The sun peeked through the curtains, its soft golden light spreading across the room. Lydia's eyes fluttered open slowly. For a second, she panicked. Was he gone?
But then she turned her head and sighed with relief.
Ivan was there. Still lying beside her. Still breathing the same air.
He looked so calm. Peaceful. His dark lashes rested gently against his skin, his face soft without its usual cold expression. Lydia smiled quietly, her heart warming at the sight.
He looks so calm when he's asleep, she whispered to herself.
She reached out gently and brushed her fingers through his hair, so careful it was almost like touching a dream.
But suddenly, his hand caught hers.
Softly. Not roughly.
He opened his eyes.
She gasped and quickly pulled her hand back. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered. "I just wanted to… to touch you. To see if you were really here. I… I used to wake up thinking you were next to me… but you were never there. I just needed to be sure I wasn't dreaming."
