They didn't say much after that.
The road grew quieter the farther they walked, the last bits of afternoon noise fading behind them. Houses lined the street in neat rows, but not identical. Some looked well-kept. Others… less so.
Caelum slowed near a small gate.
"We're here."
Amoriel followed his gaze.
The house in front of them wasn't large.
Just enough.
The exterior was simple, a little worn in places, but clearly lived in. The kind of place that didn't try to stand out.
He pushed the gate open and stepped inside.
She followed without hesitation.
At the entrance, he slid the door open and stepped into the lowered space just inside.
Then he paused.
"Shoes."
Amoriel looked down, then back at him.
"…Right."
She slipped them off and placed them beside his.
Neatly.
He glanced at them for a second.
"…You're already better at this than I expected."
"You explained earlier."
"Yeah, but still."
He stepped up into the house, and she followed.
The inside was quiet.
Not empty—just still.
A low table sat near the center of the room. Books were stacked off to one side, not messy, but not exactly organized either. The couch against the wall had softened from use, the fabric slightly worn at the edges.
Everything looked… normal.
Amoriel took a few steps forward, her eyes moving slowly across the room.
"It's quieter than outside."
"That's the idea."
Caelum dropped his bag near the wall and stretched his shoulders.
Then he let himself fall onto the couch.
A long breath left him.
"…I'm not doing anything for a while."
Amoriel walked over.
Then sat down beside him.
Close again.
He noticed.
But this time, he didn't say anything.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The silence didn't feel awkward.
Just calm.
Somewhere in the distance, a faint sound of a passing train echoed through the air.
Amoriel glanced toward the window, then back.
"…You can still hear the outside."
"Yeah."
"It's not completely separate."
"That's how it is."
She nodded slightly.
Then turned to him.
"Caelum."
"…What."
"The girl from earlier."
He exhaled slowly.
"…Lyra."
"Yes."
"What about her."
Amoriel thought for a moment before answering.
"She felt different near the end."
He stared at the ceiling.
"…Different how."
"She spoke less."
"Yeah."
"And her tone changed."
"…Yeah."
She paused.
"Did I cause that?"
Caelum didn't answer right away.
"…You did a few things."
"I am aware."
"That might be part of it."
Amoriel considered that quietly.
"Was it a bad reaction?"
"…No."
"Then what is it."
He let out a small breath.
"…I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"I mean, I have an idea."
He shifted slightly on the couch.
"…It's just not something easy to explain."
She watched him.
Then gave a small nod.
"I see."
She didn't push further.
The quiet returned again, settling more comfortably this time.
A faint breeze slipped through the window, moving the curtain just enough to shift the light across the floor.
Then—
"When I drank from your can earlier."
Caelum covered his eyes with one hand.
"…We're still on that."
"You didn't stop me."
"I was tired."
"That seems consistent."
"I'm glad you think so."
She looked at him for a moment.
"Would you react the same way if it were someone else?"
He frowned slightly.
"…No."
"I thought so."
She didn't say anything else about it.
Which somehow made it linger more.
Another short silence passed.
Then—
"You're getting used to this."
He lowered his hand slightly.
"…To what."
"Me being here."
He thought about it.
Then looked away again.
"…I don't have the energy to argue with you."
"That still counts."
"…If you say so."
She gave a small nod.
Then—
"Tomorrow."
He let out a quiet sigh.
"…You're not letting that go, are you."
"You agreed."
"I said that in a bad situation."
"I remember."
"Clearly."
She waited.
Patient.
Calm.
"…We'll figure it out tomorrow," he said.
"That's fine."
He blinked once.
"…That was easier than I expected."
"You look tired."
"…I am."
She accepted that without question.
For a moment, the room went quiet again.
The light had begun to dim slightly, the warmth of the afternoon softening into something calmer.
Then—
"Caelum."
He didn't move.
"…What."
Amoriel looked at him.
Her voice, this time, a little softer.
"Today was… interesting."
He let out a small breath that almost sounded like a laugh.
"…That's one way to put it."
She nodded.
"I learned a lot."
"Don't list it."
"I won't."
"…Good."
Another pause.
This one longer.
Neither of them moved.
They just sat there—
Close enough to notice.
In a room that wasn't particularly special.
But somehow felt a little different now.
And for once—
Caelum didn't feel like pushing the moment away.