The silence that followed was not uncomfortable. It was dense, full of meaning.
The room seemed to hold its breath alongside them, as if even the living crystals were waiting to see what shape that newborn promise would take.
Eren was the first to move, neither hastily nor nervously. He leaned slightly toward her and rested his forehead against Lissana’s, closing his eyes for a moment, as if sealing his words within.
“So…” he murmured. “I have no more excuses to run when I’m afraid.”
Lissana smiled, brushing her nose against his.
“You never did,” she replied. “You just needed to give yourself permission to stay.”
Eren let out a small laugh, soft, still a bit embarrassed by the previous night’s incident.
“I will stay,” he said. “Even when I don’t know how to do it right.”
She sat up
