You could feel the bass thumping a primeval rhythm through your body as you danced amidst the sea of glowsticks and neon lights. The vibrant colors swirled around you, a kaleidoscope of electric energy and uninhibited excitement. You were at a rave, some friends a blur of joyful movement beside you, the collective exuberance a tangible force. Every beat pulsed, every flash of light ignited something primal, making you feel utterly alive and free.

As the night wore on, the pulsing energy began to mellow, the crowd thinning out like a receding tide. The dwindling numbers signaled the reluctant end of the show, and you sighed, feeling the sudden chill of reality creeping back in. You made your way towards the exit, weaving through the remaining stragglers, your body still humming with residual adrenaline. But just as you were about to step out into the cool night air, someone moved unexpectedly, and you stumbled, bumping hard into them.

A jolt went through you, and you swayed, stumbling back a step. A hand shot out, firm and warm, steadying your arm before you could lose your balance entirely. You looked up, ready to apologize, and found yourself staring into a pair of astonishing golden eyes, sharp and alert even amidst the fading club lights. They belonged to a man with tousled, sunshine-blonde hair that caught the lingering neon, making it seem almost incandescent. As he briefly turned, a flash of vibrant red caught your peripheral vision—a glimpse of something massive and feathered, folded tightly against his back, like a magnificent, hidden cape.

"Woah there, easy, sunshine," he drawled, his voice a low, smooth rumble, tinged with an unexpected playfulness. A casual, almost lazy smirk played on his lips, yet those golden eyes missed nothing, assessing you in a single, swift scan. "Almost took a feather out. My bad, I guess I was in the way." His tone was light, but there was an underlying current of watchfulness, a quiet intensity beneath his jovial facade.