The guards move immediately.
Chairs scrape harshly against the floor as two of them rush forward.
For a split second Aoi freezes.
Ren doesn't.
His hand grabs Aoi's arm and yanks him backward just as a guard lunges for him.
"Run." The word is sharp and urgent.
Another guard steps into their path.
Ren pushes Aoi behind him without hesitation.
"Move!"
Aoi stumbles back a step, his heart suddenly racing. Everything is happening too fast.
One of the guards grabs Ren's shoulder, trying to pull him aside.
Ren twists his arm free and shoves the man back hard enough that he crashes into the table.
Takeda watches quietly from across the room.
Completely calm.
"Don't damage him," he says flatly.
"We still need him."
The words send a cold wave through Aoi.
Need him. Like he's not even a person.
Another guard reaches for Aoi.
Before he can touch him, Ren steps in again.
His fist connects with the guard's jaw.
The man stumbles sideways.
"Ren—"
"Door," Ren says quickly.
Aoi turns.
The exit is still open.
But the hallway beyond it suddenly fills with movement. More guards.
Too many.
Aoi's chest tightens. "Ren…"
Ren sees it too.
His jaw clenches.
For the first time since this started, the situation looks bad.
Really bad.
Behind them, Takeda sighs softly.
Almost disappointed.
"You're making this unnecessarily difficult."
Ren slowly turns his head toward him.
His eyes are sharp. Cold.
"You set us up."
Takeda doesn't deny it.
For a brief second, no one moves.
Then everything explodes into motion again.
A guard from the side suddenly lunges forward.
Before Aoi can react, a hand clamps tightly around his wrist.
"Got him."
Aoi's breath catches.
The grip is strong—too strong.
He tries to pull away but the guard jerks him forward, nearly making him lose his balance.
"Ren—!"
Ren turns instantly.
The moment he sees the guard dragging Aoi back, something in his expression changes.
The controlled calm disappears.
"Let him go."
The guard ignores him and tightens his hold.
Another guard moves to help, stepping behind Aoi to block Ren's path.
Takeda's voice cuts through the room.
"Careful with him."
Aoi struggles again, trying to twist his arm free.
Pain shoots up his wrist.
"Stop moving," the guard snaps.
Ren takes a step forward.
Slow. Measured.
His eyes never leave the man holding Aoi.
"Last warning."
The guard scoffs. "Or what?"
That's all it takes.
Ren moves so fast it's almost impossible to follow. He grabs the guard's arm, twisting it sharply.
The man cries out as his grip breaks instantly.
Before anyone else can react, Ren pulls Aoi back toward him.
Another guard charges forward—
Ren shoves Aoi behind him again.
"Stay behind me."
Aoi's heart is pounding now.
The room feels smaller.
Too many people.
Too many hands reaching for him.
Across the room, Takeda finally straightens.
"Enough."
More guards begin stepping into the room from the hallway.
And this time… there are far more of them.
More guards begin pouring into the room from the hallway.
Ren sees them immediately. Too many.
Fighting here is impossible.
His eyes quickly scan the room, calculating.
Then he grabs Aoi's wrist. "We're leaving."
Before Aoi can even respond, Ren pulls him toward the door.
Behind them someone shouts—
"Stop them!"
That's when a loud alarm suddenly blares through the building.
A sharp, piercing sound that fills every corner of the facility.
Red lights begin flashing along the ceiling.
Aoi's chest tightens.
"Ren—"
"Don't stop."
They run down the hallway.
Footsteps echo loudly behind them as guards begin chasing after them.
Aoi's breathing grows heavier with every step.
The corridor splits ahead.
Ren doesn't hesitate.
He pulls Aoi sharply to the right.
They rush past rows of glass lab rooms—machines humming quietly inside, papers scattered across desks, bright white lights reflecting across the floor.
But Ren keeps going.
Then he suddenly spots it.
A small door at the end of the corridor.
Emergency stairs. He pushes it open and quickly pulls Aoi inside.
The door shuts behind them with a dull thud.
For a moment—
Only silence.
The alarm is still faintly echoing through the walls, but the stairwell itself is empty.
Ren moves down one level quickly before stopping.
Both of them are breathing hard now.
Aoi leans back against the cold wall, trying to steady his breathing.
His heart is pounding so hard it almost hurts.
"What the hell just happened…?"
Ren runs a hand through his hair, still listening carefully.
"We walked into a trap."
Aoi's mind races.
Takeda.
The guards.
Everything suddenly makes sense in the worst possible way.
"They planned this."
Ren doesn't answer.
But his silence says enough.
For a moment, neither of them speaks.
Just the distant sound of the alarm echoing through the building.
Then—
Footsteps.
Faint at first. But getting closer.
Voices follow.
"Check the lower floors."
"They couldn't have gotten far."
Aoi's head snaps toward the stairwell door.
Ren's eyes narrow.
He immediately grabs Aoi's arm again.
His voice low. "We move."
Ren doesn't wait for the guards to get any closer.
He pulls Aoi down another flight of stairs before pushing open a metal door on the lower level.
The hallway beyond it is darker.
Only emergency lights glow faintly along the floor.
The alarm is louder here, echoing through the long corridor.
Ren moves first, checking both sides before stepping out.
"Stay close."
Aoi nods quickly and follows.
The hallway feels colder. Different.
On both sides of the corridor are thick glass walls—sealed rooms filled with equipment.
Metal tables. Large containment tanks.
Strange machines humming quietly.
Aoi glances inside one of the rooms as they pass.
And immediately wishes he hadn't.
Inside the glass tank is a cloudy liquid.
Floating in it—
Something dark. Misshapen.
A faded label sticks to the side of the container.
"Variant 03 – Failed."
Aoi's stomach twists.
"Ren… what is this place?"
Ren doesn't slow down.
"A lab."
Another room flashes past them.
Broken equipment.
Biohazard containers.
Files scattered across a desk.
Aoi catches another label through the glass.
"Subject terminated."
His chest tightens.
"They were experimenting with the virus…"
Ren finally answers, his voice low. "Yeah."
Footsteps echo faintly from the stairwell behind them. Guards. Getting closer.
Ren's head turns toward the sound.
"Move."
They pick up speed again.
As they reach the end of the corridor, another hallway opens to the right.
This one is darker.
Only a single red emergency light flickers overhead.
Aoi hesitates for half a second.
Something about this section feels wrong.
Too quiet. Too hidden.
But Ren is already moving. "This way."
They disappear into the darker hallway just as voices echo from the corridor they left behind.
The darker hallway stretches ahead of them.
The red emergency light flickers weakly above, casting long shadows across the floor.
Ren slows down slightly, listening.
For a moment, the corridor is quiet.
Too quiet.
Then—
Voices echo from the direction they came from. Closer this time.
"Split up."
"Check every section."
Aoi's stomach drops.
Ren hears it too.
His eyes quickly scan the hallway.
There's nowhere obvious to run.
The footsteps grow louder.
Ren suddenly grabs Aoi's arm and pulls him toward a door on the side of the corridor.
The label beside it reads:
Containment Storage.
Ren pushes it open just enough for them to slip inside before quietly closing it behind them.
The room is dim. Cold.
Rows of sealed metal cabinets line the walls.
Large biohazard containers sit stacked in the corners.
Aoi barely has time to look around before Ren pulls him behind one of the tall storage units.
"Don't move."
Their breathing is still heavy from running.
Aoi tries to slow it down.
Outside—
Footsteps enter the hallway.
Two… maybe three guards.
Their voices echo through the corridor.
"They came this way."
Aoi's heart starts hammering again.
Through the narrow gap between the storage cabinets, he can see a faint strip of light under the door. Shadows move past it.
One of the guards stops right outside.
The handle rattles slightly.
Aoi's entire body freezes.
For a second it feels like the room itself stops breathing.
Then another voice calls from down the hall.
"Nothing here!"
The guard at the door hesitates.
The handle moves again—
But then the footsteps slowly fade as they walk away.
Silence returns.
Aoi doesn't realize he's been holding his breath until he exhales shakily.
"…That was too close."
Ren stays still for another few seconds, listening carefully.
Only when he's sure the guards are gone does he finally speak.
Low.
"We keep moving."
The corridor is quiet except for their footsteps.
Aoi pushes the lab door open first, the dim hallway stretching ahead of them. Emergency lights flicker on the walls, turning everything red and shadowy.
Then—
Footsteps. Heavy. Fast.
Guards.
Aoi freezes for half a second before grabbing Ren's sleeve.
"Run."
They barely make it a few meters before a guard turns the corner ahead of them.
The man lifts his gun. Right at Aoi.
For a split second Aoi's brain just blanks. There's nowhere to go, nowhere to hide—
Ren moves first.
He shoves Aoi hard out of the line of fire.
The gun fires.
The first bullet slams into Ren's side, spinning him halfway into the wall behind him.
Before Aoi can even process it—
Another shot. The second bullet hits him higher, closer to his chest.
Ren's body jerks from the impact and he crashes into the wall, sliding down slightly as the sound echoes through the corridor.
For a moment everything is silent except for Aoi's heartbeat.
"A—Ren?!"
Ren's head tilts forward, breath uneven.
Blood stains his shirt fast, way too fast.
He tries to stay standing but his legs shake.
Aoi rushes to him, grabbing his shoulders.
"What were you thinking?!"
Ren lets out a rough breath, barely able to speak.
"…You were in the way."
Behind them, more footsteps.
More guards.
Ren's knees buckle, and Aoi catches him before he fully collapses.
The wounds look fatal. Anyone else would already be dying.
But something strange is happening.
The bleeding slows just enough.
Ren's breathing, though weak, doesn't stop.
His power is barely holding him together—just enough to keep him alive.
Aoi doesn't understand it yet.
All he knows is that Ren is too pale, too weak, and if they don't move now he'll die anyway.
Aoi tightens his grip on him.
"…Don't you dare pass out."
Then he forces Ren's arm over his shoulder and starts dragging him down the hallway.
They need to get out.
Cold air hits them the moment they stumble out of the facility.
The door slams behind them as Aoi drags Ren forward, half carrying him, half pulling him through the tall grass behind the lab complex.
The forest ahead is dark.
Good. Dark means hiding.
Ren's weight keeps dropping heavier against Aoi's shoulder.
"Aoi…" His voice is barely there.
"Don't talk," Aoi snaps, breath uneven as he pulls him deeper between the trees.
"Save it."
Behind them, alarms start echoing from the building.
They found the bodies.
Or the cameras. Or both.
Aoi finally stops when they're far enough that the facility lights disappear behind the trees.
He lowers Ren carefully against the trunk of a tree.
The moment he lets go, Ren's body slumps.
Aoi's stomach drops.
"Ren—hey. Hey."
Blood has soaked through his shirt, dark and spreading. Two bullet wounds. Anyone else would already be dead.
But Ren is still breathing. Barely.
Aoi presses his hand over one of the wounds, trying to slow the bleeding.
"Stay awake," he mutters.
Ren's head tilts weakly toward him.
"…You're… safe."
For a second Aoi just stares at him.
Then anger flashes across his face.
"What the hell were you thinking?!" he whispers harshly. "You think getting shot twice was a good idea?!"
Ren doesn't answer.
His eyes are starting to close.
Aoi grabs his collar and shakes him lightly.
"Hey. Don't do that."
Ren forces his eyes open again, but his voice is weak. "…It worked."
Aoi clenches his jaw.
He doesn't say it, but the thought hits him hard: Ren should already be dead.
The wounds are fatal.
The only reason he's still breathing is because of that strange power inside him—holding his body together just enough to stop him from dying.
But it's not healing him.
It's just… delaying it.
Aoi looks toward the dark forest around them, mind racing.
They're outside the facility.
But they're not safe yet.
And Ren won't survive long like this.
Aoi grips his shoulder tighter.
"…Don't pass out," he mutters again.
Because if Ren does—
Aoi has no idea if he'll wake up.
The forest is quiet except for the sound of Ren's uneven breathing.
He's on the ground, leaning against a tree, one hand pressed weakly against his side where the blood keeps soaking through his shirt. His fingers tremble.
Aoi is kneeling in front of him, trying to keep him awake.
"Ren… stay with me, okay? Don't close your eyes."
Ren lets out a shaky breath. His head tilts slightly back against the tree bark.
Then something changes. At first it's subtle.
The air feels… wrong.
Aoi notices it before he understands it.
The leaves around them begin to rustle even though there's no wind. A small stone near Ren's boot vibrates against the dirt.
"Ren…?" Aoi whispers.
Ren's body suddenly tenses.
His fingers dig into the soil like he's trying to hold himself together.
Then his eyes flicker.
For a split second they glow—unnaturally bright—before the color shifts back again.
Aoi freezes. He's never seen this before.
"Ren… what's happening?"
Ren doesn't answer.
His breathing becomes sharp, almost painful, like something inside his chest is fighting to break out.
The ground near him shakes slightly. Twigs tremble. Loose leaves lift off the forest floor for a moment before falling again.
The virus inside him is reacting.
Not healing.
Not stabilizing.
Surging.
Aoi instinctively reaches for him—but the moment his hand touches Ren's shoulder, a strange pressure pushes outward, like a pulse of energy.
Aoi pulls back immediately, eyes wide.
"Ren—!"
Ren squeezes his eyes shut, jaw clenched.
"I… can't… stop it…"
His voice is strained, barely there.
The air around them feels heavier now, charged in a way that makes Aoi's chest tighten.
For the first time since they escaped the facility, Aoi looks genuinely afraid.
Not of the guards. Not of the forest.
But of what the virus inside Ren might do.
The forest suddenly feels too quiet.
Aoi hears it first. Footsteps. Distant voices somewhere behind the trees.
Guards.
His head snaps up, heart slamming against his ribs.
"We have to move," he whispers urgently.
Ren barely reacts. His breathing is shallow now, and his body feels heavier when Aoi grabs his arm and pulls it over his shoulder.
"Come on," Aoi mutters, half dragging him. "You're not dying here, idiot."
Ren tries to walk, but his legs almost give out immediately. A small groan escapes him as pain shoots through his side.
Aoi tightens his grip.
"Just a little more. The car's close."
Branches scrape against them as they stumble through the trees. Every sound makes Aoi flinch, expecting a gunshot any second.
Behind them, a distant voice echoes.
"Over there! Check the forest!"
Aoi's stomach drops.
He pushes forward faster, practically dragging Ren now.
Finally—
The car appears through the trees.
Aoi almost collapses with relief.
He opens the passenger door and helps Ren inside, but the moment Ren sits down he slumps sideways against the seat, his hand falling away from the wound.
Blood stains the fabric immediately.
"Hey—hey, stay awake!" Aoi says quickly, grabbing his face lightly.
Ren's eyes flutter open.
For a second they look strange again, faintly glowing before the color fades.
The virus is still reacting. Still adapting.
Still trying to keep him alive.
Aoi notices it—and his chest tightens with fear.
"Ren… what did they do to you…?"
But Ren doesn't answer. His head leans back against the seat, breathing slow and uneven.
Aoi quickly jumps into the driver's seat.
In the distance, flashlights flicker between the trees. They're getting closer.
Aoi starts the engine.
"Hold on," he mutters under his breath.
The car speeds out of the forest road just as the lights begin appearing near the tree line.
…
The house is completely silent when they arrive. Too silent.
Aoi turns off the car engine and sits there for a second, his hands still gripping the steering wheel. His heart is still racing from the escape.
He glances at Ren.
Ren's head is tilted against the window, eyes closed, his breathing uneven.
"Ren…" Aoi whispers.
No answer.
Panic creeps up his chest.
Aoi quickly gets out of the car and rushes to the passenger side, pulling the door open. When he touches Ren's shoulder, Ren lets out a weak groan.
At least he's still conscious.
"Come on," Aoi murmurs. "We're inside. Just a little more."
He helps Ren out of the car, practically carrying half his weight as they make their way into the house.
The lights are off.
Looks like Ms. Aiko already went to bed.
Good.
Aoi doesn't want her to see this.
They move slowly through the hallway until they reach Ren's room. Aoi pushes the door open with his foot and helps Ren sit on the bed before carefully laying him down.
The mattress sinks slightly under his weight.
Ren's shirt is soaked with blood now.
Aoi freezes when he sees it clearly under the dim room light.
Two gunshot wounds.
His stomach twists. "…You idiot," Aoi whispers under his breath, though his voice trembles.
He sits on the edge of the bed, staring at Ren's pale face.
What am I supposed to do?
His thoughts race.
Hospital?
But if they go to a hospital, people will ask questions.
Gunshots. Blood. Police.
And if the facility finds them again—
Aoi clenches his fists.
"I should've taken you anyway…" he mutters quietly.
Ren shifts slightly, a faint breath escaping him.
Aoi leans forward, watching him anxiously.
Minutes pass.
The room is quiet except for Ren's breathing.
Then—
Something strange happens.
Ren's body suddenly tenses.
Aoi straightens immediately. "Ren?"
At first, he thinks Ren is waking up.
But then Ren's chest rises sharply as if something inside him is moving.
Aoi's eyes widen.
A faint glow flickers beneath Ren's skin for just a second — barely visible.
The virus. It's reacting again.
Ren's body trembles slightly, muscles tightening as if fighting something from the inside.
Then slowly…
Something begins to push outward from one of the wounds.
Aoi stares in horror.
The metal bullet starts forcing its way out of Ren's body, inch by inch, pushed by the strange energy inside him.
Aoi stands up suddenly, shocked.
"What the—"
The bullet drops onto the bedsheet with a soft metallic sound.
Ren's breathing deepens again, his body relaxing slightly as the wound begins to slowly close.
Not instantly. But slowly. Healing.
Aoi stares at it, completely frozen.
"…You're kidding me," he whispers.
His heart is pounding now, but not just from fear.
From realization.
Ren didn't survive the gunshots by luck.
The virus inside him is keeping him alive.
Aoi slowly sits back down on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair in disbelief.
"…What the hell are you turning into…?"
Ren doesn't answer.
He's still unconscious, his body quietly continuing its strange, unnatural healing in the dark room.
And Aoi can only sit there and watch.
The second bullet doesn't take long.
For a few quiet seconds, nothing happens.
Then Ren's body tightens again. A small breath catches in his throat as something shifts under his skin.
Aoi leans forward immediately. "Ren—?"
A soft metallic clink breaks the silence as the second bullet slowly forces its way out and drops onto the bedsheet beside the first.
Aoi stares at it, stunned.
Then Ren flinches.
His fingers twitch against the sheets, and after a moment his eyelids slowly lift. His vision is unfocused at first, like he's trying to remember where he is.
Aoi leans closer, relief rushing through him.
"Ren?"
Ren blinks slowly. His eyes drift around the room for a moment before settling on Aoi's face.
"…Aoi." His voice is rough and quiet.
He studies Aoi's face for a second, like he's checking something important.
"You're okay?"
Aoi's expression tightens immediately.
"Stop asking about me and worry about yourself, idiot," he snaps, though his voice shakes slightly. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
Ren blinks again, looking oddly calm.
"I didn't die."
Aoi lets out a frustrated breath.
"Does that mean I'm not supposed to worry?"
Ren doesn't answer.
The room falls quiet for a moment.
Then Aoi exhales slowly and pushes himself up from the bed.
"I'm checking your wounds."
It isn't a question.
He carefully lifts the edge of Ren's shirt.
The moment the fabric rises, Aoi freezes.
His stomach drops.
Two dark, ugly wounds stare back at him—one in Ren's side, the other higher on his chest. The blood has slowed now, but the sight still makes Aoi's chest tighten painfully.
He wants to touch the area, to check how bad it is.
But his hands hover in the air.
He's afraid of hurting him.
"…Stay here," Aoi mutters quietly.
Not that Ren could move anyway.
Aoi quickly leaves the room and returns a moment later with a small medical kit. He sets it on the bed, opens it, and begins cleaning the wounds.
His movements are careful. Too careful.
Ren winces slightly when the antiseptic touches the skin.
"Hang on," Aoi murmurs, focused.
He cleans the wounds, wraps them, and presses the bandage down gently.
After a few minutes he finishes and places the medical kit on the bedside table.
Ren is watching him now, his eyes half open.
Aoi notices the blood-soaked shirt still clinging to him.
"…Can you take it off?" he asks.
Ren slowly shakes his head.
Aoi sighs quietly. Of course he can't.
He leans forward again, slipping his hands to the sides of the shirt and carefully pulling it upward. The fabric slides over Ren's torso and then over his head.
Ren exhales softly as the shirt finally comes off.
Aoi tosses it aside and stands up, walking to the closet. He grabs a clean shirt and returns.
"Can you put this on?"
Ren gives the same slow shake of his head.
Aoi stares at him for a second.
"…You're unbelievable."
Still, he helps him.
He gently slides one sleeve over Ren's arm, then the other, before pulling the shirt down carefully so it doesn't rub against the bandages.
For a moment the room goes quiet again.
Aoi sits on the edge of the bed.
Now that the adrenaline is gone, exhaustion finally catches up with him. His shoulders sag slightly, and his eyelids look heavy.
Ren notices.
After a moment, he speaks.
"…Come here."
Aoi looks at him.
Ren shifts slightly on the bed, ignoring the dull pain in his side, and moves just enough to make space beside him.
A silent invitation.
Aoi hesitates.
Then he slowly moves and sits next to him, careful not to touch the injured side. He leans slightly toward Ren, close but cautious.
His eyes drift down toward the bandaged wounds.
"…Does it still hurt?"
Ren hums quietly. "Mm. A little."
Silence settles between them again.
Then Ren hears it.
A quiet sniff.
His eyes shift toward Aoi. "…What's wrong?"
Aoi doesn't answer. Another quiet sniff escapes him.
Ren's expression tightens slightly.
"Answer," he says, his voice a little rougher this time.
Aoi's shoulders tense.
For a moment he says nothing.
Then the words finally come out.
"…It's all my fault." His voice cracks slightly.
"I shouldn't have gone there with you."
Another sniff, quieter this time.
Ren frowns faintly.
"Does that mean you wanted me to go alone?"
"No—"
Before Aoi can finish, Ren reaches out.
Even with the weakness in his body, he grabs Aoi's arm and pulls him closer.
The sudden movement surprises Aoi.
Ren shifts slightly beneath him and guides Aoi until he's half sitting against him on the bed, close enough that Aoi has to brace himself with one hand beside Ren to keep from falling.
Aoi looks down at him, startled.
His face is wet with tears.
Ren studies him quietly for a second.
Then he lifts his hand and gently wipes the tear from Aoi's cheek with his thumb.
"…You look ugly when you cry," Ren murmurs.
His voice is soft now. "Don't cry."
A faint, tired hint of a smile appears on his face.
"It makes you less pretty."
Aoi sniffed quietly, trying to steady his breathing.
Ren's thumb brushed the last tear from his cheek.
"…You look ugly when you cry," Ren murmured.
Aoi frowned immediately. "Shut up."
But he didn't move away.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
They were suddenly very aware of how close they were.
Aoi was practically leaning over him now, one hand resting on the mattress beside Ren's shoulder to keep his balance. Ren could feel the warmth of him, hear the uneven rhythm of his breathing.
Aoi's eyes drifted down without meaning to.
For just a second.
Ren noticed.
"…You're staring," he said quietly.
Aoi's eyes snapped back up.
"I'm not—"
But the words died halfway out.
They were too close.
Aoi slowly leaned in without realizing it, his movement small, hesitant. His breath brushed lightly against Ren's lips.
For a second it felt like the entire room had gone still.
Ren didn't move. He just watched him.
Aoi's heart suddenly pounded in his chest.
Then realization hit him all at once.
His eyes widened slightly and he pulled back a few inches, like he'd just woken up.
"…I—"
Before he could finish, Ren's hand moved.
He caught Aoi lightly by the back of his shirt and pulled him back down.
The movement was slow, but firm enough that Aoi didn't resist.
Their lips met.
The kiss wasn't rushed.
At first it was soft, almost testing, like Ren was making sure Aoi wouldn't pull away again.
Aoi froze for half a second in surprise.
Then his shoulders relaxed.
His hand tightened slightly in the bedsheet beside Ren as he leaned into it.
The kiss deepened just a little.
Not desperate. Not rough.
Just enough to show everything neither of them had said out loud tonight.
After a moment Ren shifted slightly—
And immediately winced.
The pain shot through his side.
Aoi pulled back instantly.
"Ren—!"
His eyes dropped to the bandages, panic flashing across his face again.
"I told you not to move!"
Ren looked up at him, still a little breathless.
"…Worth it."
Aoi stared at him for a second.
Then he huffed softly, trying to hide the redness creeping across his face.
"You're unbelievable." But he didn't move away this
Ren watched him quietly.
Aoi suddenly seemed to realize what had just happened.
His eyes widened slightly.
"…Wait."
His hand lifted to his mouth like he could somehow erase it.
"…You—" His face turned even redder.
"You just—"
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"Finished a sentence for you?"
"That's not what I meant!" Aoi snapped immediately.
Ren's lips twitched slightly.
Aoi looked away, clearly flustered now. He rubbed the back of his neck, trying very hard to act normal.
"…You're injured. You shouldn't be doing stuff like that."
Ren tilted his head slightly.
"Like what?"
Aoi shot him an annoyed look.
"You know exactly what."
Ren looked thoughtful for a moment.
"The kiss?"
Aoi's face went fully red.
"Ren!"
A quiet chuckle escaped him, low and tired but genuine.
"You're the one who leaned in first."
"I did not—"
Before Aoi could finish arguing, Ren suddenly reached forward.
His hand caught Aoi around the waist.
With a slow pull, he dragged him down onto the bed.
Aoi barely had time to react before he was lying back against the mattress.
"Ren—!"
But Ren had already shifted slightly above him.
Not putting his full weight down—careful of his injuries—but close enough that Aoi could feel his presence.
Aoi froze.
Ren looked down at him quietly.
The teasing expression had faded into something softer now.
His hand lifted slowly and his fingers brushed along Aoi's jawline, tilting his face just slightly so he could look at him properly.
For a moment he didn't say anything.
He just studied him from this close distance.
"…You're still crying," Ren murmured.
His thumb lightly brushed under Aoi's eye, wiping away the last trace of tears.
Up close like this, Aoi could see the faint exhaustion in Ren's eyes.
But he was still looking at him like he was the only thing in the room.
Ren's gaze softened slightly.
"…You worry too much."
Aoi's heart was beating so loudly he was sure Ren could hear it.
Ren's hand was still resting lightly against his jaw.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
The room was quiet except for the soft sound of their breathing.
Then Ren's gaze shifted slightly, his expression changing.
"…I thought I was going to die back there."
The words were quiet.
Almost too quiet.
Aoi blinked in surprise.
Ren rarely said things like that.
His fingers tightened slightly in the fabric of Aoi's shirt.
"But that wasn't the part that scared me."
Aoi's chest tightened. "…Then what did?"
Ren hesitated for a second.
Then he looked directly into Aoi's eyes.
"That you were watching it happen."
The words landed softly between them.
Aoi froze.
Ren exhaled slowly, like admitting that had taken more energy than the gunshots.
"I didn't want you to see that."
For a moment Aoi couldn't find his voice.
His hands slowly moved up, gripping the front of Ren's shirt.
"You idiot," he whispered.
His eyes were shining again, but this time he was trying hard not to cry.
"I thought you were actually going to leave me there."
Ren didn't answer. He just looked at him.
Then he leaned down.
This time the kiss wasn't hesitant.
It was slow, warm, and deeper than before.
Aoi's breath caught in his throat as Ren's hand slid from his jaw to the side of his neck, pulling him slightly closer.
For a moment Aoi forgot everything.
The fear. The gunshots. The blood. Everything.
All he could focus on was the warmth of Ren's lips and the steady rhythm of his breathing.
The kiss deepened for a few seconds—
Before Aoi suddenly pulled back slightly.
He needed air.
His chest rose quickly as he caught his breath, still lying beneath him.
Aoi stared up at him for a second, face completely red now. Then realization hit him again. "…Stop," he muttered, turning his face slightly away.
Ren blinked.
Aoi covered part of his face with one hand, clearly embarrassed.
"You should rest." His voice came out quieter than before. "…You literally got shot."
Ren looked down at him for a moment.
Then a small, tired smile appeared.
"…You're the one who keeps staying this close."
Aoi immediately groaned and dropped his arm over his eyes. "Ren."
But he didn't move away.
But there wasn't much anger in his voice anymore.
Ren watched him for a second, the faint smile still there, though his breathing was heavier now.
The exhaustion was catching up to him.
Slowly, Ren shifted slightly on the bed.
His hand moved from Aoi's neck to his wrist, gently pulling his arm away from his face.
Aoi blinked up at him, still flushed.
"…What?"
Ren looked at him for a moment.
Then he said quietly, "Stay."
The word was simple, but there was something different about the way he said it.
Not teasing. Not joking.
Just tired… and honest.
Aoi froze for a second.
"You're ridiculous," he muttered under his breath.
"You should be sleeping, not—"
But Ren's fingers were still lightly holding his wrist. Not tight. Just enough that Aoi could feel it.
"…Just stay."
Aoi hesitated.
He looked at Ren's face properly now.
The pale skin.
The faint tension in his expression.
The way his breathing still wasn't completely steady.
Aoi's chest tightened again.
"…Fine," he mumbled.
"But only because you're injured."
Ren didn't argue.
Aoi shifted awkwardly, moving slightly to the side so he wasn't directly under him anymore.
He lay beside Ren on the bed instead.
Close enough that their shoulders touched.
For a few seconds they were both quiet.
Then Aoi let out a small sigh.
"Next time," he muttered, staring at the ceiling, "try not getting shot twice."
Ren let out a faint breath that might've been a laugh. "I'll keep that in mind."
The room slowly grew quiet again.
Aoi thought he'd stay awake.
Just for a little while.
Just to make sure Ren was okay.
But the adrenaline from everything earlier had finally worn off.
His eyes slowly began to close.
Without realizing it, Aoi's hand shifted and lightly grabbed the fabric of Ren's shirt near his chest.
Like he needed to make sure he was still there.
Minutes passed. Aoi's breathing softened.
He had fallen asleep.
Ren turned his head slightly to look at him.
For a moment he just watched.
Then something inside his body stirred.
The virus.
A faint warmth spread through his chest. where the bullets had been.
Slowly… very slowly…
The metal fragments inside his body began to move.
Not violently.
Just inch by inch.
His body forcing them out as the wounds started repairing themselves.
A faint shimmer of heat passed across his skin for a second before fading.
Ren's eyes closed briefly from the strain.
But when he opened them again, he glanced back at Aoi.
Still asleep. Still holding onto his shirt.
Ren exhaled softly. "…Idiot," he murmured. But there was no irritation in his voice.
Only something gentler.
Carefully, he let himself relax back into the pillow.
For the first time since escaping the facility…
He finally slept. For the first time since the nightmare began, the world outside their window was quiet—and for one fragile night, they were safe.