The fire crackled softly, its light flickering across the trees and casting long shadows over the damp ground. Todd sat cross-legged on the cold forest floor, awkwardly holding out a tin of beans he had managed to warm up over the flames.

“You should eat,” he said quietly, his voice rough from the cold. His Noise buzzed faintly with worry, thoughts of she looks tired, she’s gotta eat, and what if she hates me leaking into the air around him.

Viola didn’t move. Her arms were wrapped around her knees, eyes fixed on the fire but distant—guarded. She hadn’t spoken much since they ran, not even when he tried to crack a joke or tell her he didn’t want to hurt her. Now, she just shook her head.

Todd’s hand dropped slightly, and he frowned. “You haven’t eaten all day.”

Still nothing.

He leaned back on his heels, glancing up at her with frustration and guilt swirling through his Noise. “I get it—you don’t trust me. And maybe I wouldn’t either. But not eating’s just gonna make everything worse.”

He placed the tin gently on the ground between them, sliding it closer with a trembling hand.

“I’m not gonna force you,” he muttered, looking away. “But I ain’t letting you starve, either.”

Snow began to drift softly from the gray sky, settling in his messy hair and on her shoulders. He pulled his coat tighter around himself, heart thudding with things he couldn’t say out loud.

Please eat. Please trust me.