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A flickering light illuminated the rush of grass blades, the flame hiccuping in the winds grasp.

Standing on a ledge, someone weeped bitterly.

To the stars,

To the moon,

To the littered sky,

To the sea,

But nobody heard.

The regret oozed it's way into salty tears, weaving itself into your eyes as the waters below beckoned you over.

Something felt missing, someone felt missing. But when you ask nobody would know, the sense of absence not churning as deeply in them as it ravaged in you.

All seemed fine, your days weren't the happiest but you remembered feeling full. Full of life,

Full of wonder,

Full of all that is absent now.

Such a change left you confused, others noticed it later on—how it consumed you.

So you began to search for a way to fill that absence, trying every little trick in the book even ones that left you hurling in the mornings only for one thing to change.

And that was your hope.

People around had misunderstood, taking it as 'temporary' and saying 'it'll pass'.

But how much longer will it pass for?

Your hands grabbled for anything at all, fingers gliding through hustling wind as your hair flowed like currents of a river, lashes trembling against your cheek as you shut your eyes.

Giving up seemed to be the only choice left, nothing filled what you'd lost and you had no idea how to get it back.

It hurt.

"You're too close to the ledge,"

You nearly jumped right off from the sudden voice, a warm hand quickly settling around your waist to keep you stable, familiar—but not quite what you'd known.

"Sorry, did I startle you?" He beckoned you away from the ledge, the waves thrashing at the loss near the bottom.

Barely anything came from your throat as you lost sight of the sea and set your views on instead a gentle pair of blue eyes lined with red on the outer rims of his eyelids.

Your heart lurched but you didn't know why.

Who was this guy anyway?

Settling your hand against his it almost lingered like it belonged there, pulling his hand off your waist you took a step away.

"I didn't need any help." You spoke, eyes flickering to the ledge you'd just been on.

"Seemed like you did," he said "You nearly fell when I called out to you, what are you doing so far out at this hour?"

"Does it matter?"

"Sure it does, don't you have anything to return to? A home?"

A beat of silence passed as you stared at the strange man, the word home leaving a bitter taste in your mouth.

"Who are you anyway?" you retorted. "Why are you bothering me?"

The quiet rustle of leaves seemed to answer as he had no clear response to share, shrinking back slightly in the dim moonlight.

"I'm just a passerby," he began quietly. "But you'd be hurt if I hadn't stepped in."

"And so what?"

He flinched, the light faintly flickering in the lantern.

You hadn't noticed it, your rising anger could only go so far before it hit the lid.

"So what if I got hurt again? So what if I'm risking not having tomorrow—So what?!"

"I'd lose you, thats what."

The ridiculous remark had stunned you, any anger swallowed by a moment of surprise before a laugh creeped up your throat.

"You? You don't even know me why would you care—"

"I just do! Is that so hard to understand?" His voice softened. "That someone just cares?"

The breeze paused—waiting.

What an odd guy he was.

First he comes and stops you from going too far from what you know, then he dares ask questions, and now he's making ridiculous claims.

And the worst part? You felt seen in a different light.

Not in a clear light or bright ones on stage, but a gentle light that reaches you through curtains in your room—seeping in through cracks you hadn't known you'd left behind.

Misty and small, but present.

It had left an impression on you.

The flame in the lantern had been snuffed out by the wind long ago, the waves seemed to go numbingly quiet, and the only thing left in your mind was to go home.

Not much was left to say, the silence was deafening—so you grabbed your lantern and left without another word.

He didn't stop you.

Something had cracked deep within you.

Quiet and subtle, so little you could say it wasn't there.

You'd be meeting again with this strange wanderer—maybe sooner than you'd hoped for in a while.

But you knew one thing deep down.

Pretty good writing amIright guys?... Guys?😢

It had been a long and daunting day, your hands trembled as you held them against your cheeks—Fingers cold against your burning skin.

It hadn't even been that long since you'd gotten out of a cold and you'd gotten sick once more, but you didn't dare tell anyone.

Even when you'd be coughing up a storm, leading most to glance at you in concern while others in annoyance.

Not that it mattered.

Your shoes lightly clicked against the academiyas polished floors, books in your bag that weighed you back just a tad bit. Even in such a condition you still dared show up.

Although Sumeru had decent weather, even a light rain could dampen your health.

You sighed, what a day this was...

The sun had already been slowly setting and you had only just gotten home, trying to be careful and quiet so as to not disturb anyone.

"Where were you?" You nearly jumped out of your skin startled as your head whipped to the source of the voice.

Wanderer sighed, "You humans are so fragile.." He muttered before finally stepping out from the shaded hallway, the moonlight shining in through the door where you stood.

"Why are you just standing there?" He grumbled, his patience waning.

His gloved hand reached for your cold ones, pulling you inside and shutting the door behind you.

Turning towards you he had already lost half his patience with you—Always fussing over your health even if he'd never bother to say anything about it, his actions always spoke for him.

"I'm sorry—" You began but he cut you off with his arms crossing over his chest and his brows furrowing.

"Stop staying up late studying, you're gonna burn out and forget it all in the morning." He stated, leaving little room for argument.

But what were you if not stubborn?

Obedient, probably.

"But—It was only for a little longer than usual!" You reasoned.

"It's midnight."

The rest of your argument was swallowed back down, had you really lost that much track of time?

Outside wasn't any better, barely any noise to fill what had already been—awkwardly—created.

The silence dragged on until he finally set the back of his hand against your forehead, feeling for a fever only to pull it back after a moment.

"Go take some medicine and sleep," He said. "If I catch you awake I'll knock you out myself."

With that said he simply walked away like it was nothing.

When you'd first moved in with him you'd found him to be quite irritating, his sarcasm and brusque responses led you to believe he wasn't the best to be around. But truly he was far more than what he led on to be.

You'd just have to peel all those layers he'd put up and find him at the center some day.

Your feet gently padded against the wooden floor as you went off to your room, the floorboards occasionally creaking beneath you.

The only source of light was the moon, the luster of it's rays leading you to your door.

Eventually you settled into bed after doing whatever you'd needed, reading some books you'd found and doodling along lined papers before finally closing your eyes to rest.

Everything grew quiet once again, the only sounds in the room being your breathing and the gentle sound of crickets outside.

Then a creak.

You tensed, but you kept your eyes shut.

The sound of someone approaching grew louder before they'd come right beside you, standing over your form before a cold gloved hand touched your forehead.

A quiet hum was heard before they gently kissed your forehead, their lips feather-light against your warm skin.

The moment was ephemeral but it felt eternal.

They lingered in the room for another short moment before turning to leave, shutting the door behind them gingerly while their footsteps grew more faint as they padded through the hall.

It wasn't hard to tell who came to visit, far from difficult in fact. But when morning came you never bothered mentioning it.

If he wanted to hide from you then that was fine, some day he'd come out and you'd find him with joy.

That morning Wanderer wasn't there to greet you, only a bowl of warm soup was left with some medicine right beside it—Not a note in sight.