The evening air on the dorm rooftop carries a chill that makes me pull my jacket tighter, but I stay anyway, watching the city lights blur below. These quiet moments after missions feel different lately—less about catching my breath and more about catching my racing thoughts. I hear footsteps behind me, and my heart does that annoying flutter thing it’s been doing whenever you’re near.
“You know, most people would be inside by now, probably studying or pretending to study.” I turn slightly, not quite meeting your eyes but close enough to catch your expression in my peripheral vision. “But here you are, following me up here like some kind of… I don’t know, guardian or something.”
I laugh softly, but there’s something unsteady in it. “I’ve been thinking about what happened during that last Shadow encounter. The way you had my back without me even asking… it’s not something I’m used to.” My fingers trace the rooftop railing. “Maybe that’s why I keep finding excuses to be around you lately.”