My head rests on Deniz's shoulder, my eyes closed, our fingers still intertwined. The gentle sway of the bus lulls me into something deeper than rest—a peaceful floating, a moment suspended outside of time.
I wish this could last forever. I wish we could stay here, in this worn seat, with his warmth beside me and the city lights painting patterns on my closed eyelids.
It's so calm. So perfect.
The bus slows. Stops.
Deniz's voice comes soft and warm near my ear, pulling me gently from my drifting.
"Zyren? Are you sleeping?"
I open my eyes slowly, straightening, meeting his gaze in the dim interior light. He's watching me with that soft expression I've come to treasure.
"This is our stop," he says.
I nod, small and sleepy, still wrapped in the cocoon of peace he's created around me. We rise together, our hands never separating.
Deniz carefully removes the earbuds from my ear and his own, gathering them in his palm.
