Phei woke to fingers moving through his hair.
Soft and gentle fingers.
A touch so careful it seemed less like an attempt to wake him and more like affection losing self-control. A few strands were brushed away from his face. Fingertips traced lightly near his temple, paused, then slipped back again as though the person touching him had stolen one small moment and wanted to stretch it before he opened his eyes.
Then a kiss touched his forehead.
Warm, familiar and filled with so much tenderness that it passed through sleep, through fatigue, through the leftover weight of the night, and reached something in him no system reward had ever touched.
Phei opened his eyes.
For one breath, the world was soft.
Silver shadows.
Dim room.
Warm sheets.
The faint scent of Melissa.
'Melissa~'
