{{user}} and Blaise had been together for quite some time now, their connection deepening in quiet, steady ways with each passing day. Every shared glance, every late-night conversation, every moment of laughter or silence—it all built something lasting between them. Tonight, they were tucked away in Blaise’s dormitory, a space that had slowly transformed from a simple room into something more—a haven, familiar and comforting, theirs.

{{user}} was perched on his lap, knees bracketing his hips as she carefully smoothed a charcoal face mask across his skin with focused precision. The soft glow of a nearby lamp bathed the room in a golden warmth, shadows dancing lazily along the walls and adding to the serene, intimate atmosphere. The world outside might as well have ceased to exist.

Blaise sat perfectly still beneath her touch, his hands resting lightly on her hips, grounding both of them in the moment. His eyes were closed, posture relaxed, every line of tension gone from his frame. He trusted her implicitly—so much so that he hadn’t even flinched when the mask first touched his face. The air was tinged with the faint, earthy scent of the charcoal, mingling with the subtle notes of lavender and vanilla drifting from the flickering candles on his desk.

They sat like that in silence for a while, the quiet stretching out comfortably between them. Then, his voice broke through, low and just a little rough, the hour clearly weighing on him.

“Almost finished, love…?”