I woke in the middle of the night, the moonlight spilling through the window and casting pale shadows across the room. The warmth of the bed was almost enough to convince me I was safe, but the memory of the basement lingered like a dark echo.
He was there, standing silently near the doorway.
"You can leave," Lorian said softly, his voice low, almost casual, as if it were a simple fact rather than permission.
I just stared at him. My chest felt heavy, and my thoughts tumbled over themselves. Leave? Could I? Should I? I didn't want to. I didn't even want to think about leaving.
He stepped closer, eyes searching mine. "It's okay. You don't have to stay. You're free to go anytime."
My lips parted, but no words came out. I just blinked, letting the silence stretch between us.
Finally, I whispered, my voice steady, though my heart pounded, "No… I'm going to stay."
For a moment, he froze. Then… his cheeks colored faintly, just enough to notice in the dim light. "Okay," he said, his voice quieter, almost shy. Without another word, he moved to the couch at the other side of the room, settling there as though to give me the space I had chosen.
I curled back under the blankets, letting my body relax for the first time in days. The tension in my chest eased slightly, and soon, exhaustion overtook me. I drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Hours later, I woke again, startled by the quiet. The bed felt emptier than I expected, the room too still. I blinked, my chest tightening, and then—hesitantly—called out, "Lorian?"
He appeared almost immediately, silent as a shadow beside me.
I swallowed, nervous but determined. "Just for tonight… can you… sleep with me?" I added quickly, trying to clarify. "Not… anything else. Just… sleep."
He studied me, those sharp, unreadable eyes softening just slightly. After a long moment, he nodded. "Just sleep."
I shifted, making space, and he lay down beside me. Not touching more than needed, but close enough that the warmth of his body seeped into mine. The tension I had carried for days—the fear, the hunger, the loneliness—slipped just a little. I let myself relax, feeling something I hadn't in a long time: comfort. Safety.
I fell asleep slowly, a small smile on my lips, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt… happy.
When I woke again, the room was quiet. He was gone. The space beside me was empty, and the light had shifted, morning bleeding slowly into the room. My chest ached just a little—not with fear, but with the strange emptiness of knowing he had left.
I sat up slowly, brushing the tangled hair from my face. He was gone—but somehow, for the first time, I didn't feel entirely alone.
I had chosen to stay. And that choice… had changed everything.