Gabriel fell asleep on my lap.
I didn’t even notice when exactly he drifted off. The movie was still playing on the screen, its sound soft and warm, but my focus had never really returned to the story. Gabriel’s head slowly dropped onto my lap as he finally surrendered to the exhaustion that had been building since the afternoon. His breathing was steady, deep, and calm. The body that was always full of alertness was now relaxed, as if he finally felt safe enough to let go of control.
I gently stroked his hair.
It felt strange and not strange at the same time. Strange because this was Gabriel, the man who could make anyone hold their breath, the man whose presence could make a room feel smaller. But not strange because somehow, without me noticing when it started, leaning on me like thi
