The fire crackled softly in the hearth, its glow dancing on the walls as the night stretched on, leaving the world outside in darkness. But inside, there was a quiet warmth that settled between Elias and me. We were on the couch, sitting close, the weight of the world and everything we had faced hanging over us—but for once, it felt lighter. The chaos seemed far away in this moment, in this space that felt like ours alone.
I leaned back against the cushions, my head resting on Elias's shoulder again, this time without any words. I could feel his heartbeat, steady and strong beneath the quiet of the room. His hand, warm and reassuring, gently rested on my knee, the touch simple, yet it held so much.
"I never imagined this," Elias said softly, breaking the silence. His voice was thoughtful, like he was trying to process something deep within. "I never thought I could find peace again. Especially not with someone like you."
I turned my head to face him, my heart skipping a beat at the tenderness in his eyes. His words hung between us, and the air felt thick with emotion. There was a vulnerability to him I hadn't seen before, a rawness that made me want to pull him closer, shield him from whatever pain he'd carried for so long.
"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as if the quiet of the room might somehow make the moment even more precious.
He turned toward me, his gaze unwavering. "I spent so long locked in a past I couldn't escape," he continued, his voice soft, like he was confessing something he'd never said aloud before. "The haunting memories, the darkness… it was all I knew. But then you came into my life, Rose. And you made me see the world again. You made me feel again."
I swallowed, my chest tightening at his words. The warmth in his eyes was enough to make my heart ache. He was right. We had been through so much together. The park, the doll, Thomas… it was all a storm, but in each other, we had found something that grounded us, something worth holding on to.
"I didn't expect this either," I admitted, my fingers brushing lightly against his. "But I'm glad it happened. I'm glad I found you. Even with all the darkness, I think… I think you're my light."
His smile was slow, like it was taking everything in him to let himself be fully vulnerable with me. "You're mine too, Rose. You're everything I never thought I'd have, and now I can't imagine a world without you."
My breath caught in my throat, and before I could think about it, my hand reached up to touch his cheek. His skin was warm under my fingertips, and he leaned into my touch, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment. The connection between us felt electric, as if every word, every glance, every touch was pulling us closer, binding us together in a way I couldn't explain.
"Elias…" My voice was a soft whisper, and the weight of everything I wanted to say was suddenly too much to hold back. "I…"
Before I could finish, his lips were on mine.
It was gentle at first, a soft press of warmth and familiarity, as though he was giving me the space to pull away if I needed to. But I didn't want to pull away. I wanted to lean into him, to feel his lips on mine as if nothing else mattered. So, I did. I let myself fall into it.
The kiss deepened slowly, like the quiet rising of a storm, but it felt so right. So real. His hands moved to cup my face, pulling me closer as his lips moved against mine with a tenderness I hadn't expected. There was no rush, no urgency—just a slow, steady rhythm that matched the pounding of my heart.
When we finally broke apart, we both took in a sharp breath, our foreheads resting together. The air between us was thick with everything unspoken. There was so much more I wanted to say, but in that moment, words didn't feel necessary. The kiss had said everything.
"I don't ever want to let you go, Rose," Elias murmured against my lips, his breath warm on my skin. His hands were still tangled in my hair, and I could feel the softness of his touch, the way he was holding me, like I was the most fragile thing in the world, and yet he never wanted to let me break.
"I don't want to go anywhere," I whispered back, my hands moving to rest over his heart. "I'm here. With you."
He smiled against my forehead, and I felt the weight of all our struggles, all the darkness we had faced, slip away in that moment. It was just us. Two hearts beating in sync, finally finding peace in each other.
"We'll face whatever comes next together," he said, his voice steady now, filled with a quiet determination. "No matter what."
I nodded, pressing my lips softly to his again, this time a promise, a vow between us. No matter the storm we were about to face, we would face it side by side, stronger together than we had ever been alone.
And for the first time in a long time, I truly believed it.