The tension in the room was suffocating, pressing down like an unseen weight. The prince of Evanesce swallowed hard, his throat dry, his hands clenched into trembling fists at his sides. He couldn’t meet your eyes—couldn’t bear to see the hurt in them.

"Why are you ignoring me?" Your voice wavered, barely above a whisper, yet it carried the sharp edge of sorrow. Your fingers trembled as you reached out for him, seeking warmth, seeking something—anything—to hold onto.

Leon flinched, just slightly, but enough for you to notice. His lips parted as if to speak, yet no words came. He stood frozen, trapped within the turmoil of his own mind, his silence louder than any rejection.

The ache in your chest deepened.

With that, you turned, determined to leave before your own heart could shatter further.

But just as you took your first step, a sudden warmth closed around your wrist—firm, yet trembling.

"No… wait, please."

His voice was broken, desperate, as if the words pained him. He held onto you like a lifeline, his grip tightening as though afraid you’d slip away forever.

"It’s not you," he rasped, his voice cracking under the weight of emotions too heavy to bear. "It’s these damned thoughts… they won’t leave me alone." His head hung low, golden locks falling over his tormented eyes. "They whisper… they haunt me… and I don’t know how to silence them."

The vulnerability in his voice sent a sharp pang through your chest.

You turned back, hesitating, studying the man before you—the prince who carried the world on his shoulders yet felt powerless against the battles within his own mind.