'Where did it go?'

I lift my pillows and set them back down on the bed after not finding my phone. I place my hands on my hips and huff, quickly scanning my room once again. Could it be that I left it in Theo's room? Yeah, that has to be it.

I walk out of my room and cover the short distance leading to Theo's. I walk in without knocking, if only to give him a taste of his own medicine. Though, I doubt he would mind.

I immediately spot my phone on his nightstand, and after checking for any missed notifications, I shove it into my pocket. I was about to leave his room, when I notice that the door of the bathroom is slightly open.

'Is Theo still in there..?'

My feet carry me towards the bathroom before I can even realise it. And when I raise my hand to touch the door, it shifts further, causing a warmth to greet me from when Theo had taken a hot shower not too long ago.

He is standing in front of the mirror, shaving his light stubble. My eyes take notice of his wet hair clinging to the back of his neck, and the white towel sitting low at his hips.

"It is rude to stare, Princess."

"I'm not staring." I fold my arms across my chest and meet his eyes in the reflection of the mirror. "I am admiring."

I smile and enter the bathroom, getting closer to him. Standing behind him, I drag my fingers down his spine, connecting the small water droplets sticking to his skin. My ears pick up the slight change in his breathing.

"Is that so?" he asks. His voice dropping lower, eyebrows raising.

"Mm-hmm." I try to play it cool and place a small kiss on his shoulder. Then another.

Theo shakes his head with a smile on his lips before resuming his work. I silently watch him fall into his daily morning routine. He carefully wipes off the foam with a wet towel once he is done shaving. He then applies his aftershave, and the familiar scent of pine invades my senses. I like this fresh, sharp and slightly minty smell because this is what I have come to recognise as his scent.

He applies moisturizer at last, and suddenly pulls me to stand in front of him, causing a surprised squeak to escape my throat. "I must say," he begins. "It was quite scandalous of you to barge in like this while I am not decent."

I bite down on my bottom lip to stifle a laugh. "Theo," I say, unable to help the teasing smile. "Do you realise you sound just like Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice?"

Theo blinks, looking momentarily puzzled. "Mr. Darcy?"

"Yes!" I laugh. "You know, that brooding, high-and-mighty gentleman from—" I cut myself off with a shake of my head when he still looks clueless. "Have you not seen the movie?"

"Ah, I'm afraid not," he replies seriously, still in character.

"We have to watch it, then." I grin. "I mean, I honestly half expected you to ask me for permission to dance next."

Theo raises an eyebrow, a smirk forming on his lips. "Very well, Princess. Might I have the honor of your company for a waltz around the bedroom?"

I burst into laughter. "Are you sure you are dressed for the occasion?" I ask in between giggles.

"That's a good point, actually." He chuckles, his formality melting away as he wraps his hands around my middle.

My laughter dies out when I see him looking at me with a warm smile tugging at his lips. Theo's hands drop down to my hips and he turns me around to face him. He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear and his hand lingers on my face, before he drops it lower to pull down on the neck of my turtleneck top.

"Does it hurt, Princess?" he asks, examining the bite mark he gave me last night.

"No."

Theo traces his fingertips over the mark and hums.

"But why do you have to do this every time?" I ask rhetorically, remembering the other marks he left all over my chest. "Possessive, are we?"

"I like to mark what's mine," he replies. Theo kisses my forehead and my weak protest dies in my throat. "You are my good girl, aren't you? That makes you mine." He smiles.

'My heart belongs to you, Theo. Which makes me yours.'

"Yeah." I return his smile.

Theo's blue eyes drop down to my lips. "I want to kiss you," he whispers, and for some reason, it makes my heart skip a beat.

"I think you should," I breathe out, my own eyes focused on his lips that were slowly inching closer.

I close my eyes when his lips finally meet mine, my hand gravitating towards his partially dry hair to tangle in them.

******

Sitting on the soft rug, with my back resting against the couch, I stare at the blank screen of my laptop as though it holds the answers to life's mysteries. Adrien hovers nearby, his eyes scanning the clutter of papers and textbooks strewn across the coffee table. His presence is a mix of reassuring and slightly intimidating.

"The essay isn't gonna write itself," Adrien says, settling into the armchair next to me. His casual tone does nothing to ease my frustration.

"I know." I close my eyes and groan internally. I don't know how this essay slipped my mind. We were given three days to finish it, but my brain thought it would be funny if I remembered it the night before it's due.

"What's the topic again?"

I sigh, dragging my fingers through my hair. "It's about the impact of social media on communication. We're supposed to argue both sides."

Adrien nods, pulling my notepad towards him to overlook the points I have written down so far. "Right. So, what's your main argument?"

Before I could respond, Theo joins us in the living room. He takes in the mess I have made arround me and raises his eyebrows in amusement. "What's going on here?"

"We're brainstorming my essay," I say.

"About social media's impact on communication," Adrien adds. "Care to join?"

Huh? I didn't expect Adrien to ask Theo for joining us. My surprised eyes lock onto Theo's. His stupid smirk slowly creeps onto his stupidly gorgeous face, and I have to fight the urge to roll my eyes.

"Sure, why not?" Theo shrugs and saunters over, plopping down on the opposite side of the table. "I've got a few thoughts on that. When do you need this, by the way?"

"Uh, tomorrow," I say meekly.

"And you're only starting on it now?" Adrien exclaims.

"It's okay. We can finish it together," Theo quickly says, looking over at me. "Let's hear your take first, Adrien. What's your opinion on social media?"

I nervously tap my pen against the notebook, glad that Theo diverted the attention from me. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure my brother would have scolded me for not being mindful enough.

Adrien leans back, crossing his arms. "Well, I think it's a double-edged sword. It connects people across the globe but also kinda makes face-to-face conversations feel less genuine."

I nod, feeling a bit confident with his input. "That's exactly the kind of perspective I need. What about the positive side?" I look at Theo next to hear what he has to say.

"Social media allows for greater access to information and can foster communities that wouldn't have existed otherwise."

"That's a good point, too." I quickly make a note, nodding thoughtfully.

"I think you should write about how social media's benefits can sometimes be overshadowed by the negatives," Adrien says.

"Yeah, that would be a good angle," I agree with him. "It's about balance–understanding both the advantages and the drawbacks." I stifle a yawn, checking the laptop screen for time. "What are we going to have for dinner?"

"Anything particular you guys craving?" Theo asks.

I shake my head and Adrien says, "We'll just order in pizza, then."

"Alright. Pizza it is." Theo grins.

I watch the two boys with a confused smile before we get back to discussing about my essay.

******

I lay on my bed, the room dimly lit by the soft glow of the bedside lamp. We managed to finish my assignment on time, and now my brain is a blur of essays and conversations. My eyelids feel so heavy, like they are glued shut. I shift beneath the covers, trying to get comfortable. But I know I can't fall asleep without Theo's snuggles.

'Where is he??'

Just then, I hear my bedroom's door opening and closing. Theo slips in, his familiar, comforting presence instantly lifting my spirits. He crawls onto the bed beside me, his movements light and careful. He turns off the lamp and settles in, his warmth spreading through the sheets. I scoot towards him, seeking his closeness.

"Did I wake you up?" he whispers softly into the darkness.

"You didn't," I manage to say, struggling to open my eyes.

His arm slips around me, and I feel a rush of security. I nestle my head against his chest, letting his heartbeat guide me toward sleep. Theo's fingers gently trace patterns on my back, a calming touch that makes my eyelids droop even more.

"I'm really tired," I mumble.

"I know. You can go to sleep now," he soothes.

"But we talk..." I trail off sleepily.

"We can talk tomorrow. I'm not going anywhere, Princess." He kisses the top of my head and combs his fingers through my hair. "I'll be right here when you wake up."

"Okay." I smile and let out a small, content sigh.

The room grows quieter, the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest gradually blurs the boundaries of my consciousness. I focus on his fingers gently running through my hair, as his words linger in my mind.

I think about how much I love him, and how hard it is to not tell him that. But I am happy in this moment, and what I have now. So I try to choke down the feeling and allow myself to surrender to the night, knowing I am just a breath away from sleep.

"I love you."