The woods were quiet, the only thing she could hear was her ragged breath.
Astrid sat curled against the roots of a wide, crooked tree. Dirt smudged her skin, twigs tangled in her hair, blood from her neck was staining her shirt. Her knees were drawn to her chest, arms wrapped tightly around them. The pendant beneath her shirt pulsed faintly with leftover warmth. Her phone rested in her hands, screen dark, but she held it like it mattered. Like it could anchor her.
Her thoughts ran in circles.
I left him. I left him.
Over and over. The same words.
She thought of his face when she ran. Not rage. Not surprise. Just... hurt. Confused. Hollowed out by what he’d done.
"I said I wouldn’t leave him," she whispered. "Not until he decided to leave me."
Her breath caught. She pressed her forehead to her knees.
He’s going to leave me now.
Fine. They always leave.
But…
But maybe I want him to stay. To choose me. To say I was worth staying for.
She had wanted to be his comfort. But maybe... she’d wanted him to be hers.
A flicker of memory surfaced.
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She was small, huddled in the corner of a closet. A storm raged outside but not that of weather, The house had been loud—too loud— forever in turmoil and no one had come looking for her. Not that time.
"Please... someone, anyone. I don’t want to be alone anymore. Please."
She’d whispered it to the dark. To the stars. To anything that might be listening.
And now here she was again. Older. But just as alone.
---
A twig snapped.
Astrid flinched upright, heart slamming into her throat.
But then—
"Astrid."
His voice. Quiet. Shaken.
She turned slowly. Kurai stood at the edge of the clearing, shoulders tense, hands at his sides. His coat hung loose, singed around the edges. His eyes—they weren’t glowing now. Just tired. Human.
"I never meant to hurt you," he said, his voice cracking.
She didn’t meet his gaze. "It’s okay."
"No. Gods damn it, Astrid. It’s not okay. I could’ve killed you!"
She flinched at the sudden sharpness in his voice.
Silence fell between them. He exhaled, voice softening.
"That’s why I think we should split up. You’ll be safer."
Astrid froze.
The words hit harder than fire.
"You’re leaving?"
Kurai didn’t answer right away. When he did, his voice was barely a whisper.
"I just want to protect you, Astrid."
Her breath caught. Her voice cracked.
"Is that what this is? Protection? Is this because I ran, I’m sorry please don’t punish me for it, I won’t do it again."
He looked at her then. Really looked. Like her words had caught him off guard.
"I’m not punishing you," he said.
She stood, shaky but firm. Her eyes welled.
"Then don’t leave. Please. I’m sorry I ran. I-I was scared. I won’t do it again. Please... please don’t leave me. Don’t walk away. I’ll be stronger."
Kurai's face crumpled, the edge in his posture dissolving.
"It’s not that," he murmured. "I’m not punishing you. I just... I don’t trust myself not to lose control again."
She took a breath. Then another. Her voice trembled.
"Then we figure it out. Together. I don’t need you to be perfect. I just need you to be here. I can’t do this without you."
He looked like he might break.
Finally, he crossed the clearing and sat beside her. Not touching. But close.
The silence that followed wasn’t empty.
It was healing.
"I thought you’d never want to see me again," he said.
"That was never even a thought," she whispered. "I thought you hated me."
"I could never hate you; you have put up with so much shit from me, yet you still show me kindness. "
Tears spilled over. She didn’t bother wiping them away.
His hand found hers. Rough. Gentle. Steady.
"I won’t leave you," he said, voice low. He meant it.
She let herself cry. Just for a little while. And for the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel alone.
They weren’t healed.
But they were together.
And for now, that was enough.
