Dark Mirror and Twisted Truth

In his arms

SELENE

I ran again.

My feet carried me without direction, away from the house, away from their voices, away from the sting still burning on my cheek. The cold night air wrapped around me as I pushed through the familiar path, branches brushing against my arms, the ground uneven beneath my steps. I didn’t stop until the trees opened, and the lake came into view, still and quiet beneath the night sky.

He was already there.

Yuji stood near the water, his figure softened by the dim glow of the moon. When he saw me, his expression changed instantly, concern replacing whatever calm he had before.

“Selene—what happened?” he asked, stepping toward me.

I didn’t answer right away. My chest felt too tight, my thoughts too heavy to form into words. Instead, I walked straight to him, stopping only when I was close enough to feel his warmth. My hands trembled slightly as I looked up at him, into his deep brown eyes that always seemed to steady me.

“She takes everything from me,” I whispered, my voice fragile, barely holding together. The words felt small compared to the weight behind them, but they were all I could manage. My fingers curled slightly against his sleeve, like I needed something to hold on to. “Is she going to take you too?”

For a moment, he didn’t speak.

His gaze softened, and something in his expression shifted—something gentle, something certain. He lifted his hand and brushed it lightly against my cheek, careful, as if he already knew it hurt. His touch was warm, grounding, and the tension in my chest began to loosen.

“No, sweetie,” he said quietly, his voice steady and reassuring. “I only belong to you.”

The words settled over me like a calm after a storm.

Before I could say anything else, he pulled me into his arms. The sudden closeness made my breath catch, but I didn’t pull away. Instead, I leaned into him, resting my head against his chest as his arms wrapped around me, firm and protective. I could hear his heartbeat, steady and real, and for the first time since I left the house, the noise in my head began to fade.

“You’re shaking,” he murmured softly.

“I’m fine,” I said, though my voice betrayed me.

He didn’t argue. He just held me tighter.

After a while, he guided me to sitting by the edge of the lake. The water reflected the stars above, calm and endless, like nothing in the world could disturb it. He sat beside me, close enough that our shoulders touched, his hand finding mine without hesitation.

“You don’t have to go back tonight,” he said gently. “Stay here a little longer.”

I nodded, unable to trust my voice.

We sat in silence, but it wasn’t empty. His thumb traced small, absent patterns over my hand, each movement slow and comforting. The night felt softer again, like it was wrapping around us, shielding us from everything else.

After a while, I rested my head against his shoulder. He didn’t move away. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, letting it rest against mine. The closeness felt natural, like we had done this a thousand times before.

“You’re safe with me,” he whispered.

I closed my eyes, letting the words sink in.

For once, I wanted to believe them.