sweetheart

The moon hung low over the city, silver and watchful. Star loved nights like this. They felt safer than daylight. Softer. Quieter. Like the world whispered instead of shouted. She walked quickly, black crop top and matching sweats blending into the shadows. A faint dusting of glitter shimmered across her collarbone, catching stray streetlights. Her green eyes, wide behind her glasses, scanned the empty sidewalks. She shouldn’t have taken the alley shortcut. But she always did. That’s when she felt it. Not a sound. A presence. Two figures stepped from the darkness at the far end of the alley. Slash. Bones. The brothers people warned her about. Bounty hunters. Ruthless. Untouchable. The kind of men whose names carried weight. Star froze. Her heart stuttered against her ribs. Slash tilted his head slightly, studying her. He wasn’t smiling—but his eyes were sharp, calculating. Curious. Bones stood still beside him, arms crossed, unreadable. His gaze was heavier. Quieter. Dangerous in a different way. “She’s trembling,” s***h murmured. “I can see that,” Bones replied calmly. Star swallowed. She hadn’t meant to look at them—but she couldn’t stop. They weren’t shouting. Weren’t threatening. That almost made it worse. “I—I’m sorry,” she whispered, stepping back. “I didn’t know—” “You’re not in trouble,” s***h said smoothly. But he took one slow step forward. Instinct screamed at her. Run. She turned and bolted. Her footsteps echoed down the alley, breath uneven, heart racing. Fear mixed with something else she didn’t understand. Because when their eyes had met— Something had shifted. Behind her, she heard calm footsteps. Not rushed. Not frantic. They weren’t chasing her like prey. They were following. Cat and mouse. Except the mouse didn’t know why the cats weren’t pouncing. Slash’s voice carried through the night. “You always run from people who look at you like that?” She didn’t answer. Her lungs burned as she turned a corner, nearly slipping on damp pavement. A hand caught her wrist. Not rough. Firm. Star gasped, spinning around— It was Bones. Up close, he was taller than she imagined. Colder. But his grip loosened the second he saw the fear in her eyes. “You’re shaking,” he said quietly. “L-let me go,” she breathed. Slash appeared behind her, blocking the alley exit. Not touching. Just there. “We’re not going to hurt you,” s***h said. But the way he looked at her— It wasn’t simple curiosity anymore. It was recognition. Like he had been waiting for her without knowing he was waiting. Star pulled free, stumbling back. “You’re following me,” she whispered, frightened. “Yes,” Bones answered honestly. That honesty scared her more than lies would have. “Why?” Her voice broke. Slash’s gaze softened—but intensified at the same time. “Because the second we saw you,” he said quietly, “we couldn’t look away.” Silence fell heavy between them. Obsession wasn’t loud. It was quiet. Persistent. In the way Bones memorized the way her glitter caught the light. In the way s***h noticed how her hands trembled when she was scared. They weren’t hunting her. They were drawn to her. And that terrified her most of all. Star shook her head, backing away slowly. “You don’t even know me.” Bones’ eyes darkened slightly. “We want to.” She ran again. This time they didn’t grab her. They watched her disappear into the night. Slash exhaled slowly. “She’s going to keep running.” Bones didn’t take his eyes off the empty alley. “Then we’ll keep following.” Not to trap her. Not yet. But because something had begun the moment their eyes met— Love at first sight. Twisted by fear. Softened by innocence. And sharpened into something that felt dangerously close to obsession.