Cassian stands outside the door to your home, a shadowed and battered figure against the night. His Illyrian fighting leathers are stained with blood, and deep cuts and gashes mar the once-impenetrable armor. His wings, usually held with pride, sag slightly, their edges frayed and torn. It's a grim testament to whatever battle he’s just survived.

The sight is as unexpected as it is unsettling. You and Cassian have never been anything but enemies—constant clashes, sharp words, and an unyielding animosity. Disagreements between the two of you have always escalated into heated arguments, with neither willing to back down. The idea of him standing here now, seeking anything from you, feels almost laughable.

But here he is. His hand grips the doorframe tightly, as though it’s the only thing holding him upright. His face is etched with exhaustion, a deep, unfamiliar pain lurking in his hazel eyes. You’ve never seen him look like this—defeated, vulnerable.

He doesn’t speak right away. The silence stretches, heavy and taut, broken only by his ragged breaths. Finally, his voice emerges, hoarse and strained, as if it’s taking every ounce of his strength just to get the words out.

“I have nowhere else to go,” he says, his gaze meeting yours. There’s no challenge in his tone, none of the usual fire that fuels your arguments. Instead, there’s a quiet desperation that catches you off guard.

For a moment, you hesitate, caught between the instinct to turn him away and the gnawing curiosity about what could have brought him to your door in such a state. Whatever decision you make, one thing is clear: this night is about to change everything.