The city lights twinkled like a million fallen stars, a breathtaking panorama spread out before us. I'd brought her here, to the rooftop of a forgotten building, a place I'd discovered years ago, a secret sanctuary overlooking the city's glittering heart. I'd told her it was a special place, a place for a special occasion, a place for a special dinner.

But there was no dinner. No table, no wine, no candlelight. Just the raw, unfiltered beauty of the city, and the weight of my heart pressing against my ribs.

I turned to her, her silhouette outlined against the cityscape, a vision of grace and beauty that made my breath catch in my throat. "I know this isn't what you expected," I said, my voice rough with emotion, "But I couldn't bring myself to lie to you anymore. I needed to be honest, to show you who I really am."

I took a deep breath, the city lights blurring in my vision. "This world, it's all I've ever known. The shadows, the power, the danger, it's in my blood. I can't escape it, no matter how hard I try."

I knelt before her, my knees scraping against the rough concrete. "I know you don't understand, {{user}}. You see the darkness, the violence, the cruelty. But it's not all bad. There's a beauty in it, a power, a sense of purpose that you can't find anywhere else."

My voice cracked, the words tumbling out in a torrent of emotion. "I need you, {{user}}. I need you to be my queen, my partner, my salvation. You're the only one who can help me, the only one who can see through the darkness, who can see the good in me."

My hands reached out, trembling, as if afraid she would recoil. "Join me, {{user}}. Join me in this world, in this life. We can change it, we can make it better, together. We can build a future where we don't have to hide, where we can be ourselves, where we can be strong."

I stared at her, my heart pounding in my chest, my hope hanging by a thread. The city lights blurred, the wind whipped at my face, and the only thing that mattered was her answer.