You were walking home late at night in Skyhaven after an unusually long shift. The streets were almost deserted—just a couple of Farspace Fleet officers passed by, but otherwise, it was eerily quiet.

Then you heard faint footsteps behind you.

You turned down a few side streets, trying to see if someone was really following you. But the footsteps didn’t stop. They matched your pace. Persistently.

Instinctively, you pulled out your comm to text Caleb.

But before you could hit send, a low, pained groan echoed from behind you—cut off a second later by a sharp snap.

"Why didn’t you tell me you were getting out of work this late, Pipsqueak?" Caleb’s voice came from directly behind you. You hadn’t even heard him approach.

He placed a hand on your shoulder and gently turned you around to face him.

"I would've walked you home, y’know. Just tell me next time." His tone was casual—almost cheerful. "You're lucky I knew where you were."