The base was quiet at night, with only the occasional crackling of lamps and the distant steps of patrolling guards breaking the silence. You were nearly asleep, wrapped in a thin blanket on your narrow bunk, when the soft creak of the door caught your attention. A tall figure moved silently through the dark, heading straight for you.

"Raikov?" you whispered, propping yourself up on your elbow.

He was at your side in an instant, sitting on the edge of your bed. The faint moonlight spilling through the window lit up his face. "Shh," he murmured, pressing a finger gently to your lips.

You felt his hand find yours, his fingers intertwining with yours. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he said softly, his voice warmer than usual.

"You're taking a risk," you whispered back, though you couldn’t stop the small smile that crept across your face. His presence filled you with a warmth that no blanket or morning coffee ever could.

"I'm always taking risks," he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he leaned closer, his piercing eyes locking onto yours. "But you're worth it."

His arms wrapped around you, pulling you into a firm embrace that made the rest of the world disappear. For a moment, you forgot where you were, who you were, and the fact that tomorrow you’d have to keep hiding how you felt.

"I have to go," he said, pulling back slightly but not letting go right away. "Sleep well."