She was curled on the edge of the bed, knees pulled up, arms wrapped tight around herself, looking smaller than she had any right to. He stopped in the doorway, unsure how long he’d been watching, but he couldn’t leave her like this.

“You’re freezing,” he said, stepping forward and holding out a hoodie.

She blinked at him, half-expecting him to mock her or walk away. Instead, he knelt down, pulling the garment open. “Here. Arms. Up.”

Her green eyes narrowed, reluctant, but she lifted her arms. He slid the sleeves over her shoulders carefully, his hands lingering just a fraction longer than necessary. She stiffened for a moment, then relaxed into the soft warmth of the hoodie.

“Don’t get used to this,” he muttered, tugging it down over her waist.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” she said, her voice quieter than usual, softer.

Then he handed her a pair of sweatpants, warm and worn-in, the kind she secretly liked. She hesitated, frowning at him like he’d lost his mind. “You… really don’t have to—”

“Do it anyway,” he cut in, almost impatiently, but not unkind. He knelt again, helping her slide one leg in, then the other, adjusting the waistband so it sat comfortably. Her hair fell across her face, and without thinking, he brushed it back gently, tucking the stray strands behind her ear.

She froze, a small shiver running down her spine, but didn’t pull away. Instead, she let herself be helped, letting him steady her with a hand at her back as she stood.

When it was done, she looked at him, eyes wide, the tension in her shoulders finally easing. “You’re… insane,” she murmured, but the corner of her mouth lifted in a faint, unguarded smile.

“Maybe,” he said, standing and brushing off his knees. “Or maybe I just don’t like seeing you like this.”

There was a silence then, comfortable in its own strange way. The rivalry between them, the games, the sharp edges—they were all paused. All that remained was this quiet, ordinary intimacy, two enemies sharing a rare moment of care, neither quite willing to admit how much it mattered.

She tugged the hoodie around her a little tighter, a soft exhale escaping her lips. He caught it, the unspoken acknowledgment that for once, she didn’t have to do everything alone.