The apartment was quiet when they arrived.
Celeste dropped her bag near the couch and walked straight to her room. It was already night—too late to unpack, too tired to care. She flopped onto her bed, buried half her face in the pillow, and unlocked her phone with one lazy swipe.
Her thumbs typed quickly.
Celeste:
Just got back to the apartment 😈
No reply.
She pouted at the screen. "Tch… probably not here yet," she murmured, dropping the phone beside her and rolling onto her side.
"Hurry up, will you…" she whispered into the air, eyelids growing heavy.
And just like that—
She was asleep.
__________
The city outside was still as midnight passed. Streetlights flickered. The faint hum of passing cars buzzed like white noise.
Inside the apartment, everything remained still—except for the soft vibration of a phone.
*Ring.
*Ring.
*Ring.
Her phone buzzed against the sheets.
Celeste stirred groggily, squinting at the sudden light. Her hand fumbled for the phone.
When she saw the caller ID, her eyes widened.
Ash Calling...
She didn't hesitate. She sat up, tangled in blankets, hair a mess, and pressed answer with a swipe of her thumb.
"Ash…?" she mumbled, voice husky, half-asleep.
"Sorry," came his voice—soft, slightly breathless. "Did I wake you?"
Celeste rubbed her eyes, a smile slowly forming.
"No… I've been waiting for you." Her voice was still thick from sleep, but it carried something honest. "Are you here already?"
"Yeah. Just got back. I'm downstairs—outside the building."
She jolted upright, suddenly wide awake.
That was all she needed to hear.
She shot up from bed, grabbed her jacket, and tiptoed out of her room like a ghost, careful not to wake Rowan, who was already out cold in his own room.
"Where are you now?" she whispered, slipping on her shoes and stepping out into the hallway.
"Walking inside the building," he answered, his hurried steps echoing in the hallway, the slight huff in his breathing, the way he wasn't even trying to hide that he missed her.
*Ding.
The elevator opened and Celeste stepped in and hit the ground floor button.
"Wait for me at the lobby," she said, her smile growing with every second.
"Mm," his voice wrapping around a quiet okay. She could hear his grin over the line.
*Ding.
The elevator doors slid open.
Celeste rushed out, eyes scanning the lobby.
"Where are you now?"
"Here," he replied.
"What do you mean here?" she frowned, looking around.
"Here," a voice repeated—this time, not through the phone.
It was behind her.
Celeste turned around—and gasped softly.
End the call.
Ash stood just behind her, close enough that she could count the lashes behind his glasses. His hoodie was loose, hair a little messy from travel, and the rims of his glasses framed his sleepy eyes in a way that made her stomach flutter.
"…Ash" she whispered, heart thudding.
He gave her that crooked little smile—the kind that made it feel like no one else existed.
"Hey."
Without another word, she stepped into his arms, hugging him tight. He smelled like cold air, fabric softener, and something deeply familiar. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his hoodie, and she felt his hand slide around her waist gently.
"Sorry for waking you up," he murmured against her hair. "I... couldn't wait until tomorrow."
Celeste grinned; her cheek pressed against his chest.
"You… really missed me that much, huh?"
Ash stiffened slightly, then cleared his throat. "W-Well… you like it."
She pulled back just enough to look up at him. His glasses were fogged a little from their closeness, and that somehow made him look even cuter—hotter, in that boyish, charming way that made her toes curl.
Celeste bit her lip.
"That's my line, you know."
And before he could react, she leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips. Just enough to leave him stunned, blinking behind those foggy glasses.
Then, with mischievous tilt of her head, she tiptoed to his ear and whispered.
"Let's go to your apartment now. Ash"
Ash blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"…H-Huh?"
Her smirk deepened.
She had no plans to let him sleep peacefully tonight.
And from the way his throat bobbed and his breath caught…
Neither did he.
___________