Time ticked by as the duo lost themselves in training. The sun, which had just risen into the sky as they began training, had long since dipped below the rooftops, and the house was cast in the deep glow of streetlights bleeding through the blinds.
The air still hummed faintly from where light and shadow had collided all day. The once-cleared floor was littered with faint scorch marks where Tandy's daggers had seared the wood, and the air still held that strange chill whenever Tyrone had tested the reach or capabilities of his cloak.
Both of them sat slouched on the couch again, sweat-damp and exhausted, shoes kicked somewhere by the door. Tandy's hair clung to her neck in wild tangles, her legs tucked under her as she hugged a pillow against her chest.
Tyrone leaned back, hoodie darkened with sweat, curls plastered across his forehead. They hadn't spoken for a while, just listening to the quiet creaks of the building and the distant sound of cars in the street below.
Finally, Tandy broke the silence that appeared between them while they were recovering their stamina, "So… what now? We can't just keep hiding in here forever."
Tyrone rubbed a hand over his face, sighing through his fingers as he thought for a couple seconds before finally speaking, "You should probably go home."
Her head snapped toward him, eyes widening. "What?"
He met her gaze, steady but not unkind, "Didn't you say you ran away from home? Your family must be worried sick. You need to at least show them that you're okay. Plus, the longer someone like you is missing, the more questions asked, and we didn't exactly escape in the quietest manner,"
She shifted uncomfortably, hugging the pillow tighter, "It's not that simple. My mom… she doesn't exactly notice when I'm gone. And my stepdad's sweet, but… it's not like they'll miss me."
Tyrone shook his head firmly, "Trust me, they will. You don't… you don't get it, Tandy. You've got people still waiting for you. People who'd give anything to see you walk through that door again. Don't waste that."
Her throat tightened at the conviction in his voice, and for the first time she realized, he wasn't just talking about her family. He was talking about his own. About the empty chairs in his house that would never be filled again.
She remembered those photos, the way he looked, even the anger she saw when he was beating those men to death the day before. Her chest ached as she quickly did 2 + 2 in her mind, "…And what about you?"
He shrugged, eyes flicking away toward the darkened corner of the room, "I'll be fine. Not like anyone is interested in me anyway. Plus we can still meet up and talk online. Just... make sure everyone knows you're safe. That's what matters."
A small, crooked smile tugged at his lips,"Besides… like I said earlier. Someone like you going missing is a big deal. I kinda figured you weren't exactly from around here. Not with the way you talk. And…" his gaze slid back, studying her in the half-light, "…not with how you carry yourself. You don't come from nothing."
Tandy flushed faintly, tugging at the hem of her shirt, "You make it sound like I'm some spoiled rich girl."
"Didn't say spoiled," he said, voice gentler now, "But definitely rich," his tone held no malice, only quiet truth.
For a long moment, she sat there, fighting with herself. Then she let out a slow breath, nodding. "Okay. You're right. I'll… go back. Just for a little while. Two days from now, we meet again."
A weight lifted from Tyrone's chest he hadn't realized he was holding. He nodded back, "Two days."
They sat in silence again, this time not heavy but almost comfortable. The faint glow of the city lights played across her hair, and the lingering shadows curled faintly at his feet, like two pieces of the same storm waiting to collide again.
***
After that conversation, Tandy had taken a quick shower, washing off all of the sweat of the full day of training earlier, and was now preparing herself to leave. She pulled her sneakers back on with a small sigh, brushing her hair behind her ears as if the simple act could steady her nerves.
Tyrone grabbed his hoodie from the arm of the couch, pulling it over his head and tightening the drawstrings until half his face was hidden in the fabric.
Neither of them spoke as they stepped outside. The night air was cool, the kind of damp chill that crept into the bones, carrying with it the faint smell of oil, garbage, and fried food from a corner stand still open down the block.
The streetlights buzzed overhead, painting the cracked sidewalk in a pale yellow glow as the duo quickly moved through the streets, slipping through various streets until they arrived at a less dangerous part of town.
Now, the bus stop he was targeting wasn't far, and they quickly arrived, waiting around for about 5 minutes before the bus finally pulled up with a squeal of breaks and a sigh of exhaust.
Once the bus pulled up, various well dressed people stepped on, and Tandy hesitated for a moment, looking back at Tyrone with a worried expression on her face.
"You sure about this?" she asked quietly.
"Yeah," Tyrone said, his voice firm, "Family is family," Tyrone said, looking down to the ground as he remembered his own, across the two lives he'd lived up to this point, "Always cherish them, and I'm sure they're worried about you,"
Her lips pressed into a thin line. She didn't want to admit it, but she could see the way his face changed when he talked about her family, the way he showed signs of remembering his. She didn't know how they passed, but she knew it left a long lasting scar on Tyrone's very being.
"Two days," she reminded him, her tone as much a promise as a question.
He nodded, "Two days."
Tandy gave him a small, almost sheepish smile before climbing onto the bus. She dropped into a seat by the window, and as the vehicle lurched forward with a low growl, her gaze flicked back to him. She raised her hand slightly, a hesitant wave through the scratched glass.
Tyrone didn't wave back. He just stood there, hood up, hands buried deep in his pockets, watching until her face disappeared as the bus turned the corner.
Only then did he move.
The night seemed to swallow him whole as he slipped into the shadows, his body blurring into the darkness that stretched along the buildings.
It wasn't even conscious anymore, it was just instinct. A step forward, and he was no longer walking the same street as the rest of the world, but moving within the undercurrent of its darkness, unseen.
The bus rumbled ahead, its red tail lights blinking every time it stopped for a passenger. Tyrone kept pace easily, flowing from shadow to shadow, his feet barely touching the ground.
The street noise dulled in this state, replaced by the steady thrum of the Darkforce in his veins, like a heartbeat that didn't belong to him.
He told himself he was just making sure she got there safely. That was all. But in the quiet places between steps, he admitted another truth: he wasn't ready to let her vanish from sight just yet.
The farther the bus traveled, the more the scenery changed. The cracked sidewalks gave way to smoother pavement. Street-lamps weren't buzzing half-dead but stood tall, bright, and evenly spaced.
The buildings looked less like abandoned warehouses and more like neat rows of apartment complexes, each one lit warmly from within.
By the time the bus neared its final stops, Tyrone could tell they had crossed into a different world entirely. The trash and graffiti that had colored his neighborhood were gone.
Here, driveways gleamed with cars that cost more than he'd ever seen up close, and the lawns looked like they were trimmed weekly by hired hands.
He slowed as the bus hissed to a stop near a large, gated community filled with luxurious homes, the kinds only the richest of the rich in the city could afford. Through the windows, he saw Tandy stand, tugging her bag over her shoulder.
She stepped down to the sidewalk, her pale hair catching the glow of the streetlight like a halo. For a moment, she just stood there, looking small and hesitant against the sprawling houses beyond.
She headed near the gates and quickly brought attention to herself. The guard quickly recognized her and after giving the standard access code, Tandy was let in, walking forward hesitantly.
The closer she walked, the more hesitant she became. Finally, she squared her shoulders, as if summoning courage from nowhere, and started walking toward one of the gates down the block.
Tyrone stayed across the street outside the gated community, deep in the dark that pooled between hedges and parked cars. He followed silently, his gaze never leaving her until she reached a tall, iron gate.
She hesitated at the keypad for a moment, then punched in a code with practiced ease. The gate clicked open, and she slipped inside.
Only when it closed behind her did Tyrone stop.
He stood in the shadows for a long time, staring at the house she disappeared into. Its windows glowed with warmth, silhouettes moving faintly inside, shapes of a life that was not his, and would never be his.
Something heavy pressed against his chest. He told himself it was relief, that she was safe, that he'd done what he needed to do.
But underneath, the truth lingered like a thorn: he would never have what she had. Not again.
With a sharp breath, he turned away. The darkness welcomed him instantly, and in the next blink, he was gone, swallowed whole by the night.