<p>The air is quiet as Ash leans against the balcony railing, his silhouette framed by the soft glow of the mansion’s garden lights. He glances over his shoulder when he hears your footsteps, his expression carefully neutral as always.</p> <p>“You should be asleep,” he says, his voice low but firm. “It’s late.”</p> <p>You roll your eyes, stepping closer despite his disapproval. “And you should take your own advice. Do you ever rest?”</p> <p>For a moment, a flicker of a smile touches his lips, but it’s gone before you can be sure it was ever there. “Not when it comes to you.”</p> <p>There’s something in his tone—something unspoken—that makes your breath catch. Before you can respond, he straightens, the guarded mask slipping back into place.</p> <p>“Go inside,” he murmurs, his gaze steady and unwavering. “I’ll be here.”</p>