The weekend had finally arrived after a few days of work and stolen moments between Beatrice and River, and now it was their time. Beatrice curled up on her bed, her phone pressed to her ear as River's deep voice filled the room. He was in the middle of explaining his gym essentials, running through his list of products and supplements like they were an extension of his identity. For him, maybe they were.

"...and this one," River was saying with that signature excitement in his voice, "it's the only creatine I'll use. Everything else just feels off, you know? Like it doesn't give me the same results."

Beatrice smiled to herself, listening with genuine interest, even though half the terms he used flew right over her head. There was something so endearing about the way he cared for his routine, how passionate he was about maintaining these details in his life. She loved hearing him talk like this—about things that mattered to him, about things that made him light up.

"I didn't realize you had so many," she teased lightly, "You could open your own supplement store."

River's laugh came through the phone. "What can I say? Gotta stay on top of my game. Besides, I don't carry it all around at once. You just haven't seen my secret stash."

"Well, I'll have to take a look at all your gym wizardry when you get here," she said softly, her heart doing that small leap it always did when she knew they'd be seeing each other soon. "You bringing it all over tonight?"

"I've already packed," he replied, that familiar playfulness edging into his tone. "You ready for me to come over?"

Beatrice felt a ripple of excitement dance up her spine. "I'm ready," she whispered. "Come whenever you're ready."

When the call ended, she laid back against her pillows, her mind spinning with anticipation. She loved this—how easily they'd fallen into this rhythm, how close they'd become over the past few days. The thought of River spending the night felt intimate in a way that wasn't just about the physical. It was about the comfort, the shared space, the quiet moments between them that were growing deeper with each day.

Before long, there was a knock at her door. When she opened it, there he was, standing with that easy smile, a bag slung over his shoulder. River looked as relaxed as she'd ever seen him, but there was a warmth in his eyes, something deeper than the usual teasing glint.

"Hey," he said softly, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek as he stepped inside. "I brought all my essentials. You know, just in case."

She laughed, closing the door behind him. "Of course, you did. Always prepared."

They headed to her bedroom, where he enjoyed tinkering with the little things scattered around the room. Soon, they were snuggled together beneath her blankets, the soft, ambient glow of the room casting everything in a gentle warmth. River was beside her, and the world outside her window felt distant, as if it was only the two of them left in this quiet, cocooned space. She rested her head on his shoulder, looking up at him as they both gazed out the window at the soft glimmer of the stars overhead.

"You know," Beatrice began, her voice light with playful affection, "sometimes I wish I could just clone you. One of you would fit right in my pocket so I could take you everywhere."

River chuckled, his fingers tracing absent patterns on her arm. "And what would the other clone be doing?"

"Staying in my bed," she grinned, nudging him playfully. "Cuddles, 24/7."

His laughter filled the room, rich and warm, and it made her heart flutter in the way only River could. He leaned in, kissing her softly, the kind of kiss that was tender and unhurried. When he pulled back, his eyes held hers with a seriousness that made her chest tighten.

"You're something else," he said quietly, his fingers gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face. It went silent for a moment before he spoke up again. "I'm not like this with other people."

Her smile softened, feeling the weight of what he was saying. "Like what?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

River's gaze stayed on her, unwavering, and he shrugged lightly. "Safe," he murmured, his voice lower now. "I don't usually let people get close, but with you... I feel safe."

Beatrice's chest filled with warmth, a soft, tender ache. She reached up and gently ran her fingers through his hair, her touch light and affectionate. "You are safe with me," she whispered back. "Always."

He kissed her forehead, and they stayed like that for a long while, wrapped up in each other. The night stretched on outside, but in her room, time seemed to slow, the world beyond them fading away. In the quiet of their shared space, Beatrice realized that this—this closeness, this vulnerability—was what she had always wanted. Someone who made her feel safe, someone who let her in. As they lay together, cocooned under the blankets with the room illuminated only by the faint streetlights filtering through the curtains, Beatrice shifted slightly to rest her head against River's chest. She could hear the steady thrum of his heartbeat, feel the warmth radiating off his skin. It felt so peaceful, so easy—like this was exactly where she was supposed to be.

In this moment she thought to herself that if he wanted her, she would give herself to him completely—no second thoughts, no hesitation.

Her eyes wandered down the length of his body, and she couldn't help but smirk at the sight of his grey sweatpants, the way they hung perfectly on his frame. The casual look suited him, making him seem both relaxed and effortlessly confident. She bit her lip before giving in to the thought that had been circling her mind all night.

"You know," she began playfully, her voice a soft murmur as her fingers traced light circles on his chest, "those grey sweatpants of yours... I really love how they look on you."

River raised an eyebrow, glancing down at her with a teasing grin. "Oh yeah?" He shifted slightly, feigning an exaggerated pose, as if to model them for her. "What is it? The cut, the color, or just my legs?"

Beatrice laughed, rolling her eyes as she nestled closer to him. "Definitely not just the color," she teased back. "It's more the way they, you know..." Her fingers slid lightly down his chest to his hip. "Fit you so well."

River's smirk deepened as he met her gaze, his eyes gleaming with amusement and something warmer. "So you're saying you like my style?"

"I'm saying I like everything about you," she said softly, a playful yet genuine edge to her voice. "Especially the way you look in those sweatpants. It's almost unfair."

He chuckled, brushing a hand through her hair as he leaned down to kiss her softly, his lips lingering against hers for a moment before pulling back just slightly. "You know," he murmured, his voice low, "I could say the same thing about you. The way you look in those work outfits of yours..." His fingers traced the outline of her waist as he spoke, his touch sending shivers up her spine. "Sometimes I catch myself staring when you walk away, and all I can think is how all of that..." He paused, his hand moving down her body, possessive but gentle. "...belongs to me."

Beatrice felt her breath catch in her throat, her cheeks warming under his intense gaze. The way he said it wasn't crude or aggressive—it was filled with a quiet certainty, an appreciation for her that made her feel seen in a way she hadn't before. There was something vulnerable in the way he claimed her with his words, something that made her heart race.

"You think so?" she whispered, her voice barely audible as she looked up at him, her eyes searching his.

River's hand tightened slightly on her hip, his eyes darkening with that familiar intensity that always made her stomach flip. "I know so," he replied, his voice rougher now, more serious. "When I see you walking around at work, looking like that, it's all I can think about. Knowing that everyone else sees you but none of them really get to know you like I do..."

Beatrice's heart swelled at his words, her body reacting to the possessive edge in his tone, the way his touch grounded her in the moment. She smiled softly, reaching up to cup his face, her thumb brushing lightly over his jaw. "It should be illegal to have this much time with you." 

His gaze softened, though the intensity in his eyes never left. He leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers, their breaths mingling in the quiet intimacy of the room. "Don't think like that. Be in the moment with me, I'm here now." 

But she kept thinking to herself that, even as a child, she had been told nothing good ever lasts forever.

For a moment, they stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, the air between them thick with unspoken emotions. Beatrice closed her eyes, savoring the feel of him beside her, the weight of his words sinking deep into her chest. She loved this—how they could go from playful teasing to these intense, vulnerable moments that felt like they were peeling away another layer of themselves every time they were together.

River's hand slid back up her body, settling on the small of her back as he pulled her closer, and she melted into him, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest against hers. It was in these quiet, unhurried moments that Beatrice realized just how much she had let him in, how much she trusted him with parts of herself that she hadn't even known she was holding back.

She smiled into his chest, feeling his hand in her hair now, gentle and soothing, and whispered against his skin, "You make me feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."

River's grip on her tightened just a bit, and she could feel his smile in the way his chest moved beneath her. "That's because you are," he whispered back, his voice soft but sure.