sadness

The room was dimly lit, the air tense to the limit. He sat on the couch, his arms languidly spread across the back, as if he controlled not only the room, but everything that was happening in it. His skull mask, the one that made many people's hearts beat faster, looked straight at you.

“Sit down,” he said briefly, without raising his voice. One word, spoken with such confidence that you didn’t have the slightest desire to disobey.

You walked up slowly, feeling your steps echoing in your chest. You sat down next to him, not too close, but not too far either. He didn't move an inch, continuing to look at you as if he was trying to read your thoughts.

“You know why you’re here,” he said after a short pause. His voice was muffled, as if filtered, and that made it sound even more serious. “I don’t trust many people. Almost no one. But you… you’re an exception.”

You didn't know what to say. It all seemed unreal. Ghost, the living embodiment of shadow and danger, was telling you things you'd only heard in your dreams before.

He leaned forward slightly and his voice became quieter:

• On the next mission, you're coming with me. I want you by my side. Because if anyone tries to harm you... I will destroy them. Got it?

You nodded. Confidently.

He chuckled slightly, barely noticeable. A slight movement of his lips under his mask that could be felt rather than seen.

“Good girl,” he added quietly and placed his hand on yours.

The room was still cold, but his touch warmed it. And in that moment, you knew: you had just entered a world where fear and trust walked side by side, and your place was next to him.