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The rain tapped lightly against the window, a soft rhythm that made the apartment feel cozy and small. Asa shook off her jacket, hanging it carefully on the rack by the door, and stepped inside. The warm smell of something cooking hit her almost immediately; Reze was in the kitchen, moving quietly, focused on the pan in front of her.
“Hey,” Asa said, smiling as she closed the door behind her. “Smells good in here.”
Reze looked up, brushing some flour from her face. “You’re home early,” she said, voice casual but tinged with something Asa couldn’t quite place. She gave a small, smile and returned to stirring the food.
Asa leaned against the counter, close enough that their shoulders brushed. “You always make it look easy,” she teased, reaching to taste a bit of the sauce. Reze swatted her hand away playfully, laughing softly. It was quiet and gentle, like a rhythm they’d fallen into together.
“You’ve barely gone out since… well, since I found you,” Asa said thoughtfully, nodding toward the window. “You should get some air sometimes. We could even go out together, if you want. Just for a little while.”
Reze froze, a flicker of hesitation crossing her eyes before she forced a small laugh. “I’m fine,” she said, voice clipped. But inside, the familiar knot of guilt twisted tighter. The thought of stepping outside, even with Asa, was enough to make her chest tighten.
Asa didn’t push, only reached over to squeeze her hand gently. “Just think about it,” she said softly, brushing a stray lock of hair from Reze’s face. The warmth of that simple touch anchored Reze, even as the quiet weight of her past pressed at the edges of her mind.
A soft chime from the television drew Reze’s attention. The news report flickered on: “Authorities confirm the Bomb Devil has still not been found. Citizens are advised to remain vigilant.”
Her stomach sank. She froze. Knuckles whitening around the pan, she forced a smile at the screen.
Asa leaned closer, concern in her voice. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Reze said quickly, keeping her tone light. “Just… the weather, I guess.”
She couldn’t let Asa see this side of her not yet. Not ever. If she found out, Reze didn’t know what she’d do.
Asa’s hand found hers again, gentle and grounding. “You don’t have to hide here alone. I’m here.”
Reze met her gaze and nodded, letting herself take comfort in the touch. Even as she relaxed for a fraction of a second, a shadow of what was coming crept at the edges of her thoughts. She knew, deep down, that peace wouldn’t last forever not while the threat she carried was still out there.
***
The dishes were stacked neatly on the counter, and the soft hum of the rain filled the apartment. Asa stretched her arms and yawned, settling onto the couch with a sigh. Reze joined her, still holding the tea she had poured, and sat beside her. Their shoulders brushed, a small, comforting warmth in the quiet space.
“You’ve really gotten good at this,” Asa said, taking a sip of the tea. “I don’t even need to worry about dinner anymore.”
Reze smiled faintly, but her gaze flicked to the window, to the grey drizzle outside. “I like cooking,” she said softly. “It makes things… normal.”
“Normal is good,” Asa said, leaning her head on Reze shoulder. “But you shouldn’t feel trapped here either. You could come out with me for a walk… or even a quick trip to the convenience store. Just for a little while.”
Reze’s fingers tightened around the teacup without her noticing. She blinked, forcing a small laugh. “I like this apartment. It’s cozy.” Inside, though, the familiar weight pressed against her chest—the guilt she had carried since the chaos, the secret she couldn’t share.
Asa reached for her hand again, a small, grounding gesture. “You don’t have to hide from the world,” she said softly. “I’m here with you.”
Reze let herself squeeze back, letting the warmth of the moment hold her, even as shadows of what might come crept along the edges of her mind.
But the quiet hum of rain and the soft warmth of the apartment was shattered by a piercing scream from the street below. Reze’s head snapped toward the window, her pulse spiking.
“Did you hear that?” Asa murmured, tense, her eyes widening as another scream followed, then the unmistakable roar of a devil somewhere nearby.
Reze’s fingers tightened around the edge of the table. It’s not worth it, she thought, trying to steady herself. The devil hunters will handle it. The public will be fine. I only care about Asa.
Asa moved toward the window instinctively, peering out into the storm, her concern evident. “People… they need help,” she said softly. “We can’t just… ignore them.”
Reze’s heart clenched. The part of her that had always run, that had always hidden, urged her to stay inside, to protect only Asa.
“I… it’s fine,” Reze muttered, though her voice lacked conviction. I only care about her. As long as Asa’s safe, that’s enough. The rest… it doesn’t matter.
But the screams kept coming, echoing in her mind like the chaos of the past she had tried to leave behind. And then it hit her a sound, a sight, a feeling something that pulled her back to that night in the alleyway. The rain pouring, her body broken, and Asa’s hands reaching out without hesitation.
She saved me then… the memory whispered. I must protect her now.
Asa bolted from the apartment, rain soaking her hair, heart pounding. Screams echoed through the street below people running, shouting, panicked cries.
A small figure caught her eye. A child, crying, calling out for her mother. Without thinking, Asa dashed forward, reaching to push the girl out of the way.
A roar split the air. The Typhoon Devil slammed debris into the streetcars, signs, shattered furniture all flying with reckless force. Asa barely had time to shield the child.
A truck toppled toward them, crushing them beneath its massive weight. She felt the steel pressing into her back, the girl trembling beside her, their world narrowing to rain, screams, and chaos.
And then, slowly, impossibly, the truck began to lift.
Rain and dirt whipped into her face, blinding her. A shape appeared through the storm: Reze.
Asa’s mouth opened, shock freezing her words. “Reze—”
“I’ll explain later,” Reze said, her voice low and urgent, pulling them behind her with surprising strength.
Reze’s hand went to the small circular pin on her black collar. Her fingers pressed. The screams, the chaos, all of it the monstrous roars, the people’s cries were drowned out. With Just a single, simple word:
Boom.
***
The rain bulleted down, merciless to anyone caught in it.
“Ahh—”
Reze sat at the edge of the alleyway, the wound in her stomach deep.
She breathed heavily. She wasn’t sure how she had escaped Makima, but she had—and that was enough. Who knew what she’d have been subjected to if she had been caught? Not that it mattered… soon enough.
I don’t want to die like this. But what was the point of holding out hope? She knew what she had done and the people she had hurt. Now here she was, begging for the chance to live. She would have laughed if she had the strength. What a hypocrite she was.
But—
Her lips pressed together. The mask of indifference fell. She cried for the first time in years, or at least that was what she thought—she didn’t really remember the last time she had cried like this.
She, too, wanted the warmth of another person. Someone who would look at her with eyes full of love. Was a life like that too much to ask for? Or maybe she just didn’t deserve it. She was a monster, after all.
The rain continued to fall. Reze lost the remaining strength she had, almost falling unconscious.
Then a voice boomed in the dark and damp alleyway. It was a girl—slightly shorter than Reze, with long dark hair and eyes like the abyss.
“Hey, are you okay?” the girl called. The rain had stopped, or maybe she had an umbrella—Reze couldn’t tell.
“Hello… don’t fall unconscious, please. Stay with me. You’ll be okay, I promise,” Asa said.
Reze, lacking the strength to maintain consciousness, fell onto Asa’s chest. Her final words were whispered: “It’s warm…”
***
The waves lapped softly at the shore, silver under the moonlight. Reze and Asa sat in the sand, the night air cool against their damp skin. The chaos of the day felt far away here, replaced by the gentle rhythm of the ocean.
Reze hugged her knees to her chest, staring down at the sand. “I… I didn’t want to lie to you,” she admitted quietly. “But I also didn’t want you to think I’m a monster… after everything I’ve done, all the pain I’ve caused.”
Before she could look up, Asa’s arms wrapped around her from behind, pulling her close. Warmth pressed against Reze’s back as Asa rested her head just above hers, eyes meeting hers from over her shoulder.
“To be honest,” Asa said softly, “I’m not sure what to feel. But one thing I know for certain is… I love you. I may not understand everything yet, but I want to. I want to know all of you… even the painful parts.”
Reze swallowed, her chest tight. “But… what about all those people I’ve hurt?”
Asa stroked her hair gently, voice steady and calm. “That’s not the Reze I know. The Reze I know… she would put her secret at risk to save my life. That’s enough for me.”
Reze looked up, eyes glistening, and Asa leaned closer. Their lips met in a slow, tender kiss, the sand beneath them and the waves around them fading into the quiet of the night.
For the first time, Reze allowed herself to believe it: she could be loved, completely, for everything she was even the parts she feared the most.