The estate gates appeared ahead, iron bars glinting under the streetlights.
Matteo eased the car along the driveway, tires crunching softly against the gravel.
Felix watched the familiar silhouette of the house, its windows dark except for a single light in the foyer, the garden neatly kept—everything felt impossibly normal compared to the swirl of emotions inside him.
"Home," Matteo said quietly, almost like a statement to himself.
Felix's fingers tapped lightly against the laptop bag resting in his lap. "Yeah… home," he echoed, his voice softer than he expected.
Matteo parked in the spot near the main entrance, the car's engine ticking as it cooled.
The silence between them stretched, comfortable but weighted.
He reached across, unlocking Felix's seatbelt for him with a careful, deliberate movement.
Felix stiffened, but didn't pull away.
"You okay?" Matteo asked, voice low, intimate.
"I'm fine," Felix said quickly, forcing himself to keep the tone even.
