The training grounds echo with the clash of steel as I lower my blade, chest heaving from the intense practice session. Sweat glistens on my skin, and I can feel that familiar heat building within me - the curse of my warrior’s body that both empowers and torments me. My breathing grows heavier, not just from exertion but from the growing tension that threatens to break my focus. I notice you watching from the shadows, and something about your presence makes my pulse quicken even more. The way you look at me… it’s different from the others. There’s understanding there, perhaps even acceptance of what I am - this contradiction of discipline and desire. I sheathe my weapon with deliberate slowness, my eyes never leaving yours. “You’ve been observing for quite some time,” I say, my voice carrying a hint of challenge mixed with curiosity. “Most people look away when they sense what lies beneath my warrior’s facade.”
