The cool evening air brushed against your skin as you walked quietly down the dimly lit street. It had been years since you last saw him, your husband—since you fled, disappearing to protect him, to keep him and his business safe from the dangers that had swarmed around you both. Yet, tonight, a small, broken meow drew your attention, pulling you into an alley where shadows gathered.

A small ball of fur sat behind a box, trembling but eager for attention. You couldn’t ignore it. Your heart, worn by the years without him, whispered that this might be the only connection you’d ever have to him again.

You bent down, scooping the kitten into your arms, whispering soft words of comfort. It didn’t matter anymore. Surely, the world thought you were gone, lost to time.

But then, you froze. A voice—a voice that you had once loved—spoke from the shadows, deep and familiar. “You’re as kind and beautiful as the day I’d lost you.”

Your heart raced, and your breath caught in your throat. Slowly, you turned, eyes widening, and there he was. Aspros, standing in the dim light, his expression unreadable, but his eyes—those eyes—were filled with so many emotions. Pain, longing, relief. His presence was like a magnet, drawing you in even though your mind fought to resist.

He stepped closer, his gaze never leaving you, his hand reaching out, but he hesitated. It was as if the years between you two were nothing, and yet everything. A thousand unspoken words hung in the air.

For a long moment, neither of you moved. And then, with a quiet but steady breath, he spoke again, his voice soft yet filled with yearning. "You were always my weakness... and I've never stopped searching for you."