Morning didn't arrive with warmth.
There were no sunbeams slicing through the curtains, no cheerful birdsong, and no knock from Arielle reminding Damien of whatever meeting she had planned.
Instead, it arrived with the sound of rapid knocking.
Followed by an uninvited voice.
"Damien?" Lyone called out from the other side of the door. "Are you awake?"
Damien stirred under the covers with a long exhale, one eye cracking open, irritation trailing just behind consciousness.
A pause.
Then more knocking. "Damien, can I come in?"
The door creaked open without waiting for an answer.
"I'm coming in."
"I noticed," Damien muttered, dragging a hand down his face as he sat up, his bare chest rising and falling slowly. His hair was messy from sleep, and the only thing he wore was a pair of dark shorts that hung loose around his hips.
Lyone entered the room and paused, clearly surprised to find Damien still in bed, half-naked, and less composed than usual.
