Sam had always thought he was strong enough to endure pain alone.
That if he ignored it long enough, buried it deep enough, it would eventually disappear.
But as he sat there, crumbling under the weight of emotions he had held back for too long, he realized just how wrong he had been.
His body trembled, his breath uneven as silent sobs racked through him. No matter how much he tried to stop, the tears kept falling, as if years of suppressed pain had finally broken free.
And Mahiru… she just held him tighter.
Her arms around him were warm—so warm, as if trying to shield him from the cold emptiness consuming his heart.
Sam wanted to speak, to say something, anything. But his throat was tight, and the only sound that escaped was another broken breath.
Mahiru pulled back slightly, just enough to see his face.
Her golden-brown eyes shimmered in the dim light, filled with an emotion so raw, so deep, that it made Sam's chest tighten even more.
She lifted a trembling hand to his face, brushing away his tears with her fingertips, but they kept coming.
And then—
Mahiru's own eyes welled up.
She bit her lip, her breath hitching as a single tear escaped, rolling down her cheek.
Seeing him like this—so broken, so vulnerable—it was unbearable.
"…Sam," she whispered, her voice barely audible, laced with emotion.
She didn't even realize when more tears began to spill from her eyes. She wasn't trying to cry. She had told herself she needed to be strong for him, that she needed to console him, but…
Her heart ached too much.
Seeing him in this much pain felt like someone was tearing her apart from the inside.
She couldn't hold it back.
"…It hurts," she whispered, her voice shaking. "Seeing you like this… it hurts, Sam."
Sam's red, tired eyes flickered to hers, and his breath caught in his throat.
Tears streamed down her face, silently, painfully.
He had never seen her cry before.
Not like this.
Not because of him.
"…Why are you crying?" he choked out, his voice raw.
Mahiru let out a weak, shaky laugh, sniffling. "How can I not?" She wiped at her eyes, but the tears wouldn't stop. "You're hurting so much… and I—I can't do anything to take it away."
She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but her hands still trembled.
"I don't want you to cry alone, Sam," she whispered. "I don't want you to carry this alone anymore."
Sam stared at her, his heart pounding against his ribs.
No one had ever said that to him before.
No one had ever looked at him like this—like his pain mattered.
Like he mattered.
And before he knew it, his body moved on its own.
His arms wrapped around Mahiru, pulling her close, burying his face into her shoulder.
She gasped softly but didn't hesitate to hold him just as tightly.
"…I'm tired, Mahiru," he whispered, his voice barely above a breath. "I'm so… so tired."
Mahiru ran her fingers through his hair gently, soothingly. "I know," she whispered back. "I know."
And so, they stayed there.
Two souls, crying in the quiet night, holding onto each other as if afraid to let go.
And for the first time, Sam didn't feel alone in his pain.
For the first time, someone stayed.
For the first time, someone felt his pain with him.
And maybe, just maybe… that was enough.
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