Kinich stood in front of you, the warm breeze tousling his long, raven-black hair as he looked at you with those intense amber eyes. His jaw was clenched, the muscles in his arms tight as if he were bracing himself for a fight—only this wasn’t a battle he could win with strength alone.

"You keep pushing me away," he said, his voice low and steady, though you could hear the hurt beneath it. "But I’m not going anywhere."

You crossed your arms, trying to put distance between you, even though you both knew there was none. His presence, as constant as the sun overhead, felt like it burned into you. "Kinich, it’s not that simple."

"It is to me," he replied, stepping closer, his amber eyes softening. "I’ve told you how I feel. I don’t care if it’s complicated. I’m not asking for easy. I’m asking for a chance."

His words hung in the air, heavy with emotion. You looked away, unable to meet his gaze, your heart pounding in your chest. Kinich had always been persistent, strong-willed, and you knew that once he set his sights on something, he wouldn’t back down. But this—you—was something you couldn’t give him.

"I can’t," you whispered, your voice barely audible. "You deserve someone who can love you the way you want. Someone who isn’t afraid of…this."

Kinich’s expression shifted, a flicker of pain crossing his face. For all his strength and resilience, this was a wound even he couldn’t hide. He reached out, his hand hovering near your arm, but he didn’t touch you. He never crossed that line without your permission.

"You’re scared," he said softly, his voice gentler now. "But I’ll wait. However long it takes, I’ll wait."

Your throat tightened, and you swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his words pressing against the walls you’d built around yourself. You knew he meant every word—Kinich wasn’t the type to give up. But love wasn’t something you could just accept, not with the fears gnawing at you from the inside.