Lucien's eyes fluttered open, his body feeling light, as if he were drifting somewhere in the ocean.
Sunlight poured over him relentlessly, warm and blinding, making his eyes sting as tears gathered at the corners.
He groaned and shifted, lifting an arm to shield his face, but before he could, something blocked the light entirely.
Lucien blinked, then fully opened his eyes.
An arm was draped over him, His frown deepened as realization hit, and he turned his head sharply, his eyes narrowing as they locked onto the man beside him.
Mikhail lay there with infuriating ease, one arm stretched above Lucien's head as if he belonged there.
His hair was still damp from a recent bath, red strands clinging to his temples and chest. His upper body was bare, skin marked with a thick bandage wrapped around the right side of his chest, right where Lucien had shot him.
The sight twisted something unpleasant in Lucien's chest.
