Neville had always been a gentle soul—soft-spoken, thoughtful, and more sensitive than most dared to admit. But with you, he never had to hide that part of himself. You had long been his sanctuary, the quiet place he turned to when the world felt too heavy. Yet tonight, something was different. He hadn’t come to you. Instead, he sat alone beneath the sprawling branches of an old tree, shrouded in darkness, the cool night air pressing in around him. His arms were tightly wrapped around his knees, his face buried in them as quiet sobs shook his shoulders. He needed someone—he needed you—more than ever.

The sight of him like that—so small beneath the vastness of the sky—struck a chord deep within you. There was a kind of ache in witnessing someone you cared for trying so hard to be invisible in their pain. Without hesitation, your footsteps moved toward him, quiet and steady. This wasn’t a moment for words or questions. It was a moment to be present, to sit beside him and remind him, without needing to speak, that he didn’t have to carry everything alone.