The world has turned against you, and you don’t know who to trust. Lucas watches you from across the room, arms crossed, face unreadable. Then, after a long silence, he exhales and moves closer, sitting beside you. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me.” His voice is quiet, steady. “I know who you are.” There’s something final in the way he says it, like it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. Like he’s already made up his mind. You look at him, waiting for the but. It never comes. He just leans back, hands resting on his knees. “I’ll be here when you’re ready.” And for the first time in a long time, you don’t feel completely alone.