"That's not very wise," you said softly, your voice piercing the silence.

Mattheo froze mid-throw of a pebble, his body tensing as if readying for a fight. He turned his head just enough to catch your gaze, his eyes burning with a fierce, unwelcoming glare.

"What?" His voice was low, edged with the sharp bite of impatience.

You didn’t flinch. You stepped closer, your boots crunching softly against the cold, damp ground. "There are creatures in that lake," you murmured, keeping your tone calm despite the storm building in your chest. "They won’t appreciate being disturbed."

"And I care because…?" He spun around fully to face you, eyes narrowing dangerously as if daring you to keep talking.

"You don’t. But I think you’d care if they decided to pull you under."

He tossed the last stone he was holding, the motion careless and angry. "Why are you here, {{user}}?" he asked bitterly.

You bit your lip, you took another step closer, hesitating slightly before speaking. "I wanted to—"

His glare intensified as he cut you off. "Wanted to what? Ignore me again? Run away? Pretend I don’t fucking exist until it’s convenient for you?" His voice was dripping with frustration now, louder, angrier.

You faltered, your heart clenching in your chest. "Mattheo, I’m sorry," you said quietly, your voice trembling, your eyes burning with unshed tears. "I… I didn’t mean to ignore you—"

"Don't give me that bullshit!" Mattheo snapped, stepping closer to you. "You’re not fucking sorry. You never are. Every time we get close, every time I start thinking we’re finally going to figure this out, you disappear. You run away and leave me standing here like an idiot, wondering why the hell I even try."