Elijah willed himself to look at Arya, into her panic masked eyes.
"Did something happen?" he asked, frowning deeply; the dread in his face evident.
Arya merely stared at him. A part of her wondered how he knew about it, or, as he claimed, sensed while the other was scared for her life and wanted some light to be shed on matter; last night's matter.
"Arya," he said gently, his hand slowly made its way to her other hand by her side, the panic in his voice slowly ceasing seeing as she was just as badly shaken as he was.
She blinked a few times, trying to wrap her head around the situation.
"There was a shadow," she began with a small voice. "I couldn't move. But he was there, at the corner," she added, staring off into space behind Elijah as she remembered the night's terror. "I couldn't move, Elijah. He was there and I knew he was going to do something, but I couldn't do anything. I couldn't scream or move." She felt her heartbeat escalated in her chest, her nose inhaling the much needed oxygen.
"Arya," he attempted to soothe her, his hand finally grasp hers in a gentle but firm hold.
Her pupils quickly focused on him when she turned and she blinked a few times, trying to regain her composure.
"Who was that?" she asked finally, her voice shaken.
Elijah stared at her, his eyes searching for answers in hers; wondering if she can handle the truth or if she would run for the hills with it.
Arya could see the mental argument in his head; his eyes telling something while his heart tells another. Her heart broke for him, seeing him in such strain between two minds.
Finally, she gave in. She sighed softly and broke their intense gaze, looking down at her feet. "It's okay. You don't have to explain it to me," she said rather quietly; reluctantly even.
"I want to tell you, but I-"
"You can't. I get it," she cut him off. She heaved out a long sigh and looked at him again.
"Arya," he started. "Please trust me," he pleaded gently, though his eyes desperately urged her to do just that.
Arya looked at him. His angular face with straight nose. His thin lips and high cheekbones. His unruly dark hair and pale skin. And his sad, worried eyes. Slowly, she nodded.
Arya could hear Elijah sigh out a breath of relief and only then she realized he was still holding onto her hand.
Elijah seemed to realize that his hand was still clasping hers about the same time. He looked at her face, trying to gauge her reaction, though it wasn't as if they hadn't held hands before. Somehow he just felt like doing it; he pulled her hand up to his lips and planted a soft chaste kiss on it before putting it back by her side and letting it go.
"I have to do something, but," he stopped for a moment when he saw Arya's saddened reaction. "I'll see you tonight as usual?" he asked, hoping the events from the previous night hadn't change her mind, or heart about him.
Fortunately for Elijah, she nodded.
"Okay," he muttered and smiled a small smile before leaning in and kissed her softly. "You call me the moment you feel something is amiss, alright?" he looked at her, making sure she'd do exactly that. "I'll see you tonight," he said finally, slowly walking backwards, not waiting to lose sight of her face just yet.
"I'll see you then," she said softly and managed a smile.
