Marian's. POV
With that, he was gone, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.
Aiden sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know why I put up with him."
I squeezed his hand. "Because he's your friend."
Aiden exhaled, looking at me, and for the first time in days, I saw something lighter in his gaze. A hint of amusement.
"Yeah," he admitted. "I guess he is."
I smiled, leaning against him, feeling the warmth of his presence. For the first time since everything happened, it felt like things were going to be okay.
The quiet that followed Sebastian's departure felt oddly comforting. Aiden's arm draped over my shoulder, his fingers idly tracing patterns against my skin. The tension he'd carried over the past few days wasn't entirely gone, but it had eased. Just a little.
"You really should sleep," I murmured, tilting my head to look at him.
He scoffed softly. "So should you."
I rolled my eyes. "I actually have been."