The soft click of the lock broke the silence as he stepped inside, the faint scent of lavender drifting from somewhere within the apartment. He loosened his tie and slipped off his shoes, his body heavy with the day's weight. But even before he looked up, he knew - home never felt like home without her.

And there she was.

In the middle of the lounge, her back turned toward him, completely immersed in something so small yet so absorbing that she didn't notice him enter. Her fluffy bunny nightwear, complete with ears perched on her head, was equal parts comical and endearing. He smiled to himself, leaning against the doorframe for a heartbeat, just watching.

She looked soft like this. Untouched by the world outside. His world.

For a moment, he debated announcing his presence, but his feet moved on their own, carrying him closer. He slipped his arms gently around her waist from behind, resting his chin lightly against her shoulder.

She stiffened. Just for a second. Then she exhaled, and he felt the relief in her body as she melted into him. She turned, eyes wide, and the sight nearly undid him. How something so simple - a look, a heartbeat, a breath - could feel this much like forever, he didn't know.

Before she could say anything, he lifted her effortlessly into his arms. She gasped, hitting his chest lightly in protest, but her cheeks flushed pink, and that gave him away. He chuckled, the sound rumbling against her ear as he carried her with ease.

"What is it now?" she whispered, her voice soft, her lips curved in a smile she was trying to hide.

His gaze fell - unintentionally, yet inevitably - toward her stomach. A teasing thought lingered on his lips. "Are you…" He began.

She froze, her eyes widening, and then quickly shook her head, the blush spreading to her ears. "No," she whispered breathlessly, too quick, too flustered.

But she knew. She hadn't needed the words - just the way his eyes softened when they met hers told her exactly what he was about to ask. The unspoken hope, the tender thought, the silent wish that one day this moment might mean something more.

Her throat tightened. She looked away, biting down on a shy smile, and stammered, "I… I've just been eating too much."

He laughed again, though softer this time. A sound touched not with mischief, but with affection. He adjusted her in his arms and pressed his forehead gently to hers.

"Even if you were," he murmured, "nothing would change. You'd still be the most beautiful part of my life."

She blinked at him, her heart stumbling over itself. His words had always been like this - simple, quiet, yet carrying more weight than she could ever measure. She buried her face against his shoulder, trying to hide her warmth, but his chuckle told her he already knew.

He lowered her onto the couch, settling beside her as she curled naturally into his side. His arm draped over her, his fingers absentmindedly brushing her hair. Silence stretched, but it wasn't empty - it was whole. The kind of silence that belonged to people who didn't need words to understand each other.

The night lingered softly around them, their laughter still echoing faintly in the air. For the world outside, this was ordinary. But for them, it was everything.

And though she didn't know it yet, their story hadn't begun here. This was only the now. Before this warmth, before this closeness, before this forever - they had been two people standing worlds apart.