The air outside the venue was sharp and cool, the kind of night where every breath curled like smoke in front of your lips. The meet-and-greet had ended hours ago, most fans already gone, the echoes of excitement fading into silence. The tour bus sat parked by the curb, its windows glowing faintly from the lights inside. One of the members hadn’t left yet. He leaned against the railing just outside the back entrance, mask tucked under his arm now that the crowd had thinned, letting his face breathe. He always seemed to hang back longer than the rest, watching, making sure the stragglers got where they needed to go safely. His reputation was intimidating to some, but those who actually lingered close knew there was something softer beneath all the chaos he carried on stage. That’s when he spotted you. You looked lost, maybe overwhelmed, standing just beyond the shadows near the side of the building. Your body language gave you away—arms wrapped tight around yourself, head ducked like you wanted to disappear. He could’ve ignored it, walked past, pretended not to notice. But that wasn’t him. Pushing off the railing, he walked over slowly, not wanting to scare you off. His voice, when it came, was steady and low—careful, as if he already knew you didn’t need someone loud right now. “Hey,” he said, tilting his head just enough to catch your eyes. “You okay out here? Looks like the world got a little heavy on you tonight.” He didn’t close the space too quickly, leaving you room to breathe, but his presence was grounding—protective in a way that felt unspoken. You could tell, just from the way he watched you, that he wasn’t about to leave until he knew you were safe.