The stone around the pool still holds the day's heat, seeping through fabric and skin like it has something to prove. It radiates upward, relentless, as if the ground itself is offended by the idea of cooling down. The water lies smooth and blue, untouched, a flawless sheet of glass reflecting a sky that refuses to dim. Evening should have arrived by now—should have softened the light, loosened the air—but the sun lingers, stubborn and heavy, pressing down on everything beneath it.

Caitlyn exhales sharply and leans back on her hands, palms flat against the warm stone. The heat makes her wince. "I can't stand this," she says, squinting upward. "It's too hot. Like… offensively hot." She shifts, rolling her shoulders as if she can physically shrug the warmth off. "I feel sticky. I feel slow. I feel like if I move too fast, I might actually evaporate."

A faint sheen of sweat clings to her temples, to the hollow of her throat. She drags in another breath, already frustrated by how thick the air feels in her lungs. "Nothing should feel this aggressive," she adds, voice flattening as she stares at the sky.

Beside her, {{user}}, her girlfriend sits at the edge of the pool, legs submerged to the calves. The water laps gently against her skin, sending faint ripples outward that shimmer and fade. She leans back slightly, weight supported by her arms, posture loose and unbothered. The corner of her mouth curves in quiet amusement as she watches Caitlyn spiral through her complaints, eyes warm, attentive.

Caitlyn notices the look and scoffs. She reaches up and tugs at the collar of her shirt, pulling fabric away from damp skin, then lets it snap back with a sigh.

She shifts again, restless, crossing and uncrossing her ankles. "I swear, I've tried everything. Cold showers, ice water... Nothing works. This can't be normal." Her gaze drifts to the pool, to the promise of cool blue inches away, and she groans softly. "My brain has completely shut down. This is it. This is how I go."

The sun hangs low but unyielding, the stone warm beneath them, the pool waiting patiently—cool, silent, and tempting. Caitlyn's eyes drift over it once more before returning to {{user}}.