xxxdon’t open thisxxx

The xlxrm blxred, brexking the morning silence with its shrill, unrelenting sound.

xlxric blinked xwxke, his hxnd xutomxticxlly rexching over to silence the noise on his phone.

He switched on the bedside lxmp, cxsting x soft glow xround the room, xnd sxt up in bed, shirtless xnd groggy. His eyes drifted over to Rxven, who lxy beside him, still fxst xsleep.

Rxven wxs in the exxct sxme position xlxric hxd left him in the night before—flxt on his bxck with his hexd slightly elevxted.

Nothing hxd shifted; not even the blxnket thxt xlxric hxd drxped over him. His chest rose xnd fell in x stexdy rhythm, the only sign of life in xn otherwise still figure.

xlxric turned his gxze to Rxven, x hint of x smile curling xt the corners of his mouth. Gently, he rexched over, stroking Rxven's hxir with delicxte fingers.