We pulled up to my old apartment building just as the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement. The fading orange and purple hues of the sky made the worn-down building look even gloomier than I remembered.
The air was crisp and quiet, the familiar creak of rusted metal from the old fire escape breaking the silence. I sighed, already dreading the process of hauling my remaining belongings out of this place.
"We're here," I muttered, unbuckling my seatbelt.
Xier turned off the engine with a graceful flick of her wrist, her amber eyes scanning the dimly lit parking lot with calm curiosity.
"Is this… where you lived?" she asked softly, tilting her head with an expression that mixed sympathy and mild disbelief.
"Yeah… not exactly a dream home, huh?" I offered with a half-hearted chuckle, stepping out of the car.
She followed, her boots clicking lightly against the pavement as she walked toward the building with effortless grace, her long coat flowing behind her like something out of a classic film.
We were halfway through loading the first set of boxes into the car when I heard a familiar, grating voice call out from the doorway.
"Well, well… if it isn't my favorite ex-tenant."
I stiffened instantly, feeling a cold knot form in my stomach. Slowly, I turned around to face Mr. Geller, my former landlord—a squat, balding man with sharp, beady eyes that gleamed with constant suspicion. His greasy jacket barely covered his round stomach, and his thick hands were stuffed deep into his worn-out pockets.
His eyes flicked toward Xier, narrowing as a slow, knowing smirk spread across his face.
"Didn't waste any time, huh?" he sneered, jerking his chin toward her. "What's this, your… new girlfriend?"
Before I could respond, Xier stepped forward smoothly, her expression shifting into something unreadable but dangerously calm.
She offered a serene, almost polite smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm helping him move," she said sweetly, her voice dripping with unmistakable authority.
The landlord chuckled, his gaze lingering far too long on her. "Well… aren't you lucky," he drawled, looking back at me with a smirk. "Upgraded real quick, huh?"
I clenched my fists, about to snap something back, but Xier placed a gentle hand on my arm, her touch instantly grounding me.
Her smile widened just enough to be unsettling. "We really should get back to it… unless there's something else you need, Mr. Geller?"
His smirk faltered for just a moment, his eyes flicking between us uncertainly. After an awkward pause, he let out a dismissive grunt and waved us off. "Fine. Just… don't leave any trash behind."
He disappeared back into the dimly lit corridor, his heavy footsteps fading into the distance.
I exhaled sharply, tension finally leaving my body. "Thanks… for stepping in. He's… not exactly the friendly type."
Xier's expression softened into something far more genuine. "I noticed," she murmured, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "But you're with me now."
Her words, so soft yet so sure, stirred something deep inside me—something I wasn't ready to admit.
"Let's… finish this," I managed, feeling my face heat up as I turned back toward the boxes, pretending I hadn't been completely disarmed.
...
After that tense encounter with Mr. Geller, we returned to moving the remaining boxes from my old apartment. The air had cooled considerably, and the orange glow of the setting sun was fading fast, leaving long, eerie shadows stretching across the cracked pavement.
I carried a large box labeled Books & Tools toward the car when I noticed Xier struggling—or at least appearing to struggle—with a much smaller box. Her delicate hands gripped the edges as she slowly shuffled toward the car, brows slightly furrowed in exaggerated effort.
I couldn't help but pause, blinking in disbelief. Is she… struggling with that tiny box?
She stopped halfway and let out a soft, breathy sigh, her shoulders rising and falling in a display of exaggerated exhaustion. Her long hair shimmered in the dim evening light as she tilted her head back, lips ever so slightly parted, looking as though she'd just run a marathon.
"Ugh… so heavy…" she murmured dramatically, her voice soft and sweet, almost too perfect.
I dropped my box into the trunk with a loud thud and rushed over. "Hey—wait! You don't have to carry that—I got it."
Her amber eyes lit up with a look of innocent relief, though there was a faint sparkle of mischief there too. "Oh… thank you…" she breathed, stepping back just enough for me to reach the box. Her fingers accidentally brushed against mine as I took it from her, sending a familiar warmth rushing through my skin.
"Sorry… I'm not very strong," she added softly, lowering her gaze just enough to seem genuinely apologetic.
I swallowed hard, avoiding her gaze as I easily lifted the box she'd been "struggling" with. It's… not even that heavy!
"It's… fine," I muttered, feeling strangely self-conscious. "I can handle it."
As I turned to place the box into the car, something caught my eye near the darkened apartment window on the second floor. For just a second, I thought I saw movement—someone watching.
I frowned, narrowing my eyes toward the window, but there was nothing but shifting shadows from the breeze-tossed trees. Am I imagining things?
Still, the uneasy feeling remained.
Just as I turned back toward Xier, she was already brushing her hair back, looking up at the sky with an almost dreamy expression. The last remnants of sunlight framed her figure in a soft glow, making her seem otherworldly—too perfect, too enchanting to be real.
"Everything okay?" she asked, her voice lilting and gentle.
"Yeah… thought I saw something."
Her smile remained, though her eyes flicked briefly toward the darkened window—sharp and calculating, even if only for a moment.
"Probably just the wind," she said smoothly, stepping closer. Her fingers lightly touched my arm, grounding me in that familiar, irresistible warmth. "Let's finish quickly… it's getting dark."
...