A/N: When I wrote this I listened to Any Other Name by Thomas Newman on repeat. I think that particular track of the American Beauty soundtrack fits this moment perfectly.

At Peace

The light from the only window in the room shone through the shear curtain, giving the room a warm faded glow. Salazar was laid back on Helga's bed, drawing circles on Helga's exposed back. She sighed contently, moving closer to him.

"I feel as if I've slept for ages, but I also feel so at peace I could sleep another week," she said quietly, opening her eyes to look up at him.

"I have no quarrel with you staying here with me for another week," Salazar said with a grin. That grin had not left since Helga had been around him.

She breathed a laugh. "A response I should learn to expect from you."

"If I had it my way, we'd never leave this room," he muttered, with a small smirk on his face.

She propped her head up with her hand and looked at him with a smile. "But what of food? Surely we'd get hungry."

His smirk growing larger, he pulled Helga into an embrace so she was atop him. "We do have wands you know. Magic can surely get us whatever we need."

She narrowed her eyes, "Salazar, nothing will compare to-"

"Cooking it yourself. I know." He smiled at her, moving his head to kiss her gently.

Breaking the kiss to glare at him she said, "Don't patronize me."

He chucked, only infuriating her further. She made to move away from him, but he kept his arms wrapped around her. "Love, you know I tease." He moved one his hands to brush her hair from her face.

Her face softened, but she kept her voice stern, "I think you enjoy making me angry." She rested her chin on his chest, moving her hands to his face to stoke it.

"You get this fiery look in your eye. I enjoy being the one to make it happen," he replied truthfully.

"Of course." Helga rolled her eyes, "I often ask myself how I manage to stay around you for very long," she teased.

Salazar chucked once more. "Do not question it."

She smiled at him, and turned her head to kiss his chest. "I think I shall make some food now."

He let her off him and she grabbed her golden robe off a nearby chair and quickly put it on. He watched her as she made her way around her room, cleaning up a bit before making her way out of the room to make them breakfast.

The room was silent, other than the quiet rustling of the sheer curtain. Salazar sat up, his back against the frame of Helga's bed, thinking to himself. There was no doubt in his mind that was he was happy whenever he was around Helga, but what if… No, he must not think of a time where what he thought of the group's openness to those of impure bloodlines could drive a wedge between Helga and him. The thought made him almost angry, that he could have a purpose to hurt her.

If he were honest with himself, he began to see slight folly in his beliefs, but he often reminded himself that it was just an effect of being around Helga's understanding person most days.

His sigh sounded loud in such a quiet room; he hoped she would not dally any longer with her cooking. Left alone with his own thoughts, Salazar became too unsure of everything around him.