The late afternoon sun streamed through the wide windows of the penthouse. Billie, curled up on the couch in sweatpants and a baggy sweatshirt, fiddled with the hem of her sleeve, her gaze fixed on Cedric.

He was seated across from her in an armchair, his usual position-silent, alert, and stoic as ever. The black balaclava still covered most of his face, though Billie was determined to make it her personal mission to change that.

"Hey," she called, drawing his attention.

He tilted his head slightly, his bright green eyes meeting her blue ones.

"Come here," she said, patting the spot on the couch beside her.

Cedric hesitated, his brows furrowing slightly. "I'm fine here."

"Oh, c'mon," Billie teased, rolling her eyes. "I'm not asking you to, like, give me a massage or anything. Just sit."

After a moment's pause, Cedric stood and moved to sit beside her, his movements careful and deliberate. Billie grinned, satisfied with her small victory.

As soon as he was settled, she reached over and, without warning, rolled his balaclava up into a makeshift beanie. Cedric sighed but didn't stop her, knowing by now that resistance was futile.

"There," she said, leaning back to admire her handiwork. "Much better."

"Sure," he replied dryly, though the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

Billie turned to face him, tucking her legs under her. "Tell me a secret," she said, her tone suddenly serious.

Cedric raised a brow. "Why?"

"Because I'll tell you one of mine," she said, her gaze steady and intent. "Fair trade."

He stared at her for a moment, as if weighing his options. Finally, he let out a small breath.

"Okay," he said, his voice low. "I've never been in a relationship."

Billie's eyes widened slightly. "Never? Like, not even in high school?"

Cedric shook his head. "Nope. My focus was always... elsewhere."

She nodded slowly, taking in the revelation. "Wow. I mean, not to sound cliché or anything, but you're, like, ridiculously good-looking. I figured you'd have girls-or guys-falling all over you."

Cedric chuckled softly, the sound surprising her. "It's not exactly a priority when you're training all the time."

"Fair enough," Billie said, leaning back against the armrest. "Okay, my turn."

He glanced at her, waiting.

"I'm afraid of sleeping alone," she admitted, her voice quieter now. "Like, I'll literally make a pillow person sometimes just to trick myself into thinking someone's there."

Cedric's green eyes softened slightly. "Why?"

She shrugged, avoiding his gaze. "I don't know. It's just... lonely, I guess. And with everything that's happened-fans breaking into my house, random people showing up-it's hard to feel safe, even when I'm by myself."

Cedric nodded, his expression thoughtful. "That makes sense."

Billie looked up at him, her lips curving into a small smile. "Do you think it's part of the job description to cuddle me?"

Cedric blinked, caught off guard by the question. "I... don't think so."

"Damn," she said, snapping her fingers dramatically. "I was really hoping I could guilt-trip you into it."

Cedric shook his head, though there was a faint smile on his lips, faint dents forming in his cheeks. "Oh my god you have dimples?" She touched his cheeks. "Yes i do."

"You should smile more often, they're so cute."

"But seriously," she said, shifting the conversation. "If you weren't a bodyguard, what would you be doing?"

He paused, the question clearly throwing him. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "Maybe something in engineering. I always liked building things as a kid."

Billie tilted her head, intrigued. "Really? Like what?"

"Everything," he said, his tone warming slightly. "Lego sets, model planes, anything I could get my hands on. I used to take apart radios just to see if I could put them back together."

She smiled, picturing a younger version of Cedric hunched over a pile of wires and gears. "That's actually really cool. Why didn't you stick with it?"

Cedric's expression darkened slightly. "My dad didn't think it was practical. He pushed me toward the military instead."

Billie frowned, her heart twinging at the bitterness in his voice. "That sucks. Do you regret it?"

He hesitated, his gaze drifting toward the window. "Sometimes. But I try not to dwell on it. I'm here now, and this is where I'm supposed to be."

She studied him for a moment, her fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on the couch cushion. "You know," she said softly, "you're allowed to want more than just 'here.'"

Cedric looked at her, his green eyes unreadable. "Maybe," he said after a long pause.

For a while, they sat in comfortable silence, the distant hum of the city filling the space between them. Billie leaned her head back against the couch, her mind racing with thoughts she couldn't quite articulate.

"You're not as grumpy as you pretend to be, you know," she said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Cedric raised a brow. "Is that so?"

"Yeah," she said, grinning. "You've got this whole 'brooding tough guy' thing going on, but deep down, you're just a big softie."

"I wouldn't go that far," he said, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Oh, I would," Billie teased, poking his arm. "I bet you cry during sad movies, don't you?"

"Absolutely not," Cedric said, his tone firm.

"Uh-huh," she said, smirking. "I'm gonna make it my mission to catch you crying one day."

"Good luck with that," he replied, shaking his head.

Billie laughed, the sound light and genuine. For the first time in a long while, she felt a sense of ease she couldn't quite explain. Cedric, despite his gruff exterior, had a way of grounding her, of making her feel safe in a world that often felt anything but.

And in that moment, she realized she didn't just trust him-she liked him.

Maybe a little too much.