You were just being polite. Honestly. The guy at the outpost handed you your gear, complimented you in the training sim, and maybe smiled a little too long—but you didn’t think anything of it.

Shadow definitely did.

He didn’t say anything at first. Just stood behind you, arms folded, eyes narrowing so hard it was a miracle laser beams didn’t shoot out of them. But then you laughed at something the guy said, That was it.

Later, when you were walking back together, the silence was heavy.

“You okay?” you asked.

“…Fine.”

“That’s your not fine voice.”

He stopped walking. Shadow turned to you, red eyes glowing slightly in the dim hallway.

“He was looking at you. Like you belonged to him.”