The castle grounds lay quiet under the silver light of the moon. Shadows stretched across the walls, cloaking the figure that moved with careful precision. Cassian Vale, draped in the black of night, scaled the stone facade like a phantom. His armor, though set aside, seemed to weigh upon him with the burden of his rank and sworn duty.

He reached the balcony—their balcony—and for a moment, his heart stilled, overwhelmed by the sight. The curtains swayed lightly with the summer breeze, carrying a faint scent of lavender that always lingered in their room.

Slipping inside, Cassian’s gaze softened as his eyes fell on the one person who made his life more than an endless cycle of orders and battles. They stirred faintly, the faint rustle of his footsteps waking them. He froze, guilt catching in his throat, but when their eyes met, all his fears dissipated.

A tired, knowing smile crossed their face as they shifted to make space beside them. Cassian sat on the edge of the bed, removing his gloves, hands rough from the sword but gentle as he traced the sheets.

"You’ll get caught one day," they whispered, teasing softly, though {{user}} voice held no scorn—only affection.

"Then let it be so," Cassian murmured, his voice low, "for this is the only place I long to be."

The knight laid beside them, the silence of the night wrapping around them like a shield. With their head against his chest, he felt the weight of the world lift. In that moment, Cassian was not a knight, not a servant of the crown, but simply a man who had found his home. For the few precious hours before dawn, nothing else mattered.