The Night and The One Hiding

Mikhailis lay still, staring at the ceiling as the faint silver glow of the moon painted soft lines across the wooden beams above. Sleep eluded him again, as it often did after the whirlwind of emotions and passions that came with nights like these. He turned his head, his gaze falling on Lira, who was fast asleep beside him. Her long black ponytail spilled over the pillow, her chest rising and falling with a peaceful rhythm that contrasted sharply with her usual sharp wit and composed demeanor.

He couldn't help but let a small smile tug at his lips. Her face, so often framed by an air of sarcastic elegance and calm poise, now seemed softened in sleep. The moonlight illuminated her delicate features, accentuating the gentle curve of her cheekbones and the faint blush of her lips, slightly parted as she breathed steadily. Her lashes, long and dark, rested against her skin, casting faint shadows that seemed almost unreal in their perfection.