Y/N thought she had left her past behind. After barely surviving her final mission with A.E.G.I.S (Advanced Enforcement Group for Interspecies Security) she walked away from the life of combat and secrecy, trading it for the quiet comfort of a coffe...
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The night had started off so well.
The brewery was packed, the air electric with the hum of conversation, the clinking of glasses, and the pulsing beat of the local band playing on the small stage. Y/n had always loved live music—there was something so raw, so real about it. The energy, the passion in the air, the way people let loose. It was the perfect distraction.
Shadow had agreed to come with her, albeit a little reluctantly. Crowded spaces weren't really his thing, and loud music wasn't exactly his scene either. But Y/n had asked, and that had been enough.
Now, standing beside her in the middle of a lively crowd, he found himself watching her more than the band.
She was glowing.
Her smile was wide and uninhibited, her laughter unfiltered. She moved with the music, swaying her hips, letting herself get lost in the moment. It was rare to see her this carefree, especially with how tense she had been the past week. Shadow didn't know what was weighing on her, but he felt it. He had felt it every time he looked at her.
So seeing her like this? Happy? It did something to him.
"You're just standing there," she teased, leaning into him slightly over the noise. "Come on, dance with me."
Shadow huffed. "I don't dance."
"Oh, please," she rolled her eyes. "You mean to tell me you've never danced before?"
He crossed his arms, smirking slightly. "Not voluntarily."
She laughed, shaking her head. But then the band switched songs, and the moment it started, her eyes lit up.
"Oh my God, this is my favorite song!" She turned to him, grabbing his hands. "You have to dance with me for this one."
He let out a deep sigh, giving her the most exaggerated look of reluctance he could muster. But the way she was looking at him—bright-eyed, expectant, hopeful—it was unfair.
"...Fine," he muttered.
Y/n squealed triumphantly, tugging him into motion.
The song was energetic, and for someone who claimed not to dance, Shadow was surprisingly smooth. He let her lead, following her movements, stepping in sync. He was hyperaware of the way her hands fit in his, the way their bodies moved together.
It was supposed to be fun—just fun. But something about it felt intimate.
And the way she was looking at him now, like he was something precious... He wasn't used to it. But he liked it.
