Everyone knew he wasn't supposed to be there, even the spirits were telling him how stupid it was to be involved in a human life. They were telling him how humans need to stay with humans. That life with us creatures can be dangerous, that he is dangerous.

He remember what it was like being all alone. In the darkness without anyone to lean on. He never had anyone to talk to. Only the spirits would say something here and there. He remembers how silent it was and how he only had the animals to talk to. The woods wasn't his favourite place but it was the place he called home. The spirits also took good care of him. Maybe he should listing to what they were saying, maybe he should obey them. Yet he couldn't bring himself to turn his back on her.

Winter found herself taking steps back when she saw the man. She knew it was one of her fears making themselves known. She knew that she wasn't always that on edge, yet she couldn't help it but fear him.

He could hear how her heartbeat was raising and it made him feel some type of way. It made him feel as if he truly was a monster. He thought she wouldn't be so scared of him, he thought he finally found someone that could look at him without wanting to run away.

"I'll leave you alone." He told her before walking away but she called out to him.

"Wait." Winter screamed and was wondering if she should come closer. "Can you walk me home?" She asked him but regretted it when she didn't hear his respond. "Never mind I just-" He cut her off by laughing. Winter always liked it when people smiled and laughed but his laughter made her heart skip a beat. He wasn't the weird creature in the woods that scared the living crap out of her. In this moment he looked harmless. Winter knew not to trust people she barely knew, but she couldn't help it.

"I don't mind walking you home, but do you usually ask strangers to walk you home?" He asked her and could feel how nervous she got by the way she was looking at everything around them.

"I mean no but I just don't feel safe." She admitted to him.

"Is there something wrong?" He tried not to make his anger show, but he was sure she saw it too. The way his eyes switched to its original color for a split second.

"No no I just felt watched earlier." Winter tried to reassure him but she didn't even know why. Was it because she didn't want him to be worried, or was it because she was scared.

They didn't say a word and just walked next to each other. Looking at the sky turning a darker colour. She realized that they always met in the dark. As if he was too scared to show himself in daylight. As if he was more comfortable in the darkness. Ironic how some people could find comfort in the dark while she was terrified of it. Winter didn't mind the darkness. The problem was being in the darkness all alone. She glanced beside her to take a peek at the man. Maybe he felt the same way too.

"I-I never asked for your name." Winter asked and hated the fact she stuttered.

"I know." He simply said and looked in front of him.

"Euh well...what's your name?" She asked him and the man suddenly stopped walking and turned around to look at her.

"My name?" He thought about whether or not to tell her his name. "Arculus." He told her and looked at the green lights in the distance. "My name is Arculus." He deep down knew that even just his name could be dangerous to know. Information that was supposed to stay hidden, just like his existence. By telling her his name he immediately accepted the challenge. The challenge to keep this human safe.

Arculus thought it was fascinating how her eyes lit up when she spoke about herself. It was fascinating how she looked so alive in the moment. How she looked so bright and happy. He wasn't used to brightness nor was he used to happiness. He had lived among humans and maybe that's what he was so jalouse of. The fact that no matter what he did or how hard he tried. He will always have this darkness within him, ready to eat him alive. The sound of it didn't seem so bad, but he just for once wanted to know what it felt like. Being in the presence of something bright in the hope it would make him bright too.

"What do you like doing?" She glanced at him and had a grin on her face.

"I don't do much." He told her simply while making sure no one else is following him.

"There should be one thing that you like to do." She told him and that got him thinking.

"Walking?" He told her unsure himself.

She smiled up at him and looked up at him. Winter couldn't help but stare at his dark eyes. Wondering if he wasn't hurt, because it hurts right. Blood dripping down your eyes and ears. She was pretty sure that wasn't supposed to happen to anyone. Maybe he was sick and asking him to walk her home wasn't a smart idea. She wasn't far from her home anymore form here it was a 5 minute walk.

"I'm fine." Arculus told her and caught her off guard.

"I-I can remember you bleeding. If you want to go home you can, I can walk home from here." She tried to reassure him, but when his eyes found its way to her she froze.

The same way as she did that night. As if she wasn't in control of herself. As if he was the one controlling her completely. It scared to know that someone she just met could have so much control over her. It terrified her to know she wasn't in control over own body. It reminded her of that summer night before her world started to crumble down. It reminded her of the day she lost her mind and her voice to speak. Yet she brushed her thoughts off. What was in the past should stay in the past.

Arculus didn't want to approach her and be closer to her than they already were. He didn't want to hear her heartbeat because at this point it was only beating louder. It's not that he wanted her dead, because he would never wish that to anyone. It's just that he didn't want to be used to the sound of her heartbeat.

"Winter?" They both turned around to meet the 3 friends she left behind earlier. She wasn't sure if she should just turn her back and walk away or if she should just listen to them.

"Yeah?" She didn't want to seem cold towards them, but Winter didn't forget what went down earlier.

"Who is that?" Chris asked her with raised eyebrows. "Isn't that the dude from the forest?" He wondered out loud and Brian found himself looking at the guy from head to toe.

"I'm pretty sure it's him." Brian again didn't want to be protective, but he just couldn't help it. "What are you doing with him?" He asked her with concern written all over his face.

Winter knew they cared about her deeply. They started in middle school and there friendship was still intact. No matter what happened they always found there way back to each other. A lot of ups and downs but they still stayed by each other's sides, but she still couldn't forget what Chris said. Calling her selfish really made her feel some type of way. She didn't want to be a burden anymore. Winter didn't want anyone to worry about her.

"I have to go home." She said and turned her back on them with Arculus still right besides her.

Maybe Winter was being stupid by running away or Chris was actually right and she did only put herself first. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk about her issues. It was the emotions that came after talking about her issues. The problem was her closet with all her problems had been closed for a moment now. Did she really had to open them. She could manage this way no need to stress about breaking down in front of anyone. No need to worry about saying too much.

Arculus wasn't sure if he had to say something about it, or if he should be quiet. He had never understood the human emotions, and why they always made things harder than it should be. So he was just quiet and walked besides her. Not saying a word because maybe she just wanted it to be quiet and think things through. Yet he knew that big secrets comes with big problems. The more she is quiet the harder it will hit her in the face.

His eyes was glued on her like it was an hour ago. Like it had been back when she was in the cafe drinking her coffee. Her arms around herself hugging her small frame. Small breaths leaving her mouth, he wondered if humans couldn't read others emotions well. He wondered if she couldn't tell the fact that she left them all pissed, some more than others. He never wondered about things but here he was wondering what kind of mystery she kept within her.

"I can take it from here." She told him and smiled.

"Okay." He told her and was ready to walk away.

"Arculus?" She called out to him and he turned around to see her.

With a big smile on her face she thanked him. And all he could think about was the fact that, this was the first time anyone had ever thanked him. This was the first time someone smiled at him and meant it. He felt less like a monster when she was around. Not the same monster that everyone claimed he was. He finally found someone that saw him the way he wanted to be seen.