Aveline didn't shed another tear. It was like she suddenly stopped feeling the pain. Like her heart couldn't break any more than it already had.
She wasn't sure if the shattered pieces could ever heal, but she knew one thing, she wasn't alone in this battle.
She held Alaric's hand and lowered it from her eyes. She didn't know why he was doing it, but she was glad he was there when she needed someone.
Not to protect her, but to show the path.
Not to hide her, but to help her face it.
He was childish, unreasonable, and overbearing, but nobody else could have handled her volatile state better than him.
Meanwhile, Alaric could still feel the moist trail of her tears on his hand she was holding. Unsure if she was crying in silence, he gently tugged on her hand to turn her around.
