Sera’s breath caught in her throat at his words—honest, broken, brave. Her arms tightened around him instinctively, protectively, like if she held on just a little closer, she could chase that thought away forever.

She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, tasting the salt of his tears. “You’re still here,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “That’s what matters. You stayed. And I’m so, so grateful you did.”

Her fingers brushed through his hair, gently soothing, grounding. “You were in pain, Finn. Real pain. And you were carrying it alone for so long.” Her voice cracked then, but she kept going, needing him to hear every word. “But you don’t have to do that anymore. Not with me. You don’t have to hide, or fight through it by yourself.”

She cupped his face in both hands, lifting it just enough so their eyes met. Her gaze shimmered with unshed tears, but it was steady—anchored by love. “You didn’t leave me. And I’m not going to let you go, ever. So no more guilt, okay? Just… healing. Together.”

Then she kissed him—slow, lingering, full of everything words couldn’t hold. A promise sealed with warmth and light.

Sera felt the breath catch in her chest at his words—raw and trembling, but so sincere it ached. She wrapped her arms around him again, one hand cradling the back of his head, the other pressed flat against his spine like she was anchoring him to her.

She closed her eyes, her own tears slipping quietly down her cheeks, but her voice was soft, certain, when she spoke. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for staying. For fighting. For choosing me… choosing us.”

She held him for a long moment, just breathing him in, feeling the weight of everything they’d survived settle between them like a shared heartbeat.

Then, her hand drifted down to take his again, fingers lacing tightly with his. “We’ll get through the hard days. The quiet ones, too. You don’t have to be perfect. Just here. Just with me.”

Sera smiled through the tears, brushing his hair back gently as she leaned into him. “Together,” she repeated, voice steady now. “Always.”

Sera melted into the kiss, eyes fluttering shut as she let herself feel the quiet depth of it—no rush, no fear, just love. Pure and simple and his. When they pulled apart, her smile mirrored his, soft and warm, her heart full to the brim.

She let out a breathy laugh, the sound light and a little shaky, but real. “Yeah,” she whispered, brushing her thumb across his cheek. “Back to pancakes.”

Her fingers laced through his one more time before she tugged him gently toward the stove, casting a playful glance over her shoulder. “Only if you promise not to flick more batter at me. I will retaliate, and you will lose.”

There was a teasing sparkle in her eyes now, the heaviness lingering but no longer weighing her down. They’d made it through the storm. Together. And now… they had pancakes.

Sera grinned, clearly not buying it, but amused all the same. “Mmhm,” she hummed, squinting at him playfully as she picked up the mixing spoon. “You say that now, but I know that look, Finn. That’s the ‘I’m definitely gonna do it again when you least expect it’ look.”

Still, she leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek before turning back to the pan, pouring the next round of batter in with a practiced hand. The sizzle filled the kitchen, comforting and familiar.

“You’re lucky I love you,” she said over her shoulder with a smirk, her voice light now—teasing, but full of warmth. “Otherwise I’d be making your pancake mysteriously disappear.”

She glanced back at him, eyes softening. “...But I guess I like having you around too much.”