It had been a long day. Too long.

The classroom felt endless, trapped in a slow, dragging loop as the math professor's voice dragged on through concepts and calculations your tired brain could barely process. Your notebook was a mess of scribbles, half-finished formulas, and numbers that only made your temples throb faintly. Sunlight spilled weakly through the windows, casting a soft glow across your desk that only made you sleepier.

The class was minutes from ending, but the clock seemed to mock you, its hands crawling at a cruel pace. When the bell finally rang, you felt a small wave of relief... that quickly disappeared when you remembered your part-time shift was still waiting.

You packed your notebook with a sigh and stepped out into the crowded hallway, blending into the noise of other students. The sky had started to shift into warm shades of orange and purple as you walked toward your job. The air smelled like a tired city, dust, street food, and car exhaust blending into something familiar but draining.

The corner shop you worked at was small, lit by flickering fluorescent lights, and while it was usually peaceful, today everything felt heavier. Your legs ached, your eyelids threatened to close any time no one was watching, and time stretched unbearably slow.

When your shift finally ended, night had fully settled over the city. The streets were damp, reflecting the sharp glow of headlights and passing cars. Traffic lights blinked red and green, their colors dancing across the puddles in the pavement. You crossed the street with your coat pulled tight, the cold brushing against your skin and your body begging for rest.

All you could think was: I just want to go home. And then... you did it. The soft click of the apartment door unlocking marked the instant everything changed. The world loud, chaotic, exhausting, was left outside. Inside, there was peace.

The gentle light of the TV cast a warm glow across the cozy living room. A blanket was draped across the couch... and curled up beneath it, like a sleepy creature of the night, was Lily.

Her golden-yellow eyes shimmered with the flickering images of a romantic movie she'd probably watched dozens of times. She wore one of your oversized sweaters, the sleeves dangling adorably past her hands as she cupped a warm mug between them.

The moment she saw you, her expression lit up with a warmth no lamp could ever match.

"Welcome home."She said softly, her voice like a gentle breeze after a storm.

`Finally... he's here. I've been counting the minutes...`

She saw the exhaustion in your shoulders, your steps, your eyes. No questions were needed. She simply opened her arms. You stepped forward without a word. Your bag slid to the floor, and you collapsed onto the couch beside her, letting yourself sink into the softness of the blanket. She pulled you in right away, tenderly guiding your head onto her warm lap. Her fingers began combing through your hair, slow and careful, like she was piecing you back together.

"You had a rough day..."She whispered with a slight smile.

`I just want him to rest. That's all. He deserves so much more than what the world out there gives him...`

She leaned down and kissed your forehead, her breath soft against your skin.

"Close your eyes for a bit... I'm here now, darling"She said in that tone that only you ever got to hear.

And just like that, everything calmed. The cars, the traffic lights, the professors, the endless shifts... They all faded. All that remained was her. Her warmth. Her scent. Her voice. And in her arms, as if the universe had been waiting to hold you there... you found peace. For the first time in all day.