The moon hung low over the city, casting a silvery glow over Garrett’s apartment balcony. The skyline was painted in hues of midnight blue and steel gray, and the faint hum of traffic below provided a steady, almost soothing background noise. Rachel sat curled up in one of the patio chairs, bundled in one of Garrett’s hoodies again. The sleeves were too long, swallowing her hands, but she loved the warmth of it—the faint, lingering scent of him clinging to the fabric.
Garrett leaned against the railing, a half-empty beer bottle dangling from his fingers. His eyes were distant, watching the faint shimmer of distant headlights winding through the streets below, but Rachel could feel the tension in his frame. His jaw was clenched slightly, his broad shoulders stiff with the weight of the situation pressing down on them.
They had spent the entire day chasing leads—diving into old mythology texts, scientific journals, and obscure paranormal forums in hopes of finding some breakthrough for Caelan and Elise. But they kept hitting dead ends. It was like searching for a door in a house with no walls.
Rachel exhaled slowly, the chilly night air stinging her lungs. She sipped from her glass of wine, feeling the subtle warmth spread through her chest, but it did little to dull the growing ache of frustration.
“Hey.” Her voice was soft, hesitant, cutting through the heavy silence. “You’re quiet.”
Garrett glanced over at her, startled slightly by the interruption of his thoughts. He forced a small smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah… just thinking.”
She set her glass down and slowly stood, walking toward him. When she reached the railing, she placed her hand gently over his, stilling his restless fingers against the cool metal.
“Talk to me,” she coaxed softly.
He let out a heavy breath, running his free hand through his hair before meeting her eyes. “I just…” he trailed off, struggling to find the words. He glanced back toward the city, as if searching for them out there. “I hate feeling useless,” he admitted finally, his voice low and rough. “Like no matter how much we try, nothing we do makes a damn bit of difference. They’re still stuck, and we’re still grasping at straws.”
Rachel’s chest tightened. She could hear the self-reproach in his voice, the weight of helplessness pressing down on him. She tightened her grip on his hand and gently tugged him toward her.
“You’re not useless, Garrett,” she said firmly, her voice a quiet but steady anchor. “You’re doing everything you can. We both are.”
His eyes softened slightly, but the tension in his jaw remained. “It doesn’t feel like enough.”
She let out a slow breath, searching his face. Without thinking, she slipped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek against his chest. His heartbeat was steady beneath her ear, a slow and comforting rhythm.
Garrett stilled for a moment, surprised by the sudden embrace. But after a brief hesitation, his arms came around her, pulling her tightly against him. She felt his body relax slightly, his breath evening out.
They stood like that for several moments, holding on to each other in the silence, their breathing synchronizing.
“You’re not alone in this,” Rachel murmured softly, her voice muffled slightly against his shirt. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”
His arms tightened slightly around her, and he pressed a slow, lingering kiss against the top of her head.
When she finally pulled back, he kept his hands on her waist, his thumbs brushing lightly over the fabric of her hoodie. Their eyes met, and the warmth in his gaze made her breath catch slightly.
“Thank you,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
“For what?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.
“For always knowing how to stop me from completely losing my mind,” he murmured with a small smile.
Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, the tension between them shifted. The weight of the situation was still there, but something else lingered in the space between them—something warmer, heavier, and far more dangerous.
Before she could respond, he slowly leaned down, his fingers tightening slightly on her waist, and brushed his lips against hers.
The kiss was slow, unhurried—a careful exploration. His lips moved softly against hers, as if testing, savoring. Rachel melted into him, her hands sliding up his chest and curling around the nape of his neck. She pressed closer, feeling the heat of his body against hers.
When he deepened the kiss, she opened for him, and his tongue slid against hers, languid and deliberate. A quiet sigh escaped her, and he responded with a low, satisfied hum. His hand slipped under the edge of her hoodie, his palm warm against her lower back.
The balcony railing dug into her back slightly, but she didn’t care. She curled her fingers into his hair, tugging him closer. The kiss grew more urgent, their breaths mingling, and she felt the gentle press of his body against hers, steady and sure.
When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathless, their lips swollen and slightly parted. Garrett rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed, as if grounding himself.
Her voice was barely above a whisper. “We should go back inside.”
He let out a low, reluctant breath and nodded slowly, but he didn’t let her go. Instead, he pressed one more slow, lingering kiss against her lips before finally pulling back.
Later that evening, they sat side by side on the couch, laptop screens glowing in front of them. They were researching again, but the tension had eased slightly.
Rachel glanced over at Garrett, who was scrolling through an ancient forum thread on supernatural occurrences. His brow was furrowed in concentration, and she smiled faintly, admiring the subtle crease between his eyebrows.
Unable to resist, she reached over and brushed her fingers lightly against his cheek.
He glanced at her, startled slightly by the soft touch. “What?” he asked, his voice low.
She smiled faintly. “You’re cute when you’re trying to look smart,” she teased softly.
He arched a brow, smirking slightly. “Trying?” he repeated in mock offense.
She bit her lip, her eyes glimmering with mischief. “Yeah. You’re lucky you’re pretty.”
Garrett chuckled, leaning over slightly. “You think I’m pretty, huh?”
Her eyes narrowed playfully. “Shut up.”
But he didn’t let her escape. Instead, he slowly shifted, setting his laptop aside and leaning closer. His voice lowered, a faint rasp beneath the teasing lilt.
“Say it again,” he murmured, his lips brushing lightly against her jaw.
Rachel’s breath caught slightly, her eyes fluttering shut. “Garrett…”
His mouth moved lower, slowly trailing down her neck, and she felt her pulse quicken beneath the gentle scrape of his stubble. Her fingers tightened in his shirt, and her head fell back slightly, giving him more access.
He smiled faintly against her skin, his breath hot against her throat. “You’re not stopping me,” he murmured against her collarbone.
Her lips parted, and she let out a shaky breath, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt.
“I don’t want to stop you,” she whispered.
At her words, he pulled back slightly, his eyes dark with heat. He cupped her face in his hands, his thumb brushing lightly over her cheek.
“Good,” he murmured before kissing her again.
It was nearly midnight when the first rumble of thunder shook the windows. The storm rolled in without warning, heavy sheets of rain lashing against the balcony glass. Flashes of lightning illuminated the room sporadically, but neither Rachel nor Garrett paid it any attention.
They sat on the floor, papers and books forgotten around them. Rachel was leaning against Garrett’s chest, his arms wrapped securely around her. The flickering candlelight cast a soft glow over their faces.
The rain pounded against the glass, creating a soft rhythm, but inside, everything was still. Their breathing was slow and steady, their hands intertwined.
Garrett pressed a slow, lingering kiss to her temple. “You’re falling asleep on me,” he teased softly.
Rachel smiled drowsily. “Mmm. You’re too comfortable,” she murmured against his chest.
He chuckled softly and held her closer, brushing his lips against her hair.
“Stay,” he whispered, his voice barely audible above the rain.
Rachel stirred slightly, opening her eyes. She gazed up at him, her face softened by the candlelight, her lips parted slightly.
“I wasn’t planning on leaving,” she murmured softly.
A slow, satisfied smile tugged at his lips, and he leaned down, kissing her softly, as the rain continued to fall against the windows.
And in that moment, the chaos of the outside world disappeared. It was just the two of them—wrapped in warmth, held by fire.