Randomness redefined

Wyatt's heart twisted as he watched Rosalie struggle to hold herself together, the flicker of grief in her eyes and the tear that slipped down her cheek cutting through him like a knife. He felt a pang of regret for not seeking her out sooner, for not being there when she’d clearly needed someone—*when she’d needed him.* She was a different woman now, stronger in ways he couldn’t fully understand but wounded in ways he wanted to heal.

He let out a soft breath, his usual playful bravado dropping as he reached out and brushed the tear from her cheek with the gentlest touch, his thumb lingering for just a moment longer than necessary. He’d done a lot of things he wasn’t proud of, but right now, all he wanted was to be the friend she remembered, someone she could lean on without the weight of judgment or guilt between them.

Rosie... I’m so damn sorry. You didn’t deserve any of that, not one bit. Losing family… it leaves a scar that never really heals, does it? His voice was low, the tenderness in it rare and raw. He met her gaze, his eyes holding an earnestness that he couldn’t quite hide. But I’ll tell you one thing, if there’s anyone who can figure out how to raise that boy right, it’s you. Maybe it’s hard now, but you’ve got more grit in you than most folks could ever hope for.

He chuckled softly, a sound laced with both admiration and sadness. As for me... let’s just say I’ve been ‘around’ bad more often than not. I took a few wrong turns, got mixed up in things I shouldn’t have. But lately, I’ve been trying to clean up my act, or at least pretend to. He gave her a half-smile, the kind that didn’t quite reach his eyes but tried to keep things light. Guess you could say I’m a work in progress.

@Rosalie Rutherford