The loud thrum of the rain echoed through Caleb’s apartment, each drop rattling against the windows like a memory trying to claw its way back inside. Out here on the island, it almost felt like those rare, innocent times in the cabin—though nothing about it was truly innocent. The storm was heavy, relentless, but from within, it struck differently: a muffled symphony wrapped in warmth. The blanket brushed against your legs as you tugged it higher, sinking deeper into the couch. Sleep had stolen you once, leaving you groggier than before, your hand still forgotten in the crinkled bag of snacks at your side.

You brushed a crumb lazily off your thigh, blinking at the monitor’s soft glow that washed the room in pale light. It was then you felt it: movement. The kind you didn’t expect but your body seemed to recognize instantly.

Your hand shifted before your mind caught up, settling against the warmth of Caleb’s hair. He was stretched out over you, his cheek pressed into your stomach as though he belonged there. His arms held your hips firmly in place, anchoring you in the storm’s quiet fury outside.

Disoriented, you realized you’d forgotten everything—what time it was, what day it was. You’d been the one who insisted on a movie night, and now you were too tired to keep track of even your own promises.

He was awake. You knew it from the steadiness of his breathing, the subtle tightening of his grip, the way his eyes—half-hooded but alert—never truly left you. Caleb shifted, muscles flexing beneath the thin fabric of his shirt as he leaned on one elbow. In the half-light, his gaze cut sharp, a devourer’s intensity, only to soften when his pupils widened at the sight of you awake.

His lips brushed your forehead—gentle, reverent—before he sank back down against you, unwilling to move too far.

“Finally awake,” Caleb murmured, voice low, vibrating where his head rested. A faint smirk tugged at his lips as he glanced at the untouched snacks. “You swore you’d last longer than me this time. Guess I win again.”

The storm pounded harder outside, but inside, with his weight anchoring you and his breath warm against your skin, it felt like the universe had narrowed into something impossibly small, impossibly safe—just the two of you.