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Words:1674
You stood there, the remnants of the Borisin monster dissolving into the ground, you turned to Jiaoqiu, your expression softening ever so slightly. He still appeared shaken, his red eyes flickering with doubt and disgust, unsure of how to react to what he had just witnessed. You stepped toward him, closing the gap between you.
"I know the difference between a monster and a human," you whispered, your voice a gentle but chilling murmur. "What I did? That was on purpose."
Before he could respond, you wrapped your arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. His body stiffened at first, the unexpected intimacy catching him off guard. Your presence was cold and unsettling, yet there was something undeniably magnetic about it, something that made him hesitate instead of pushing you away. You could feel his heartbeat quicken, though his face remained expressionless, as if trying to mask the conflict inside him.
"You have nothing to fear," you added softly, resting your head against his chest. "I'm only like this because I have to be."
Jiaoqiu's hands hovered awkwardly for a moment before one of them gently landed on your back. "Do you even hear yourself?" he muttered, his voice low. "You're... terrifying, and yet..."
He trailed off, but you knew what he meant.
Leaning back slightly to look at him, you smiled—a smile that was both unsettling and oddly comforting. "You'll never have to worry about me, Jiaoqiu. I'll protect you from everything, even myself. I know exactly where the line is."
His gaze hardened, but he didn't push you away. "You keep saying that," he whispered, more to himself than to you. "But I wonder how long until you cross it."
Your fingers grazed his cheek, and you tilted your head, studying him carefully. "Maybe," you said softly, "but when that happens, will you still be able to tell if I'm the monster or just the human left behind?"
Jiaoqiu's silence was telling.
Jiaoqiu's words cut through the air like a sharp blade. "I don't need it from you. You're a *monster*," he spat, his voice as cold as the void. You stood there, frozen, the weight of his words sinking in. Your expression dulled, your eyes hollow, the light that once flickered within them slowly dimming. It felt like a punch to the chest, but you didn't flinch. You had heard worse before—this was nothing new.
"I tried..." you muttered to yourself, more as a reminder than anything else. "I really tried to be good."
He didn't say anything, just stood there, arms crossed, as if waiting for you to snap. But you didn't. Instead, you looked up at him, a faint glimmer of something fragile behind your dead eyes.
"Can I ask for one thing?" you said softly, your voice almost breaking.
