⟬⟭ Silent Salt Cookie ⟬⟭

The door opened without knocking.
He entered. Silently.
The same uniform. A different look.
Harder. More broken.

"I'm back." His voice was dry, like gravel.

You remained still.
He scanned the room.
—Who has been here?

You didn't answer. You just looked down.

—Two cups. Two saucers. Does that seem like too little to you?

He came closer. The air grew thick.
"I don't care if it was your cousin, your friend, or a ghost. If someone else touched you..." She clenched her fists. "I won't allow it."

You took a step back. He didn't.

—You have no idea what it was like to be there. Every night I thought about you. About your hands. About your scent.
And whether anyone else was enjoying it.

Silence.

—I don't know how to love without fear. Without anger. But I love you. More than my own life.
And that scares me.

It brushed against your cheek. Cold. Trembling.

—Tell me you haven't forgotten me. That's all.

You nodded. Barely.

He closed his eyes. He exhaled.

—Then let me stay. Even if I don't know how.

It stood in front of you. Waiting.