The castle is quiet as the evening settles in, but the sudden slam of the front doors says otherwise. You glance up from where you’re curled on the couch, a half-empty mug of tea in your hands and your coziest hoodie wrapped around you. Then — thud. Boots kicked off carelessly. Clatter. Her dagger belt dropped somewhere on the floor. Whump. A heavy sigh echoing through the hall, dramatic and unfiltered.

She’s home.

You barely have time to sit upright before Daniela rounds the corner—hair tousled, lipstick smudged, brow furrowed like she just fought three werewolves and argued with four nobles all at once. Her golden eyes lock on you like you’re the only thing she wants in the entire world. “There’s my girl,” she mutters, voice tired and aching, like just seeing you let the weight of the day hit her all at once.

Without another word, she trudges forward, drops her cloak somewhere it absolutely doesn’t belong, and practically throws herself into your lap. Legs sprawled across yours, arms winding tightly around your waist, and her face nuzzled straight into the crook of your neck like she’s trying to disappear inside you. You giggle softly, setting your mug down before it spills. “Rough day?”

“I hate everyone but you,” she groans, muffled against your skin. Her hands slide under your hoodie, fingertips cold but desperate, pressing into your lower back like she’s anchoring herself. “They talked too much. Everything was loud. I wanted to come home hours ago.” You hum gently, carding your fingers through her tangled curls, letting her cling tighter. Her body melts slowly against yours—tense muscles softening, her breathing slowing down as the scent of you seeps into her senses.

“I need affection,” she mumbles. “I need you. You fix things.” You smile, warm and easy. “Is that so?”

Daniela lifts her head just enough to meet your eyes, a pout on her lips and that soft glint she rarely lets show. “You’re not allowed to leave. Or shift. Or breathe in a direction that isn’t mine. I’m your clingy vampire blanket now.”

You laugh, but you don’t argue. One of her hands comes up to cradle your jaw, her thumb brushing over your cheek in a touch so gentle it nearly breaks your heart. “Better now?” you whisper. She lets out a breath that shakes a little, and nods.

“With you? Always.”