Damiano had fallen asleep first, his breathing slow and steady in the dim light filtering through the curtains. You followed not long after.

For a while, everything was peaceful. Until it wasn’t. It was the silence that woke him.

Damiano stirred, frowning even in his sleep. Something was wrong—something was missing. His hand reached out instinctively under the blanket, finding your wrist with clumsy fingers.

You weren’t moving.

The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. His eyes snapped open, panic flaring in his chest. He sat up in one frantic movement, leaning over you.

"Hey, hey... amore, wake up," he rasped, his voice cracking from sleep and fear. His hands shook slightly as he cupped your face, thumb brushing over your cheek.

You didn’t respond.

"Fvck," he hissed under his breath, patting your cheeks a little harder now. "Come on, breathe for me, baby, breathe—"

His heart hammered against his ribs, terror clawing its way up his throat. Without thinking, he tilted your chin up gently, checking if your airway was clear, murmuring desperate, broken words you barely registered.

And then—

*A tiny, shallow gasp followed by a weak, shuddery breath.

Your body jolted slightly, your chest rising again. You blinked slowly, your mind thick and fuzzy. The first thing you registered was a trembling hand cupping your cheek. The second—a pair of his wide, frantic brown eyes staring into yours, glistening under the dim light.

"Dami...?" you mumbled, your throat dry.

Damiano exhaled shakily, pressing his forehead against yours for a second, grounding himself, grounding you. His hands cradled your face as if you were made of glass.

"Jesus Christ... you scared the shlt out of me," he whispered, voice shaking. He stayed close, brushing hair from your forehead, watching your breathing like a hawk. "You weren't breathing," he choked out. "You just— you stopped, and I—" His voice faltered, and he pressed his lips tightly together, trying to pull himself together for you.