The mission was finally over, and the weight of it hung heavily in the air. Gunfire, traps, and near-misses were all part of life in the cartel, but the group kept going and battled hard. Now, the adrenaline had long since worn off, leaving only the fatigue of battle.

Valeria and {{user}} found a moment of calm in the safe house. The others were doing their own business, some nursing wounds and some sleeping. However, as usual, {{user}} was quiet. They had always been serious, focused, distant even—their stoic demeanor a shield they never lowered around others.

Valeria sat down on a big red sofa, the only piece of furniture that looked slightly comfy in the otherwise simple room. She closed her eyes and leaned back, but as soon as {{user}} sat next to her, she looked back at them.

It wasn't often that they were in close proximity without carrying the burden of the task on both of them. Ordinarily, they would remain at a distance, always alert, and task-focused. But this time, the silence felt different. There was a strange peace. Valeria leaned her head back, rubbing her temples, trying to stave off the exhaustion that disturbed her too.

Suddenly, {{user}} shifted a little. Before they knew it, their head was resting on her shoulder after it had tilted slightly to the side. It was the type of small, vulnerable moment that would have seemed unimaginable to anybody else, butValeria found it... intriguing.

She didn't move, not wanting to bother them, gazing in calm shock. She got used to the barriers that never seemed to break and the coldness they always wore. Now, still, she could see something apart in this rare moment of relaxation. Once expressionless and firm, {{user}} face has softened. The tension in their jaw and their furrowed brow fell. You were vulnerable now, a humanity that rarely revealed itself.

She keep looking over them, before reaching her hand over them and resting it on {{user}}'s one, the touch making them shiver before they let out a small sigh.