That could mean anything but I don’t have the energy to push or demand specifics.
I sit up slowly, testing myself. Still weak. Still shaky. But not on the brink of collapse anymore.
“That’s better,” Finn murmurs.
“You say that like you did something.”
“I did,” he replies easily. “I stayed put. Seemed to help.”
Something warm twists in my chest.
I take a sip of water, then another, surprised by how desperately my body wants it. When I stop, I realise he’s watching me with that same careful focus he had earlier, like he’s tracking data points instead of just looking.
“Have you eaten?” he asks.
“Soup. Earlier.”
“And after?”
I hesitate. “…No.”
He exhales through his nose, not annoyed. Just unsurprised. “I’ll sort something in a bit.”
I should argue. I don’t.
That’s new too.
There’s a knock at the door.
My stomach tightens instinctively, a flicker of unease skating up my spine. Finn’s already standing.
“I’ve got it,” he says.
Through the haze of half-recovered senses, I hear voices. One familiar, Finn. The other one…not unwelcome, but louder. Brighter. Koa.
“Hey,” he says, breezy as ever when he catches sight of me over Finn’s shoulder. “I brought supplies.”
I peek around the edge of the sofa as Finn steps aside to let him in.
Koa’s holding a bag like it’s a peace offering and rattling off its contents – grapes, Lucozade, one of those microwave soups that claims to be ‘gentle on the stomach’. He takes one look at me and his expression shifts, the grin softening into something more intent.
“You look like crap,” he says, not unkindly.
“Wow,” I mutter. “Men around here really know how to sweet-talk.”
“Consistency is key.” He sets the bag down on the table. “Thought you might need backup.”
“That’s…nice,” I say, genuinely surprised.
Finn stays standing, just behind Koa’s shoulder. Close enough that I can feel him there even when I’m not looking.
The warmth holds.
Koa glances between us, clocking the dynamic instantly.
“Do you two know each other?” I blurt out suddenly.
“We’re old friends,” Koa jumps in before Finn can utter a word. “Have you got today off?” he asks.