𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒮𝒾𝓍𝓉𝑒𝑒𝓃

Chapter 16: Quiet Days and Loud Nights

The rain fell in a steady rhythm, drumming softly against the windows. Inside the huge apartment, warmth fought against the cold outside. Sincere leaned against the kitchen counter, absently twirling the handle of a mug. His dark brown eyes flicked to the couch where she sat, curled up in one of his oversized hoodies, her legs tucked beneath her. A book lay open in her lap, but she wasn't reading it.

Two months. Two months since her little brother was taken from her. The loss had carved something deep into her soul, and though Sincere didn't speak about it much, he felt the weight of her grief in every quiet moment they shared.

"Come here," he said softly, setting the mug down.

She looked up from the book, her tired eyes meeting his. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, and I'm a professional chef," he replied, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Come here."

She sighed but unfolded herself from the couch, letting him pull her into his arms. His embrace was strong but tender, the kind of hold that told her he'd carry her pain if he could. She buried her face in his chest, breathing in his scent—cologne, rain, and something unmistakably him.

"I miss him so much," she whispered, her voice muffled against him.

"I know, baby," he murmured, resting his chin on her hair. "But you've got me. Always."

His words were simple, but the way he said them felt like a promise. She tightened her arms around him, finding comfort in his presence. For a moment, it was just the two of them, the rain outside a quiet witness to their connection.

A sharp knock on the door broke the spell.

Sincere sighed, reluctantly letting her go. "That better not be who I think it is."

When he opened the door, Jasmine was the first to rush in, her curls bouncing as she flung her arms around Sincere in a mock hug. "Miss me, lover boy?" she teased.

"Not even a little," he shot back, though the corner of his mouth twitched.

Behind her, Ice and Blu entered, each carrying bags of snacks, and Savannah followed, already complaining about the rain ruining her hair.

"Y'all just make yourselves at home, huh?" Sincere muttered as they filed in, their energy filling the space.

"Someone has to," Ice said with a grin, tossing a bag of chips onto the counter.

Jasmine made her way to the couch, plopping down beside her friend and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Hey, gorgeous," she said gently. "How you holding up?"

Her friend managed a small smile. "Better, now that you're here."

"Good," Jasmine said, leaning her head against hers. "Because we're not leaving until you're laughing so hard you cry. Right, ladies?"

"Right!" Blu called from the kitchen, where he was already rummaging for plates.

Savannah pulled out a speaker, setting it on the table. "Time to turn this sad apartment into a party."

Within minutes, the place was alive with music, laughter, and the smell of popcorn. Blu and Ice started a dance battle in the middle of the room, while Jasmine dragged her friend into a heated argument about the best songs of all time. Sincere, watching from the kitchen, felt a rare warmth spread through his chest.

"Hey," he called, catching her attention. When she looked at him, he crooked a finger.

She came to him, her cheeks flushed from the laughter. "What?"

Without a word, he pulled her close, his hands resting on her waist. "You look good when you smile," he said softly, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, the noise in the room faded away. "Sincere..."

"I mean it," he said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You're the most beautiful thing in this whole world, and I'll spend the rest of my life proving that to you."

She swallowed hard, tears pricking at her eyes—not from sadness, but from the sheer intensity of his words. She reached up, cupping his face in her hands.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," she whispered.

"You'll never have to find out," he replied, leaning down to press his forehead against hers.

In the background, Savannah shouted for them to stop being "disgustingly cute," but neither of them cared. For that moment, nothing else mattered.

Later, as the night wound down and their friends sprawled across the floor, Sincere pulled her back into his arms on the couch. She rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

"Feeling better?" he asked, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on her arm.

"Yeah," she said softly. "Thanks to you."

The rain continued to fall outside, but inside, wrapped in his arms and surrounded by their friends, she felt the tiniest flicker of light break through the shadows of her grief.

Later That Night

The apartment was quiet again, the storm outside reduced to a gentle drizzle. Jasmine, Ice, Blu, and Savannah had left an hour ago, leaving behind empty snack bags, a stack of forgotten DVDs, and the faint hum of warmth their presence had brought.

She stood by the window now, her arms wrapped around herself as she gazed at the streetlights glowing in the rain. Sincere watched her from the couch, his head resting against the back, his legs stretched out.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked, his voice low and inviting.

She turned her head to look at him, a small smile playing on her lips. "You couldn't afford them."

He chuckled softly. "Try me."

She hesitated, her fingers tracing invisible patterns on the cool glass. "I just... I've been thinking about him. About how unfair it all feels."

Sincere rose and walked toward her, his socked feet silent against the hardwood floor. When he reached her, he slid his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her into his chest.

"I know, baby," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "It's not fair. None of it is."

She leaned back into him, letting his warmth seep into her. "I hate feeling like this. Like I'm stuck in the same moment, over and over."

He turned her gently to face him, his hands framing her face. "You're not stuck. You're healing. It doesn't happen overnight, but it happens. And I'll be right here with you for every step of it."

Her eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head. "You don't deserve this. You deserve someone whole."

His gaze softened, and he tipped her chin up so she couldn't look away. "Don't ever say that," he said firmly. "You are whole. You're strong, even when you don't feel it. You're everything I've ever wanted, and I wouldn't trade a single second of this for anything."

The intensity in his voice made her tears spill over, and he brushed them away with his thumbs. Then he kissed her—softly at first, but with a depth that left her breathless.

"I love you," he whispered against her lips. "And no matter what, I'll keep loving you. Even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard."

Her hands clung to him as she kissed him back, pouring all the emotions she couldn't put into words into the connection between them. When they finally broke apart, her head rested against his chest, and she could feel the steady rhythm of his heart.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you," she murmured.

"You loved me," he said simply, stroking her hair.

They stayed like that for a long time, holding each other as the rain continued to fall. It wasn't a perfect moment—there was still pain, still grief—but it was theirs. And for now, that was enough.