The room was quiet.
Soft afternoon light slipped through the curtains.
The storm from the night before was gone now.
Everything felt slower.
Calmer.
But not peaceful.
Not completely.
Lillian sat at the small table near the bed with Chloe.
Neither of them had changed clothes yet.
Neither had really slept.
A half-finished cup of coffee sat near Chloe's hand.
Cold now.
Forgotten.
Lillian hadn't touched hers at all.
Her attention kept drifting back toward the bed every few seconds.
Toward Sebastian.
He was still asleep.
At least—
she thought he was.
His breathing sounded better than before.
Still rough.
Still sick.
But not as frightening.
The fever had finally lowered sometime during the morning.
Not gone.
Just manageable now.
And he hadn't coughed blood again.
Thank god.
Chloe looked toward the bed again quietly.
"…He looks a little better."
Lillian nodded faintly.
"A little."
Her voice stayed soft.
Tired.
She looked down at the thermometer still sitting in her hands.
"…The fever broke a bit around eleven."
Chloe leaned back slightly in her chair.
"That's good."
Lillian nodded again.
But her attention never fully left Sebastian.
Because even sleeping—
he still looked tense.
Like his body didn't know how to rest properly anymore.
Then—
a cough.
Rough.
Weak.
Lillian looked up immediately.
Sebastian had shifted slightly against the pillows.
Another cough left him.
Not as violent as before.
But enough.
Lillian stood instantly.
The chair pushed back softly against the floor.
Chloe looked over too.
Sebastian's eyes were barely open.
Heavy with exhaustion.
Unfocused at first.
Like he didn't know where he was.
Lillian crossed the room quickly.
Then slowed as she reached the bed.
Careful.
Gentle.
"…Sebastian?"
His gaze shifted slowly toward her voice.
Still hazy.
Still feverish.
But awake.
Lillian kneeled beside the bed immediately.
Relief hit her so suddenly it almost hurt.
"You're awake."
Sebastian blinked slowly.
His breathing stayed uneven.
He looked exhausted just opening his eyes.
Lillian carefully lifted her hand.
Wanting to check his temperature again.
But the second Sebastian saw the movement—
he flinched hard.
His entire body tensed instinctively.
And he turned his head away sharply.
Eyes squeezing shut.
Waiting.
Lillian froze immediately.
Her hand stopping midair.
Silence filled the room.
Sebastian stayed like that for a second.
Curled slightly inward.
Braced.
Waiting for something that never came.
Then slowly—
his eyes opened again.
Confusion flickered weakly across his face.
And he turned his head back toward her.
Lillian was still frozen beside the bed.
Her expression hurt to look at.
Pain.
Real pain.
Like seeing him react that way had broken something inside her.
Behind her, Chloe had gone completely quiet too.
Sebastian looked between them weakly.
Then his gaze lowered slightly.
His breathing shifted.
Uneasy now.
Like he'd realised he had done something wrong.
"…Sorry," he whispered hoarsely.
Lillian's chest tightened immediately.
"No."
The response came too quickly.
Too soft.
Sebastian blinked slowly.
Still looking confused.
Still distant somehow.
Like part of him was still back in that house.
Still trapped there.
Lillian slowly lowered her hand carefully this time.
Making sure he could see every movement.
"I was just checking your temperature."
Sebastian stared at her weakly.
Processing.
Then his eyes lowered again.
Ashamed.
Lillian felt her heart ache painfully.
Because this wasn't really Sebastian.
Not the Sebastian she knew.
The man she knew was composed.
Controlled.
Sharp.
Even cold sometimes.
But this—
This was someone exhausted.
Conditioned.
Afraid.
Like the estate had dragged him backwards into old wounds that never really healed.
Lillian swallowed hard.
Trying not to let it show on her face.
Because she realised something now.
This wouldn't disappear overnight.
What happened in that house—
what they did to him—
had reopened something deep.
Something old.
And Sebastian still hadn't fully come back from it yet.
Very slowly, she reached forward again.
Giving him enough time to pull away if he wanted to.
But this time—
he didn't.
Her hand finally rested gently against his forehead.
Warm.
But not burning anymore.
Lillian exhaled quietly.
"…Better," she whispered softly.
Sebastian watched her silently.
Then suddenly—
his weak hand lifted slightly.
Lillian blinked in surprise.
Sebastian carefully took her wrist.
His fingers still weak from fever and exhaustion.
Slowly—
very slowly—
he guided her hand downward.
Until her palm rested against his cheek.
Lillian went still.
Sebastian's eyes closed softly.
And then—
he leaned into her hand.
Nuzzling weakly against her palm.
The movement was small.
Fragile.
But instinctive.
Like he needed the comfort without knowing how to ask for it.
Lillian's expression softened instantly.
Something warm breaking through the ache in her chest.
Because despite everything—
despite the fear—
he still trusted her.
Sebastian's breathing eased slightly against her hand.
His cheek warm beneath her palm.
Lillian carefully brushed her thumb lightly against his skin.
Gentle.
Reassuring.
Sebastian relaxed slightly more into the touch.
Behind her, Chloe quietly looked away for a second.
Giving them privacy without leaving.
Lillian leaned closer slowly.
And pressed a soft kiss against Sebastian's nose.
Small.
Tender.
Sebastian's eyes opened slightly again after a moment.
Looking at her quietly.
Not guarded.
Not cold.
Just tired.
"…You stayed," he whispered again.
Like he still couldn't fully believe it.
Lillian's chest tightened softly.
"Of course I did."
His gaze stayed on her.
Searching her face quietly.
Almost uncertain.
"…Why?"
The question came out weak.
Barely audible.
But it hurt anyway.
Because he genuinely didn't understand.
Lillian carefully kept her hand against his cheek.
"Because I love you."
Silence.
Sebastian stared at her.
Something fragile flickering across his face.
Like he wanted to believe that.
But didn't fully know how.
His eyes lowered slightly again.
"…You shouldn't."
Lillian frowned immediately.
"Sebastian—."
"I'm serious."
His voice was weak.
Rough from coughing.
But underneath it—
there was resignation.
The kind that came from years of hearing the same things over and over again.
Lillian knew that now.
Knew there were things buried inside him far older than this week.
Far older than the storage room.
She gently brushed her thumb against his cheek again.
"I decide who I love."
Sebastian looked at her quietly.
Then suddenly coughed again.
Lillian immediately helped him sit slightly upward.
Careful of his chest.
"You okay?"
He nodded faintly once after the coughing eased.
Still breathing harder afterward.
Lillian adjusted the blanket around him carefully.
Not too much this time.
Just enough warmth.
Sebastian watched her movements silently.
Like he was still trying to understand how someone could touch him gently without wanting something in return.
Chloe finally stood slowly from the table.
"I'm going downstairs to get food."
Lillian looked up slightly.
"You sure?"
Chloe nodded.
"You both need to eat eventually."
Sebastian lowered his gaze immediately at that.
Like the attention embarrassed him.
Chloe noticed.
But didn't comment on it.
Instead she looked at Sebastian quietly for a second.
"…You scared her, you know."
Sebastian went still.
Lillian looked back at him immediately.
His expression shifted slightly.
Guilt.
Immediate guilt.
Chloe sighed softly.
"But she still came for you anyway."
Then she grabbed her room key.
"I'll be back."
The door closed quietly behind her.
And silence returned again.
Soft.
Warm.
Lillian looked back at Sebastian.
He still looked exhausted.
But calmer now.
More present.
Her hand remained against his cheek.
And this time—
when he leaned into it again—
there was no fear in his eyes.