The silence in the apartment didn't feel empty. It carried everything that had just been said, settling between them in a way that neither of them could ignore. Jay stood where he was, his gaze fixed on Roman, the weight of that last accusation still pressing against his chest. The scattered clothes on the floor no longer mattered. The argument had moved past that. This was no longer about control or anger. It was about something deeper, something neither of them had fully said out loud before.
Roman didn't look away from him. His posture remained steady, but there was a shift in his expression now, something less guarded than before. He took a step closer, not in dominance this time, but in intention, like he had decided to stop holding something back.
"I trust you, Jay," Roman said.
The words came out low, but clear, without hesitation. "And I care about you."
