Sera's feet were heavy as she walked home from work. The night air, cool and crisp, did little to refresh her worn-out body. She had been working another part-time job at a nearby convenience store for a week now, barely finding time to rest. She was trying to earn extra money to move out since her apartment was about to be renovated. Her exhaustion weighed on her, leaving her mind foggy and her limbs sluggish. She didn't notice the man walking beside her at first, not until he'd started striking up conversations she didn't want to have.
He was a regular at the café, someone who had seemed harmless at first. But recently, he'd been hanging around longer than necessary, offering to walk her home after work. She hadn't wanted to be rude, so she'd accepted his offer tonight, though a nagging sense of discomfort followed her every step. His politeness was a little too persistent, his questions a little too personal. Still, she kept her head down, nodding occasionally, unsure how to politely tell him to leave her alone.
"You know, it's dangerous for a girl to be out this late by herself," he said, his voice thick with an overbearing sense of care. "You work too hard. You shouldn't be carrying all of this alone."
His words felt heavy, like they were meant to suffocate her, to make her feel small, like she was always in need of someone else to "take care" of her. Sera nodded again, a little too tired to argue, her eyes trained on the path ahead of her. But something about the way he walked a little too closely to her, his shadow stretching across the sidewalk, made her skin prickle.
When they reached her apartment building, she stopped in front of the door, fumbling with the keys in her hand, grateful that they were almost at the end of this uncomfortable walk. But the man didn't stop. He moved closer, stepping in front of her before she could unlock the door.
"You really shouldn't be so distant, you know," he said, his voice lowering. "You've got to learn to trust people. I'm just trying to help you. Don't you want someone to take care of you?"
Sera froze. A deep, instinctual warning shot through her, but before she could make a sound, his hand reached for her arm, fingers tightening around her wrist.
She tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened.
"You're too quiet, too withdrawn," he continued, his voice smooth but laced with something darker. "Let me show you how much better it could be…"
The air felt thick, suffocating. Sera's heart hammered in her chest, panic bubbling in her throat. She didn't know how to escape, how to make him stop. But before she could even scream, a blur of movement caught her eye.
A shadow, faster than she could blink, crossed between her and the man. The stranger let out a startled yelp as he was thrown aside, crashing into the brick wall of the building with a sickening thud. He scrambled to his feet, eyes wide with panic, feeling a sharp pain in his arm—the same arm that had been gripping Sera before. But the shadowed figure was already standing over him, his golden eyes flickering, cold and unflinching.
"Leave." The voice was low, a barely audible growl. Ryou hadn't stepped in until now because he thought Sera knew the man, but the sight of the situation upset him, making him step out of the shadows for just a moment.
The man didn't hesitate for a second. He turned and fled down the street, stumbling in his haste to escape. Sera stood frozen, breath shallow, her heart still racing from the shock. The figure, who had so suddenly and completely intervened, returned to the shadows, remaining still for a long moment, watching the man's retreating form.
Sera's vision swayed as exhaustion finally caught up with her. Her body felt like lead, too heavy to move. The last thing she saw before the world went black was the fleeing man in the distance.
---
When Sera's eyes fluttered open, the first thing she noticed was the warmth that enveloped her. She wasn't outside anymore. The soft light of her apartment greeted her, but everything felt... off. Her head spun, the remnants of a dream—or maybe a nightmare—clouding her thoughts. Her body felt heavy, and her mind was slow to catch up.
She blinked, trying to focus. Her hand reached instinctively to the side, her fingers brushing the hem of his shirt. It wasn't a conscious decision—her body acted before her mind caught up. She should have been scared of the stranger in her house, but instead, she felt safe in his presence and clung to the hem of his shirt instinctively.
The stranger stiffened at the touch, his gaze sharp, as if caught off guard. He didn't think she would wake up so soon. He had been about to leave after covering her with a blanket. She could feel the hesitation in the air, the tension between them like a thick, invisible thread.
"Who…" She coughed, her throat dry, her voice weak. "Who are you?"
He didn't answer right away. His stance was unnervingly still, like he was considering something. His voice, when it came, was soft—almost distant.
"You're safe now," he said.
Sera's head swam with confusion. She could barely remember what had happened after the man from her workplace... after everything had turned blurry. She rubbed her eyes, trying to clear her thoughts.
"You helped me?" Her voice was barely a whisper.
The figure's gaze softened for just a moment before he turned away slightly, avoiding her eyes. "I did. But you should rest now."
"Thank you…" Sera wasn't sure what was happening. She was too tired to ask more, too exhausted to question why this stranger was here. But something about him... there was something inexplicably comforting about his presence. She didn't even know him, but she felt like this presence was always near her—almost like home.
He turned to leave, but she didn't let go of his shirt. Her grip tightened. She didn't know why she was doing it—only that it felt like the right thing to do, like she couldn't let him go. Her fingers clung to his shirt, and she looked up at him from her bed, her eyes pleading for something she couldn't put into words.
Ryoumaru froze at her touch. For a long, tense moment, he stood there, his back to her, as if torn between two decisions. Finally, he sighed softly, almost imperceptibly. The temptation to leave was strong, but something in her gaze anchored him in place.
"Rest," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
With that, he gently pulled away, uncurling her strong grip. He didn't look back, slipping out of her apartment with the quiet grace of a shadow. As he stepped into the cool night air, he stayed hidden in the darkness, his mind racing.
He had done what he could for her—kept her safe for now—but he knew this wouldn't be the last time their paths crossed. He didn't know how it would happen, but somehow, their stories were intertwined. And he would do whatever it took to make sure she stayed safe—even if she never knew who he truly was. Even if she never knew him at all.