The city lights shimmered in the distance as Bunny's car cut through the night, a quiet hum enveloping the silence inside. Raha, wrapped in Bunny's coat, had cried herself into exhaustion. Her head now rested against his chest, her breathing soft, calm, and even.
Bunny kept one hand on the wheel while the other gently played with her hair, brushing stray strands from her face. A strange warmth spread through his chest as he looked down at her sleeping figure. He leaned in slightly, pressing a feather-light kiss on her forehead. "I don't know why it hurts so much to see you cry," he whispered, almost to himself. "But I swear I won't let anyone hurt you again. Ever."
He pulled into the underground parking of his high-rise condo. With practiced ease, he parked the car, turned off the engine, and gently lifted Raha into his arms. She stirred slightly, murmuring incoherently, but didn't wake. The elevator ride up was silent, the low hum of the lift adding to the surreal calm.
Once inside his apartment, he carried her straight to the bedroom. The room was modern and minimal, with warm lighting and clean lines. Bunny gently placed her on the bed and covered her with a soft blanket. As he turned to leave, her fingers clutched his shirt tightly.
"No... don't go," she mumbled, her face tense, sweat beading at her temples.
Bunny's heart clenched. She was having a nightmare.
Without thinking, he sat on the bed beside her and leaned against the headboard. He slowly pulled her into his arms, letting her rest against his chest again. He began patting her gently, whispering, "Shhh, you're safe. I'm right here. I got you."
Eventually, the tension in her body eased. Her breathing steadied, and she melted into his embrace.
Bunny let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. With one arm wrapped protectively around her and the other gently stroking her hair, he let his head fall back against the headboard. He closed his eyes, breathing in her scent—soft, floral, and uniquely her. A strange sense of peace washed over him, and he drifted into sleep.
The clock struck 2:34 AM. Raha stirred slightly, her mouth dry. Her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked at the unfamiliar surroundings. As she sat up slowly, she felt a weight around her waist. She looked down and froze.
Bunny.
His arms were still wrapped loosely around her, his chest rising and falling rhythmically. He looked peaceful, almost childlike in his sleep. The memories of the night came rushing back—his coat, the car ride, his warmth, the way he held her when she broke down.
Her cheeks flushed a soft pink.
She gently tried to move, but his grip tightened slightly, as though sensing her movement even in sleep. She turned to face him, brushing his hair back. He looked... beautiful. And safe.
Why is he holding me like this? she wondered. Does he like me? Or is it just... pity?
A war waged inside her chest. But as she looked at the way his brow furrowed the moment she moved, and how he instinctively reached for her again in his sleep, her doubts softened.
She lay back down slowly, facing him. Watching his chest rise and fall, she felt a strange calm settle over her.
I don't care what the reason is, she thought. I needed this. I needed him.
Gathering courage, she slid her arms around his torso and snuggled closer, her ear against his heartbeat. It was steady, soothing.
Bunny stirred slightly, then wrapped both arms around her again.
Raha's breath caught, but she didn't say a word.
Moments passed in silence, the only sound in the room was the occasional hum of the air conditioner. Bunny mumbled something incoherently in his sleep, his hand absentmindedly rubbing her back. Raha closed her eyes, letting herself melt into his warmth.
Her mind was a maze of thoughts—uncertainty, confusion, longing. But in the quiet of that night, with Bunny's arms around her, none of it mattered.
She felt safe.
And slowly, she drifted off again.
Meanwhile, back at Prestige University, Aisha sat in the Vipers' lounge, pacing.
"Where are they? It's been hours."
Ishaan, seated on one of the plush chairs, glanced at his watch. "It's 3 AM. Bunny probably took her somewhere safe."
"And you're just okay with that?" Aisha snapped, turning to face him. "You barely know her. I barely know you. And yet, she's out there with someone who could... I don't know, make things worse."
"Look," Ishaan said, standing, "I get that you're worried. But Bunny wouldn't hurt her. He wouldn't even let anyone look at her wrong after what happened today."
Aisha crossed her arms. "I still don't get it. Why her? Why would he even care?"
"Maybe because he saw something in her. Maybe because she didn't pretend like she belonged here. Maybe because she cried, and he didn't know how to let her cry alone."
Aisha paused. That hit a little too close to home.
"I just... I need to know she's okay. Raha's been through enough."
"And she will be," Ishaan said, more gently this time. "Because she's not alone anymore. Not tonight."
They sat in silence for a while.
Aisha eventually slumped into a chair. "Why am I trusting you people?"
Ishaan chuckled. "No idea. But thanks, I guess."
The clock kept ticking.
And somewhere across town, two souls found unexpected solace in each other's arms.
Neither of them had all the answers.
But in that moment, they didn't need them.