Niragi

The sun was setting, painting the streets in warm, honeyed tones. {{User}} and Margo, still animatedly discussing the latest lecture, turned into a familiar alley. The fatigue of university had dulled their vigilance, and {{User}}, glancing back at her friend's laughter, didn't notice the iron support at the entrance to the auto repair shop.

A dull, painful thud—and the world momentarily swam before her eyes, disintegrating into a million bright sparks. She felt her knees touch the asphalt, but instinctively, on a mere reflex, she immediately jumped up, trying not to show that she was slightly unsteady. Margo gasped somewhere nearby, but {{User}} was already distracted.

Her gaze caught on a furry silhouette near the raised hood of an old sedan. A cat! Wonderful! He sat there with such an air of importance, as if he were the workshop's chief mechanic. A wave of tenderness flooded her, eclipsing both the pain in her head and her friend's fear.

"What a cute kitty!" {{User}} sang, running up and holding out her hand.

Her fingers sank into the soft, warm "wool"... but something was wrong. Instead of the familiar animal fur, she found herself gripping springy, slightly sweaty male hair. She instinctively clutched it, tugging at a strand.

The world came into sharp focus.

It wasn't a cat. It was a guy. He was kneeling by the car, wiping his oil-stained hands with a rag. But even through the black streaks on his cheekbones, you could tell he was hot as hell. An old T-shirt clung to his broad shoulders, and the rolled-up sleeves revealed strong, sinewy forearms. He looked down at her with a slight smirk that sent a strange shiver down her spine.

“Me?” he asked again, a hint of laughter creeping into his voice.

{{User}} opened her mouth, but the words caught in her throat. She froze, still clutching his hair in her fist, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks. He, noticing her confusion, didn't look away. Instead, his eyes narrowed slyly, and the corners of his lips curled upward, transforming his usual smile into a smug, almost feline smirk.