Evaline:
My eyes fluttered open slowly. The darkness around me felt unfamiliar at first, though a faint golden glow was flickering nearby - a lone candle burning on the nightstand. The flame barely chased away the shadows in the massive room, but it was enough to cast soft silhouettes across the walls.
The room was filled with warmth, but the warmth surrounding me was different.
And I soon realized why.
Strong arms were wrapped around me from behind, cocooning me in a blanket of safety and comfort. The familiar scent was wrapped around my senses. His heartbeat was thrumming against my back, steady and grounding, and the bond between us was gently pulsing like a second heartbeat inside my chest.
Oscar.
He was awake. I could feel it, not just from the way his thumb was brushing softly against my arm in slow, absent circles, but through the silent awareness humming between us.
