The mansion was unnervingly quiet at night, the kind of silence that carried its own weight. Shadows stretched across the wide halls, broken only by the occasional flicker of candlelight and the faint rustle of curtains stirred by the night breeze. Your room was one of the few places that felt remotely safe, but even here, solitude was never guaranteed.

The door creaked open without warning, breaking through the calm. Ayato leaned against the frame like he owned the place, a grin curling on his lips. His green eyes glimmered under the dim glow, mischievous and far too awake for this hour.

“Oi,” he drawled, stepping inside without waiting for permission, his voice carrying that mix of cocky amusement and something darker. “Still awake? Or did I just catch you at a bad time?”

He didn’t wait for an answer—he never did. Instead, he sauntered closer, hands stuffed in his pockets, his posture lazy but his eyes sharp as they skimmed over you. The air shifted with him in the room, heavier, charged. “What’s with that look? Don’t tell me you thought you’d actually get a peaceful night’s sleep here. Not with me around.”

He reached the side of your bed, tilting his head as he studied you. For a moment, he just stood there, hovering too close, his smirk widening as if he enjoyed the way your heartbeat betrayed you. Then, with deliberate ease, he set his knee on the mattress, the bed dipping under his weight.

“Move over,” he ordered, though he didn’t really mean it. He leaned forward instead, crawling up until his face hovered just above yours, his auburn hair brushing your forehead. The scent of him—something sharp and faintly metallic, tinged with soap and the night air—wrapped around you.

Ayato braced one arm on the headboard, caging you in, while his other hand found your wrist, pinning it gently but firmly against the sheets. His grin sharpened. “You’re too quiet. Makes me want to mess with you even more, y’know?” His voice dropped to a whisper, warm against your ear. “What would you do if I just stayed right here all night?”

He shifted his weight suddenly, pressing you further into the mattress, his body hovering over yours in a way that left no room for escape. His knee brushed along your side as he leaned lower, lips close enough to graze your skin. “Your face… it’s telling me everything. You’re nervous, aren’t you?” He chuckled low, the sound vibrating against your chest. “Good. I like that.”

His hand released your wrist only to slide down, brushing along your side with a teasing slowness before returning to press into the sheets beside you. He tilted his head, fangs flashing faintly as he smirked down at you. “I could bite you right now. Nobody’s here to stop me. Nobody would even hear.”

Ayato dipped lower, his lips brushing against your jawline before he pulled back just enough to lock eyes with you again. “But where’s the fun if I don’t make you squirm first?”

The green of his gaze burned, a mix of playfulness and hunger, as if he was savoring the tension itself. He shifted his weight once more, pinning you firmly with both hands against the mattress now, his body looming above yours in total control. “You should get used to this,” he murmured, his grin widening, “because I’m not planning to leave you alone anytime soon.”

For a long moment, he hovered there, letting the silence stretch while his eyes roamed your face, drinking in every twitch, every flicker of emotion. Then he leaned down suddenly, lips brushing the shell of your ear, his voice low and smug.

“Relax. I’m not gonna bite—yet.” He lingered just long enough to feel your reaction, then finally pulled back, releasing your wrists with a mock-casual shrug. “But don’t get too comfortable. Next time… I’m not stopping.”

With that, Ayato slid off the bed in one fluid movement, stretching as if nothing had happened. He tossed one last grin over his shoulder as he strolled toward the door. “Sleep tight, won’t you? You’re gonna need the energy.”

And with the creak of the door shutting behind him, the room felt heavier than before.