Warmth Without War
A grin spread across Ania's face mid-bite, her words muffled by a mouthful. Puffed cheeks bounced lightly while she crunched with dramatic care. Softness made her squeal - almost like the bread hugged her tongue
Far-off, Victor looked on past the table - face still, eyes quiet, like a watcher peering through fog at something just out of reach.
Something shifted behind his eyes, quick like a blink, nearly missed. Not quite silence now - the sound of laughter floated by, loose, without worry. Plates clinked nearby, lightly, as if time didn't matter. They moved together in that space, relaxed, unhurried. That ease tugged at him, deep down, strange and slow. An old kind of emptiness rose, soft but clear.
One breath. That is when it hit him - what it had been.
