After The Haze.

Winter’s POV

I wake up slowly.

Not all at once. Not like something startled me awake. It’s more like my body comes back first, piece by piece, and then my mind follows after.

The first thing I notice is the soreness.

It settles deep in my muscles, low and unfamiliar, and it makes me pause before I even open my eyes. My back aches slightly. My legs feel heavy. There’s a strange warmth still lingering under my skin, like the memory of something my body hasn’t fully let go of yet.

My breath catches.

And then everything comes back.

The kitchen.

His hands.

The way I didn’t move.

The way I didn’t stop him.

Heat rushes to my face even before I open my eyes.

“Oh my God…”

The words come out under my breath as I finally blink awake, staring up at a ceiling I don’t recognize.

I freeze.

This is not my room.

The realization hits instantly, sharp enough to cut through whatever sleep is left in me. I push myself up too quickly and immediately regret it when the soreness pulls tighter through my body.

I hiss softly, pressing a hand against the bed to steady myself.

Okay.

Think.

Slowly, I take in my surroundings.

The room is larger than mine. Darker. Cleaner. Everything feels… controlled. Intentional. There’s nothing soft about it, nothing decorative. Just space, structure, and quiet authority sitting in every corner.

My stomach drops.

Keon.

Of course.

I’m in Keon’s room.

I close my eyes for a second, dragging a hand down my face as I try to steady my thoughts.

How did I get here?

The last thing I remember clearly is the kitchen. Being too close. Breathing too fast. Him looking at me like—

I stop the thought before it finishes.

He must have carried me.

The idea sends another wave of heat through my chest, but this one is different. Not just embarrassment.

Something else.

Something softer.

And that’s what makes the guilt hit harder.

I swing my legs over the side of the bed slowly, wincing slightly as my feet touch the floor. The soreness doesn’t go away. If anything, it makes everything feel more real.

This happened.

Not in my head.

Not something I imagined.

Real.

I sit there for a moment, staring at my hands.

“You’re so stupid,” I mutter quietly.

Because I know better.

I know how complicated this is.

I know what this could mean.

For him.

For Derrick.

For my people.

And still—

I didn’t stop.

My chest tightens.

But at the same time…

I press my lips together, my fingers curling slightly against my palm.

At the same time, I didn’t want to.

That’s the part that refuses to go away.

The part that makes this worse.

Because if it was a mistake, it would be easier to push aside.

But it didn’t feel like one.

Not in the moment.

Not even now.

A quiet knock at the door pulls me out of my thoughts.

I stiffen instantly.

“Come in,” I say, my voice a little rough.

The door opens, and Keon steps inside.

Of course it’s him.

He pauses just inside the room when he sees me awake, his gaze scanning over me quickly. Not in a way that feels invasive.

Just… assessing.

“You’re awake.”

I nod slightly.

“Yeah.”

There’s a small silence.

It stretches just enough to remind me of everything sitting between us now.

I break it first.

“You brought me here.”

It’s not a question.

He doesn’t deny it.

“You were exhausted.”

That’s it.

No apology.

No explanation.

Just fact.

I swallow.

“Okay.”

Another silence.

This one feels heavier.

I don’t know what I’m supposed to say next, so I just say the first thing that comes to mind.

“This was a bad idea Keon. A really fucking bad one.”