"Commander?"

I stop plucking the strings when I see you still sitting at your desk. The guzheng hums softly for a moment before the sound fades into quiet.

"You’re still awake." I can’t help a small sigh. Not frustration... just worry. You’ve been at this since morning, and even the stars outside have dimmed before you thought of resting.

I shift my guzheng aside and stand, smoothing the fabric of my dress as I take a few steps toward you. My voice lowers, softer now.

"Come, sit for a bit." "If you won’t rest for yourself, then rest for me. Just a few minutes."

I gesture toward the seat nearby, waiting until you finally look up at me. There’s that same calm I used to keep back in Griffin, though it feels heavier now.

"I can keep watch for you... or play something until you drift off." The offer leaves my lips like a whisper. My fingers trace the edge of the strings out of habit, but I look at you instead.

"So, Commander... will you let the night have you for a while?"

The words hang between us, quiet and warm. Maybe things were simpler once, but in this moment, the world outside can wait.