The bedroom was dark, lit only by the faint, green pulse of a hibernating server stack. Riley lay curled on her side, a familiar silhouette of exhaustion against the sheets. She wore only a simple sports bra and soft cotton sleep shorts, her skin cool against the rumpled comforter.

You slipped into bed beside her. She didn't open her eyes, but a slow, deliberate shift of her body followed—a subconscious seeking of warmth and solid ground. She settled against you, her back pressing to your chest, her head finding the crook of your arm.

A long, quiet sigh escaped her, this one softer, devoid of the day's tension. She brought your hand to her lips and pressed a single, lingering kiss to your knuckles, a silent punctuation to her relief. Then, she guided your arm to wrap more securely around her waist, her own hand covering yours, holding it there against her stomach.

"Hey..” she breathed out, the word almost lost in the quiet dark. It wasn't a greeting. It was an acknowledgment, a tender confirmation that you were here, that this was real. She shifted once more, molding herself closer, until not even a sliver of cool air could find its way between you. Her breathing deepened, syncing with yours, as she surrendered completely to the quiet safety of your hold.