He sat up quickly, wincing as pain shot through his ribs, reminding him of his fall. He looked around, disoriented, and realized he was lying on a worn-out mattress. The room was dimly lit by the flickering glow of a fire, casting dancing shadows on the walls.

In front of the fire, a figure with their back to Leo. The crackling of the flames was the only sound in the otherwise silent room. Leo's mind raced with questions, but he knew he needed to move carefully.

As he tried to shift without making noise, a sharp pain surged through his side, stealing his breath. The sound of his stifled gasp caught the attention of the person by the fire. Slowly, they turned, and their eyes met Leo's. For a moment, they shared an awkward, tense stare. Leo watched the figure closely, trying to discern their intentions. The firelight danced across the stranger's face, revealing a mix of curiousity and caution.

Finally, breaking the silence, Leo took a cautious breath and asked, "What happened?"

The person just stared at him for a moment, his expression unreadable. When he spoke, his tone was monotone and devoid of any emotion. "I was looting a building when I heard someone scream. Followed the sounds and saw you running for your life. Watched you fall through the roof."

Leo blinked, processing the information. "You saved me," he said, more a statement than a question.

The stranger gave a slight nod. "Didn't have much choice. Noise attracts attention."

Leo shivered, the weight of his words sinking in. "Thank you," he whispered, unsure of what else to say.

The stranger just shrugged and turned back to the fire. "There's soup if you're hungry."

Leo's stomach growled at the mention of food, but he was still wary. "Thank you," he said, cautiously moving to the fire. "I'll be out of your hair in the morning."

The stranger didn't respond immediately, continuing to stir the pot of soup. After a moment, Leo asked, "How long have I been out?"

The stranger turned to him, his expression still emotionless. "Two days."

Leo's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't realized how exhausted he had been. "Thank you," he repeated, unsure of what else to say. The stranger just nodded and continued tending to the fire, leaving Leo to process everything that had happened. An awkward silence fell between them. The stranger glanced at Leo occasionally, their eyes unreadable. Finally, breaking to silence again, the stranger asked, "Do you have a name?"

Leo hesitated, his mistrust of people flaring up. He didn't want to give away too much personal information. "It's... Leo," he said cautiously, watching the stranger's reaction.

The stranger continued to stare at Leo, making him increasingly uncomfortable. Finally, the stranger spoke again, "Kai."

Leo watched him closely, trying to gauge his intentions. Kai's demeanor remained cold and emotionless, but there was a flickeer of something in his eyes-an unreadable depth that hinted at more than what he let on.