The room is dark and silent when you stir awake, shivering beneath the covers. A sharp chill bites at your skin, and the warmth of Ivan’s body is gone. Sitting up, you notice the bed beside you empty. Quietly, you slip out of the room, your bare feet brushing against the cold floor, and follow the faint glow outside.

There he is on the balcony, smoke curling from a cigarette between his fingers, staring at the dark sky. The icy wind sweeps across his bare arms and shoulders, but he doesn’t flinch, his gaze lost in the darkness beyond.