James looked around the dark room as he waited for Thomas to arrive. He knew the poor man would arrive later, probably feeling down and lonely.

James was a shadow. He lived in the darkness and usually stayed home since was there where he could protect Thomas the most. The other shadows usually drag Thomas down and made him feel more depressed than he already was, but James did his best to be there for Thomas. 

A few times he took his physical form and cuddle with Thomas, making sure the others knew that if they got closer to him they'll pay.

However, Thomas didn't know he was being protected by a shadow. He sometimes could hear him but blamed it on the city's lifestyle he wasn't used to. And what about those times he felt someone hugging him in the night? His imagination and the lack of contact that he carved.

James couldn't remember anything from his past or who he was before meeting Thomas. He just... appeared one night while Thomas was crying himself to sleep. He felt pity for him and looked at the other shadows making him cry even harder, whispering to his ear things to make him feel more and more worthless. Sometimes, they whispered when he was awake and still in bed since they hide in Thomas' shadow.

One day James couldn't take him anymore and confronted the others. That night was the only night Thomas went to sleep without feeling extremely down and woke up feeling less miserable than normal.

Since that night, James made his priority to protect Thomas for the shadows that wanted to hurt him as he stayed at home. He knew that Thomas needed a sanctuary to recover the energy he needed for the next day. 

When Thomas arrived, James went to receive him and started his duty. He didn't care that Thomas didn't know him, as long as he was fine, he'll be fine with just being a shadow guardian for him.

//I swear I'm working on something better than this one. I was tired, but if I don't publish it here, it'll be in the one-shots book.

And guys, thanks to all of you that read this. It's been a while since I wrote anything and I was having a hard time with it, but I'm glad to know someone is reading this. It gives me the motivation to continue.

0h! and just two more days to the halfway-surprise