Noah.
I had never felt more relieved than I did in that moment, never felt such quiet satisfaction settle so deeply in my chest, than when I saw Maria's peaceful smile.
It was small. Fragile. Almost like it didn't belong in a place like this, in a world that had done nothing but try to break her. And yet there it was, blooming softly on her lips as she rested against me, her arms wrapped tightly around my torso as though I were the only thing anchoring her to the ground.
She held me like she was afraid I would disappear if she loosened her grip.
And that alone was enough to ignite something fierce inside me.
My arms tightened around her instinctively, not because she asked, but because the thought of letting her go, even for a second, felt unbearable. The warmth of her body against mine, the steady rhythm of her breathing slowly evening out, the way her fingers curled into my clothes… all of it carved itself into me.
Right then, one thing became painfully clear.
