not strong enough

"I came up to him, approaching from behind. He sat there, bent over, his fighting spirit seemed broken.

'Are you still upset about earlier?', I asked carefully.

'Fuck off', he replied, but even that sounded more half-hearted than usual.

'You don't need to be.', I said and laid my arms around his back,

'It's okay.'

He struggled. I could barely hold him back. But then he stopped, turning around to me, and I saw the immense tiredness in his eyes.

'You don't have to be strong all the time.', I whispered and buried my face in his hair.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him smile.