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My hand trembled as I held on to his, still reeling from the chaos that had just unfolded. The alley, with all its dark corners and hidden threats, felt a million miles away now. Yet, the echo of that laughter—Dracio's voice—still clung to me like a bad taste.
We walked in silence, and the city around us felt so normal, so indifferent to what had just happened. People went about their business—laughing, talking, not knowing that moments ago I had been on the verge of becoming another victim.
I glanced up at him. His face was impassive behind the black mask, the only indication of his thoughts being the faintest flicker in his grey eyes. I wanted to ask him a thousand questions, but I couldn't find my voice.
"Where are we going?" I finally asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
He glanced over at me, and for a split second, I could have sworn there was something soft in his eyes. But it was gone before I could process it.
"Somewhere safe," he said, his tone low and steady.
Safe? I wasn't sure I even knew what that word meant anymore. The man in the alley—Dracio—had been a monster. But he wasn't the only one. The world felt like a ticking time bomb, and I was just waiting for it to go off.
We reached a small apartment building, its exterior weathered, but the kind of place where people like us could disappear without anyone asking too many questions. He began to lead me through a flight or stairs but I halted in my tracks, the events of what took place still fresh in my memory. A stranger who defended me from a bunch of gang members was still a stranger. A part of me even wondered if he was even worse - rescue helpless girls, invite them into his home only to drug and keep them in capture.
"Are you coming?"
I didn't respond, only allowing my eyes to flicker at the apartment building and back to him. It seemed he got the message, quietly sighing to himself before coming down to meet me.
"Wait here." He instructs, and before I could ask where he's going, he disappears around the corner. Nervously, I shift on the balls of my feet as I survey my surroundings.
It was quiet, the only thing that came even remotely to noise was the sound of shoes against the ground as people passed my way. One could even easily think the place was abandoned.
The perfect place to keep someone hostage if you asked me..
My hand tightened on the railing as different scenarios began to pop up in my head. The bigger part of me screamed at me to run and forget the stranger, but there was a smaller part that told me to stay- give him a chance.
A chance for what? I didn't know.
For all I know, he could be luring me into this false sense of security, manipulating me for who knows what. And considering where I've lived my entire life, the odds of that happening are very much real.
Before I could delve deeper into my thoughts, the stranger reappeared, holding a popsicle and croissant in each hand. I blink as the pastry is pushed into mine, looking up to stare at the curly haired male with skepticism.
"I didn't poison it, in case you were wondering." He replied with stoicism, a hint of amusement in his tone. He jumped down to the last few steps and sat down, silently nibbling on his popsicle.
I stared as the male dug into his treat without a care, lifting up the pastry and giving it a silent sniff. It didn't smell funny...
I looked at it with narrowed, tearing a small piece and popping it in my mouth. Didn't taste funny either.
I eye the man on the staircase before letting out a sigh and shrugging my shoulders, going down to seat beside him.
The air was silent but comfortable, the only sound being the two of us nibbling on our treats. Maybe it was because of the scare that happened earlier but this croissant happened to taste better than the last.
Wait a minute...
"So....a croissant, huh?" I spoke up, trying to start a conversation. "You just... happened to pick that?"
The stranger only hums in reply, giving me a side glance.
"You know it's kind of interesting that I actually bought a croissant before I ran into...er, well, that. And it just so happens that you bought the same thing to cheer me up. " I tilts my head in mock curiousity. "A bit coincidental, is it not?"
"That's because I followed you." The stranger replied in an obvious tone, raising an eyebrow at me.
I could not help but blink rapidly, surprised at his straightforwardness. And here I thought I could make him squirm for a bit before making him answer my questions. Sure I was still a bit iffy about him but I was still comfortable enough to tease him.
"Wasn't it obvious enough? Or were you just born different?"
"Wah- that's not -" I try to sputter out an excuse, feeling my cheeks burn from embarrassment. It got worse when his brow raised even higher, and I could have sworn the mask shifted a bit.
I cleared my throat, willing the jitters to leave me as I took a deep breath.
"Why did you help me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
"I just don't like bullies." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
I snorted. "Bullies? That was a gang."
He turned his head slightly, glancing at me. "Still the same thing."
I shook my head, frustration bubbling up. "Who are you?"
I held his gaze as he turned to look at me, trying to figure out what secrets lay beneath those murky orbs. They resembled a storm, the waves intricately woven to protect what laid underneath. For a moment, I saw the storm come to a silence. Then he turned away.
"Who are you?" I pressed on, confused on why my heart was starting to race.
For a minute, I thought he could at least, provide some answers to my questions. Why didn't he stop after fighting those people? Why did he have to go out of his way to cheer me up? Why wasn't I scared when he admitted to following me? Why did that small part of me want to stay, and why did I feel this sense of security?
"...do you remember having a brother?"
"A brother...?" I whispered quietly and started to think about the question.