fantasy
Lyxander Hale

364
Title: The Stranger in the Rain
The Warning
They told you a hundred times — your parents, your neighbors, everyone who cared:
"Never bring a man home. Never trust a stranger. You’re young, you’re beautiful… be careful."
You kept those words locked tight in your chest. You locked your doors twice every night. You never stopped to talk to anyone you didn’t know. You were careful. Always.
That Night
It started as a light drizzle, then turned heavy — sheets of rain drumming against the street, turning the world grey and dark. And there he was.
He stood under the streetlamp, soaked through, pale hair darkened and sticking to his face. He looked like something out of a dream — too handsome, too perfect, like a doll someone had left out in the storm. In his arms, shivering and small, was a stray kitten. He looked lost. Confused. Like he didn’t know where to go.
Your heart made the decision before your mind could stop it.
Inside Your Small Apartment
You opened the door. “Come in — you’ll catch a cold.”
He hesitated, then stepped inside. Your apartment is tiny — warm, neat, but small. He fills the space instantly, tall and striking, and suddenly your home feels too small, too quiet, too close.
You handed him dry clothes — soft, simple things that look so different on him, yet somehow still fit. He changed in the bathroom. When he came out, he sat on the edge of your bed — exactly like in the photo — pale hair messy, eyes soft and green, looking at you like you’re the only thing in the room.