As they sat by the fire, the warmth from the flames cast a soft glow over the room, creating an intimate atmosphere that was hard to ignore. Neslihan felt the heat from the fire on her skin, but she was more aware of the warmth radiating from Güven, who sat me close enough that their legs nearly touched. The silence between them was no longer tense, but it held a weight of unspoken thoughts and feelings.
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Güven leaned back against the couch, stretching his arm along the back of it, his fingers just barely grazing Neslihan's shoulder. She felt the light touch like an electric current, her skin tingling where he made contact. He seemed more relaxed than usual, the hard edges of his personality softened by the dim light and the quiet of the evening. Neslihan hesitated, then turned slightly to face him, trying to read his expression.
Güven caught her gaze and held it, his dark eyes searching hers for something she couldn't quite name. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the crackling of the fire the only sound between them. Then, in a voice that was almost a whisper, Güven asked, "What are you thinking?"
Neslihan blinked, caught off guard by the question. "I was thinking... that this is the most normal moment we've had since all of this started," she admitted softly.
Güven's lips curved into a faint smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Normal isn't something I'm used to," he replied, his voice tinged with a sadness she hadn't expected.
Neslihan looked down at her hands, fidgeting with the hem of her nightgown. "It's not something I thought I'd miss so much," she confessed. "But now, all I want is for things to go back to the way they were."
Güven was silent for a moment, then he reached out, gently tilting her chin up so she had to look at him. "You're stronger now," he said quietly, repeating what he'd told her earlier at dinner. "Even if things go back to how they were, you won't be the same. You've changed, Neslihan."
She searched his eyes, trying to understand why he was telling her this, why he seemed almost... concerned for her. "And what about you, Güven? Have you changed?"
His hand lingered on her chin for a moment longer before he let it drop, his expression hardening slightly. "People like me don't change," he said, his tone resolute, but there was something in his eyes—a flicker of doubt, perhaps.
Neslihan swallowed, feeling a mix of emotions she couldn't quite name. She knew she should be afraid of him, and she was. But there was something else, too—a pull she couldn't ignore, a strange connection that made her want to understand him, even if she knew it was dangerous.
Güven seemed to sense her inner turmoil because he suddenly leaned forward, his face inches from hers. "You shouldn't try to understand me, Neslihan," he murmured, his breath warm against her skin. "You'll only get hurt."
Her heart skipped a beat, but she didn't pull away. "Maybe I already am," she whispered, not sure why she was admitting it, but needing to say something, anything to break the tension.
