Ethan stumbled forward as the portal spat him out a second too late.
He caught himself on the edge of his desk, steadying his breath.
He looked around, blinking. "Am I really back?"
It was his study room. Same shelves. Same clutter. Same curtain fluttering under the slow spin of the ceiling fan.
Yeah, he was home.
The portal behind him shimmered once and vanished in silence, leaving only the usual morning stillness.
Ethan stood up straight and let out a long breath.
Everything looked untouched. His books were still on the shelf. The chair was half-turned like he had just left it. Sunlight poured in gently through the window.
He was lucky the return didn't shatter half the room.
Still feeling a little off-balance, he walked over to the window and pulled the curtain aside.
The neighborhood outside was peaceful. The sky was a soft gold, and somewhere in the distance, a dog barked once, then quieted.
Ethan narrowed his eyes and let the calm sink in.
