Catori/Maniac's POV

I stare at her in silence, taking in the way she avoids my gaze. Tears streak her cheeks, uninterrupted apart from the occasional sniffle. Her arms wrap tightly around her body, her expression a fragile attempt at self-control. Something twists inside me, snapping under the pressure.

I cross the space from the door to the bed. Brittany stays put, motionless, even as I lower myself onto the mattress beside her. She sniffles again, and impulsively, ...