𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞 - 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭

you hadn't meant for anyone to see you like this.

you had been holding it together all day—through every conversation, every forced smile, every moment where you felt like you were seconds from breaking. but as soon as you were alone, the weight of everything crashed down all at once.

you barely made it to your room before the tears started.

the door clicked shut behind you, and you sank onto your bed, burying your face into your hands, trying to quiet your sobs. you didn't want to cry. you hated crying. but no matter how hard you tried to stop, the pain in your chest only grew heavier.

and then—there was a knock at the door.

your heart stopped.

you didn't answer. maybe if you stayed quiet, whoever it was would think you were asleep and leave.

but then—

"open the door."

you froze.

that voice was unmistakable. rin.

you swallowed, quickly wiping at your face, trying to compose yourself. "i-i'm fine," you called, though your voice betrayed you—weak, uneven.

a pause.

then, flatly—

"you're not."

you squeezed your eyes shut. damn him. of course he could tell.

still, you didn't want him to see you like this. you didn't want anyone to. "rin, please. just—go away."

another beat of silence.

then—the doorknob turned.

your eyes snapped open just in time to see the door push open, and then there he was.

rin itoshi.

standing in your doorway, arms crossed, his usual cold, unreadable expression set in place.

but his eyes—his eyes told another story.

they weren't bored or indifferent like usual. instead, there was something else there—something quiet, something steadfast.

he had no intention of leaving.

you quickly looked away, turning your face toward the wall. "i told you, i don't need—"

"i don't care," he cut in. "i'm not leaving."

you let out a small, frustrated sigh, squeezing your hands into fists against your lap. why did he have to push like this? why couldn't he just let you deal with this alone?

you heard the faintest sigh, and then—the bed dipped.

your breath caught.

he had sat down next to you.

for a moment, neither of you spoke. you didn't look at him, and he didn't push you to.

but then, in a voice lower, quieter than before—

"...what happened?"

you swallowed, your throat tight, your chest still heavy. you shook your head, keeping your gaze fixed on the floor. "i don't wanna talk about it."

rin didn't move. didn't sigh, didn't get frustrated. he just sat there, silent, letting the words settle in the space between you.

then, after a long pause—

"okay."

you blinked, finally glancing at him. he wasn't looking at you—he was staring straight ahead, his elbows resting on his knees. but his expression was softer than usual, his lips pressed into a thin line, his brows drawn together ever so slightly.

"i won't make you talk," he continued, his voice calm, certain. "but i'm not leaving."

something in you cracked at that.

because he meant it.

and for some reason, that made the tears come back even faster.

you sucked in a sharp breath, quickly turning your face away, ashamed of how weak you felt. "rin—"

before you could say anything, before you could even think about pushing him away again—

a hand on your back.

warm. steady. reassuring.

your whole body froze.

rin wasn't the type for casual affection. he never went out of his way to comfort people.

which is why it completely shattered you when, after a moment, he gave the softest, most hesitant rub between your shoulder blades.

"...it's okay," he muttered.

that was it.

that was all it took for you to finally break.

the sobs came harder, your hands clutching at your sleeves as you tried to hold yourself together, but it was useless now—he had already seen you fall apart.

and still, he didn't leave.

instead—

he shifted closer.

letting you lean into him, just slightly.

letting your head rest against his shoulder as your body trembled with quiet sobs.

letting you fall apart, without a single word of judgment.

𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠