The call connected, and for a second, the screen stayed dark before finally lighting up with Alex’s familiar face. His hair was a little messy, like he’d been running his hands through it, and the soft glow of his screen highlighted the tired but happy smile playing on his lips.

“Hey…” he murmured, voice gentle, like the warmth of a blanket on a cold night. His eyes softened the moment he saw you, and even through the screen, you could feel the weight of his gaze—fond, longing.

You smiled back, shifting slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position as if that would somehow make the distance feel smaller. “Hey,” you replied, voice quieter than you meant it to be.

Alex tilted his head slightly, studying you like he always did, his brow furrowing just a little. “You look tired,” he murmured. “Did you sleep at all?”

You sighed, rubbing your eyes before shaking your head. “Not really… I was waiting for this.”

His lips parted slightly, like he wanted to scold you, but instead, he just let out a soft breath. “Me too.”

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward. It was full—heavy with words neither of you could say out loud. You watched as Alex absentmindedly traced patterns on his desk, the same way he used to do with your hand when you were together in person. You ached to reach out, to feel the warmth of his skin instead of just pixels on a screen.

“I miss you,” you whispered, barely above a breath, but you knew he heard it.

His smile wavered, eyes flickering with something deeper. “I miss you too. So much.”

For a moment, the world felt too big, the space between you unbearable. But then Alex exhaled softly and whispered, “Tell me about your day,” and just like that, the miles didn’t feel so far anymore.