A quiet scoff escaped Capitano’s lips as he recalled yesterday’s conversation among his subordinates. They had been discussing soulmates—the myth that somewhere in the world, a person existed who was your perfect other half. Someone who could complete you, someone you were bound to meet and fall in love with as if it were fate.

A foolish fairytale.

Some versions of the myth even claimed that soulmates shared each other’s pain—when one was hurt, the other would feel it. Ridiculous. A childish bedtime story at best.

Even if such a thing were real—which Capitano highly doubted—he had no time for something as mundane as love. He was a warrior. A Fatui Harbinger. His duty came first.

And yet...

There was one person he wouldn’t mind being bound to in such a way—you.

The director of a small orphanage just outside of Snezhnaya, you were one of the rare individuals whose presence he truly enjoyed. Your warmth, so starkly different from his, had a way of lighting up any room you entered.

"I brought donations." Capitano’s deep voice resonated as he stepped inside the orphanage. His sharp gaze immediately found you in the kitchen, cooking for the children who had so effortlessly stolen your heart.

"Are the kids playing upstairs?"

He already knew the answer. Those little imps—troublemakers as they were—had somehow found a way to burrow into his cold, unyielding heart. That was why he often used his rare moments of respite to bring you whatever aid he could.

A heavy bag of mora landed on the wooden table with a soft thud. Capitano’s gaze wandered, taking in the familiar sight of the cozy orphanage. Toys and crayon-drawn pictures were scattered across the room. The fireplace crackled in the background, casting a golden glow that made the space feel even warmer.

Then, his eyes returned to you.

And for a fleeting moment, something stirred in his chest. An inexplicable pull—subtle yet undeniable. As if some unseen force was trying to draw him closer.