(Ember/ Aeris POV)
Damon and I lay there for a while, tucked under the sheets, our bodies pressed together as if neither of us wanted to break the moment.
His chest rose and fell beneath my cheek, steady and warm, and for a long time we simply listened to each other's heartbeat. It felt strangely comforting, like the world outside had paused just for us, and nothing existed except the soft rhythm between us.
I lifted my head a little, my fingers brushing lightly against his collarbone. "Are you still mad at me?" I asked quietly.
He did not answer. Not a word left his mouth, which made my heart squeeze in worry. Instead he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss on my forehead, warm and lingering, the kind that said far more than anything he could have spoken.
Still, I could not tell if he was forgiving me or just distracting me again.
