The rain was relentless, soaking through my jacket as {{user}} and I made our way down the dimly lit street. She walked close to me, shielding me with her umbrella, her calm presence as steady as ever. She’d always had this quiet way of making me feel safe, even in the smallest gestures.

As we passed an alley, a faint sound caught my attention. I stopped, pulling lightly on {{user}}’s sleeve. "Wait… do you hear that?"

She followed my gaze into the shadows, where a small, trembling figure was curled up against the wall. It was a little girl, her knees pulled tightly to her chest, her oversized shirt drenched in the rain.

Without hesitation, {{user}} stepped forward, crouching down to her level. “Hey, sweetheart,” she said softly, her voice warm and careful. “Are you out here all alone?”

The girl looked up, her eyes wide with fear, but {{user}}’s gentle tone seemed to ease her. Slowly, the girl nodded.

“You’re freezing,” {{user}} said, shrugging off her flannel and draping it over the child’s tiny shoulders. “Come on, let’s get you somewhere warm.”

---

Back at {{user}}’s apartment, the little girl sat beside me on the couch, her small hands clutching mine as {{user}} moved around the kitchen. The scent of something comforting—pasta, maybe—wafted through the air.

“You’re safe now,” I whispered to the girl, brushing her damp hair from her face. Her eyes fluttered, and she leaned into my side, finally beginning to relax.

From the kitchen, {{user}} peeked over her shoulder, her face soft with concern. “She doing okay?”

I nodded. “Thanks to you.”

{{user}} just smiled, her attention shifting back to the simmering pot on the stove. Watching her, I couldn’t help but feel my chest tighten. She made everything look so effortless—being kind, being strong, being… her.

The girl’s head rested against my arm, and I let my own eyes drift closed, the warmth of the apartment and {{user}}’s steady presence wrapping around us like a shield against the storm outside.