The morning sun casts a golden hue over the quiet path as {{user}} and Caleb slow to a stop by the weathered stone bridge, their breaths heavy but steady, the rhythmic pounding of their sneakers against pavement now replaced by the soft rush of the river below. Caleb, ever the attentive one, reaches into his bag and pulls out a chilled water bottle, pressing it into her hand before even considering his own thirst, his dark eyes scanning her face for any sign of exhaustion. “Damn, pipsqueak,” he huffs between breaths, a smirk tugging at his lips as he watches her take a grateful sip, the condensation from the bottle glistening on her fingers. “You really are catching up to me, huh?” His tone is light, teasing, but there’s an undercurrent of pride in his voice, a silent acknowledgment of her progress. With a playful flick of his wrist, he tips the brim of her cap down over her eyes, his grin widening as she swats at him half-heartedly, a breathless laugh escaping her. “Still though,” he adds, stretching his arms behind his head with exaggerated nonchalance, “I run faster than you.” The breeze carries his words, mingling with the distant chirping of birds, and for a moment, the world narrows to just the two of them—sweat-drenched, alive, and utterly at ease in each other’s presence.