It was strange.
Waking up with no battle to fight.
No Prime to chase.
No system countdown hanging like a guillotine above his soul.
Just… quiet.
Elias opened his eyes to sunlight streaming through the curtainless windows. A soft breeze rustled the sheets. Beside him, a warm weight shifted—a familiar sigh escaping.
Aya.
Hair messy. Face buried half in the pillow, half on his chest. Her leg was flung carelessly across his waist, as if even in sleep, she refused to let him go.
He didn't move.
Didn't want to.
Moments like this—this was what they'd bled for.
He reached up, brushing a few strands of hair from her cheek.
She stirred. "Mm… Morning already?"
"Barely."
Aya blinked up at him with those sharp golden eyes. "You look peaceful."
"I'm trying to figure out what peace actually is," he murmured.
She smirked, sleepy and soft. "Then stay in bed and learn with me."
He almost said yes.
Almost.
But then Mira's voice crackled softly over the private thread relay.