Your Light (yor x twilight)

somewhere only we know

this art by @kei_zsi heavily inspired me to write again

Summer had begun, and I found myself in Ostania, on enemy ground, for the first time.

I switched trains just to get here inconspicuously, wearing different outfits each time I hop into a new one. After the last stop, I walked in the route less taken by civilians, which had more bushes than cars, until I walked into a street alley that connected the scenic path to the last block of the road. I decided to stay here just to catch my breath and plan my next move.

I looked around and found a decent looking dumpster bin. I decided to stay behind it to be ready in case someone goes here. Turns out someone was already there on the other side of the bin. A woman in a black dress hiding and preparing to attack me. The moment she saw me, she swung her arm while holding something like . . . a pick? It was golden, metal, probably something she found somewhere here in the alley. What I also noticed were the taints of blood across her body. Her face was slightly glowering, screaming murder! Get out of here!

But my heart only beat like crazy.

I then tried to become diplomatic. I cleared my throat, "I'm sorry to intrude, but I mean no harm."

She lowered her weapon but continued to gaze at me. She continued to be cautious of me until it was probably my unaggressive eye contact that made her drop the defense. She then did the last thing I expected her to do: smile so bright that I had to look away. I didn't know where this feeling came from; she was one of the first girls I've encountered in my life. And as a man being  trained to predict and explain people's behaviors, her unexpectedness and uniqueness blew me away.

"Oh, sorry for scaring you. I just thought you were one of them." Them? Was she assaulted earlier?

"Ah," I nervously laughed. "It's fine. Who exactly are you referring to as them? Are you alright? Did anyone hurt you?"

I can see she was having trouble deciding whether to tell me the truth or not. "I am unharmed. There is nothing to worry about," she smiled again. "Let me just remove my dirty clothes."

I blushed again at her statement and turned around as a gentleman. She seemed so easygoing and straightforward that I started to forget what she was about to do to me earlier.

I didn't have to ask her when she admitted, "I stopped by here to do a change of clothes as I didn't want to worry my younger brother again, coming home in blood-stained outfits."

My breath caught in my throat. Is it possible she's an enemy of Westalis? One of the reasons why I had work here to do? She seemed too young to be capable of such acts, but then again she almost didn't hesitate to finish me off earlier.

"I'm done!" she informed me, cutting off my train of thought. When I turned around, she's wiping off the bloodstains in her arms with her dirty clothes, and was now wearing a red sweater and simple leggings. This clearer view of her face made me realize she was just around fourteen to sixteen, the same age as me. "Speaking of my little brother, I have to go make dinner for Yuri!"

Her words put me back to reality. I was still new to my surroundings and have to find a safe place to stay. Years of being alone as a spy have hardened me yet I find myself lacking hesitation today.

"Will you . . . come back here?" I asked her, careful to not let any eagerness spill.

She gave me another smile that most likely will never be erased from my memory. "Of course! I started stopping by here every chance I can."

That's when I realized how alone I was being by myself in this new country, with no family to look back to. And how I was now starting to crave for her presence. "That's great," I said, genuine relief flooding my features.

"See you then." She left before any of us can say anything more. It feels weird being in a position of being in a new place and not knowing anything about the person I was interacting with. But for a minute, I didn't care. She could be a future target for all I know, once Sylvia gives me my assignment tomorrow. But I was grateful to have met her at the very least.

We didn't even tell each other our names.

-

I already jumped and was crouched on a dumpster bin when he came running into the alley. My eyes scanned to check if it were really the blond hair and blue eyes that I started to look for even in my dreams.

"So it's you, huh?" I whispered breathlessly from the motion, and due to surprise of finally seeing him after weeks of having no trace of him. I quickly checked if my black dress covered my lower body aside from my black-colored tights and heeled boots. Blood still covered my body and clothes, but I didn't care about that for now.

"I'm so sorry," he said while walking towards me. Once he reached me, he put his two hands on both edges of the bin I was on, virtually closing the space between us—and so intimate we're only centimeters apart. It didn't help that I was given a glimpse of his muscles as he was wearing a sleeveless shirt, which I wasn't sure whether it was a tank top or he had the sleeves ripped.

I was still a bit wary of him especially after his disappearance. I expected him to return as soon as he can if he meant well. I may have returned to this place only to do a change of clothes, but I had hoped I wasn't alone each time.

"I was assigned to different places," he explained. "It took a lot of convincing to my boss just to be able to come back here in Eastern Nielsberg. I hope you are well. This seems so foolish to say but I . . . was really looking forward to seeing you again. Even if we only met once and I don't even know your name."

So he had work as well. I didn't breathe when he was saying the latter part of his speech. Perhaps it was because his hot breath blew warmth on my skin in this rather cool evening. Or because I was so taken aback by his openness despite the fact that we're merely strangers—or maybe because of that fact.

I nodded. "Well, my tasks are usually just around the area. But this is actually the last time I'd be here. I'm happy that I was able to see you again."

I didn't tell him about my work as an assassin. That doing necessary precautions after I kill people tasked to me in this neighborhood is the reason why I always stop over here. My secret organization, Garden, took notice of my skill and hard work, so they offered to deploy me in Berlint, the capital of Ostania.

His eyes stared at the wall behind me. "I-I didn't expect you to leave so suddenly."

"Says my supposed companion. I got my hopes up, you know," I said gently. "My younger brother has to transfer from his former elementary school to middle school. There are no schools in this small town, so we have no choice but to move to Berlint."

"I see."

"I'm sorry. Yuri's all I have, and he deserves the best life I could give him. I'm afraid this is the only way. I hope to meet you again for another time." I slowly raised my hands to touch his cheek. I laid them there, intending to memorize the warmth and curves of his face. "I hope you don't mind the blood," I nervously muttered.

There was something about the two of us that I first noticed the moment our eyes connected. And I hope whatever it is that we have in common would keep our fates close. "Well," he started, "maybe we could stay here for a little while."

-

"I like your choice of weapon the day that we met. A rose with her thorn. Looks like a princess but wouldn't hesitate to kill."

"Such a shame we only meet during twilight. I'd like to experience sunsets and sunrises with you, too."

-

"You're still young, why does it seem like taking care of your brother is solely your responsibility?"

"I could say the same about you. What brought you here to this humble alley by yourself?"

-

"Tell me more about Yuri."

"I wish you could meet him in the future."

-

"I'm sure we'll meet again."

"We have to."