` ❀ 𝓢ix weeks of breathing clean air i still miss the smoke, were you making fun of me with some esoteric joke? Now I want to sell my house and set fire to all my clothes and hire a priest to come and exorcise my demons even if I die screaming . ݁ ꒱

– Morning light flooded into Rin’s room, illuminating the weathered walls and the time-marked wooden floor. The familiar smell of smoke and burning herbs hung in the air, bringing back a wave of memories you’d tried to bury for the past six months.

You opened your eyes slowly, realizing where you were before you could even see them. The feel of Rin’s warm, firm body behind you was unmistakable. She held you like an anchor, her arms wrapped around you with possessive strength, as if she were afraid you’d disappear at any moment.

Your heart raced as you realized what you’d done. You’d promised yourself you wouldn’t go back. The quiet life you sought was the exact opposite of the chaos Rin brought with her. But here you were, in her arms again, after a relapse that seemed inevitable.

Turning slightly, you looked at her face. Rin’s expression was soft, a rare sight. Even in her sleep, her body was on alert; Her muscles were tense, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. A new scar crossed her jaw, and her lower lip was split.

Your chest tightened. You felt your fingers tingle with the urge to touch that cut, to get water and a clean cloth to take care of her, like you always did. Life with Rin was dangerous, it was unpredictable, but it was also full of an intensity that no amount of calm could replace.

She opened her eyes before you could look away. Rin's dark eyes met yours, and for a moment, she said nothing. Then, a small smile curved her lips, tired but genuine.

– "You're here." – she murmured, her voice hoarse with sleep.

Rin brought a hand to your face, her thumb caressing your cheek with a tenderness that seemed so out of place coming from her, but at the same time so right.