I had about thirty seconds before whoever was outside came in.
I pulled off the blood stained shirt and dropped it behind the bed where it wasn't immediately visible. Then I pulled the blanket up over the sheets, smooth and casual, the practiced efficiency of someone who had spent twenty years hiding evidence of difficult nights.
"Should I come in?" Azure's voice through the door.
"Yes. It's okay."
She entered. She found me standing, shirtless, and her eyes did a fast scan of the room before they found mine. Not obvious. The kind of scan you only catch if you're looking for it. She was checking for damage. For evidence of what she already suspected.
Then she smiled.
"Morning."
"Good morning, Azure."
"You okay?" She framed it carefully, the specific framing of someone who already thought the answer was no and was giving me room to confirm it gently.
I opened my mouth, but she beat me to it.
"I told you not to leave the room,"
