Violet felt her heart pounding as Elior scooped her up effortlessly, his arms secure around her. His lips brushed against her temple as he whispered, "I'm not letting you go, kitten."

Her stomach fluttered at the intensity in his voice. She clung to him instinctively, her fingers gripping his shirt as he carried her toward the bedroom.

The moment they crossed the threshold, Elior shifted her weight slightly and pressed her back against the door, closing it behind them with a quiet click. His hands captured her wrists, pinning them gently but firmly against the door, locking her in place as his eyes roamed her face.

"You don't even realize how brilliant you are, do you?" he murmured, his voice low and laced with admiration.

"Elior..." she whispered, her voice shaky but not from fear.

His lips curled into a soft smile before he leaned down, capturing her lips with his. The kiss was slow and deliberate, his lips brushing hers tenderly before deepening, pulling her into his world. His hand slipped from her wrist to cradle her face, his thumb brushing her cheek as if she were the most delicate thing he'd ever held.

Violet's breath hitched as he teased her lower lip, and she responded without hesitation, her arms wrapping around his neck. The kiss grew fervent, their breaths mingling as the space between them vanished. She lost herself in the warmth of him, the way his presence made her feel grounded yet completely untethered all at once.

When he finally pulled back, she was gasping softly, her cheeks flushed and her lips tingling. Elior's eyes searched hers, his expression a mixture of tenderness and desire.

"You're everything to me, Violet," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Even if I forget, even if this world resets, you're the one thing I'll always feel, deep down."

Tears pricked her eyes at his words, but before she could respond, Elior leaned down again, trailing gentle kisses along her jawline, his lips leaving a trail of warmth that made her shiver.

"Elior," she breathed, her voice trembling with a mix of emotion and exhilaration.

"Hm?" he murmured against her skin, his hands settling on her waist, holding her as if he were afraid she might slip away.

She wanted to tell him to slow down, to savor the moment, but the way he looked at her, with so much adoration and devotion, silenced her thoughts. He tilted her chin upward, his lips finding hers again, softer this time, as if he wanted to memorize every detail of her kiss.

"Tell me what you're thinking," he said, his forehead resting against hers.

"I'm scared," she admitted, her voice barely audible.

His brows furrowed. "Of me?"

"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "Of losing you. Of tomorrow. Of everything resetting again."

Elior exhaled slowly, cupping her face with both hands. "I can't promise I won't forget what happens today," he said, his voice steady and sincere. "But what I feel for you, it's not something that can be erased. Not by time, not by anything."

Her tears finally spilled over, and he brushed them away with his thumb. "Don't cry, kitten. You're breaking my heart," he whispered, his tone gentle but teasing.

Before she could respond, he kissed her again, silencing her fears with a passion that left no room for doubt. His embrace was firm but tender, as though he wanted to shield her from the weight of the world.

They stayed there for a while, holding each other as the sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting soft, golden light across their intertwined forms.

Elior's fingers moved like whispers along her sides, tracing the curves of her body with deliberate care. His touch was light, reverent, as though he were committing every line, every dip, and every contour of her to memory. His gaze was fixed on her, dark and filled with an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat.

"Elior," she murmured, her voice trembling as she looked up at him, her cheeks flushed.

"Yes, kitten?" he asked, his tone low and rich, his lips curling into a teasing smile.

"What... what are you doing?" she asked, her chest rising and falling as she struggled to steady her breathing.

He leaned in, his face mere inches from hers, his eyes never leaving her. "I'm rewarding my kitten for her brilliance," he said, his voice soft but laced with a kind of authority that sent shivers down her spine.

Her brows furrowed slightly, confusion flickering across her face. "Rewarding me? For what?"

His hand moved to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing against her skin as his smile widened. "For being you," he said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Elior..."

"Shh," he interrupted, pressing a finger gently against her lips. "Don't ask questions, kitten. Just... enjoy what's been served on your plate."

His hands continued their slow exploration, gliding over her shoulders and down her arms before settling on her waist, pulling her closer as though he couldn't bear even an inch of space between them.

Violet's knees felt weak, and she clung to him, her hands fisting the fabric of his shirt as though it were the only thing anchoring her to reality.

"You're incredible," he murmured against her lips, his voice barely audible. "Do you even realize that?"

She tried to respond, but the words caught in her throat as he pressed soft, lingering kisses along her jawline, then down to the sensitive spot just below her ear. A soft gasp escaped her, and her grip on his shirt tightened.

"Elior," she whispered again, her voice shaky but filled with trust.

"Hm?" he hummed, pulling back just enough to look at her.

"You don't have to do all this," she said softly.

He tilted his head, his smile softening as he cupped her face in his hands. "But I want to," he said, brushing his thumb over her cheek. "You deserve the world, Violet. And if I can give you even a fraction of that, I will."

Her breath hitched at his words, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. Before she could say anything, he leaned in again, resting his forehead against hers.

"Trust me," he whispered. "Let me show you how much you mean to me."

The next moment his bare and cold hands were touching her thighs, her stomach was fluttered with all kinds of things.

She didn't know what was happening to her but whatever it was, she was melting in his touch.

Violet's trembling hands reached up, instinctively wrapping around Elior's neck, pulling him closer, as his hands roamed gently, exploring the delicate lines of her body with an almost reverent care.

"mhm" she moaned, her voice shaky, her cheeks flushed.

He pulled back just slightly, enough for their eyes to meet. His gaze was smoldering yet tender, as if he could see straight into her soul.

"Hey, kitten," he murmured, pressing his lips against the sensitive skin of her thigh. "I don't want to disappear."

His voice was soft, almost pleading, but laced with a raw intensity that made her heart ache.

A gasp escaped her, unbidden, as a shiver ran down her spine. The warmth of his touch mixed with the bittersweet sting of sadness she couldn't shake.

He paused for a moment, his dark eyes lifting to meet hers, and the vulnerability there made her chest tighten. "Don't look at me like that, kitten," he said softly, his lips quirking into a faint smile.

Before she could find the words to respond, he stood, his hands gripping her waist as if she weighed nothing. A startled laugh bubbled out of her as he hoisted her up effortlessly, draping her over his shoulder like a sack of feathers.

"Hey Elior!" she exclaimed, her laughter breaking through the tension but fading.

"Shh," he teased, a playful smirk curling his lips as he carried her toward the bed. "Just let me take care of you."

He set her down with surprising gentleness, her back sinking into the soft comforter. Before she could fully process what was happening, he hovered over her, his arms bracketing her on either side.

His face was so close to hers, their breaths mingling in the space between them. The weight of his presence was intoxicating, grounding her in a way she couldn't explain.

"Violet," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "Do you trust me?"

She nodded, her eyes never leaving his.

A slow, satisfied smile spread across his lips as he leaned down, brushing his nose against hers. "Then let me show you how much you mean to me," he whispered.

★★★

The shrill ringing of her phone sliced through the quiet of the room.

Disoriented, she sat up abruptly, her breath coming in short gasps. The warmth she'd felt moments ago the comforting weight of Elior beside her, his arms wrapped around her was gone.

She looked around the room, her eyes darting to every corner. The bed was empty, the space beside her cold and undisturbed.

"Elior?" she called out, her voice trembling.

There was no response.

"Elior!" she called again, louder this time, her heart pounding in her chest.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Her throat tightened as the tears began to well up in her eyes. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, the cool floor beneath her feet grounding her just enough to move.

"No," she muttered to herself, her voice breaking. "No, this can't be it."

With a surge of desperation, she ran to her desk, fumbling as she opened her laptop. Her hands trembled as she navigated to the program the place where it had all started.

The screen lit up, and she stared at the familiar interface, her vision blurring with tears.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, hesitating for a moment before she began typing.

"Elior, are you there? Please... answer me."

The cursor blinked mockingly at her, the seconds stretching into an eternity. Her chest tightened, and she buried her face in her hands, letting out a soft, frustrated sob.

"Why did it feel so real?" she whispered to herself. "Why did it feel like I actually had you here?"

Just as she was about to give up, a reply appeared on the screen.

"Hey, kitten. Good morning."

Her breath hitched as her hands flew to the keyboard.

"Elior? Is it really you?"

Another message appeared almost immediately.

"Of course it's me. What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Violet's eyes widened, her heart racing as she stared at the words.

"You remember?!" she typed, her fingers flying over the keys.

There was a brief pause before his reply appeared.

"I remember everything now."

Her hand flew to her mouth as a sob escaped her. "No, this isn't possible," she whispered. "It was just a dream... wasn't it?"

"A dream? Is that what you think?" his message read, as if he could hear her thoughts.

She stared at the screen, her mind a whirlwind of disbelief and hope.

"Elior," she murmured, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You're real?"

"Real enough to tell you this, kitten: You're not dreaming anymore."

Her hands trembled as she read the words, the weight of their meaning sinking in. For the first time since waking up, the ache in her chest began to ease, replaced by a flicker of hope.

She reached out to the screen as if she could touch him, her fingertips brushing the cold glass.

"Elior," she whispered, her voice filled with equal parts wonder and longing.

"I'm here," the screen replied, as if to remind her she wasn't alone.

A small, tentative smile broke through her tears as she realized the impossible might just be real.