Leonid observed Charlotte's soft features, now touched with a faint sternness. Then his gaze dropped to her clenched fist, steadier than before.
Perhaps she was still worried, so he tried to reassure her with a light tone:
"I'm fine… I'm just going to the bathroom."
But her hand didn't let go, and her eyes remained fixed on him.
He exhaled slowly, then pointed to himself with a faint smile:
"I'm sweaty, okay? I'll shower and come back… I won't be long."
"Why—"
"Why?"
Leonid cut her off quickly, his brows slightly furrowed.
"I think I just said I'm sweaty, so—"
"That's not what I meant."
Charlotte tightened her fist slightly, her lashes lowering before her voice came out soft and hesitant:
"Why… didn't you tell me before?"
Her tone was a mix of worry and heartbreak, as if the pain no longer belonged to him alone.
"Honestly, Leonid…"
Her eyes shimmered with withheld tears, and she continued in a trembling, faint voice:
"You talk so much about trust… but you never tell me anything."
Silence fell. Leonid looked at her with neutral eyes, though his insides swirled with unspoken noise.
"After all this time, Leonid… I barely know anything about you. Almost nothing at all."
"Nothing?"
He repeated the word like it left a bitter taste, then said quietly:
"Because I didn't tell you about the insomnia that's what makes you feel like you don't know me? Or is it just now that you're admitting it?"
Charlotte didn't answer. She only bit her lower lip in silent reproach.
He watched her silently, then placed his hands behind his back, leaned down until his forehead touched hers, and whispered:
"Don't you think it's a bit too late to really get to know me… after everything we've shared?"
Her lashes fluttered, and in the next moment, Leonid gently reached out and tapped her lips with his thumb:
"Stop biting your lip… you're hurting it."
She obeyed in silence, parting her lips slightly, then closing them again. Leonid softly brushed his thumb over the faint pink wound and whispered in mild reproach:
"That biting habit of yours is a bad one…"
She frowned unconsciously, and he smiled faintly, tapping her lips again:
"And frowning is a bad habit too. Didn't I tell you to stop doing that?"
He straightened up, though his eyes still lingered on her confused expression.
"One day, your lips might fall off."
"You won't fool me again."
Her lips trembled as she spoke, fighting the urge to cry.
Leonid gazed at her in silence, then reached out and gently patted her head.
"My God… you really are a spoiled girl."
"I'm not spoiled…"
"You are. And I love it when you are."
Charlotte's heart fluttered, and she could no longer hold back her tears. She let them fall freely.
Leonid looked at her tearful face for a moment, then turned his gaze away and said:
"Are you that upset with me? Fine, be mad at your boyfriend."
"I will stay upset with you… and with myself too. And I won't stop."
"No, it's not your fault. So don't be upset with yourself."
Leonid shook his head slowly, then added in a calm voice:
"Listen… I didn't hide my insomnia because I wanted to. You just… never asked. And I'm not someone who talks about himself much."
It was a belated confession. Until the last moment, he hadn't wanted to justify himself. But she had forced him to.
"I'm sorry, okay?"
He added in a low voice as he watched her trembling shoulders while she stifled her sobs.
Leonid sighed deeply and sat beside her, then gently pulled her toward him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and rested her face against his chest, her warm tears soaking into his skin.
"It's okay… it's okay."
He patted her back gently, then whispered:
"Insomnia isn't that hard… in fact, when I'm next to you, I sleep like I've never slept before."
Charlotte lifted her head slightly, looking at him through her tears:
"Are you trying to comfort me? Stop… I'll never believe you."
Leonid smiled with light sarcasm and said:
"You won't believe me? Seriously? I've been sleeping beside you for days didn't you notice how easily I drift off?"
He stared into her still hesitant eyes, then narrowed his own and whispered:
"I could swear it… if swearing would convince you."
But she slowly shook her head, and her voice slipped out from between her trembling lips:
"Nothing would convince me… I saw you with my own eyes, Leonid. You were pale, barely breathing… I thought you were sick, and that you'd die suddenly..."
His voice stilled for a few seconds, then he spoke gently, as if trying to soften her words:
"Die? You're exaggerating, Charlotte..."
He may have looked like he was dying, but insomnia doesn't kill.
Leonid sighed slowly, gave her a long look, then pulled his arms away and lay on his back.
"Alright..."
He whispered faintly, staring at the ceiling with empty eyes.
"I won't force you to believe me."
A heavy moment passed, his chest rising and falling slowly with each quiet breath.
Then, suddenly, he reached out, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her toward him without warning.
Charlotte's eyes widened in surprise, and she landed on his chest, thrown off balance.
"What are you doing…?"
She asked through her tears, still flowing down her cheeks, as she looked at him in shaky confusion.
Slowly, Leonid ran his palms across her cheeks, wiping her tears, then let them rest on her face in a warm touch.
"I like it when you cry for me..."
He whispered softly and added:
"But I can't bear it when you cry because of me."
"What—?!"
Charlotte asked in surprise, about to demand an explanation but his lips got there first.
He kissed her gently, a kiss that quickly turned into something hungry, passionate.
Charlotte closed her eyes and surrendered. She had missed this warmth, this touch she thought she'd lost forever.
And as they were both lost in the moment, the doorknob suddenly turned.
"Hey, guys—?!"
Daniel froze in place, his eyes wide with shock.
Leonid was holding Charlotte, kissing her deeply and passionately. The sight made Daniel's heart tremble not just from the surprise, but from a pang of relief that slipped in without him understanding why.
They were back.
"What's going on? Are they awake?"
Came Lyudmila's voice from behind, her footsteps confident as she approached.
But inside the room, no one moved.
Leonid didn't pull away, and Charlotte didn't try to stop him.
On the contrary, he drew her closer and gently shifted their positions until he was on top of her, his lips still pressed against hers, guiding her with tenderness and insistence
As if no one else existed in the world but the two of them.
The moment Daniel grasped the depth of what was unfolding, he quickly closed the door before Lyudmila could see anything.
"What are you doing? Are they asleep?"
Lyudmila asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Huh? Oh… yeah, they're asleep..."
Daniel muttered, trying to steady the nervous tone in his voice. His face flushed red, all the way to his ears.
"Really?"
Lyudmila crossed her arms and looked at him suspiciously.
"Didn't we agree we'd wake them up? We made a full breakfast!"
"Trust me… that won't be necessary right now."
"It is necessary, Daniel. The food won't wait, and it'll lose its taste."
Lyudmila blinked with determined eyes, as if she were fighting a holy war for fried eggs and warm bread.
"I'll wake them myself."
She said firmly and started to move.
"Wait!"
Daniel stretched out his arm to stop her, standing like a human wall in front of the door.
"Why so tense?"
She asked, eyebrows raised.
"Because they're in deep sleep, and I just… I don't want to disturb them, that's all."
Lyudmila blinked slowly, then tilted her head a little, watching him like she was trying to gauge his honesty.
"You… are lying."
She said it in a neutral tone.
"Me? No! No way!"
Daniel let out a short, nervous laugh.
"I just… believe in privacy, and good sleep, and rest, and—"
"Move."
She cut him off coldly as she stepped forward.
"No."
He said it quickly louder than he meant.
Lyudmila paused, then narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"What's wrong with you?"
She asked, voice skeptical, while Daniel looked away, unable to meet her gaze.
"I… nothing, I told you… it's not important, okay?"
Amid the silent tension between them, Lyudmila was eyeing Daniel with suspicion, while he avoided looking at her entirely.
Suddenly, the door opened from the inside. Daniel nearly stepped back in surprise, but quickly composed himself and turned around.
Leonid stood there, calm, wearing an indifferent expression but his swollen lips betrayed everything.
"Oh, good morning... Did you just wake up?"
Lyudmila said as she gently pushed Daniel aside and stepped closer to the door, trying to peek inside.
"Where's Charlotte?"