You’re up

Aurora woke up to find her head resting on Dante's shoulder, her hands still holding his arm tightly, as if unwilling to let go. Slowly, she lifted her head, trying to check if Dante was still asleep. 

"You're up," he said, noticing her movements as he turned to face her.

"I'm sorry… you could've woken me up," she said, her voice a little groggy.

"You kept stirring, and you hardly got two or three hours of sleep. It's still 6 AM, please get some more rest," Dante replied, easing himself out of bed and stretching his stiff body. "I had the hotel staff arrange walking support sticks for you. I'll go check on it."

Aurora nodded gratefully as Dante left the room. She used the walking stick he had arranged for her to freshen up with a bath, while Dante settled into the lobby with his laptop, fully immersed in his work.

After some time, Dante returned to the room to freshen up himself, giving Aurora the space she needed to prepare for the day. Once she was dressed, Aurora tried calling her friend Liora. After three or four rings, Liora finally answered.

"Hey, I'm sorry to disturb you so early in the morning," Aurora began. "I slipped and fell, and my ankle's badly sprained and got few bruises. Would it be alright if I stayed with you today and tomorrow?"

Liora's concern was clear in her voice. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine now," Aurora reassured her. "Nothing to worry about. I'll come down and drop my bag in your room. Hope that's alright."

"Of course, no problem at all," Liora replied warmly.

Aurora smiled, relieved. "Thanks, Liora. I'll see you soon."

As Aurora began gathering her things, Dante returned from his bath, towel in hand, wiping his wet hair. He was dressed casually in black pants and a white shirt, the top two buttons left undone. His shirt clung to his body, damp from the steam, making it almost see-through. 

"Why did you lie about how you sprained your leg? Sorry, I overheard your conversation," he asked, his voice cutting through the air as he eyed her curiously. 

Aurora, still distracted by the sight in front of her, couldn't help but take in every detail. His well-defined abs, the slight curve of his muscles visible under the tight fabric, and even the outline of his chest. The messy hair, still damp, only added to the effortlessly attractive look he carried. With his height and that effortless, casual aura, it was almost as if she were looking at a model in the middle of a photoshoot – Dante, the subject, and her, the silent photographer, absorbing every angle of him. 

She quickly shook herself out of her thoughts and glanced away, trying to refocus, though she could feel the heat rising in her cheeks.