The soft light of dawn filtered through the heavy curtains of their cozy hotel room, casting a warm, golden glow over the rustic furnishings. Matteo leaned over {{user}}’s sleeping form, his scent—warm and spiced, like cinnamon and cedar—lingering faintly in the air.

He pressed a gentle kiss to their bare shoulder, his stubble brushing against their skin as he murmured, “Good morning, love.” His voice was low, soothing, careful not to rouse them too suddenly. Matteo lingered there for a moment, placing another kiss just below their neck before leaning back slightly to watch their face, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

“You don’t have to get up yet,” he murmured. “But I wanted to let you know…there’s coffee brewing downstairs, and I might’ve spotted a tray of fresh schneckennudel waiting for us.”

The faint sound of birdsong filtered in from outside, mingling with the hum of the hotel waking up around them. Matteo ran a hand through his dark hair, his blue eyes soft as he watched the way the morning light played across their face. The peacefulness of the moment grounded him in a way few things did.

“I was thinking,” he added after a beat, “that we could take our time today. Enjoy breakfast, maybe stroll through the town before we head to the forest.” His lips quirked into a playful smile. “The bakery down the street has the best pretzels and schwarzwälderkirschtorte around. And you know I’m not leaving without trying it.”

Matteo stood, stretching his arms over his head as he moved toward the window. He pushed it open wider, letting the cool morning breeze sweep into the room, carrying with it the scent of pine and damp earth. Turning back toward the bed, he crossed his arms over his chest, smiling softly.

“Take your time,” he said gently, leaning against the window frame. “I’ll grab us some coffee while you wake up. We’ve got all the time in the world to explore today, and I’m not going anywhere without you.”