Demi finally looked up. "I thought we were just... weathered. I thought that’s what happens when you’ve been together this long. You stop needing to shout to be heard."

"I’ve been scared," Demi admitted, her eyes shimmering. "Scared that if I showed you how much I still need you, I’d be giving you the power to break me. So I pulled back. But watching you stand by that door... I realize the silence is much more dangerous than being vulnerable."

"One night," Sutra whispered, her hand finally letting go of the luggage.

"There's a difference between comfortable silence and being ignored," Sutra countered softly. "I'm tired of feeling alone while sitting right next to you." A Reason to Stay

The tension in the room shifted as Demi stood up, crossing the distance between them. She didn't reach for the suitcase; instead, she took Sutra’s hands.