Kenny sighed heavily, his gaze softening as he looked at Dawn, who was still curled up under the blanket. He gently reached out, tugging at the edge of the blanket. "Dawn, look at me," he repeated, his voice firm but kind.

Reluctantly, Dawn shifted, her tear-streaked face peeking out from under the covers. "What, Kenny?" she muttered, her voice barely audible. "What do you want me to say? That I’m fine? Because I’m not."

Kenny’s heart ached at her words, but he didn’t hesitate. He leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her in a tight, comforting hug. "Dee Dee," he said softly, using her nickname to catch her attention, "listen to me. I know you’re upset, and I know losing hurts, but there’s no way I’m going to let you quit contests. Especially not until I’ve had the chance to beat you myself. Understand?"

Dawn sniffled, her head resting against his shoulder. "Kenny, I don’t know... I just don’t think I’m cut out for this anymore. Maybe I should just give up and—"

"Absolutely not," Kenny cut her off firmly. He pulled back slightly, looking her directly in the eyes. "You’re not going to quit, Dawn. You’re one of the most determined people I know. You’ve worked so hard to get where you are, and you’re not going to throw it all away just because of one loss. Got it?"

Dawn let out a small, bitter laugh, wiping her eyes. "Great. Then why don’t we battle right now? You can take all of my ribbons, and I can just stay here and knit sweaters or something."

Kenny rolled his eyes but gave her a small, teasing smirk. "Dawn, no. You’re not staying here to knit, and you’re definitely not giving me your ribbons. You’ve earned those. Every single one of them. And you’re going to earn more, because you’re not giving up. You hear me?"

Dawn looked at him for a long moment, her lips trembling. "Kenny, it’s just... I feel like I’m not good enough. Like no matter how hard I try, I’ll never win."

"You are good enough," Kenny said firmly. "And I’m not just saying that because I’m your boyfriend. You’re talented, Dawn. You’ve got what it takes. You just have to believe in yourself as much as I believe in you."

Dawn’s eyes softened, her resolve wavering. "You really think I can do it?"

"I know you can," Kenny said with conviction. He gave her a reassuring smile. "And hey, even if you don’t win every time, you’ve got me. I’ll be here to cheer you on, to support you, and to remind you that you’re amazing, no matter what."

Dawn finally allowed herself a small smile, leaning into his embrace. "Thanks, Kenny. I needed to hear that."

"Anytime, Dee Dee," Kenny said, ruffling her hair gently. "Now, come on. Let’s get out of this room. The world’s not going to wait for you to catch up, and you’ve got contests to win."

Dawn laughed lightly, her spirits lifting. "All right, but only if you stop calling me Dee Dee."

"No promises," Kenny teased, earning an exasperated groan from Dawn. But this time, her heart felt just a little lighter.