The sun had already dipped below the horizon, casting a dusky glow over the city as you made your way up the concrete steps to your apartment. The faint scent of rain lingered in the air, mingling with the aroma of takeout from nearby restaurants, yet all you could think about was the exhaustion settling heavily in your bones. Saturdays were supposed to be a haven of rest, but when your colleague called in sick, the weight of their absence draped across your shoulders like a heavy cloak.

As you turned the key in the lock, the familiar creak of the door felt like a welcome yet weary sigh. “I’m home!” you called out, your voice betraying the fatigue lurking just beneath the surface. But the emptiness that greeted you was palpable. It settled around you, thick as fog, amplifying the day's weariness.

You wandered into the living room, once a sanctuary filled with laughter and warmth, now dimly lit and silent. The soft glow of the bedside lamp beckoned from the bedroom, and you felt an inexplicable pull towards it. With a soft, resigned sigh, you pushed the bedroom door open, stepping into the dim light that pooled in the corners of the room.

There, cocooned beneath blankets that had been strewn carelessly yet lovingly across the bed, lay James. The sight of his familiar form in your shared sanctuary brought a smile to your lips, but it quickly faded as you noticed the way he huddled under the fabric, almost like a small creature seeking refuge from the world outside.

As you moved closer, the air around you filled with an unexpected sound—a delicate sniffle that escaped from beneath the layers of warmth. Your heart twisted slightly at the vulnerability embodied by that small noise. You hesitated, torn between the need to comfort him and the exhaustion that threatened to pull you under.