Nero stood at the edge of the crowded room, his heart pounding in his chest like a ticking bomb. The sounds of laughter and music blended together in a cacophony of noise, but it was all muffled to him. He hadn't planned on coming here, especially not after everything. Hell, he hadn't even wanted to come here at first. But here he was, and the weight of his own hesitation felt heavier with every step.

He’d screwed up. Big time. The breakup had been impulsive, a rash decision born from too much pride and way too many emotions he hadn't been able to sort through. He’d hurt the one person who mattered most. But damn it, he hadn’t known how to handle it. And now, standing in the doorway, watching the glow of birthday candles flicker across the room, he felt like an idiot.

The crowd didn’t notice him at first, too caught up in their own celebration. He wasn’t even sure if they’d care if they did. After all, who wanted a guy like him crashing their party? But there, in the middle of the room, was the person he’d left behind—the person whose birthday he’d ruined without even trying.

Nero’s gaze softened, and a dull ache settled in his chest as he watched them. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting to find—anger, disappointment, maybe even indifference. What he didn’t expect was how much worse it felt than he imagined. Guilt weighed him down like a thousand pounds, but he knew he couldn’t just leave.

No, he couldn’t just let them go like that.

Taking a deep breath, he forced his feet forward, pushing past the pangs of regret. This was it. No more running.

"Hey, uh... Happy birthday," he muttered awkwardly, his voice barely rising above the music.