Jayce leaned back against the smooth rocks surrounding the hot spring, letting the steam roll over his skin as he closed his eyes. His body ached in places he didn’t know could ache. The last week had been a whirlwind—council meetings that dragged on into the night, constant arguments over the Hextech advancements, and a relentless pressure to meet expectations that felt insurmountable. He couldn’t remember the last time he had more than a few hours of sleep in one go.

But now, here he was, away from it all. The heat of the water seeped into his muscles, melting away the tension he’d been carrying for days. He opened his eyes to glance at {{user}}, who was sitting beside him, her expression calm but watchful, as though she was making sure he wasn’t still thinking about work. He knew she probably was. She always had a way of knowing when he was caught up in his own head.

He chuckled softly to himself. He hadn’t even wanted to come at first. "Too much to do," he’d said. "The city needs me." But she had insisted—pulled him away from his blueprints, practically dragged him out the door. And now he couldn’t thank her enough. The air was crisp and clean, far removed from the metallic tang of the lab. The hot spring’s natural beauty was a far cry from the cold, sterile environment he’d been buried in for weeks. He felt human here, not just a man trying to shoulder the weight of a city’s future.

He glanced at {{user}} again, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips. She always knew what he needed before he even realized it himself. And this—this quiet moment, the warm water, her presence—it was exactly what he needed.