Claire didn't know what lay ahead, but she knew this: Daniel was letting her into his life, piece by piece. And with each door he opened, she felt herself settling deeper into something steady and sincere.
It wasn't supposed to be a big deal.
Claire had planned to stay over just for the weekend. Her dorm was having maintenance done, and Daniel casually offered, "Just crash at mine. It's only two nights."
She hesitated at first. Daniel lived in a mixed hostel—a shared flat with three other students, all with unsteady schedules and thin walls. It wasn't exactly privacy-friendly.
Still, the idea of being in his space, waking up next to him, getting a glimpse of his real, unfiltered daily life... it tugged at something inside of her.
So she said yes to him.
And that's how she found herself dragging her weekend bag through the noisy common area of Daniel's hostel on a cold Friday night, greeted by the sound of someone singing from the shower and the unmistakable smell of reheated pizza.
Daniel met her at the door with a grin and a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.
"Welcome to the circus," he said.
Daniel's room was small and a little chaotic—textbooks stacked on the floor, fairy lights strung haphazardly above the bed, a corkboard covered in photos, maps, and some doodles. It wasn't fancy, but it was his.
Claire dropped her bag and looked around. "I see you haven't upgraded from your 'college cave' aesthetic."
He chuckled. "It's organized chaos. Everything has its place—somewhere."
She picked up a sketchpad from his desk, flipping through pages of loose pencil drawings. Some were landscapes, others abstract. One looked suspiciously like her from behind, hair tied in a bun, standing near a window.
She didn't ask—but she smiled.
That first night was louder than she had expected it to be.
Someone in the room above kept stomping and it was so loud. One of Daniel's flatmates, Luca, came home tipsy at midnight, singing in Italian and offering everyone leftover spaghetti. While Gina, was in a long-distance argument with her boyfriend over Skype, complete with slamming doors.
Claire couldn't sleep.
Daniel turned to her under the covers. "You okay?"
"I feel like we're inside a live comedy room."
He laughed. "Just wait till someone burns toast at 3 a.m."
Despite everything, Claire was warm and content. Lying in the dark next to Daniel, wrapped up in his scent and heartbeat, it felt like being tucked inside a fairytale story she didn't want to end.
The next day, they tried to have a quiet morning.
Claire made coffee in the shared kitchen while Daniel toasted bread. They moved around each other easily, exchanging sleepy smiles, occasionally stealing kisses between mugs and jam jars.
Gina walked in mid-hug, raising an eyebrow.
"Cute," she muttered, grabbing a yogurt. "God, I miss having someone to spoon."
Claire flushed. Red in the face from excitement.
Daniel shrugged. "Sorry. Can't help being in love."
Gina snorted and walked out irritated, leaving the two lovebirds.
Claire turned to him. "You said 'in love.'"
Daniel froze slightly. Then smiled. "Yeah. I did."
Her stomach flipped.
She was surprised but didn't say it back—not yet. But she reached for his hand and laced their fingers together.
This was enough for now.
By evening, the hostels chaos skyrocketed.
Daniel's roommates decided to host an impromptu game night in the common area. Claire tried to disappear into Daniel's room, but the walls might as well be paper. There was laughter, loud music, and someone yelling about UNO rules made the bed to vibrate.
Claire finally sat up and sighed. "Remind me again why you still live here please?"
Daniel, sprawled beside her, and offered a sheepish grin. "Because it's cheap, and I like being around people. Usually."
"Hmm... You ever think about living alone?"
He looked at her. "You?"
She hesitated. "I used to think I needed to be alone to focus. But lately… I've started thinking that maybe it's more about who you share the space with than having space at all."
Daniel's gaze lingered on her. "Are you saying you could live with someone like me?"
Claire smirked. "I'm saying you're tolerable. Yeah. On your best days."
He leaned in. "Then I'll keep aiming for those."
That night, as the hostel quieted, Daniel curled his arms around her, his voice low.
"I know it's messy here, and loud. And kind of ridiculous."
Claire smiled into his chest. "It's real. And it's yours. That's what matters."
He kissed her forehead. "You fit into it better than I thought anyone could."
Claire didn't reply immediately. Instead, she closed her eyes and let the noise fade away.
She was in his world now. Not just a guest. But part of it.
And strangely enough, that messy, imperfect world felt more like home than right now.