Finn — Six

Finn decides to check on Autumn at Aunt Claire’s house, both to see if she overheard his morning conversation and to be near her while he postpones confessing his feelings and worries about breaking up with Sylvie. Finding the back door unlocked recalls a freshman-year memory of Jamie, underscoring Finn’s long-standing position at the edge of Autumn’s private life.

Upstairs, Finn discovers Autumn in bed, crying. He assumes it’s about Jamie and Sasha, but she reveals she’s mourning the end of her novel, feeling as if her protagonists, Izzy and Aden, are dead. Relieved it’s not a real-world crisis, Finn laughs, unintentionally minimizing her pain.

Autumn, hurt, punches his arm and tells him to stop laughing. Finn apologizes and holds her as she cries again, attuned to her fragility and his own guilty pleasure in being the one to comfort her since Jamie’s exit. He reaffirms his faith in her talent and expresses eagerness to read the manuscript.

Autumn initially refuses, worried he’ll read it too literally, but then agrees to let him read it after dinner. As darkness falls, their closeness lingers; Finn carefully keeps boundaries while savoring the intimacy. They plan to go out, and Finn steps away so she can dress, still torn between desire for Autumn and the looming need to end things with Sylvie.