"Lena, are you busy?"
It was later that night. Dinner plates had been rinsed and stacked neatly into the dishwasher. The quiet hum of the machine blended with the faint ticking of the wall clock. Dylan dried his hands and walked toward the living room, where the warm amber lamps painted the walls in soft light.
Lena was curled up on the couch, a thick book resting against her knees. A pale blue comforter draped loosely over her legs. A few strands of her hair had fallen over her cheek as she read, completely absorbed.
Dylan smiled to himself.
He walked over quietly and sat beside her, adjusting the comforter more securely around her legs. The small gesture carried familiarity,care without announcement.
"Hm," Lena murmured absently, eyes still scanning the page.
After a second, she closed the book and placed it aside on the coffee table. Her arm looped effortlessly around his neck, pulling him closer as though she had known he would come sit beside her all along.
