Chapter 57 - Intimate and Distant
Lune's arms tightened gently around Jack as she pulled him into her embrace, her hands sliding upward to cradle his head. Her fingers sank slowly into his hair, stroking with a care so delicate it felt as though she feared he might vanish at any moment. Normally, Jack would recoil the instant someone touched him. His body, conditioned by habit and instinct, never tolerated closeness so easily. Yet in this moment, something felt different.
Instead of pushing her away, he remained still. He let his eyes fall shut, allowing himself—if only for a fleeting span of time—to sink into the unfamiliar warmth of her touch. Her embrace carried a softness that seemed to peel away the rigid walls he kept around himself. Even though countless thoughts raced within him, whispering of caution and restraint, they slowly began to scatter like leaves caught in a gentle wind.
