words slower but heavier.
“why did you treat me like I was something you could replace?”
It hits harder like this. Not sharp. Not angry. Just honest.
KK feels it in her chest instantly.
“I didn’t.”
“you did.”
Kayleigh shakes her head slightly, her eyes glassy but focused.
“you acted like I didn’t matter.”
That’s it. That’s the whole thing. KK feels it click into place all at once, and it makes her chest ache.
“I’m sorry,” she says immediately, moving closer without thinking, her hands settling gently on Kayleigh’s arms.
Kayleigh looks at her like she’s trying to decide if it’s real.
“you didn’t come after me.”
KK swallows hard.
“I should’ve.”
“yeah,” Kayleigh murmurs, softer now, tired.
“you should’ve.”
“I know.”
There’s a pause. Quiet but not empty.
Then Kayleigh leans forward until her forehead rests against KK’s shoulder.
KK wraps her arms around her immediately, holding her close, steady.
“I didn’t mean to make you feel like that,” KK whispers.
Kayleigh exhales against her, the tension in her body slowly easing.
“I don’t like it.”
“I know.”
They stay like that for a while, just breathing, just holding on.
Eventually KK helps her lie down, pulling the blanket over her carefully. Kayleigh’s hand catches her sleeve before she can move away.
“stay.”
KK doesn’t hesitate.
“I’m here.”
She lies down beside her, pulling her close, Kayleigh settling against her chest like she always does.
Her breathing is uneven at first, then slower, then steady.
KK listens to it, her hand moving slowly along Kayleigh’s back, soft and steady until she feels her fully relax, fully asleep.
She presses her cheek lightly against her hair, her eyes finally closing.
Description: Kayleigh wakes up already feeling off, already carrying something she doesn’t want to explain. By the end of the day, it turns into something bigger than either of them expected.
Kayleigh wakes up before her alarm. The room is quiet, too quiet, the kind that presses in instead of settling. Gray light filters through the curtains, soft and dull, making everything feel slower than it should. The air is cool against her skin, but she doesn’t move to pull the blanket closer. She just stares at the ceiling, eyes unfocused, chest heavy in a way she can’t quite explain.
But she knows. She just doesn’t want to say it out loud.
Her throat tightens slightly. She swallows it down like she always does.
The day moves around her. Practice, voices, footsteps, everything feels like it’s happening just a second too far away. KK notices by the second hour, of course she does. Kayleigh answers questions too short, doesn’t laugh when she normally would, keeps her distance without meaning to.
KK tries at first, light and easy. “Hey,” she says, bumping her shoulder lightly into Kayleigh’s. “You good?”
Kayleigh nods without looking at her. “Yeah.”
It’s flat. Wrong. KK frowns slightly but lets it go, for now.
By the time they’re back at the apartment, it’s worse. Kayleigh drops her bag by the door, shoes kicked off carelessly, and moves straight past the living room without saying anything. KK watches her go, confused at first, then a little irritated, because this isn’t like her.
“Kayleigh,” KK calls after her.
No response.
She follows, finding her in the bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring down at her hands like she’s trying to focus on something that isn’t there.
“…okay, what’s going on,” KK asks, leaning against the doorframe.
Kayleigh shrugs, doesn’t look up. “Nothing.”
Same tone. Same distance. KK exhales through her nose. “…you’ve been like this all day.”
Kayleigh shrugs again. Still nothing.
And that’s where it shifts, from concern to frustration.
“Kayleigh,” KK says, pushing off the doorframe and stepping closer. “Talk to me.”
“I said I’m fine.”
It comes out sharper this time, not loud, but enough. KK pauses, her jaw tightening slightly. “…you’re not though.”
Kayleigh lets out a quiet, tired breath. “Can you just drop it?”
KK blinks, taken back for half a second, then her expression hardens just a little. “No. I can’t just drop it when you’re shutting me out.”
“I’m not shutting you out.”
“You are.”
Kayleigh finally looks up, eyes already tired, already a little glassy. “I’m just not in the mood, okay?”
KK’s frustration slips through now. “Yeah, I got that. You’ve made that very clear.”
Silence settles, tense and thick.
Kayleigh stands up too quickly, her chest tight, her patience already gone. “I don’t have to explain every single thing to you.”
KK steps back slightly, not physically, but emotionally. “Didn’t say you did. But you don’t get to act like this and then pretend nothing’s wrong.”
Kayleigh lets out a short laugh with no humor in it. “Why do you care so much today?”
That lands wrong immediately. They both feel it. KK’s expression shifts, hurt flashing before she can hide it. “Because I care about you,” she says, quieter now but firmer. “That’s kind of the point.”
Kayleigh’s chest aches, sharp, but instead of softening, she doubles down. “Well I didn’t ask you to.”
Silence drops hard between them.
KK steps back this time, actually steps back, her arms crossing over her chest like she needs something to hold onto. “Okay,” she says.
Just that. But it feels heavier than anything else.
Kayleigh’s stomach twists immediately, regret creeping in too late. “…KK—”
“Don’t,” KK cuts in, shaking her head slightly. “If you don’t wanna talk, then don’t. I’m not gonna force you.”
She turns slightly, like she’s about to leave.
And that’s when it breaks.
“Today’s the anniversary.”
The words come out small, fragile, but they stop everything. KK freezes, slowly turning back. “…what?”
Kayleigh’s eyes drop again, her hands twisting together. “My dog. He passed last year. Today.”
The room shifts instantly. All the tension, all the frustration, it disappears just as fast as it came, replaced with something softer, something heavier.
“I didn’t wanna say anything,” Kayleigh adds quickly, like she needs to explain it before it sounds stupid. “It’s just… it’s dumb. It was a year ago, I should be over it and I just—”
Her voice cracks.
That’s it. That’s all it takes.
KK crosses the room in two steps. “Hey,” she says softly, pulling her in immediately, no hesitation.
Kayleigh stiffens for half a second, then melts completely, her face pressing into KK’s shoulder, hands gripping her shirt like she needs it.
“I’m sorry,” Kayleigh mumbles, voice muffled. “I didn’t mean to. I just—”
“You don’t have to be over it,” KK interrupts gently, one hand coming up to cradle the back of her head. “That’s not how that works.”
Kayleigh shakes her head, tears slipping out now. “I didn’t wanna make it a big deal.”
“It is a big deal,” KK says softly. “You loved him.”
That lands. Kayleigh’s grip tightens, her breathing uneven.
KK shifts them slightly, guiding her to sit back down on the bed, not letting go. Her thumb brushes under Kayleigh’s eye, wiping away tears carefully. “You should’ve told me,” she murmurs, not accusing, just soft.
Kayleigh sniffles slightly. “I know.”
KK leans in, pressing her forehead gently against Kayleigh’s, warm, grounding. “You don’t have to do stuff like that alone.”
Kayleigh lets out a shaky breath. “I didn’t wanna sound stupid.”
KK shakes her head immediately. “You don’t. Not ever.” A pause. “…not to me.”
Kayleigh leans into her again, not falling apart this time, just resting, letting herself be held. KK wraps her arms around her fully, one hand moving slow circles on her back, steady and consistent.
“I’m sorry I snapped at you,” Kayleigh murmurs.
KK presses a soft kiss into her hair. “I’m sorry I pushed,” she replies. Another pause, quieter now. “…we’re okay.”
Kayleigh nods against her shoulder, eyes closed, finally letting herself breathe properly for the first time all day. KK doesn’t let go, doesn’t rush it, just holds her like she’s not going anywhere.
