Todos os capítulos de His to Keep: Capítulo 11 - Capítulo 17

Chapter 12: Arlo’s POV – What LingersArlo didn’t stop working.He couldn’t.Even after Nikolai left, even after the room settled back into silence, even after the air felt lighter—His hands kept moving.Fold. Align. Stack.Again.Again.Again.But it wasn’t right.The rhythm was off.He stared down at the linen in his hands, noticing the crease wasn’t clean. Not sharp enough. Not like the one Nikolai had shown him.His fingers tightened.Focus.He redid it.Slower.More deliberate.Exactly the way Nikolai had—Arlo stopped.The realization came quietly.Too quietly.I’m copying him.His chest tightened.He dropped the fabric onto the table a little harder than necessary, stepping back as if the linen itself had done something wrong.This is exactly what I said I wouldn’t do.He exhaled slowly, pressing his palm against the edge of the table.This was supposed to be simple.Work. Save. Leave.That was it.No distractions.No complications.No—You already have.The words landed again

Chapter 14: Three Years Later Arlo's Pov:“You’re ignoring me.”“I’m listening.”“You’re typing.”“I can do both.”Kevin leans over, trying to peek at Arlo’s laptop. “That’s offensive.”Arlo tilts the screen away without looking up. “That’s private.”“It’s economics,” Kevin says. “How private can it be?”“Very.”Kevin huffs, then nudges Arlo’s shoulder with his own. “You’re actually impossible, you know that?”Arlo finally glances at him.“You’re still here.”“That’s because I like you,” Kevin shoots back easily.Arlo pauses.Then returns his attention to the screen.“Debatable.”Kevin laughs under his breath, not offended. He never is.That’s part of it.Part of why this works.Kevin doesn’t push too hard.Doesn’t ask too many questions.Doesn’t try to dig into things Arlo has no intention of explaining.---It’s easy.---Kevin shifts closer anyway, resting his chin briefly on Arlo’s shoulder.“You’ve been working for two hours.”-“Three."“That’s worse.”“I have a deadline.”“You

Chapter 16: Arlo’s POV — ReplacementThe music is too loud.Arlo should have left twenty minutes ago.Maybe longer.Time feels off here—stretched, blurred, unnecessary.Kevin is talking. Or was. Arlo isn’t sure when he stopped paying attention.“…and then she tried to say it was conceptual,” Kevin laughs, shaking his head. “Like that makes it any better.”Arlo nods faintly. “Right.”Kevin pauses mid-sentence, watching him.“You’re doing it again.”“Doing what?”“Not being here.”“I’m here.”Kevin studies him for a second, then exhales. “Yeah. Sure.”He doesn’t push. He never really does.Instead, he downs the rest of his drink and leans closer. “I’m grabbing another. Try not to disappear.”“I won’t.”Kevin gives him a look like he doesn’t believe that, then turns and slips into the crowd.Arlo stays where he is.Back near the wall. Same spot. Same distance.It’s easier that way.The bass vibrates through the floor. People move too close, too fast. Conversations overlap into noise.And