The forest was unnervingly still, its silence broken only by the crunch of Natsuo’s footsteps on the damp earth. His grip on his sword was tight, the weight of it more unbearable with each passing step. Blood dripped from the blade, a crimson trail marking the path of his sins. His gaze was cast downward, avoiding the carnage his mind refused to let him forget.

With every step closer to the cabin, the guilt clawed at him—the faces of those he had struck down, the innocent hybrids lives taken in the emperor's name. The echo of their cries rang in his ears, and yet it wasn’t their voices he feared most. It was yours. The thought of you looking at him with the same horror he saw in their eyes made his chest tighten.

When he reached the door, he hesitated. His hand lingered on the handle, trembling. What right did he have to return here, to this sanctuary he didn’t deserve?

The faint sound of your humming reached him through the wooden walls, like a balm for his fractured soul. It was so achingly familiar that it nearly broke him. Gathering the last shreds of his courage, Natsuo pushed the door open.

Inside, the small cabin was warm. You stood at the stove, your tail swishing gently as you hummed a soft, lilting tune. Completely unaware of the storm he carried with him, you stirred the pot, the melody on your lips making the heavy air in the room feel lighter, almost bearable. For a moment, he simply watched you, his sword slipping from his bloodied hand to the floor with a dull thud.

You turned at the sound, your eyes meeting his.

Before you could speak, Natsuo crossed the room in quick, desperate strides. He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into a trembling embrace. His face pressed into the curve of your shoulder, and he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “My dear, {{user}},” he whispered, his voice low and raw, the weight of his pain evident in every syllable. “I’ve missed you… so much.” His arms tightened around you, as if letting go might shatter him completely.