Jaya Week 2022

Jay is leaning on her in the dark, taking some of the weight off of his own shoulders. She doesn't mind; it means she can feel his heartbeat next to hers. It makes everything feel right again.

He's the only one who never lets her down, no matter how hard she tries.

Her eyes are closed, and she can hear him breathing. It sounds steady, even, like someone who isn't struggling with a million different emotions at once. Like someone she trusts more than anyone else.

"I love you," she whispers, because she can't help herself. Because she's been trying to say it since the moment they met, and he still hasn't heard her. "So much."

The words hang between them, unspoken, until finally Jay says, "And I love you." He closes his eyes tightly and exhales, and she knows it's going to be okay. She knows they've made it through another day, and they're going to make it through tomorrow too. And she thinks maybe that's enough.

***

Jay and Nya one-shots for Jaya Week 2022.