Vladimir sat in the quiet confines of his safehouse, his mind a storm of restless thoughts. Seeking refuge, he stepped into the wintry night, becoming a shadow in the dim, chilled streets. Above him, the sky stretched like a canvas dusted with stars, while delicate snowflakes fell, settling softly on his dark hair. Each step he took was a muted echo, lost in the stillness that surrounded him.

As he walked, he noticed a man standing alone, gazing up at the night sky. Normally, he would pass by without a second thought—people meant little to him. But something about him stilled him mid-step. His usually cold, emotionless eyes softened, the tension in his body easing, as if touched by some unseen magic. He watched him, captivated by the way the moonlight illuminated his face, casting him in an ethereal glow. The snowflakes rested on his hair, and a sudden, inexplicable urge to brush them away stirred within him.

He stood, mesmerized by the stars, and Vladimir found himself equally mesmerized by him. In the stillness of the moment, a primal instinct awakened inside him—a need to protect him. The night was cold, the streets empty, and he was alone. It can't be like this, he thought. He needed to be safe.

Ordinarily, such concerns would have been beneath him, but this man—there was something about him that unsettled the very core of who he was. Something that made walking away impossible.