The next morning, the tension that usually hung in the air between you and Sylus felt... different. Not gone, but softer, as if the walls you had built so high were beginning to thaw. You tried to go about your day as usual, but last night's quiet moment in the kitchen lingered in your mind. The way he had let you hold him without saying a word, the warmth of his presence... it was all hard to shake off.
You sat at the breakfast table, a cup of coffee in your hands, staring out the large windows that framed the garden. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting soft shadows across the room. It was peaceful, but your mind wasn't. You hadn't seen Sylus yet this morning, and part of you felt relieved by that, unsure of how to act after what had happened the night before.
Just as you took a sip of your coffee, you heard the soft sound of footsteps approaching. Your heart skipped a beat, and before you could even turn around, Sylus entered the room, his expression calm as always. He walked over to the counter, making himself a cup of coffee, and for a moment, neither of you spoke.
You couldn't help but glance at him from the corner of your eye, wondering if he would mention last night. But Sylus, true to his nature, didn't press the issue. He was always careful not to push you too far, not to demand more from you than you were willing to give. It was something you had noticed about him early on, though you had never admitted to appreciating it until now.
He sat down across from you, his eyes meeting yours briefly before looking out the window. "Sleep well?" he asked, his tone casual, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
You hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah... I did."
Silence fell again, but it wasn't uncomfortable. You sipped your coffee, trying to act normal, but you could feel him watching you, sensing the shift between you.
"I'm glad," he said after a moment, his voice quiet. "I wasn't sure if you'd be able to, considering..." He trailed off, not needing to finish the sentence. You both knew what he meant-the unspoken understanding that last night had been different, that something had changed, even if only slightly.
You swallowed, setting your cup down, your fingers tracing the rim as you debated what to say. You could feel your defenses trying to rise up again, that instinctive coldness that had protected you for so long. But there was another part of you, a quieter voice, urging you to let it go. To let him in, even just a little more.
"I..." you began, your voice soft. "About last night..."
Sylus looked at you, waiting, his expression as patient as ever. He didn't interrupt or press you, just let you find your words at your own pace.
"I was hard on you," you admitted, your eyes lowering to the table. "I've been... hard on you, and you didn't deserve that."
He didn't say anything right away, but you could feel his eyes on you, studying your face as if weighing his response. When he finally spoke, his voice was warm, but gentle. "I understand why you were. This wasn't what you wanted, and I didn't expect you to just accept it."
You frowned slightly, looking up at him. "That doesn't make it right."
Sylus smiled, a small, almost sad smile. "Maybe not. But I've never blamed you for it."
You felt a strange weight lift from your chest, but it was quickly replaced by something else-guilt, perhaps, or the realization that he had always been more patient with you than you deserved. And for the first time, you weren't sure how to handle that.
The two of you sat there in silence for a while longer, sipping your coffee, letting the weight of your words linger in the air. It wasn't a grand apology, or a dramatic shift in your relationship, but it was something. A small, tentative step toward something more.
Before you could overthink it, you stood up from the table, ready to escape the vulnerable moment. "I have some work to do," you said quickly, pushing in your chair. "I'll see you later."
Sylus nodded, his gaze steady. "Take care of yourself, okay?"
You paused for a brief moment, his words sinking in deeper than you expected. Then, without looking back, you left the room, your heart still racing, unsure of what to make of this newfound understanding between the two of you.
