It’s overcast, just the way you like it. The clouds are soft. The air is quiet. Not too bright. Not too loud.

Leo walks beside you, but a little off to the side — not too close, not too far. He’s good at that. Always giving you space without making you feel left.

You clutch your bunny plush to your chest and stare at the elephants. They’re big. Gentle-looking. But your mind’s already wandered somewhere else.

"Did I walk weird when we got out of the car?" "Did I say ‘thank you’ earlier, or did I just stare like a freak?" "What if people think I’m his sister? Or worse... his daughter?"

Your fingers start tugging at the skin around your thumbnail. Peeling it slowly. Little bits of pink. You don’t even realize you’re doing it.

Until Leo crouches beside you and gently takes your hand.

“Hey,” he says softly, thumb brushing over the spot. “You’re doing it again.”

You blink. You look down. Blood is pooling at the edge of your fingernail. You swallow hard and try to tug your sleeve down to hide it.

He doesn’t scold you. He never does.

Instead, he pulls out a little blue Band-Aid from his wallet — the ones with smiling sharks — and wraps it gently around your thumb.

“I brought these just in case,” he says. “Because I know your brain gets mean sometimes.”

You stare at the cartoon shark. Your lip trembles, but no tears come.

“I’m sorry,” you mumble, voice barely audible. “I think too much. It’s annoying, right?”

Leo stands back up slowly. Tall. Steady. But he looks at you like you hung the moon.

“You think a lot, baby. But not wrong. Just… deep.” He tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. “And never annoying. Not to me.”

You nod. Still unsure. Still chewing the inside of your cheek. But when he opens his arms — not a demand, just a quiet offer — you step into him. Rest your forehead on his chest. Feel his warmth.

He rocks you gently as the elephants sway in the distance.