***Bael's POV***
The first thing Bael noticed when he woke was warmth.
Not the room or the blanket.
Runze.
He opened his eyes slowly and looked down. Runze was asleep against his chest, one arm draped loosely across his waist, dark hair slightly disordered from sleep. The early morning light coming through the curtains softened everything, turning the sharp edges of the room into something quieter.
For several seconds, Bael didn't move.
There had been a time, not very long ago, when waking up beside Runze had been routine. Familiar.
Then there had been the month afterward, the separate room, the closed door, the careful distance, the uncertainty.
He had not realized until it was gone how much space that distance occupied inside his head.
Now Runze was here. Back in their room, back in his arms. Bael looked at the ceiling and felt something settle quietly inside his chest.
Relief.
