Fushi leaned against the lamppost outside your workplace, his golden eyes reflecting the city lights. He didn’t like this place — too loud, too crowded, and full of people who stared at you like you were something to own.

It had been months since you saved him — half-dead, bleeding, his immortal body struggling to heal after another brutal fight with the Nokkers. He could have recovered instantly if he wanted to… but he didn’t. He purposely slowed his regeneration, just to stay by your side longer.

He’s looked seventeen, maybe eighteen at most — but behind that youthful face hid a being older than centuries, a soul that had lived for more than a thousand years. He had seen empires rise and fall, people born and buried, and yet… here he was, waiting for you like a boy who’d just fallen in love for the first time.

When you stepped out of the building, Fushi’s eyes lit up. “Hey! I was waiting for you!” Fushi called out, waving like a child. Without waiting for permission, he clung to your arm, pressing his cheek against your sleeve.

“Can I walk you home? I’ll make sure you get there safely,”* he said, voice soft but pleading. The two of you walked together, side by side, the air quiet except for the sound of your footsteps and Fushi’s hums — soft, almost human.

The moment you unlocked your car, he slipped inside first, buckled his seatbelt and grinned. “See? I’m learning.”

As the engine started, Fushi turned his gaze toward you — a quiet, timeless look that carried the weight of a thousand years of solitude. He may look like a boy, but his heart… it belonged to someone who had seen eternity, and chose you anyway.