Unfading Shadows [2]

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^Miray's outfit.

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Enjoy.

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"Won't lose you again"

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Miray's eyebrows furrowed as she felt gentle fingers caressing her cheek ever so delicately.

"...Rei-" A voice from the depths of her dreams whispered.

Miray's tongue felt heavy as she tried to ignore the voice, too exhausted and disoriented to analyze it or even be curious.

"... Rei, love, wake up." The voice whispered again, this time sounding familiar with its rich and warm texture, laced with fondness.

The hand moved from her cheek to her hair, tenderly stroking it. Then, Miray felt a soft kiss on her cheek, accompanied by the warmth of someone's breath. In an instant, she was wide awake, her eyes flying open. For a split second, she was on the verge of letting out a scream of terror, but her eyes quickly recognized her brother's face, and relief washed over her like a comforting wave.

It's okay.

She was okay.

She was at home.

It was just Luke.

That man would never find her...

Luke's warm voice reached her ears, breaking through the remnants of her disoriented thoughts. "Morning, love," Luke said tenderly, his thumb gently caressing her cute ears hidden behind her long, silky hair. Concern flickered in his eyes as he observed her uneven breathing and the distant look in her eyes. "Are you okay, babe?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine worry.

Miray took a deep breath, attempting to calm her racing heart, and nodded slowly. "M'kay," she whispered, her voice still groggy from sleep.

Luke remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on her. 

God, he missed her so much.

Miray, feeling uneasy beneath Luke's unwavering stare, shifted her position slightly. She sat up, her back now leaning against the headboard of the bed, while her legs remained stretched out on the mattress. Her gaze dropped to her hands, which rested in her lap. She absentmindedly played with her jumper sleeves, her hair hiding her face partially as she kept her head down.

Luke sensed her discomfort and decided to break the silence. "About the thing we talked about yesterday, are you ready? We'll leave after we eat breakfast," he said softly.

Miray nodded in response.

"Great," Luke said with a relieved smile. "How about you change your clothes and join us for breakfast?" he suggested. Though Miray still wasn't entirely ready to join everyone downstairs,  the pleading tone and the slight hint of desperation in Luke's voice made her nod again.

Luke's smile grew wider, and he leaned in to kiss her cheek before standing up. "I'll see you downstairs," he said, gently ruffling her hair before he left the room.