Grace had barely stepped out of the shower when she felt that familiar presence - warm, steady, and unmistakably his.

The faint hum of energy in the air shifted just enough for her to recognize him, even before the soft click of the door echoed through the quiet quarters.

Two days had passed since the battle in the Misty Mountains, two long days of separation while they both got swept with their respective duties... and she didn't need to turn around to know Rune had finally returned.

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a quiet thud, and for a moment he simply stood there.

Watching her.

Surprise flickered across his otherwise exhausted features, quickly replacing the sharp focus he had carried for the past two days. His clothes were still marked from the field, faint traces of dust and long day clinging to him. His hair was slightly disheveled, and there was a clear weariness in his eyes that spoke of long hours without rest.

Yet the moment he saw her... everything softened.

"Grace…"

He crossed the distance between them in seconds, instinct driving him forward. His hand lifted, ready to pull her close, to ground himself in her presence after days of relentless responsibility.

But he stopped just inches away.

His gaze flickered over her, taking in the damp strands of her hair, the soft glow of her freshly washed skin, the loose fabric clinging lightly to her frame. And then, almost reluctantly, he dropped his hand.

"You just showered," he muttered, glancing briefly at himself with a faint grimace. "I probably shouldn't-"

"When did you come back?" he asked instead, redirecting himself.

Grace didn't answer right away. Instead, she stepped forward and closed the distance he had hesitated to cross.

She lifted her arms and slipped them around his neck as she leaned into him without a second thought, pressing herself against him as if the past two days had stretched into something far longer.

"About an hour ago," she said softly, her voice carrying a quiet warmth. "I missed you."

The words landed deeper than she probably intended.

Rune exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing just slightly as he let himself relax into her hold. His hands hovered for a moment before finally settling at her waist, careful at first... almost restrained... before instinct took over and his grip tightened just enough to pull her closer.

"I missed you too," he admitted quietly.

For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.

They didn't need to.

Then Grace pulled back just enough to look at him, brushing her fingers lightly against the back of his neck. "How are things?" she asked. "Everything under control?"

Rune let out a tired breath, his forehead almost resting against hers as he nodded faintly. "Mostly. The base has been secured. The remaining forces are either detained or under watch. Interrogations are ongoing." His voice carried the weight of responsibility, but also a sense of closure. "Carter's sealed. Completely. He won't be getting out anytime soon."

Grace listened quietly as he spoke, her gaze steady on him.

"We are wrapping things up," he continued. "A few more days, and I'll be done here."

"And then?" she asked softly.

"And then I come back," he said without hesitation.

A small smile curved at her lips.

Rune's gaze lingered on her face for a moment longer before it shifted slightly. "What about you?" he asked. "Did you… find anything? From the book?"

The question hung between them.

Grace's smile didn't falter. But something in her eyes shifted... just slightly. "We'll talk about it when you get back," she said gently.

Rune noticed.

Of course he did.

He always did.

A dozen questions rose in his mind instantly, but before he could voice even one of them, Grace moved.

She stepped closer, tightening her fingers slightly at the back of his neck, drawing his attention back to her as her expression changed. The softness in her gaze deepened, something more playful, more deliberate taking its place.

"I told you," she murmured, her voice dropping just enough to carry a different kind of warmth, "I missed you."

Rune stilled. For a fraction of a second, he tried to hold back, tried to stay composed. But then... he didn't.

His hand slid up, tangling into her damp hair as he pulled her closer, closing the last inch of space between them.

And then he kissed her - hard, hungry. Like he had been holding it back for far too long.

Grace didn't hesitate to respond. Her fingers tightened slightly against him as she leaned into the kiss, matching his intensity without restraint. The warmth between them surged instantly, the quiet room filling with the soft, breathless rhythm of something far more personal than words.

Rune's grip on her shifted. He kept his one hand steady at her waist while the other cradled the back of her head, deepening the kiss as if he couldn't get enough. Days of tension, exhaustion, and distance melted away in seconds, replaced by something far more immediate.

He pulled back just slightly, only to trail his lips along her jaw, down to her neck, leaving slow, lingering kisses against her skin. Grace's breath hitched faintly, her hands sliding from his shoulders to his chest as she held onto him.

"Rune…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He didn't stop. He couldn't.

One of his hands moved, brushing along her side, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath the thin fabric as he pulled her even closer. The restraint from earlier had vanished completely now, replaced by a quiet urgency that neither of them tried to suppress.

In one smooth motion, he lifted her.

Grace let out a soft breath of surprise, her arms tightening instinctively around him as he carried her without effort. His lips found hers again, stealing another deep kiss as he moved, his steps steady and certain.

The bedroom door was already open.

And Rune didn't hesitate.

Still holding her close, still kissing her like he had no intention of stopping anytime soon, he carried her inside... leaving the rest of the world, the battle, the responsibilities, and everything else behind.

For now, it was just them.