The sound of running water came to a stop.
A short while later, the bathroom door opened, and Tatsumaki floated out in her usual black dress. Her hair had already been dried with telekinesis, falling around her shoulders in soft curls.
The moment she stepped into the living room, she spotted Sol sitting on the sofa. Her emerald eyes immediately narrowed.
"What are you doing sitting there?"
Her voice carried its usual impatience, though beneath it lingered a trace of barely noticeable unease.
Sol looked up at her.
"Sleeping."
"The sofa is tiny. How are you supposed to sleep there?" Tatsumaki floated over and stopped in front of him, resting her hands on her hips. "Besides, the Hero Association is coming tomorrow. What will they think if they see you sleeping on the sofa?"
It was a very Tatsumaki excuse, forceful on the surface, awkward underneath.
Sol glanced at the sofa beneath him before looking back at her.
"When I was injured, it was different," he said. "Now I'm fine."
The meaning was obvious. There was no reason for him to share the bed anymore.
A faint blush spread across Tatsumaki's ears, and her voice became noticeably sharper.
"Who said anything about that? I just mean... you're one of the masters of this place! If people find out you're sleeping on the sofa, where am I supposed to put my pride?"
"They'll think I'm bullying you!"
The louder she spoke, the more it sounded as though she was trying to drown out her own embarrassment.
Sol watched her quietly. Under the moonlight, his dark red eyes appeared unusually deep, as if he genuinely couldn't understand why she cared so much about appearances.
His gaze made Tatsumaki increasingly uncomfortable.
She abruptly turned around and faced away from him.
"Whatever. Sleep wherever you want."
She floated toward the bedroom, but when she reached the doorway, she paused instead of closing the door.
Sol remained seated on the sofa without moving.
After a moment, Tatsumaki's voice drifted out from the bedroom, deliberately casual.
"...Hey, Sol. I'm not completely sure about the New City defense assessment report. Come take a look."
Hearing that, Sol stood and walked into the bedroom.
Only the bedside lamp was on, casting a soft glow across the room.
Tatsumaki sat on one side of the bed with a tablet in her hands, its screen illuminating her face.
She pointed at several complicated data charts and structural diagrams.
"Here. And this energy node arrangement. I think the reinforcement here isn't strong enough."
Sol stepped closer and leaned over to examine the display. As he did, his faint, familiar scent drifted toward her.
Tatsumaki's fingertips paused ever so slightly.
"The reinforcement is sufficient," Sol said after only a brief glance. "Combined with the outer wave detection array, it can handle sudden threats."
"What if there are monsters that specialize in stealth?" Tatsumaki asked.
Her tone lacked conviction. It sounded more like she was trying to keep the conversation going.
"Psykos's reconnaissance eyeballs provide complete coverage," Sol replied evenly.
"Oh."
Tatsumaki lowered the tablet, unable to come up with another excuse.
Her eyes briefly flicked toward the empty half of the bed beside her before she quickly looked away, pretending to smooth a blanket that was already perfectly neat.
Sol straightened and looked at her.
Feeling his gaze, Tatsumaki's movements became slightly stiff.
She drew a slow breath, as though gathering her courage, then suddenly looked up at him.
"What are you staring at? It's already late. Are you seriously planning to go back to the living room and sleep on that sofa? Just sleep here. It'll save me from having to explain tomorrow why your back hurts."
The instant the words left her mouth, she lifted the blanket, slipped underneath it, and turned her back toward him.
"...You're such a hassle," she muttered.
Sol stood quietly, looking at the space she had deliberately left for him before glancing at her tense back.
A moment later, he walked around to the other side of the bed and lay down.
The mattress dipped slightly beneath his weight.
A respectful distance remained between them.
The bedside lamp went dark, leaving only pale moonlight filtering through the curtains.
Silence settled over the room, broken only by the quiet rhythm of their breathing.
Tatsumaki lay perfectly still with her back to Sol, her body tense.
Sol rested on his back, staring at the ceiling. His expression remained as calm as ever, without the slightest visible change.
Time passed.
The moonlight slowly shifted across the room.
Very carefully, Tatsumaki turned over to face him.
She had assumed he had fallen asleep long ago.
Instead, she met a pair of calm crimson eyes waiting in the darkness.
He had been awake the entire time.
Her heart skipped a beat, and warmth instantly rushed to her face.
She instinctively started to turn away again, but Sol spoke first, his voice quiet in the stillness.
"The sofa really was uncomfortable."
"It's comfortable here."
Tatsumaki froze.
"...Good," she murmured into her pillow. "At least you know that."
Silence returned.
Then Sol spoke again.
"The report was fine."
Tatsumaki paused before realizing he was referring to the defense assessment.
"...Oh."
A hint of guilt crept into her voice.
"You were making an excuse," Sol said matter-of-factly.
Her face grew even hotter, though the darkness hid it.
"T-That's none of your business!" she shot back out of habit, though there was little force behind the words.
This time, Sol didn't answer immediately.
Just when Tatsumaki thought the conversation had ended, he quietly responded.
"Mm."
It was only a single sound, carrying no obvious meaning.
Yet, for some reason, Tatsumaki felt that maybe he wasn't as oblivious as she had believed.
She quietly gripped the edge of the blanket.
Neither of them spoke again.
Separated by only a small distance, they lay together beneath the quiet moonlight, their breathing gradually settling into the same gentle rhythm.
This time, neither of them mentioned the sofa again.
===
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