"Peace of mind."
Zaviel let out a short, quiet sigh.
Lyra rested her head against his chest, her hair spilling over his hands as he gently ran his fingers through it.
They lay on the grass, just a little farther from the park, where the world felt softer, quieter, and… normal.
He didn't understand why, but whenever he was with her, an unusual calm settled over him.
A stillness he didn't deserve, especially knowing she was also a Night Demon like himself. Why did she make him feel like this?
He turned his gaze to her, brushing her hair down his fingers.
She pretended to sleep, but he knew better.
A true Night Demon never lowered her guard, not even for a moment.
She had helped him take care of the snipers the day before. She had no idea that he was also one of them.
The six members were supposed to be blind to each other's identities. Yet somehow, he knew all of them. Somehow, he knew her.
Could it be… because he shared the same eyes as his father?
He quickly dismissed the thought
His eyes—supernatural, otherworldly.
Eyes that saw as if day had replaced night. In all his life, he had never seen the night. Ironic, considering the name he had earned: the Night Demon.
He pressed a hand to his chest.
Calm.
A sharp contrast to the rapid, savage heartbeat that took over whenever the Night Demon persona surfaced.
And somehow… the church bells worked, too. He was surprised even by that.
"Zaviel… what's wrong?" Lyra's soft pout, her brows furrowed in concern, reached him.
A warmth spread down his throat. "I was just wondering… could you get any cuter than this?"
Lyra snapped upright, folding her hands in front of her, giving him a mock glare.
"Hmph! Don't change the topic! What's wrong? You look worried… don't you want to stay here anymore? Is it the scenery? Does the grass bother you? Are the stars too bright for your eyes?"
Zaviel laughed, low and genuine. "Stars too bright for my eyes? You're terrible at puns."
"Look at me, Zavy," she said, placing her hand gently against his cheek, tilting her head so her eyes locked with his.
His eyes twitched, and his usual mask softened.
"Anything you're not telling me?" she asked, voice gentle, eyes wide and trusting like a small puppy
Zaviel smiled. "Yes… I love you."
He didn't wait for her reply.
He leaned down, pressing her gently against the grass. The world seemed to narrow until it existed only between them.
Her breath hitched, a soft sound against his lips.
He cupped her face, letting his thumb trace her cheekbone. Their eyes met, and for a single heartbeat, the chaos of their lives. The missions, the killings, the secrets, everything faded.
Then, slowly, he closed the distance.
Their lips met, Zaviel softly tasting the warmth that was hers and hers alone.
Lyra's hands rose, clutching at his shoulders, her body arching closer. The kiss deepened, urgent but also gentle.
Zaviel's hands tangled in her hair, pulling her closer as though he could keep the world at bay with just this moment.
Her lips moved against his, tender yet fierce, echoing the storm he felt inside.
Finally, they broke apart, foreheads pressed together, breaths mingling.
"I...didn't see that coming" Lyra's cheeks were burning red now
"Well....now you will" Zaviel leaned in for another but suddenly
…a sharp crack split the night.
Zaviel's instincts flared.
From the shadows of the nearby alley, figures emerged, their silhouettes jagged and crude. Baseball bats swung loosely in their hands, fingers twitching around triggers of small pistols.
The leader stepped forward, his grin wide enough to seem unnatural, mouth stretching like he'd swallowed half the moon.
He waved his hands
"Evening, lovebirds! Ain't you two a cute little—hey, hey, don't freeze on me now. We just wanna… play a little game!"
Zaviel's lips curved into a thin, sharp line.
"Stay back."
His voice was quiet, but it carried a weight that made the gang members hesitate.
Lyra shifted slightly, eyes glinting in the pale moonlight.
"I'll take care of it, Zavy… I did a bit of martial arts as a kid," she said, playfully waving a smile
Zaviel's eyes flickered.
He could see it now—the way her muscles tensed, the subtle coiling of energy beneath her skin.
He knew, without a doubt, that this wasn't just "martial arts"
Her movements came from years of brutal, clandestine training—the kind only Night Demons received.
He let her move.
The first thug lunged with a bat. Lyra was already gone.
One second he swung, the next she was behind him, wrist twisting in an unnatural angle. The crack of bone was soft but definitive. The man collapsed, shrieking, eyes wide.
Another drew a gun.
Lyra blurred forward, faster than a normal human could comprehend.
Her petite hand shot out, yanking the gun aside, twisting it until the shooter's shoulder dislocated with a sickening pop.
He dropped to the ground, screaming, and she kicked the bat-wielder through the air, sending him crashing into a dumpster with a heavy thud.
Zaviel's chest tightened. Each movement she made rivaled his own.
She was almost too fast, almost too strong… almost like a mirror of himself.
The leader's wide grin faltered. "What the—what are you—she's… she's—" He was cut off as Lyra vaulted over, landing behind him with a kick that sent him sprawling onto the pavement.
She landed softly, almost dreamily, tilting her head.
"How'd I do?"
Her voice was light, teasing, but the blood smeared across her knuckles and the broken limbs at her feet betrayed the lethality behind the tone.
Zaviel exhaled slowly, dismayed, shaking his head.
"Good,"
he said simply, his voice low.
The rest of the gang scrambled, hesitating at the sight of two Night Demons standing under the moonlight.
Even the leader's bluster faltered; his wide mouth no longer seemed menacing, just humanly terrified.
"Can we go see the fireflies now?" Lyra gave a pleading look.....like someone who didn't know the meaning of the word "violence"
Zaviel's senses were on high alert.
He slightly turned his head back, his eyeballs moving to the side. Someone was watching them from the shadows.
He could sense it.
Lyra could too and he knew that was why she had suggested to leave here now
"Yeah....let's go"
Zaviel smiled.