CHAPTER - 163

  Narrator: Selene, leaning on Dav’s shoulder, noticed a faint reddish hue forming on his neck.

  Curious, she asked in a gentle voice:

  "What happened to your neck?"

  Dav stopped spreading the cream on his hands for a moment and, with a slightly goofy face and a bit of nervous sweat, replied half-heartedly:

  "Don’t worry about it, must’ve been...

  the cold, I guess."

  A clumsy lie, but Selene bought it without suspicion, trusting his natural and carefree tone.

  She smiled again, while Dav resumed massaging the cream between his fingers, trying to ignore the slight warmth still lingering in that area.

  With a tired but tender smile, Dav suggested:

  "Shall we go to bed? What do you think?"

  And, leaning down just a bit, he rested his forehead against Selene’s a light gesture, but full of affection.

  Selene closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the moment, then nodded softly:

  "Alright.

  This time, try to sleep a bit more, please."

  They exchanged a knowing smile before standing up together.

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  Selene, looking at him standing in front of her, noticed how tall Dav seemed in that moment.

  Their 188 centimeters made them equals, but his presence still seemed to envelop her.

  With a natural gesture, Dav lifted the blankets, inviting her to get in first.

  Selene slipped under, moving closer to the wall, and Dav, after turning off the light, joined her.

  In the warm darkness of the room, Selene inched closer to him, seeking his warmth.

  She hugged him tightly, their foreheads touching, eyes locked, breaths brushing.

  The embarrassment of the past was now only a distant memory: beside him, Selene felt safe, truly herself at last.

  Dav looked at her sweetly:

  "How are you feeling, little warrior?"

  The low tone, almost a whisper, warmed Selene’s heart.

  She smiled brightly, replying softly:

  "Much better than yesterday...

  Maybe now I could even go outside."

  Slowly and discreetly, he rested a hand on Selene’s back.

  Closing his eyes, he began channeling a tiny amount of his mana and aura into her, healing her personally.

  A delicate, slow process, so as not to overload her or trigger a berserk state.

  Selene, unaware, fell asleep with a light smile on her lips, her face resting on Dav’s chest.

  Dav stayed awake much longer, focused on healing her, listening to the rhythm of her breathing and the soft ticking of the clock in the other room.

  Only when he was sure the mana had settled a little did he slowly close his eyes and allow himself to drift into sleep too, wrapped in the warmth of that embrace.

  The night passed peacefully, marked only by the soft sound of seconds slipping by.

  Many hours later, Selene woke up with a dry mouth.

  She blinked slowly, glancing around.

  Carefully, she got up, trying not to wake him, and made her way to the small fridge.

  She opened it cautiously, took out a bottle of cool water, and drank a few sips, feeling the relief flow down her throat.

  When she returned to bed, her heart melted at the sight of Dav still sleeping in the same position, motionless, serene.

  She slipped back under the covers and moved closer to him.

  With timid gestures, she reached out a hand and touched his lips, tracing their outline with the tip of her

  fingers.

  She felt his warm, slow breath like a silent melody.

  Driven by a sudden desire, she lowered her face and gently brushed his lips with a kiss.

  A light gesture, barely a touch, like the flap of wings.

  A burst of sweetness filled her heart, a wave of pure peace she had never felt before.

  Smiling to herself, she curled up against his chest, fitting perfectly against him.

  With her head tucked under his chin and her hands seeking his arm, she held him close, positioning it over her chest.

  In response, Dav, even in his sleep, wrapped her in a tight, secure embrace, as if his body responded instinctively to her touch.

  Selene closed her eyes, happy, feeling the slow, reassuring beat of Dav’s heart against her back.

  The world outside could wait.

  In that room, under those covers, between warm breaths and silent hugs, time seemed to have stopped.

  And that night, long and silent, cradled them both in a serene, perfect dream.

  END OF CHAPTER - 163