Chapter 13: The Morning After

 The first thing Dev noticed when he woke up was the quiet. Not the kind of silence that came with loneliness, the kind he had grown used to in prison but a softer, almost peaceful kind of quiet.

Josie's apartment was dimly lit by the early morning sun filtering through the curtains. The air was warm, carrying the faint scent of coffee brewing somewhere nearby. Dev blinked, his mind still sluggish as he registered the soft weight against his chest.

Josie.

She was curled up beside him, her head resting just below his collarbone, one arm draped lazily over his stomach. Her breathing was slow and steady, her dark curls spilling over the pillow.

For a moment, Dev just lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to process everything.

The night before felt surreal. He had never done something like that before, never been that close to someone. And yet, here he was, still wrapped in the warmth of it. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Carefully, he shifted, trying not to wake her as he sat up. But Josie stirred anyway, letting out a soft hum before cracking one eye open.

"Mmm," she muttered sleepily, stretching her arm across the sheets. "You're up early."

"Didn't sleep much," Dev admitted.

Josie propped herself up on one elbow, studying him. "Bad dreams?"

"No." He ran a hand through his hair. "Just… not used to this."

Josie smirked, teasing. "You mean waking up in a warm bed instead of a prison cell?"

Dev shot her a look, but there was no malice in it. If anything, Josie's bluntness was oddly refreshing.

She grinned, nudging his shoulder. "Relax, tough guy. You don't have to overthink it."

Dev wasn't sure how to explain that overthinking was just part of who he was now. That after years of looking over his shoulder, of expecting the worst, it was hard to just accept something good without wondering when it would all fall apart.

Josie sat up fully, pulling the sheets around her as she studied him. "Look, if you're worried about what last night meant… don't. I like you, Devan. And I like spending time with you. But you don't have to figure everything out right now."

Her words settled something in him.

For once, there was no pressure. No expectations.

Just… this.

Josie yawned, stretching again before slipping out of bed. "I'm making coffee. You want some?"

Dev nodded, watching as she disappeared into the small kitchen. He exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over his face.

He had no idea what he was doing.

But maybe, just maybe, that was okay.

***********

Dev finally left Josie's apartment and made his way to work after spending more time with Josie, talking and laughing. The cold morning air was a stark contrast to the warmth of her bed, making the whole night feel even more unreal. But his lips still tingled from her kisses, and his skin still burned where her fingers had traced him.

By the time he arrived at work, Marty was already waiting, leaning against a garbage truck with his arms crossed. The second he spotted Dev, a slow smirk crept onto his face.

"Well, well, well," Marty drawled, pushing off the truck. "Look who finally decided to show up."

Dev rolled his eyes, trying to brush past him, but Marty stepped in front of him.

"So… where were you last night, huh?" Marty wiggled his eyebrows. "Because I know damn well you didn't come home."

"I was busy," Dev muttered, grabbing a pair of gloves.

Marty gasped dramatically. "Busy, huh! Let me guess…" He snapped his fingers. "Josie."

Dev stiffened, which was all the confirmation Marty needed. His grin stretched wider.

"No way. No way," Marty cackled. "You and Josie? You? Holy shit,"

"Okay, okay, Marty. You don't really have to make a big deal out of it" Dev said shyly.

"Dev, was it your first time?"

"Shut up," Dev groaned, pulling on his gloves.

"Oh my God, it was!" Marty slapped his hands together, laughing. "Damn, I should've known. You got that awkward 'I-just-had-sex-for-the-first-time' look."

Dev shoved him. "Marty."

"Hey, hey, I'm just saying! It's a big deal! My boy Dev finally got some action!" Marty wiggled his eyebrows again. "So? How was it?"

Dev sighed, shaking his head. "You're not letting this go, are you?"

"Absolutely not," Marty said proudly.

Before Dev could come up with a response, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, and his chest tightened when he saw Josie's name on the screen.

Josie: Hey, you free before my shift? Let's meet at the coffee shop down town.

Marty peeked over his shoulder. "Ohhh, she's already calling you back? Damn, you must've done something right."

Dev felt an unfamiliar excitement bubbling in his chest. He wasn't used to this, someone actually wanting to see him.

Marty nudged him. "Go, lover boy. I got this covered."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just make sure you tell me everything later."

Dev sighed, shoving his phone into his pocket. "You're the worst."

Marty grinned. "And yet, you love me."

At the Coffee Shop.

The café was warm, filled with the scent of roasted beans and vanilla. Dev spotted Josie sitting in the corner, stirring a cup of coffee.

She looked up as he approached and smirked. "Hey, you actually showed up."

"Of course I did." Dev sat across from her, feeling more comfortable than he expected.

Josie took a sip of her drink. "So, how's work? Did Marty give you a hard time?"

Dev scoffed. "What do you think?"

Josie laughed. "Yeah, I figured. Marty seems like the type who'd never let you live something down."

Dev shook his head. "He's relentless."

They sat in silence for a moment before Josie leaned in slightly. "I like you, Devan."

His heart did a weird little flip. "Yeah?"

She nodded. "And I wanna see more of you. So let's do this right. A real date. What do you say?"

Dev swallowed, nodding slowly. "Yeah. I'd like that."

Josie grinned. "Good. Tomorrow night, then?"

"It's a date."

And for the first time in a long time, Dev felt like maybe, just maybe, things were starting to change.