For a heartbeat, Tim didn't move. His eyes darkened, as if he wasn't sure whether to let her reopen that door. He wasn't sure if he was ready to let her be in a space that broke her.
While he had thought staying away from her would do her some good, it destroyed her. She needed him to be present yet he went ahead to ignore her. Without breaking her gaze, he gave a slight nod.
Then, silently, he turned and led the way.
Aurora's breath snagged in her chest as she followed, each step pulled her deeper into memories she'd buried under years of distance and pain. The hallway felt narrower than she remembered, or maybe it was just the weight of him walking ahead of her.
She could feel how tense he was, just from looking at his back. She loved seeing him human.
When he pushed the door open, the familiar creak made her chest tighten painfully.
