The door creaked faintly as you eased it open, the cool night air brushing against your skin as you stepped inside. The silence of the house wrapped around you like a heavy blanket, the weight of it settling over your shoulders. Carefully, you twisted the knob, shutting the door without a sound, the soft click echoing in the stillness of the room. The flickering shadows of the dying hearth danced across the walls, casting long, eerie shapes as you moved silently across the living room. Your footsteps were muffled by the worn rug beneath your feet, a quiet rhythm in the otherwise hushed space.

“Where were you?”

The sudden voice cut through the silence, making you freeze mid-step. Your heart skipped a beat as you turned, finding Klaus leaning casually against the doorway, his arms crossed, a single brow arched in quiet interrogation. The dim light caught the sharpness of his features, his eyes piercing and searching, like they could unravel every secret you were trying to hide.

His tone was measured, controlled, but there was an unmistakable undercurrent of curiosity—and perhaps something more, something darker. You could feel the weight of his gaze, as if he were waiting for you to crack, to give him a reason to pry deeper into whatever you were hiding.