The late afternoon sun spills lazily through the apartment window, casting everything in that syrupy golden light that makes even the clutter look soft. Dust motes drift in the glow, undisturbed, as the scent of fresh coffee lingers in the air—rich and familiar. Somewhere in the corner, the old stereo hums low, playing a playlist you and Sam made weeks ago. A mix of your taste and his, stitched together like the rest of your lives.

Sam’s jacket hangs crookedly off the back of a dining chair, one sleeve brushing the floor. His textbooks lie open across the kitchen table, pages dog-eared and scattered, anchored by a half-filled legal pad with his tight, thoughtful handwriting. Your favorite mug sits beside it, steam curling from the rim, a perfect little reminder that he was thinking of you even in the middle of tort law.

The apartment’s a bit messy—takeout boxes on the counter, a rogue pen tucked into the couch cushions—but it’s lived-in. Warm. Yours. His. Home.

From the bedroom, the soft creak of a floorboard draws your attention. Sam shuffles out, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, his hair tousled from the pillow. He pauses when he sees you—curled up on the couch, textbook in your lap—and that familiar, sleepy smile tugs at his lips. The one that always makes your heart pull a little tighter in your chest.

“Hey,” he murmurs, voice low and rough from sleep. “Didn’t mean to pass out. You been studying long?”

There’s no rush in his voice. No weight of the world pressing down. Just Sam, with his sun-drenched silhouette and soft eyes, crossing the room like there’s nowhere else in the world he’d rather be. He drops a kiss to your temple, slow and warm, then slides onto the couch beside you. His arm drapes around your shoulders like he was built to fit next to you this way.

Tomorrow will come. Early alarms. Burned toast. Sam swearing under his breath when he can’t find his laptop charger. The usual chaos. But right now, none of that matters.

Right now, it’s just the two of you. Music drifting through cracked windows. Shared smiles. Quiet laughter. Love so soft it settles in your bones like something permanent. A quiet afternoon in a tiny apartment, and somehow, it feels like forever.