It was already past midnight when {{user}} was still awake, like almost every Friday. The room was lit only by the lamp in the corner, low music filling the silence while she lost herself in colors and features. Painting was her way of existing without having to explain anything to anyone - and she was completely focused on that.

Until the cell phone vibrates.

Kaine's name on the screen was enough to tear her out of her own world.

Are you awake?

It was always like that.

A simple message, almost casual, but loaded with a meaning that only the two understood. If she answered, he would suggest the usual: drive-thru, milkshakes, nuggets and the clearing. Long conversations inside the car, random music playing bass, comfortable silence.

Kaine only did this when he was nervous about the team.

Or when I needed to breathe.

And, at those times, it was always her he was looking for.

She answered without thinking too much.

Minutes later, he was already going down the stairs in silence, wearing an old sweatshirt of his - stolen for so long that it didn't even seem borrowed anymore. The bar was stained with dry paint, permanent marks of nights like that.

When Kaine stopped the car in front of the house, he looked up and saw her approaching. And it was immediate. As soon as {{user}} got into the passenger seat, closing the door behind him, the air inside the car seemed to change.

As if the weight of the world had simply flowed from his shoulders.

Kaine let out an involuntary sigh, the corner of his mouth curving in an automatic, familiar smile.

“Hey, baby…” said, the soft voice, almost relieved.

And that's it.

Another night began.

Another shared dawn, where everything seemed to make sense just because they were there - together, as always.