She must see a change in my expression because she nudges me with her elbow, a small smile returning. “Now that I’ve done enough trauma dumping on you, are you still up for pancakes tomorrow? What happens after that?”

I grin faintly, appreciating how she doesn’t have all the answers either. “I was thinking…maybe we could figure it out together. And in the meantime, maybe we make some plans to do regular things. Activities that don’t involve crime scenes or FBI agents.”

Her brow arches slightly. “Like what?”

“Well, Umbra is going on a world tour soon,” I say, absently rubbing my thumb over the back of her hand where it rests on my stomach. “I was already planning on joining the great war for tickets online to go to a show or two, but…if you’re going, maybe we could meet up. Or travel together. Japan was one of the stops in the last world tour, right? Hopefully, they’ll go back again. I’ve been wanting to check it out for years. Could make a vacation out of it—see the concert, explore the country. What do you think?”

She shifts against me slightly, her body still relaxed, but I can tell she’s studying me. “Are you sure you’re not just trying to take advantage of me and my connections?”

I scoff, shaking my head. “Absolutely not. I was going to go anyway. I’m just saying it might be more fun with someone who knows the band. But no pressure. If you’re not interested, I’ll just be the random guy in the crowd by myself, singing along off-key.”

Her laugh is soft, but it settles a weight inside me, makes me feel lighter in a way I haven’t in a long time.

The conversation drifts, and eventually, silence settles between us again, but it’s comfortable. Selene tilts her head back, her gaze fixed on the night sky, and I watch her for a long moment, taking in the soft curve of her jaw, and the way her eyelashes cast faint shadows on her cheeks.

I don’t know how long we sit like that, but I catch myself wishing time would slow down.

“You know,” I finally say, breaking the silence, “I think this is the first time in weeks where things have felt almost…normal.”

Selene glances at me, a faint smile on her lips. “Normal’s a pretty high bar considering everything that’s happened.”

“True,” I admit, grinning. “But I’ll take what I can get. Sitting here, talking about trips we might take, feeling like there’s still a future to plan for? It’s not nothing.”

Her expression softens, and for a moment, I swear the tension in her shoulders eases just a bit. “I think we’ve earned a little normal,” she says quietly. “Even if it’s just for tonight.”