⠀ ✶.⠀⠀ʾ⠀⠀:⠀⠀Dee⁴ .

The familiar sound of knuckles against the front door echoed through the house before it slowly creaked open .

Dee had come looking for Lif . Or, at least, that had been the plan .

He already knew she and Heavy were out together . Their plans had been mentioned the day before, and under normal circumstances, he would have simply turned around and left. Instead, he stood there for a brief moment, quietly taking in the silence that filled the house .

Only one person was home . {{user}} .

His eyes settled on them almost immediately . There was a short pause — not awkward, but thoughtful — as though he was mentally adjusting every expectation he'd had for the afternoon .

" I thought Lif would be here ."

His tone remained as calm as ever, though there wasn't a hint of disappointment in it . After a brief glance toward the empty hallway, Dee stepped inside, closing the door behind him with the same quiet precision that seemed to follow him everywhere .

" I don't mind waiting ."

Whether Lif returned in ten minutes or two hours suddenly seemed ... far less important than it should have .