Chapter 563: The Weight of Laughter
Orion chuckled.
It came softer this time, less edged, as if the sound itself had settled after everything that had come before it. He dipped his head slightly, then gave her a mock bow where he sat.
"I'm honored," he said dryly. "Truly. To have been the one to make you laugh like that."
Sophia let out another breath of laughter, though it had gentled now. She reached up, brushing at the corner of her eyes with her fingers.
"I wasn't expecting it," she admitted. "Not even a little."
Orion shrugged one shoulder, the corner of his mouth still tilted upward.
"I may not be as funny as Ronan," he said, "but I have my moments."
Sophia snorted softly.
"Your moments are very few and far between."
That earned him another chuckle.
"I'll take what I can get."
The room settled again after that.
The earlier tension had loosened, replaced by a calmer sort of ease that neither of them seemed in a hurry to disturb.
Orion studied her for a moment.
