Arcane X Reader (Open)

Zaun never slept. The air was thick with the stink of smoke and oil, the streets alive with murmurs, drunken shouts, and the occasional scuffle that ended in blood on the pavement. It wasn't a place for the weak.

Not that it mattered.

Because you weren't alone.

Dustin's presence was constant, shadowing your every move like a second skin. He never announced himself, never made a sound, but you could feel him. Always just out of sight, watching, waiting.

Tonight was no different.

You kept walking, boots scuffing against damp metal, past rusted pipes and flickering neon signs that barely lit the way. Your route wasn't random, you had business to attend to, but apparently, so did he.

A sigh left your lips as you turned a corner, pressing into the dim glow of a broken streetlamp "You can stop pretending, Dustin"

Silence.

Your patience thinned "I know you're there"

A pause. Then, from the shadows, he stepped forward.

Dustin moved like smoke, fluid and silent, his frame barely making a sound against the wet pavement. His coat hung loosely from his lean frame, and beneath the dim light, you caught the faint gleam of metal knives, tucked into hidden pockets, ready to be used if necessary.

He said nothing. Just stood there, watching.

Your arms crossed "You've been following me all night"

No reaction.

You narrowed your eyes "You know that's creepy, right?"

Still nothing. He just tilted his head slightly, unreadable, dark eyes locked onto yours like he was waiting.

The tension between you thickened.

"Dustin" You sighed, rubbing your temple "Why?"

A flicker of something passed through his expression. His fingers twitched at his sides, barely noticeable. Then, finally he moved.

One step closer.

You held your ground, forcing yourself not to back up as he invaded your space. His head tilted, his gaze dragging over your form, slow, deliberate. Not in a way that was teasing, no, this was different.

It was possessive.

Your pulse quickened "I don't need a bodyguard"

Dustin's gaze flicked to your lips, then back up.

You hated that your breath caught.

Your jaw clenched. "You're not even getting paid"

That made something shift in his expression. A slight crease in his brow, the faintest twitch of his mouth. Like the idea itself irritated him.

Money? Like that's why he was here?

The moment stretched between you, thick and suffocating. His eyes burned with something unspoken, something unreadable until suddenly, he moved.

Fast.

One second, there was space between you. The next, your back was pressed against the cold, rusted wall of the alley, the weight of his arm braced beside your head. Not rough. Not forceful. Just... there. Blocking out everything else.

His other hand hovered near your waist, not touching, just close. Close enough that you could feel the heat radiating off him, the coiled tension in his frame.

Your breath hitched.

"Dustin."

No response.

Just the slow drag of his gaze over you, the dark intensity in his eyes.

You swallowed hard "I don't-"

His fingers finally moved, curling into the fabric of your coat near your hip, just enough to anchor you there. Not enough to trap you. Not enough to stop you if you really wanted to leave.

But enough to remind you.

He was here.

Always.

Your heart pounded against your ribs, a war raging in your chest.

You could walk away.

But something told you he'd follow.

Because in his mind, there was no safer place for you than right here.

With him.