[EVE]
"Eve?"
I looked up to see Dean standing in the doorway of the kitchen, a mug of hot chocolate in each hand. He walked over and handed me one without a word, then flopped down beside me, kicking his feet up on the coffee table like he owned the place.
"Thanks," I murmured, curling my hands around the mug.
He didn't say anything at first. Just sipped from his cup and stared at the wall like it had insulted his fashion sense.
Then, casually: "You know I was serious about the emotional garbage comment, right?"
I let out a breath that was half-laugh, half-sob.
"Yeah," I whispered. "I know."
He bumped his shoulder against mine. "But I'm proud of you."
I looked at him, surprised.
"For what?"
"For standing your ground. For not letting him pull you back into something that would've broken you again. That takes guts, sis."
I smiled faintly.
"I didn't do it to be brave," I admitted. "I did it because I had to."
"Still counts."
