The garden never truly slept. Even in the deepest hours of night, faint pulses of light moved beneath the soil like slow heartbeats, and petals shifted in response to distant dreams. Liam woke first, nestled against Julian’s chest, the bond humming with the steady rhythm of his partner’s breathing. The air smelled of dew-kissed roses and the faint, sweet undertone of the new euphoric fruits ripening on low-hanging vines. He traced a lazy finger along Julian’s collarbone, smiling when the older man stirred and pulled him closer without fully waking.
They lingered in bed until the first true light filtered through the living canopy above their private grove. Breakfast was simple fresh nectar-sweetened fruits and warm bread conjured by the garden itself. As they ate, a soft chime rippled thr
