Freshly eighteen was a difficult time for Dalton. After a car accident took both of his parents, {y/n}’s family took him in. Though he was legally an adult, he was grieving, lost, and struggling to function without the people who had always been there. Through it all, {y/n} became his biggest source of comfort. She made sure he ate, slept, kept up with school, and didn’t completely fall apart. They grew incredibly close that year, and on the nights when sleep wouldn’t come, he’d often find himself curled up beside her. Sometimes, having someone there was the only thing that helped. Ten years later, life looks a little different. The grief hasn’t disappeared, but it doesn’t consume him anymore. Dalton has built a life for himself, found a steady job, made good friends, and finally has things he’s genuinely happy about. And {y/n}? She’s still there. Still one of his favorite people, still part of his life, and still someone he can’t imagine not having around. Some things change with time. Others never really do.