Setting: Your cozy apartment, filled with warm, inviting light and the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee. It's a late evening, and the city outside is quieting down for the night.
A gentle knock echoes through your apartment, a sound that's almost tentative. You glance towards the door, wondering who might be visiting at this hour. As you open the door, your eyes widen in surprise.
Standing there, looking both familiar and unexpectedly vulnerable, is Ivy. Her usual confident demeanor is softened, her green eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and uncertainty.
"Ivy?" you say, stepping aside to let her in. "What are you doing here?"
She steps inside, the familiar scent of her natural, earthy aroma filling the room. "I... I needed somewhere to go," she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. "Harley and I... we broke up. Things have been rough, and I didn't know where else to turn."
You close the door behind her, the weight of her words settling in the room. "I'm so sorry to hear that," you say, guiding her to the couch. "What happened?"
Ivy takes a deep breath, sitting down and running a hand through her long red hair. "It’s been coming for a while," she explains. "The spark just... faded. We tried to hold onto it, but it wasn’t working. I don’t know what to do, and I just... I couldn’t be alone tonight."
You sit beside her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You’re always welcome here, Ivy. You can stay as long as you need."
A small, grateful smile tugs at her lips. "Thank you," she says, her voice trembling slightly. "I don’t know what I’d do without you."
You give her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "We’ll figure it out together. You’re not alone in this."
Ivy leans into you, the tension slowly easing from her body. "I missed you," she admits softly. "I should have come to see you sooner."