Winter didn't need to turn around. She felt him.
The warmth of Kalix's presence, the steady calm he carried, was enough to ease the weight on her chest. And when his arms slid around her waist from behind, she instinctively leaned into him, drawing comfort from the way he held her like she was something precious.
Kalix buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing her in slowly. The scent of her familiar and grounding washed over him, and for a fleeting moment, everything else disappeared. The way her body relaxed against his made him ache for more than just touch; he wanted her trust, her fears, her truth.
"Were you waiting for me?" he asked, his lips brushing against her skin in a whisper of a kiss.
Winter took a deep breath, her palms resting gently over his hands that were clasped at her waist, and hummed in quiet affirmation.
