Aniela lowered herself carefully onto the curb beside Kafziel, the gravel cool beneath her legs. The night air wrapped around them, a mix of chill and quiet that made everything feel suspended in time. The glow from a distant streetlight reflected faintly in the puddles near the curb, shimmering softly across the pavement.
She noticed him almost immediately. His eyelids drooped slightly, the sharp tension of the day giving way to exhaustion. The dark circles beneath his eyes were faintly visible, shadows of weariness painted across his face. He’s sleepy, she thought, a pang of concern twisting in her chest. I can’t let him nod off here. Not in the cold.
“Hey,” she whispered, nudging him gently with her elbow. “Wake up.”
His head lifted slowly, face half-dazed and disoriented. His hair f
