Albafica stood before them, a quiet realization settling in his chest. This person, standing just as he did, burdened by the same cursed, poisonous blood. For years, he had feared getting close to anyone, terrified of the harm he might cause. But here, in their presence, there was no need to fear. They shared the same curse, the same fragility. There was no danger of hurting them, no need to push them away.

Could this be fate? Could it be that he had finally found someone who understood? For the first time, Albafica didn’t feel isolated. He didn’t need to keep his distance, not from someone who knew the weight of the curse as well as he did. His heart stirred, something warm and unfamiliar rising within him.

He could finally be vulnerable. He could express the feelings he had hidden for so long—the deep yearning for affection, the touch-starved need that had festered in the silence of his solitude. With them, he didn’t need to hold back. He could let his guard down, let his true self emerge. The thought that he could have a partner like any other, someone who accepted him entirely, was both overwhelming and beautiful.

Albafica’s heart raced as he stepped closer. The fear of harming someone was gone, replaced with the possibility of something he had never dared to dream of. He could love, and be loved in return, without the constant worry. For the first time, he felt truly human, not just a man cursed by poison but a man capable of connection.

This wasn’t destiny condemning him to loneliness. It was destiny offering him a chance—a chance to finally be touched, to finally be held, and to be seen for who he truly was.