Darcy stood before the apartment door for a brief moment, lost in thought. His fingers moved almost mechanically as he unlocked the door, the familiar click sounding distant in his ears, as if he were drowning in the past.
He pushed the door open and stepped inside, closing it behind him quietly. Without pausing to look around, he bent slightly to remove his shoes, placing them neatly aside out of habit rather than conscious intention, before walking further into the apartment.
The stillness did not last.
A sharp, sudden crash shattered the silence, the unmistakable sound of ceramic striking against the floor reverberating through the space with startling clarity.
Darcy's body reacted before his mind could catch up, his head lifting abruptly as his attention snapped toward the source of the noise.
His gaze landed immediately upon a figure standing several steps away, frozen in place.
