~~~~~~~♤~~~~~~
After that night…
nothing was the same.
---
Not me.
Not him.
Not anything.
---
We stood there in silence.
Both of us breathing like we had just survived something bigger than we understood.
---
"I can't keep doing this," Adrian said finally.
---
My chest tightened.
---
"Doing what?" I asked.
Even though I already knew.
---
"This," he said, looking at me.
"Being near you."
---
That hurt more than I expected.
---
"So what… you're just going to leave?" I asked.
---
He didn't answer immediately.
---
Then finally—
"Yes."
---
Silence.
---
That one word hit harder than anything else.
---
"It's the only way you stay safe," he added.
---
I shook my head.
"No."
---
His eyes lifted to mine.
---
"You don't get to decide that for me," I said.
---
"You don't understand what I am," he replied.
---
"I do," I said.
"And I'm still here."
---
That stopped him.
---
For a moment…
he didn't have anything to say.
---
Then he stepped closer.
Slowly.
Carefully.
---
"Staying with me means danger," he said quietly.
---
"Leaving you feels worse," I replied.
---
Silence.
---
Heavy.
Real.
---
Then finally—
he reached for my hand.
---
Cold.
But steady.
---
"You don't know what you're choosing," he said.
---
"Then I'll learn," I answered.
---
That was it.
---
That was the moment everything changed.
---
Not because the danger disappeared.
Not because things became easier.
---
But because I made my choice.
---
And so did he.
---
Not human.
Not safe.
---
But mine.
---
And somehow…
I was his too.