Another week slipped by, and the rhythm of the house settled even deeper. Nothing changed drastically, and that was exactly how both of them wanted it. There were no grand declarations, no sudden shifts in how they acted... Only tiny, gentle changes that added up day by day, like water slowly smoothing stone.
They still kept their separate rooms, still knocked before entering any space that felt private, still gave each other room to breathe. But the invisible wall that had stood between them when they first arrived had softened into something more like a thin, comfortable curtain. Still there, but easy to see through and easy to move aside.
In the mornings, Elara no longer waited for Cole to invite her to the table. She would come down, pour the coffee, and set out plates just as natura
