Carmen
For a moment, she lay perfectly still, her mind struggling to catch up with reality. The early morning light filtered through the curtains, casting soft shadows across the room.
Then she felt the warmth.
The weight of an arm resting around her waist.
Her eyes widened.
Nico.
He was still there.
The last person she expected to see beside her when she woke up.
His eyes opened a second later, and a slow smile spread across his face.
"You're awake."
Carmen blinked.
"Should I not be?"
His smile widened.
"No. It's just…" He shrugged. "Usually I'm the one who wakes up first."
"Usually you would've left already."
Something flickered across his face.
A look she wasn't used to seeing from him.
Regret.
"Yeah," he admitted quietly. "A nasty habit I intend to fix."
Carmen stared at him.
"…You don't have to."
She shifted, attempting to move away, but Nico tightened his arm around her waist and effortlessly pulled her back against him.
Her breath caught.
"Nico."
