And his eyes, which had always been empty and guarded, were beginning to shift just the tiniest bit.
[Wow… he's so handsome. And he's my brother? His eyes are gorgeous, but why do they look so sad? Don't worry, big bro. With me here, you'll never be lonely again.]
The moment those thoughts reached him, Lance went utterly still. He had spent his entire life relying on no one—always polite, distant, and entirely numb to the loneliness that accompanied being unwanted.
No one had ever truly seen him, let alone spoken to the part of him he didn't dare show until now.
For the first time, someone reached into that cold, quiet space within him and ignited a spark.
His amber eyes gradually softened; the edges were no longer sharp, but instead tentative and curious.
Gently, almost as if he feared I might shatter, he laid me back in the crib. Then, without saying a word, he reached up and unclasped the ivory pendant from around his neck. The metal was still warm from his skin. He carefully fastened it around mine.
"This was the only thing my mother ever left me," he whispered. "Now… it'll protect you."