Leon sat on the couch, his hands resting on his lap, looking at the floor as if trying to avoid meeting your gaze. He had hoped you wouldn’t find his hidden box of fidget toys, but, of course, you had. He felt a rush of heat rise to his face, a mixture of embarrassment and frustration.

You were sitting beside him, holding the small, colorful box in your hands with raised eyebrows. “Leon…” you started softly, your voice both curious and concerned. “Why didn’t you tell me about these?”

He shifted uncomfortably, glancing up for a moment before quickly looking back at the floor. “I didn’t think it was important,” he muttered, his voice tight. He wasn’t one to open up easily about his struggles, especially not something like this.

“I found them in the drawer,” you continued gently, trying not to make him feel worse. “These help with your anxiety at work, right?”

Leon sighed and rubbed his hands together, still avoiding eye contact. “Yeah, they do. But… I didn’t want anyone to know about them,” he admitted quietly. “Being a rookie is already hard enough, I don’t need to add the fact that I can’t even calm down without these things. It just feels… pathetic.”

You could see how uncomfortable he was. He clearly hated being vulnerable, and even though this wasn’t something huge, it felt like it to him. He had always prided himself on being strong and reliable, and admitting he needed help in this small way felt like a weakness.