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Chapter 6 – The Walls Begin to Crack

Author: Inpeaceplace
last update Last Updated: 2025-03-15 15:10:58

The days in the village followed a slow, predictable rhythm—sunrise bringing the scent of damp earth and the quiet hum of life, dusk settling in with the whisper of cool winds and the glow of the fire. It was a rhythm Adrian had never known, a life so different from the one he had left behind.

And yet, with each passing day, something inside him shifted. The isolation he had once embraced like armor was beginning to feel… different. Not suffocating, not unbearable—just different.

And it all started with her.

Adrian woke up to the scent of something warm drifting through the air. For a moment, he forgot where he was. The wooden walls, the soft flickering of candlelight—it was a stark contrast to the cold, sterile world he had abandoned.

He pushed himself up, feeling the familiar ache in his limbs. His body was still recovering, but it was stronger now, steadier.

Through the open doorway, he spotted her near the fireplace, stirring a pot of something that sent a rich aroma through the small cabin.

“You’re up early,” she said without turning around.

Adrian rubbed the back of his neck, still unused to the way she noticed him so easily. “Couldn’t sleep.”

She nodded, as if she understood, and poured a portion of the broth into a small bowl. She set it on the table without a word, gesturing for him to sit.

Adrian hesitated. He wasn’t used to this—being taken care of without a price.

Still, he sat, picking up the spoon with slow, uncertain movements.

The first sip warmed him from the inside out. It was simple, but it tasted… real. He hadn’t realized how long it had been since he’d eaten something made with care.

She watched him out of the corner of her eye, not saying anything, just letting the moment exist between them.

And for the first time in what felt like years, Adrian didn’t feel the need to fill the silence.

The morning sun stretched lazily over the hills, bathing the village in soft golden light. Adrian had spent the past few days keeping to himself, but today, she was determined to change that.

“I could use some help,” she said, standing at the door with her hands on her hips.

Adrian glanced up from his seat by the window, raising an eyebrow. “With what?”

“The barn roof needs patching before the next storm.” She leaned against the frame, her tone casual. “Unless you plan on hiding inside all day.”

Adrian let out a dry laugh. “I don’t think I’d be much help.”

She tilted her head. “You might surprise yourself.”

Something about the way she said it made his stomach tighten. He wasn’t used to people having expectations of him—at least, not ones that didn’t involve power, wealth, or influence.

But this was different. She wasn’t asking him to prove anything.

Just to try.

With a quiet sigh, Adrian stood. His body protested slightly, but it was strong enough now. Strong enough to give in.

And so, for the first time since arriving, he followed her outside.

The barn smelled of hay and wood, the air thick with dust as they worked. Adrian was slower than usual, his muscles still adjusting to the strain, but he didn’t stop.

She worked beside him, her sleeves rolled up, her movements sure and practiced. She didn’t treat him like he was fragile.

And maybe that was why he found himself glancing at her more than he should have.

At the way her brows furrowed in concentration. At the soft curve of her lips when she bit back a smile.

At how close they were when she passed him a tool, her fingers brushing against his.

He pulled back slightly, the touch sending an unfamiliar jolt through him.

She must have noticed because she smirked. “You okay?”

Adrian scoffed. “I think you’re enjoying this.”

“Maybe.” Her eyes twinkled with something playful before she returned to her work.

Adrian exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair.

He had spent so long pushing people away, convinced that no one could—or should—get close.

But here, in this quiet village with a girl who didn’t treat him like something broken… he wasn’t sure he wanted to push anymore.

By the time evening arrived, dark clouds had gathered on the horizon, threatening rain.

They sat on the porch, watching the sky shift from blue to gray.

“It won’t be too bad,” she said, sipping from a warm cup of tea. “Just some wind, maybe light rain.”

Adrian leaned against the railing, his gaze distant. “You sound sure.”

She shrugged. “You learn to read the signs when you live out here.”

A comfortable silence settled between them. The storm loomed, but it wasn’t the kind that unsettled. It was the kind that brought calm before the downpour.

Adrian found himself speaking before he could stop.

“Do you ever get lonely?”

She didn’t look at him right away, as if weighing her answer.

Then, softly, she said, “Sometimes.”

He turned toward her, studying the way her fingers curled around her cup. “Then why stay?”

She smiled faintly. “Because loneliness isn’t the same as being alone.”

Adrian’s throat tightened.

He had spent so much time running, so much time believing that solitude was the only way to survive.

But maybe… maybe he had been wrong.

The rain never came.

The sky remained heavy with clouds, but the storm never broke.

Adrian lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, replaying the day over and over in his mind.

The warmth of the broth. The way her fingers had brushed against his. The quiet understanding in her voice.

Everything about her unsettled him. Not because she was a threat.

But because she wasn’t.

For years, he had only known betrayal. He had only known people who took and took until nothing was left.

But she had given him warmth without expecting anything in return.

She had asked for nothing.

And that was the most dangerous thing of all.

Because it made him want to stay.

And that was a choice he wasn’t ready to make.

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