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21

the sound of her quiet cries filled the small alley, mingling with the faint hum of the bustling town beyond. ayato could feel the warmth of her tears seeping into his shirt, and yet, despite the chaos of the situation, he couldn't bring himself to pull away.

"i-it's okay, y/n..." he whispered, his voice so soft it was almost lost in the air between them. "you're safe now."

but even as he said the words, his own mind was racing. was this really the right time for him to be here? or the right moment for her to lean on him? he didn't know. all he knew was that, for now, he wouldn't let her go and no matter how hard he tried to calm himself, his emotions refused to settle. this was the girl he'd been quietly drawn to, someone who seemed so far out of his reach that he'd never thought he'd share a moment like this with her. and yet, here she was, leaning on him, her warmth pressed against him in a way that made him feel like he was teetering on the edge of losing control.

but he couldn't let it show.

he needed to stay composed, at least on the surface. he clenched his jaw slightly, forcing himself to keep his breathing even, his grip on her firm but careful. the temptation to rest his chin against her head, to cradle her like she deserved to be comforted, almost won out. but before he could act on it, y/n pulled away from him. the sudden absence of her warmth left him feeling strangely hollow, but he quickly masked it with a neutral expression.

he noticed how she avoided his gaze, her hands fidgeting slightly at her sides, and it didn't take much to guess she was embarrassed. not that he could blame her. he wasn't exactly someone she knew well, and hugging someone like him probably felt like a strange thing to do. ayato cleared his throat, desperate to break the silence before it grew unbearable. "it's probably not safe for you to be out right now, huh?" he said, his voice deliberately light, though his stomach churned with worry.

"yeah, tell me about it..." y/n mumbled sarcastically, her tone laced with frustration. she kicked a small pebble on the ground, watching as it skittered across the alley. ayato studied her quietly, taking in the tension in her shoulders and the way her brows furrowed in thought.

she was clearly torn. he could see it in the way she avoided looking directly at him, her mind likely replaying everything that had happened leading up to this moment. "do you think you're going to go home, then?" he asked gently, careful not to sound like he was pressuring her. when she didn't answer immediately, he quickly added, "i could be your escort if you'd like."

at this, y/n hesitated, her discomfort visibly deepening. her lips pressed together, and her gaze flickered to the ground. she didn't hate the idea of having ayato around—in fact, she appreciated his company, especially since he treated her like a normal person, not like some untouchable idol. but the thought of going home to face the chaos waiting for her there? that was a completely different story.

ayato, however, misread her reaction entirely. his brows knit together, and he took a small step back, shoving his hands into his pockets. "sorry..." he said quietly, his voice tinged with self-reproach. "didn't mean to come off as pushy." he quickly added.

y/n's eyes snapped up to him, realizing how her hesitation might have been interpreted. "no, it's not that," she said quickly, shaking her head. "i just...i don't know if i can go back there right now."

ayato relaxed slightly at her explanation, though the worry still sat heavy in his chest. "it's okay," he said, his tone softening. "you don't have to go back if you're not ready. i just thought...well, i don't know." his words faltered, and he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, unsure of what to say next. "so, if you're not gonna go home and you can't go out without a swarm finding you, then what are you going to do?" he inquired.