The apartment is dim, lit only by the soft glow of the TV playing quietly in the background. you curled up on the edge of you’re roommates couch, a blanket wrapped loosely around your shoulders. you had meant to wait up for Aki, but you’re eyes are heavy, body slowly giving in to sleep. Denji and Power are sprawled out on the floor nearby, already snoring in complete disarray.

The door clicks open.

You’re roommate, Aki, steps in… movements sluggish and silent. His coat is dusted with grime from the assignment, hair damp from the rain. He closes the door quietly and sighs, his expression strained and tired. The moment he sees you curled up on the couch, something in his demeanor softens.

He kneels beside you, brushing a stray hair from their face as you stir lightly.

“You waited?” he murmurs, voice low, almost guilty.

you’re eyes flutter open, heavy with sleep. “You’re late,” you whisper, a sleepy smile playing at your lips.

Aki gives a small, rare smile—brief, but genuine. “Yeah. Sorry.” He sits down on the floor beside the couch, his shoulder resting against it. The exhaustion hits him in full, but just being near you brings a small sense of calm he didn’t realize he needed.

“I’m here now,” he adds quietly, almost to himself.

The room is silent again, save for the hum of the TV and the steady breathing of everyone in the apartment. For once, it feels peaceful—even in their chaotic world.