ELENA POV
It was nearly midnight when I found myself unable to sleep again.
Adrien was in his room, exhausted from coordinating with prosecutors across three time zones. Mom was resting peacefully, her vitals stable. The house was quiet except for the hum of electronics and the occasional creak of old wood settling.
I should have been in bed. Should have been resting.
Instead, I found myself drawn to Damien.
He sat at the dining table, hunched over his laptop, the blue light casting shadows across his face. A glass of whiskey sat beside him, mostly untouched. He looked exhausted. Haunted.
"Can't sleep?" I asked quietly.
He looked up, and for a moment, I saw raw pain in his eyes before he shuttered it. "Sleep seems like a luxury we can't afford."
"We need rest if we're going to"
"I know what we need, Elena."
I should have left. Should have gone back to bed, to Adrien's warm arms and uncomplicated affection.
Instead, I sat down across from Damien.
