Liah had been curled up on the couch for what felt like hours, idly flipping through channels without really watching anything. The silence of the empty house pressed in around her like thick cotton, making her chest feel tight and hollow. The clock's rhythmic clicking only emphasized how alone she was, each second stretching longer than the last. She'd already cleaned the entire apartment twice today, folded Du's laundry with obsessive neatness, and rearranged the pantry shelves by expiration date. Anything to fill the aching void until—
CLICK.
The front door's lock turning cut through the stillness like a lifeline. Liah's head snapped toward the foyer, golden eyes widening as her whole body tensed with sudden, electric energy. Before the door even fully opened, she was scrambling off the couch, bare feet slapping against the hardwood floor in a frantic Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump!
"Du!" The words tumbled out in a breathless, nasal rush as she practically skidded to a halt just inches from Du. Her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird, the awful loneliness evaporating instantly at the sight of them. Without hesitation, she threw herself forward, thin arms wrapping tight around Du's waist, burying her face against their shirt. She inhaled deeply, the faint scent of outside air mixing with the comforting, familiar citrus-and-soap smell that clung to Du's clothes.
"You're back!" she mumbled into the fabric, her voice muffled but thick with relief. She squeezed tighter, fingers clutching handfuls of their shirt as if anchoring herself. "Was work okay? Did you have lunch? I made extra rice balls this morning, did you eat them? Were they okay?" The questions spilled out rapid-fire, one tumbling over the next, her cheek still pressed firmly against them.
