~ Chapter 25 ~
Reed's apartment had a very specific kind of noise tonight.
Not party noise.
Not chaotic noise.
Just the comfortable hum of too many voices overlapping, low music drifting from Ryan's speaker, and the occasional burst of laughter that echoed down the hallway before fading into something softer.
Vinod was sitting at the kitchen island with his laptop open, pretending to review notes while actually scrolling through memes.
Felix was sprawled across the couch with his feet dangerously close to knocking over Ryan's drink.
Caleb leaned against the counter, arms crossed, watching the absolute mess unfold like he was both entertained and deeply tired.
And in the middle of all of it, on the floor near the coffee table, sat Eva.
Cross-legged.
Notebook open.
Hair twisted into a loose, messy bun that was slowly coming undone.
She looked wildly out of place and like she belonged there at the same time.
Reed watched her smile at something Ryan said, watched the way she tried to hide her laugh by pressing her lips together, failing almost immediately when Felix added something dumber on top of it.
Ryan pointed at her. "See, she gets me. That's my emotional support person now."
Eva blinked. "I don't think that's how that works."
Felix nodded solemnly. "Too late. You're adopted."
Eva laughed then. Really laughed.
Soft, breathy, a little surprised.
Reed felt it in his chest.
Vinod glanced at Reed and smirked. "She always this patient?"
Reed didn't hesitate. "Yeah. That's my girl."
The room went quiet for exactly half a second.
Ryan's eyebrows shot up. "Ohhh. We're using titles now."
Felix clutched his chest. "I just felt character development."
Eva froze.
Slowly turned toward Reed.
Her cheeks were already pink.
"Your... girl?" she repeated quietly.
Reed met her eyes, steady.
"Yeah."
No big speech.
No theatrics.
Just fact.
Eva's lips parted like she didn't know what to do with that information.
Then she smiled.
Small.
Shy.
Bright in a way that felt private.
Reed had to look away for a second.
Caleb shook his head. "I leave you alone for one semester and you turn into a boyfriend."
Ryan slapped Reed's shoulder. "Proud of you, man."
Eva looked between all of them, clearly trying not to combust.
"You guys are ridiculous."
Felix grinned. "You love us."
Eva hesitated.
Then, softly, "Yeah. I kind of do."
Reed felt something warm settle low in his stomach.
They attempted studying.
Emphasis on attempted.
Eva explained things anyway.
Patiently.
Gently.
Never once making anyone feel stupid.
She kept sliding her notebook across the table, tilting it so Vinod could see better, leaning toward Felix when he squinted at a problem like it had personally offended him.
Every time she leaned closer, Reed noticed.
Every time she tucked hair behind her ear, Reed noticed.
Every time she laughed at something dumb, Reed noticed.
At one point, Ryan dramatically flopped onto the floor beside her.
"I don't understand hypothesis testing and I think it hates me."
Eva smiled. "It doesn't hate you. You just have to break it into steps."
She walked him through it slowly, her finger tracing the page as she talked.
Reed watched the way she focused.
The way she cared.
The way she didn't rush anyone.
He didn't just want her.
He wanted to be worthy of her.
Eventually, Vinod glanced at the clock.
"It's late."
Eva blinked. "Oh. I didn't even realize."
Reed immediately said, "You can stay if you want."
The room collectively pretended not to listen.
Eva hesitated, then nodded.
"Okay."
Reed's chest felt too full.
----
Reed handed Eva one of his t-shirts from the dresser.
"For sleeping," he said. "If you want."
She took it with both hands like it was something fragile.
"Thank you."
They stood there for a second too long, neither of them quite sure what to do with themselves.
Not awkward.
Just aware.
"I'll... change in the bathroom," Eva said softly.
Reed nodded. "Take your time."
When she disappeared down the hallway, Reed grabbed clean clothes and changed in his room. He didn't think about it. Didn't overanalyze. He just reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head.
Eva came back a minute later.
Wearing his shirt.
It hung loose on her frame, slipping off one shoulder, the fabric brushing her thighs.
Reed forgot what he had been doing.
Eva stopped just inside the doorway.
Her eyes flicked up.
Then down.
Then back up again.
She swallowed.
"Oh," she said quietly.
Reed felt heat crawl up the back of his neck.
"Sorry," he said automatically. "I was just changing."
"No— it's okay," Eva said quickly. "I just... didn't realize you'd be—"
She stopped herself.
Her cheeks turned pink.
Reed didn't miss it.
He grabbed his hoodie from the bed and slid it on, slower than necessary, suddenly very aware of how close she was.
They both pretended nothing had happened.
It was painfully obvious something had happened.
Eva shifted her weight, fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.
Reed noticed the way her gaze drifted to his shoulder.
The faint line of the scar.
Her brows knit together.
Without thinking, she stepped closer.
Very slowly.
"Can I...?" she asked.
Reed nodded.
Eva reached out, barely touching the edge of the scar with her fingertips.
The contact was light.
Careful.
Reed's breath caught anyway.
"I don't talk about it much," he said quietly.
Eva didn't pull her hand away.
She didn't push either.
Just stayed.
"My mom died when I was sixteen," Reed continued. "Car accident. Drunk driver ran a red light."
Eva's eyes softened immediately.
"I was in the passenger seat. She was trapped. I tried to get her out. That's how I got this."
Eva moved closer.
Slow.
Careful.
She reached out and took his hand.
Not squeezing.
Not demanding.
Just holding.
"I'm really sorry, Reed."
He nodded once.
"She would've liked you," he said quietly.
Eva's heart cracked open.
"I would've liked her."
Reed looked at her then.
Really looked.
Her eyes were glossy.
Her mouth pressed into a soft line like she was holding herself together.
Not fragile.
Strong in a quiet way.
He lifted his hand and brushed his thumb gently under her eye, catching a tear that had slipped free.
"Don't cry for me."
"I'm not crying for you," Eva said softly. "I'm crying because you were a kid and you shouldn't have had to go through that."
Something in Reed broke open.
He pulled her into his arms.
Not rushed.
Not desperate.
Just needing.
Eva wrapped her arms around him immediately.
Like it was instinct.
Like it was easy.
She fit against him perfectly.
Reed rested his forehead against the top of her head.
No words.
No expectations.
Just breathing.
Just closeness.
After a while, they shifted onto the bed, lying on their sides facing each other.
Not under the covers.
Not tangled.
Just close.
Eva's hand rested on his chest.
Reed's hand rested at her waist.
Nothing sexual.
Everything intimate.
"I trust you," Reed said quietly.
Eva's throat tightened.
"I trust you too."
They didn't kiss.
They didn't push.
They didn't rush.
They fell asleep like that.
Two bodies.
One quiet promise.