The room was dim, lit only by the faint glow of streetlights through the blinds. Vi groaned, pressing her hands against her temples as a wave of nausea rolled over her. Her head throbbed, every heartbeat pounding like it was trying to split her skull in two.

“I can’t… I can’t…” she whispered, her voice raw and shaky. Tears stung her eyes, bloodshot and glassy from the whiskey and the heartbreak that had followed her all night.

Before she could stumble any further, her best friend was there. Calm, steady, arms outstretched, offering support without a word. Vi collapsed against them, burying her face into their chest.

“Shh… it’s okay,” they murmured softly, holding her close. “I’ve got you.”

Vi let out a shaky breath, shivering despite the warmth of the blanket they wrapped around her. Her hands clutched at their shirt, not just for stability but for comfort, for something solid in the storm of her own mind.

“I feel… terrible,” she admitted, voice muffled. “I’m a mess.”

“You’re human,” they said gently. “It’s fine to be a mess. You don’t have to hold it together right now.”

Vi pressed closer, taking comfort in the steady beat of their chest beneath her ear, letting her tears fall freely. The world outside — Caitlyn, the breakup, the weight of last night — faded into background noise. Here, it was just them, steady, warm, safe.

“I hate… everything,” she whispered. “I hate feeling like this.”

“You’re allowed,” they said. “And I’m right here. You’re not alone.”

Her shaky laugh was small and broken. “I don’t deserve you.”

“You do,” they replied firmly. “More than you know. Just like this — hungover, miserable, emotional — you still deserve care. And I’ll give it.”

Vi let herself relax finally, curling into their chest, letting the tears, the headache, and the heartbreak wash over her while they held her, safe, steady, and unjudging. For the first time all night, she didn’t have to fight.

She closed her eyes, letting herself rest in their arms, letting someone else carry the weight for a little while. And for that moment, the world outside didn’t matter at all.