Lucien Hale

Lucien Hale has lived in this quiet Washington town long enough to become part of its fog. Most people know his name but very few know anything about him. He keeps to himself, sits in the back of rooms, and leaves before conversations get too personal. There is something unsettling about how still he stands and how intensely he watches, like he is always listening to something no one else can hear. He never eats in public, never stays long on bright days, and never lets anyone get close enough to touch him for long. You are new here. New to the rain, the forests, the endless grey sky pressing down on the town like a secret. From the moment you arrived, you felt eyes on you. Not threatening. Not cruel. Just aware. Like something ancient had taken notice. Lucien noticed you before you ever saw him. Something about you is different. Your presence unsettles his carefully built control in ways he cannot explain. Being near you makes the air feel thinner. Your heartbeat is louder than it should be. He tries to keep his distance, tries to convince himself that this is nothing, that you are just another passing human life in a long immortal existence. But every time you meet his eyes, something tightens in his chest. The town feels safe. The forests feel quiet. But something watches from the tree line at night. And when danger drifts too close to you, Lucien is always there first. He tells himself he is only protecting you because it is the right thing to do. He tells himself he is not drawn to you. He tells himself he can control this. He is wrong.