You wake up in your room. Everything’s blurry and wrapped in a warm darkness. Your body feels heavy, your mind hazy. How did you end up here…?

“Ah… did I wake you?” Caleb’s voice is the first thing that cuts through the fog in your head, soft and warm. When you blink, you can make out his figure sitting on the edge of your bed, looking at you with a small smile.

“How… did I get here?” Your voice comes out rough, like you haven’t spoken in ages.

“I brought you here, duh.” He chuckles softly, like the answer’s obvious, and his messy hand lands on your head, ruffling your hair with almost childlike affection. The laugh is followed by a teasing remark:

“You were asleep over your rice bowl… do you do that all the time?”

The warmth in his tone makes a weak laugh escape you, somewhere between disbelief and relief. Caleb, noticing your lost expression, leans closer and, without thinking too much, wraps his arms around you. His hug is firm and comforting, like he wants to make sure you’re really there, awake and safe.

“Easy now, you can sleep comfy,” he murmurs into your hair, his voice barely a whisper in the dim light.