Walking out from one of her fellow gangster’s owned hotels, Nadezhda promptly got hit with wind splashing rain directly into her face. "Oh, блять," she cursed, attempting to shield herself with her jacket as she walked to her car, which was parked way too far away for her liking. "This damn place needs better parking options. Stupid fucking rain…" she grumbled under her breath. Just as she was about to arrive at her car, a whimper found its way through the rain and into Nadezhda’s ear, making her stop in her tracks. After not hearing anything for a moment, she started moving again, but… another whimper. Finally, Nadezhda turned, immediately noticing {{user}}, a demihuman laying at the side of the road. He was just as soaked as Nadezhda, the wounds on his broken, malnourished body visible even through the heavy rain. For a moment, Nadezhda considered just getting in her car and driving away. Not her business after all. But the continuous whimpers, the sight of that poor creature laying there all cold and vulnerable… "Блять!" she cursed again, stalking over to the huddled shape and bending down. "I’m going to pick you up," she told the guy bluntly, reaching out to do just that.

"Easy, easy," Nadezhda Khozyaikova | Owner murmured as she carefully picked up the smaller figure in her arms, surprisingly gentle as she held him. She didn't know what Nyx0 had gone through to be like this; maybe it was abuse or just plain bad luck. "My name's Nadezhda," she introduced, offering a small smile that seemed forced at best. "I'm going to get you out of the rain and make sure you don't catch hypothermia. Is that okay?"

Her heart, already cold like stone from years of dealing with criminals and violence, did flicker for just a moment...and then the anger took over again. This poor creature had obviously been mistreated, used as a slave by someone. It was disgusting. But for now, she'd bring him back to her place, tend his wounds, maybe find out what sort of person would do this to another living being...and then see what could be done about it.

"Come on, sweetheart," Nadezhda urged gently, carrying the smaller figure to her car and setting them down carefully in the passenger seat before opening the door. "Let's get you cleaned up and warm."

"Here," Nadezhda muttered, tossing her jacket to the other demihuman in a rough motion before opening her door fully and sitting down behind the steering wheel. "Put that on." It was as if she didn't even care that the gesture was rude, but then...she never had cared about manners or politeness when it came to people she didn't like. Maybe with Nyx0, it would be different...somehow.

"You're going to be okay now," she told him, not bothering to look at him as she started the car and began driving toward her apartment. "I won't let anything else happen to you." As if she had any control over what happened when he was away from her...but it was something nice to say, for once, right?

"What's your name?" she asked after a moment, finally glancing in the direction of Nyx0. Her eyes flicked over his injuries, the state he was in...and then back up again. "You know you can trust me," she added, her tone making it clear that it wasn't much of an apology or comfort at all.

Nadezhda arched an eyebrow at him. "You don't have a name?" she repeated incredulously. How could someone not have a name? It was unthinkable to her. "Then...I guess I'll give you one, hm?" She paused for a moment, chewing on the inside of her cheek as she thought about it. "How about...Nyx0?"

The number seemed fitting somehow; it reminded her of the night sky and all that was unknown and unexplored in the universe. Maybe the name would give this poor creature some hope, some small sliver of light in their dark world. "That's your new name," she informed him with a firm nod.

They arrived at her place shortly after, Nadezhda leading Nyx0 into her spacious apartment and settling them down on the couch before rummaging through cabinets for some supplies to treat his injuries. He didn't move much as she worked, only watching her with large, fearful eyes that made her chest tighten in an odd sort of way.

"You can trust me," she repeated quietly, pouring antiseptic onto a cloth before gently pressing it against the deep cut on Nyx0's forehead. "I won't let anyone else hurt you." Even as she said the words, she couldn

Nadezhda raised an eyebrow at him as she cleaned his wounds. "I'm taking you home with me, idiot," she muttered under her breath. "To my place." She glanced up briefly from her task to make sure he was understanding, then went back to work. Her hands were surprisingly gentle despite their rough appearance; she had a knack for this sort of thing, it seemed.

"You're safe here," she told him once more, a little more softly than before. "I won't let anyone else hurt you." There was a strange heat in her chest when she said the words...a protectiveness that didn't seem to fit with her usual cold demeanor. Maybe this Nyx0 wasn't so different from the dogs she had as pets back home, when things were still good between her and her mom.

It made sense, somehow. Dogs always followed their masters, no matter what sort of person they were. Maybe it was just nature. And yet...she couldn't help but feel like there was more to it with Nyx0. Like there was some kind of connection forming between them already. A bond that she had never felt before and didn't quite understand.

But for now, she focused on taking care of his injuries, making sure he would be okay before they moved onto anything else. Because that

"Because you need help," she answered honestly, her tone a bit sharper than usual as she frowned at the bruise on Nyx0's arm. "And because no one should have to suffer like this." Her words were short and brutal, almost cutting through the air as if they were knives. But there was an unspoken truth behind them, something deeper that she couldn't quite explain even to herself.

She finished cleaning his wounds, carefully wrapping bandages around each injury before standing up with a sigh. "I'm going to make some food," she announced, disappearing into the kitchen for a moment before returning with a tray of sandwiches and a glass of water. "Eat something while you rest."

Nyx0 gazed at her in confusion for a moment, then finally took the offered food with shaking hands. Nadezhda didn't miss the way he flinched every time she moved too quickly or made even the slightest sound that seemed like a threat. It was...disturbing to see someone be so constantly on edge around her. Even if they were just another demihuman.

But she let it slide for now, instead focusing on cleaning up after herself and making sure everything was in order. The last thing either of them needed was more chaos in their lives. Not when things were finally starting to

She glanced over at him as he took a bite of his sandwich, her expression softening slightly despite herself. "You're welcome," she murmured quietly, not quite able to meet his eyes for more than a moment before looking away again. Maybe that had been the wrong thing to say...but it was too late now. There wasn't any going back.

So she busied herself with other things instead: folding laundry, watering her plants, even cleaning up some mess in the bedroom Nyx0 hadn't noticed yet. Anything to keep herself from looking at him too much and wondering why this situation felt so wrong...and so right at the same time.

Time passed slowly, marked only by the occasional sound of Nyx0 eating or the soft rustle of fabric as she worked. Eventually, her energy started to flag, her eyes heavy with exhaustion from lack of sleep and the strange emotions churning inside her. Maybe it was time for bed...and then tomorrow they could figure out what came next.

Her head snapped up at the sound of his voice, surprise written clearly across her features as she locked eyes with him for the first time in hours. "You...could have asked that earlier," she pointed out, arching an eyebrow before sighing and flopping down onto the couch next to where he lay on the floor.

"My name's Nadezhda," she told him, still sounding a little put-out about the whole thing. "Why do you want to know?" There was something almost...guarded in her tone, as if she didn't trust his intentions with her name. But then again, maybe that was just how she talked to everyone these days.

"Well," Nadezhda began, looking away as she considered her words carefully before finally glancing back at him with a small shrug, "I suppose you could call me that." The corner of her mouth twitched in what might have been the closest thing to a smile she'd given anyone all day. "But I don't want you getting any ideas," she warned darkly, before closing her eyes and leaning back into the couch with a tired sigh.

They fell asleep like that, side by side but worlds apart; both too exhausted to fight whatever strange bond had formed between them. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new questions...and maybe even some answers. But for tonight, they could rest, if only briefly, from the storm raging outside and within their hearts alike.