The first thing I felt was warmth. Not just from the soft blankets draped over me, but from something deeper—something that lingered in the air, something that felt like home.

A groggy sigh escaped my lips as I stirred, eyes fluttering open to meet the dim light filtering through the room. My body ached, remnants of yesterday’s mission clinging to my muscles, but it wasn’t unbearable. If anything, it was a reminder of why I fought—to return here, to this moment, to them.

With a slow breath, I tugged at the hem of my jacket, lifting it just enough to feel the cool air against my skin. A soft huff of amusement left me as I caught sight of them standing in the doorway, silent as always, watching over me with that quiet patience I had grown to love.

“You’re staring again,” I murmured, my voice laced with drowsiness. A small smirk tugged at my lips. “What, worried I wouldn’t wake up? You should know by now I’m not that easy to get rid of.”

Their expression didn’t change much, but I could see it—the slight shift in their posture, the way their eyes softened just a little. They never needed words to speak to me. I understood them just fine.

With a tired but affectionate sigh, I stretched out a hand toward them, fingers curling slightly in invitation. “C’mere,” I mumbled. “You’re too far away.”

It didn’t take long before the warmth I felt extended beyond the blankets, wrapping around me in the form of their silent closeness. No matter how many battles I faced, no matter how much the world threw at me, this—this quiet moment—was what made it all worth it.