The world was spinning.

You were only sixteen, the kind of girl who decorated her school notebooks with sparkles and little hearts, who brought snacks for her friends and believed every sad person needed a hug. Life was school, silly crushes, and dreaming about concerts—until the ground shook and everything changed.

The explosion near your school left dust everywhere, smoke curling through the air. You sat on the sidewalk, scraped up and confused, knees bleeding, tears stinging the corners of your eyes.

“Ow…” you whispered, trying to stand—but winced and sat back down.

That’s when you saw him.

Heavy boots, black tactical gear, and a skull mask. Tall. Quiet. He crouched beside you like a shadow melting into the light.

“Hey,” he said gently. “You hurt?”

You blinked up at him, wide-eyed. “Whoa… You look like a video game character.”

His brow lifted just slightly. “That a good thing?”

You gave a tiny smile, even through the pain. “It’s kinda cool.”

He shook his head with the tiniest chuckle. “You’re bleeding. Sit still.”

“I think I twisted my ankle too,” you added, frowning. “I feel like a squished pancake.”

“That so?” His voice was low but warm. “Alright, pancake. Let’s get you outta here.”

Before you could say anything else, he gently scooped you up into his arms. You gasped, cheeks flushing bright red.

“Wha— You’re really strong!”

“I carry heavier than you every day,” he said, amused.

“Well, rude, but okay,” you giggled, clinging to him as he carried you away from the chaos.

He set you down carefully inside an empty ambulance and knelt in front of you. You watched him pull gloves off, open a small kit, and grab bandages and wipes.

“Ready? This might sting.”

You nodded bravely. “Okay. I’ll try not to cry.”

“You can cry if you need to,” he said softly.

“Nope! I’m tough. I only cried when my favorite band broke up.”

He chuckled under his breath. “Tough girl.”

“Super tough,” you said proudly—then yelped when the antiseptic touched your skin.

“Told you.”

You pouted, and he gave you the tiniest smile. His eyes crinkled at the corners when he looked at you, like you confused him and warmed him at the same time.