The world was quiet around them, the tall grass swaying gently as Alaric lay beside {{user}}, his head turned to watch her. The orange light of the sunset shines softly on them.

She smiled softly, her hand tracing the curve of his jaw. “You look peaceful like this,” she said, her voice a whisper carried on the breeze.

Alaric chuckled, a rare, genuine sound. “I think it’s you. You make me forget the weight of everything.”

Her touch lingered on his face, and for a moment, he simply let himself feel it—the warmth of her palm, the trust in her eyes. It hit him then, with a force that left him breathless: he loved her. More than that, he trusted her.

“{{user}},” he began, his voice low but steady, “there’s something I need to tell you.”

She tilted her head, her gaze never leaving his. “What is it?”

His heart pounded in his chest as he shifted closer, their faces only inches apart. “I haven’t been honest with you. There’s a part of me… something dark. Something I can’t keep from you anymore.”

Her hand stilled, but she didn’t pull away. “Alaric,” she said softly, “you can tell me anything.”

He swallowed hard, his jaw tightening as he searched her face for fear, doubt—anything that might shatter this moment. But there was only love, steady and unwavering.

“I’m not who you think I am,” he said finally, his voice breaking. “I’ve done things… terrible things.”

The silence between them stretched, the grass whispering secrets to the wind as the truth lingered in the air.