Vyan sat hunched over the laptop, his fingers dancing eagerly across the keyboard as the screen bathed his face in a bluish glow.
He was so engrossed that he didn't notice the gentle footsteps behind him until a familiar voice spoke, sounding light and teasing.
"Whatcha up to?"
Startled, Vyan turned his head over his shoulder, finding Emma leaning casually against the back of the couch, an amused smile tugging at her lips. "When'd you get back?"
Emma shrugged, coming to plop on the couch beside him. "It's been a while, actually. I even freshened up. Plus, Adrian's back too. We didn't want to disturb you 'cause you looked so serious. Like you were cracking some top-secret code."
Vyan laughed under his breath, closing the laptop with a quiet click. "Ah, sorry. I guess I got carried away. I was just… gathering knowledge." He paused, glancing at her with a sheepish smile. "Trying to understand your world a little better."
