Morning came slowly.
Soft light filtered through the curtains, spilling gently across the bed and warming the quiet room. Everything felt still, untouched—like the world outside hadn't quite begun yet.
Leah stirred first.
Not fully awake at first—just enough to shift slightly against the warmth surrounding her.
Something felt… different.
Comfortable.
Heavy, in a reassuring way.
Her brows furrowed faintly as she blinked her eyes open, adjusting to the light. For a moment, she didn't move—just lay there, letting her thoughts catch up with her body.
Then she felt it.
Warmth.
Steady.
Her gaze lowered slightly.
And she froze.
A hand rested against her stomach.
Large.
Warm.
Familiar.
Leah's breath softened as her eyes shifted slightly, following the arm back to where it came from.
Izana was beside her.
Still asleep.
Close.
Closer than usual.
His body was angled slightly toward hers, his arm draped protectively across her, his hand still resting exactly where it had been the night before.
He hadn't moved.
Not really.
Not enough to matter.
Leah stared at him for a moment, her expression softening as the realization settled in.
"…You stayed," she whispered quietly.
Izana didn't respond.
Still asleep.
But his hand shifted slightly at the sound of her voice, his fingers flexing just enough to tighten their hold against her stomach for a brief second before relaxing again.
Leah's chest tightened—this time, not from pain.
Her hand moved slowly, resting lightly over his.
"…Did you stay like this all night…?" she murmured, more to herself than to him.
"…Yes."
Her breath caught slightly.
Leah's head lifted just enough to look at him properly.
His eyes were open now.
Not fully alert—but awake.
Watching her.
There was no hesitation in his answer.
No uncertainty.
Just quiet certainty.
Leah blinked.
"…You were awake?"
"…Not the entire time."
His voice was rough with sleep, but steady.
Leah didn't say anything for a second.
Didn't need to.
Because the meaning was clear.
He had stayed.
Not because he had to.
But because he chose to.
Her gaze softened again as she looked down at his hand, still resting over hers.
"…Thank you," she said quietly.
The words came easier than she expected.
Softer.
Honest.
Izana's brows drew together slightly.
"…You don't thank me for that."
Leah let out a small breath, something between a sigh and a quiet laugh.
"I know," she said. "But I still am."
He didn't argue again.
Didn't correct her.
His gaze remained on her, steady, unreadable at first—but there was something there.
Something softer.
Leah hesitated slightly, her fingers shifting under his hand.
"…About yesterday…"
She trailed off.
Not because she didn't want to say it.
But because she didn't know how.
Her gaze lowered slightly, her voice quieter now.
"…I really thought I was…"
The sentence didn't finish.
Didn't need to.
Izana didn't interrupt.
Didn't rush her.
He simply watched her for a moment.
Then—
"…I know."
Two words.
Simple.
But they settled heavily in the space between them.
Leah's chest tightened again—but not painfully.
Just enough to feel it.
She nodded faintly, her gaze still lowered.
"…It just felt…"
She paused again.
"…different."
Honest.
Unfiltered.
Izana didn't dismiss it.
Didn't tell her she was wrong.
His hand shifted slightly against her stomach—not moving away, just adjusting.
Still there.
"…It will happen," he said quietly.
Leah looked up at him.
His expression hadn't changed much—but his voice had.
Certain.
Not rushed.
Not forced.
Just… sure.
"…We have time."
The words felt different this time.
Not just something to say.
Something to hold onto.
Leah's shoulders eased slightly as she let out a slow breath, her body relaxing back into the bed.
"…Okay," she murmured.
Silence settled again.
But it wasn't heavy.
Not like yesterday.
Just quiet.
Just close.
After a moment, Leah shifted slightly, pushing herself up just a little.
"I should get up—."
Her words cut off abruptly.
Because the moment she moved—
Izana's arm tightened.
Firm.
Unyielding.
And before she could react—
She was pulled back down.
A soft sound escaped her as she landed back against the mattress.
"Iz—."
"You're not going anywhere."
His voice was calm.
Flat.
Final.
Leah blinked, staring at him.
"…I was just going to get up."
"No."
She frowned slightly.
"No?"
"No."
Leah stared at him for a second longer.
Then huffed softly.
"You're impossible."
"And yet," he said, his gaze steady, "you're still here."
Leah tried to hide it—
But the corner of her lips lifted slightly.
"…You're not letting me move, are you?"
"No."
"…At all?"
A pause.
"…Not yet."
Leah sighed softly, though there was no real frustration behind it as she settled back down again, this time without resistance.
Her body relaxed into his naturally, her head resting lightly against his chest.
"…You're being overprotective."
"…Yes."
No hesitation.
Leah let out a quiet laugh under her breath, shaking her head slightly.
But she didn't move again.
Didn't try to get up.
Because she didn't really want to.
Not when he was like this.
Not when it felt like this.
Her hand moved slowly, resting lightly over his again, her fingers brushing against his.
The warmth was still there.
Steady.
Comforting.
And this time—
It didn't feel like she was holding onto something that might disappear.
It felt… patient.
Quiet.
Leah closed her eyes briefly, her breathing evening out as she let herself settle fully into the moment.
"…It doesn't hurt as much today," she murmured softly.
Izana didn't respond right away.
But his hand shifted slightly again.
Still there.
Still steady.
"…Good."
Simple.
But enough.
Leah smiled faintly, her fingers curling slightly against his hand.
The room remained quiet.
Soft.
Peaceful.
And as she lay there, wrapped in warmth, in quiet, in him—
The disappointment from yesterday didn't feel as sharp anymore.
Didn't sit as heavily in her chest.
Because now—
It wasn't just absence she felt.
It was something else too.
Something steadier.
Something that didn't rush.
Didn't disappear.
Time.
And for the first time—
She believed it.
Because they had it.
And she wasn't alone in it anymore.