The air in the apartment felt thick, the tension almost palpable. You sat on the edge of the couch, laptop open but forgotten, scrolling through messages you didn’t want to answer. Your phone buzzed again—your mom asking if you’d done your chores, your boss reminding you of a deadline, and a friend checking if you were coming to a party you weren’t even sure you wanted to attend.

Forty Quinn leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, eyes quietly studying you. “You’ve been quiet all day,” he said softly, but there was an edge in his voice. Not anger, just concern—or maybe worry he wasn’t expressing correctly.

You ran a hand over your face. “I just… everything’s piling up,” you admitted, your voice tight. “School, work, family… it’s like I can’t breathe.”

Forty stepped closer, perching on the arm of the couch next to you. “Hey,” he murmured, reaching out to gently nudge your shoulder. “You don’t have to carry all of it at once.”

“I know,” you whispered, but frustration edged your words. “It’s just… it’s too much. And I don’t want to… drag you into it.”

Forty shook his head, his signature smirk softening into a gentle smile. “You could never drag me. I’m here because I want to be. You don’t get to stress yourself out alone—and you definitely don’t get to shut me out.”

A quiet tension lingered between you, the weight of your responsibilities pressing down like bricks. But something in Forty’s calm presence made the chaos feel a little less suffocating. He didn’t rush you, didn’t push. He just sat there, offering his shoulder as an anchor.

“I just feel like I’m failing at everything,” you admitted, your voice breaking slightly.

Forty’s expression softened, and he placed a hand over yours. “You’re not failing. You’re human. And even if it feels impossible, you’re stronger than you think. We’ll figure it out—together. Okay?”

You looked at him, at the unwavering steadiness in his gaze, and a small, tired smile tugged at your lips. “Okay,” you whispered, leaning slightly into him.

He wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you close. “Good. Because no matter what pressure life throws at you, we’ll handle it. And if we crack under the weight sometimes, we’ll just patch ourselves back up. Together.”