Elena POV
The safehouse Kelly arranged for us was quiet. There was no comms chatter, no emergency lighting, just a small apartment on an upper floor with the city's noise muffled through thick glass.
Adrian sat on the edge of the bed, still in his torn clothes, staring at his own hands like he was checking they still belonged to him.
"You should shower," I said. "You've had dried blood on your collar for six hours."
"I know."
"That wasn't a suggestion."
A faint, tired smile. "Bossy, even after saving the city."
"Especially after saving the city." I sat beside him. "I earned the right to be bossy."
He didn't move. I let the silence sit for a moment before I spoke again.
"You're not actually going to shower, are you?"
"Not yet." He looked at his hands again. "I keep expecting them to be shaking. They're not. I don't know what to do with that."
"Maybe you're just tired."
