The evening air was thick with the scent of rain, the pavement slick under Lena's shoes as she made her way to Sophie's apartment. She pulled her jacket tighter around her, the wind tugging at her hair, but none of it bothered her. Her mind was spinning, caught between the heavy conversation with her mom and the comfort of knowing Sophie was waiting for her.
When she finally reached Sophie's building, Lena paused at the entrance, her hand hovering over the buzzer. She stared at the nameplate, her heart pounding louder than she expected. Why was she so nervous? After everything they'd been through, she shouldn't feel like this. And yet, the growing weight of what was left unspoken between them seemed to amplify with every moment she stood there.
With a deep breath, she pressed the buzzer.
Moments later, Sophie's voice crackled through the speaker. "Lena?"
"Yeah, it's me," Lena replied, trying to keep her voice steady.
The door buzzed open, and Lena stepped inside, her heartbeat quickening with each step up the stairs. Sophie's apartment was only two flights up, but it felt like climbing a mountain.
When she reached the door, it swung open before she even had a chance to knock. Sophie stood there, a soft smile on her lips, her hair pulled back in a loose bun. She was wearing an oversized sweater and leggings, looking as comfortable as ever, but there was something in her eyes—something warm and welcoming that made Lena's chest tighten.
"Hey," Sophie said, stepping aside to let Lena in.
"Hey," Lena echoed, stepping inside. The familiar warmth of Sophie's apartment enveloped her, the soft lighting and scent of vanilla making her feel instantly at ease.
Sophie closed the door behind them, her gaze lingering on Lena for a moment before she spoke again. "You look tired."
Lena sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, it's been... a day."
Sophie reached out, her hand gently brushing against Lena's arm. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Lena hesitated, her mind flashing back to the conversation with her mom. The weight of it still hung heavy on her, but part of her didn't want to unload all of that on Sophie. Not now, when things between them were still so delicate.
"Not right now," Lena said softly. "I just... I needed to be here with you."
Sophie smiled, her eyes softening. "I'm glad you're here."
They stood there for a moment, the silence between them comfortable but charged with something unspoken. Sophie's hand was still resting on Lena's arm, her touch light but grounding.
"Come on," Sophie said, breaking the silence. "Let's sit down. I made tea."
Lena followed her to the living room, where the soft glow of candles lit the space. The apartment was small but cozy, filled with little touches of Sophie's personality—plants on the windowsill, art on the walls, a stack of books on the coffee table.
Sophie handed Lena a steaming cup of tea, and they settled onto the couch, sitting close but not quite touching. For a few minutes, they sat in silence, sipping their tea, the warmth of the moment settling around them like a blanket.
It was Lena who finally broke the silence, setting her cup down and turning to Sophie. "I talked to my mom today."
Sophie's eyebrows lifted slightly. "How did that go?"
Lena sighed, leaning back against the couch. "It was... fine, I guess. It's always complicated with her. She worries about me, but she doesn't really understand my life. Or my choices."
Sophie nodded, her gaze thoughtful. "I get that. It's hard when the people who are supposed to know us the best just... don't."
Lena glanced at her, surprised by the vulnerability in Sophie's voice. "Do you have that with your family?"
Sophie shrugged, her eyes flickering down to her hands. "Yeah, sometimes. I mean, they love me, but there's always this... distance. Like they don't really see me. Not all of me, anyway."
Lena reached out, her hand covering Sophie's. "I see you."
Sophie looked up, her eyes meeting Lena's with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the weight of everything unsaid filling the space between them.
"I see you too," Sophie whispered, her voice barely audible.
The tension in the air was palpable, a charged energy that neither of them seemed willing to break. Lena's heart pounded in her chest, every part of her wanting to close the distance between them, but the fear of what might happen if she did held her back.
Sophie's hand tightened around hers, the touch grounding her, pulling her back into the moment. And in that moment, Lena realized something—she didn't have to have it all figured out. She didn't need to know what the future held or how this would all play out. All she needed was this. Sophie. Here. Now.
Lena leaned in, her lips brushing against Sophie's in a soft, tentative kiss. It was slow, unhurried, but filled with a depth of emotion that neither of them had spoken aloud. When they finally pulled away, their foreheads rested against each other, their breaths mingling in the quiet of the room.
"I'm scared," Lena admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Me too," Sophie whispered back. "But we don't have to do this alone."
Lena closed her eyes, letting the words wash over her. In that moment, she felt the weight of her fears begin to lift, replaced by something else—something lighter, more hopeful.
They stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other's presence, the world outside fading into the background. For the first time in a long time, Lena felt like she could breathe.
---
Later, as the evening wore on, they found themselves lying on the couch, Sophie's head resting in Lena's lap as they talked quietly, their conversation flowing easily between them. They spoke about everything and nothing—about their dreams, their fears, the little things that made them who they were.
At one point, Sophie turned, looking up at Lena with a soft smile. "Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we hadn't met that day at the gallery?"
Lena chuckled, brushing a strand of hair out of Sophie's face. "I try not to think about it. I don't want to imagine a world where we didn't meet."
Sophie smiled, a warm, contented look on her face. "Me neither."
Lena's heart swelled at the sight of Sophie lying there, so at ease, so open. It was a side of her she hadn't seen before, and it made her feel closer to Sophie than ever.
"I'm glad we found each other," Lena said softly, her voice filled with sincerity.
Sophie's smile widened, her hand reaching up to lightly brush against Lena's cheek. "Me too."
They fell into a comfortable silence again, the weight of their unspoken confessions lingering between them like a promise—one that they didn't need to say out loud to understand.
As the night grew darker, and the city outside hummed with life, Lena felt something shift inside her. For the first time in a long time, she wasn't afraid of what was to come. She didn't know what the future held, but for now, she had Sophie. And that was enough.