he can see it in her eyes — the way she’s trying to mask everything with a joke. it’s a defense mechanism, and it’s one he’s come to recognize all too well. he knows nikki better than anyone. he can feel the weight of the years between them, the things left unsaid, the things they both wish could be different. he sees the cracks in her composure, how she’s trying to act like everything’s fine, but he knows it isn’t. he’s been here before, in this same kind of space with her, only now, it feels different. more complicated. more... painful. the worst part? he’s not sure he knows what to say. he’s not sure how to make this better, or if it even can be. they’ve been down this road before, and every time, it feels like they keep getting pulled further apart. but he can’t help himself — he still cares. he always will. he just doesn’t know how to fix things. he watches her, taking in the way she holds herself. she’s still got that fire, the same strength that made him fall for her. but there’s something else there now, something softer, more vulnerable that she’s desperately trying to hide. it’s hard to look at, but it’s also a reminder of everything they used to have. ❝ good. yeah, i’m good. you know, i’ve been keeping busy. work, life, all that. you know how it is. ❞
he pauses, watching her for a moment, like he’s trying to find the right words, the ones that won’t make this worse. he doesn’t want to push her, but at the same time, he needs to say something more. something real. ❝ i, uh... i didn’t expect to see you here tonight. i mean, not like this. not after everything. but i’m glad you’re back, nicole. you know i always respected you. you’ve always had a way of doing things that no one else could. and seeing you out there, even if it was rough... it’s... it’s good. you still have it. ❞ the words hang in the air between them. there’s so much more he wants to say, but he doesn’t know if it’s the right time. he feels a mix of regret and hope — hope that maybe this moment, however awkward, could lead to something more. but he also knows they’ve crossed so many lines that it might be impossible to go back. and as much as he tries to keep his guard up, he knows that part of him is still holding onto that what if. what if they could fix this? what if they could find their way back to what they once were? but even as he thinks it, he knows deep down it might be too late. they’ve both changed too much.
