Have one. It'll help you calm down." Comforting someone wasn't exactly Vincent's strength. This attempt was the best he could manage.

Seeing Vincent trying so earnestly, Katelyn couldn't help but smile softly. His effort alone had already eased much of her anger.

She parted her lips and took a bite of the cherry. The moment the sweet flavor hit her tongue, her eyes brightened. She turned to Vincent with a nod. "It's really good."

A rare softness filled Vincent's typically cool gaze. "There's plenty more. Have as many as you'd like."

The frustration that had weighed on Katelyn finally lifted. Taking the plate, she ate a few more cherries herself, then held one up to Vincent's lips playfully.

Seeing her mood lighten, Vincent exhaled in quiet relief. He leaned in and took the cherry from her fingers.

In that fleeting moment, Vincent's lips lightly brushed against the tip of Katelyn's finger. Without warning, a tingling sensation shot from Katelyn's fingertip and spread swiftly toward her heart.

Katelyn pulled her hand back as if startled, her gaze sharpening. "I've got to crash early tonight," she said, rubbing her temples with a tired sigh. "I'm wiped."

Vincent smiled, a contented glint in his eyes. Playfulness and teasing weren't typically her style, but tonight, she embraced them both. It was this side of Katelyn that he couldn't get enough of.

Vincent had always assumed that indifferent natures would clash, but instead, they found themselves drawn to each other. And now? Now her edges fit against his like puzzle pieces he hadn't realized were missing. This quiet, steady warmth was something he'd never experienced before.

His gaze lingered on her a beat too long, his lips quirking in a slight smile. "Never said I had plans." The words rolled off his tongue, deliberate. "But if you're this jumpy, maybe I should start." A playful spark lit his eyes, his smile widening just enough to tease.

Katelyn arched a brow, her lips twitching despite herself. "You're getting bolder," she shot back, her tone dry but her eyes betraying a flicker of amusement.

The past Vincent would never have been like this. The Vincent she'd first known was a glacier — cold, untouchable, and impossibly distant. But now? Now he felt like the comforting warmth of a campfire. Katelyn studied the faint curve of Vincent's lips. She couldn't deny the pull of this new Vincent; she loved him all the more for it. This Vincent made her feel like she was finally seeing the real him. And with every shared glance, every quiet moment, the distance between them seemed to shrink.

Vincent stayed silent, but the faint curve of his lips and the way his eyes lingered on her said enough.

Katelyn didn't bother to banter with Vincent any further, shoving him lightly. "Enough," she said, her tone firm but fond. "It's late. Go shower and get some rest."

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