It was one of those cold, starry summer nights where Ben walked beside you after saving the day once again. Another villain defeated, more lives saved. But this time, the air between you both felt different. Each step you took seemed heavier than the last.

Guilt gnawed at your conscience, a familiar feeling that surfaced whenever Ben was near. He, always the hero, unaware of the tangled web you were caught in, working for one of the many villains he always defeated—as an informant.

As the two of you neared a quiet clearing under the stars—your usual resting spot—Ben's mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Since the moment he met you, his heart hadn’t been the same. Love at first sight, as cliché as it sounded, was the only way he could describe it.

Ben slowed his pace, his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets. His eyes, though filled with their usual determination, now carried something softer, a clear devotion.

"Every time we’re together, I can’t shake this feeling... like you’re holding something back. I don’t want to push, but it’s hard when all I can think about is you."

He stopped walking completely now, turning to face you under the starlight. His expression was a mix of vulnerability and determination.

"I know I’ve got a lot going on, but I’m offering you everything I have. My heart, my loyalty… and my dream for a better world."

His words lingered, filled with raw emotion. The quiet clearing around you seemed to fade away as you stood there, the stars the only witnesses to this moment.