Work Text:
Rui woke up.
Bandages were tightly wrapped around her neck, and she could feel dried blood crusted around her nose—she had no idea when it had happened.
Slowly, she pushed herself up, breathing heavily. She was utterly drained, exhausted.
Her neck throbbed, her head pounded—pain, pain. All she felt was agony.
Despite the pain, Rui pushed herself to her feet, swaying slightly as she braced against the wall for support.
She slipped the hair tie off her wrist and pulled her hair back into a tie.
‘Where’s my coat?’ She thought as her gaze swept the room, searching for the familiar brown trench coat, but it was nowhere to be seen.
‘That freak must've come back and taken it.’ She scowled, stretching out her stiff muscles.
After a deep breath, Rui headed towards the staircase.
Her steps were cautious, as she felt one misstep could send her tumbling down— and then she'd die.
Opening the door was no easy feat, but after countless attempts, it finally gave way with a loud, grating creak.
The sudden flood of sunlight made her squint, and she raised a hand to shield her eyes, wincing as the brightness overwhelmed her.
It had been so long since she'd seen the sun. Life inside the bunker did that to a person, though she couldn’t deny that, at times, she missed the warmth on her skin.
With a deep sigh, she gazed up at the sky, her brow furrowed.
“You know exactly what you’ve done, don’t you?”
For a moment, she could have sworn the sun was laughing at her, and her gaze fell back to the ground.
Then she began to walk.
Eventually, her breath grew shallow, and her legs gave out beneath her. She collapsed onto her knees, gasping for air, beads of sweat trickling down her face as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.
For a few moments, all she could hear was the sound of her own laboured breathing. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to gather her strength, when suddenly a voice called out from above.
“Hello?”
Startled, she looked up. Her vision was blurry at first, but soon, the figure standing over her came into focus. The light of the sun framed them, casting an almost heavenly glow around their outline. Rui blinked, her breath catching in her throat.
“Has God sent an angel for me?” Rui croaked, her voice dry and cracked from dehydration. “Finally.”
The figure tilted their head slightly, their face still obscured by the sunlight. “No, not yet,” they replied softly.
Then they crouched down, the sun now blocked by Rui’s shadow, revealing more of the figure’s features. It was a girl, her ginger hair gleamed under the remaining light, and her eyes, Rui noticed immediately, were a vivid, almost unreal shade of green. They were amazing.
“Oh.” Rui muttered under her breath, taken aback by the beauty of the stranger. “Ты красивая девушка.” The words slipped out before she could stop herself.
The ginger-haired woman’s lips curled into a gentle smile. “Спасибо, дорогая,” she responded warmly, her voice carrying a faint, melodic accent.
“No way.” Rui’s eyes widened in shock, and her hand flew to her mouth in embarrassment, cheeks flushing with colour. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that—I was just joking.”
“It’s fine.” she said with a light shrug. “I don’t mind. Are you alright? You looked like you were panting a little bit back there.”
Rui hesitated, then shook her head. “No, no, I’m fine. Just… tired, I think. I’ve been walking for a long time.”
“Ah, I see.” The girl nodded. “Well, do you need anything? Water? Help with… whatever?”
Rui thought about it for a moment, but then shook her head again. “No, thanks. I.. think I’m good now.’
The ginger-haired woman rose to her feet, offering a hand to help Rui up. “Alright, if you’re sure.”
Rui accepted the hand, pulling herself up and dusting off her knees. She stood for a moment, feeling slightly more stable, before speaking again. “I have to go back.” she murmured.
The woman nodded once again, her expression unreadable. “Alright.” she said simply. Then, as if realising she forgot something, she spoke again. “Oh—uh, your name?”
Rui hesitated, feeling a strangeness in her chest. For a brief moment, she considered lying about her name, but something about the woman stopped her.
“Rui is fine.” She finally said, her voice soft.
“I’m Wren Vladri!” The ginger introduced herself. “It’s nice to meet someone else my age out here.”
Rui nodded slowly. “Likewise.” She then raised a hand in a small wave. “I’ll see you again soon.”
Wren’s smile faded just slightly, her eyes taking on a more dull look. “I… doubt that.” she said quietly, turning away. Without another word, she began to walk in the opposite direction.
Rui watched her for a few moments, her chest tightening with an unexplainable feeling. Something about Wren lingered in her mind. She turned away reluctantly, but even as she started walking, her thoughts went back to the brief exchange.
“No..” Rui whispered to herself, glancing back one last time. “I will see you again. There’s something about you, Wren… something I can’t explain.”
As she began to walk, a strange sense of determination settled over her. ‘We’ll meet again,’ Rui thought, her steps feeling just a little lighter than before. ‘I feel like we’re meant to get along.’