CASSIAN
I just watched him. I stood there with my hands in my pockets, letting the sound of his voice hit me.
I realized then that I had been keeping a picture of this exact moment in the back of my mind for years, through every dirty job and every midnight drop, without ever knowing I was saving it.
I had just wanted him to breathe without looking over his shoulder, and here it was. Or at least the illusion of it.
We didn't sit down and talk about how we were going to live. We didn't make a list of chores or rules for the house.
When you've spent that much time watching each other's movements in the dark, you don't need a map to figure out how to share a kitchen.
The routine just grew between us like grass through the stones.
The first big surprise was the mornings.
Back in the city, Julian would stay under the blankets until the sun was high, hiding from the noise of the streets and the reality of whatever work was waiting for us.
