The reassurance lands like rain on parched ground, soothing—and also immediately gone, absorbed or evaporated because it's too little to change the damage of an extended drought.

Vex hugs him, her face buried in his shoulder for a long moment. She's unwilling to let go, but unable to really bend or accept what he's said.

Unfortunately a pattern in many of her relationships, she's learning.

"So what do you propose?"