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Ayres stops a few paces away, its silhouette jittering with every spark from the damaged arm. The light catches on its face—hollowed, exhausted, but unmistakably relieved.
“Alden…? This is where you went…?” Its voice wavers, like it hasn’t been used in days. “I thought Kaja got to you…”
Alden turns slowly, like he’s afraid the movement will break the moment. For a heartbeat he just stares—eyes wide, breath caught halfway in his chest. He looks older than he did a month ago. More worn. More haunted.
Then he moves.
Not fast. Not like the last time he saw Ayres, when everything was panic and adrenaline and blood. This time it’s careful, almost reverent, as if he’s approaching something fragile.
“Ayres.” His voice cracks on the name. “You’re—” He stops himself, swallowing hard. “You’re really here.”
Ayres shifts its weight, the cybernetic arm twitching violently. It tries to hide it behind its body, but the motion sends another spark snapping through the air. Alden flinches—not from fear, but from the instinctive urge to reach out and fix it.
“I didn’t know where you went,” Ayres murmurs. “I woke up and you were gone and—” Its throat tightens. “I thought Kaja finished what ke started.”
Alden’s jaw clenches at the name. Something dark flickers behind his eyes—anger, guilt, the memory of what he did to Kaja after kel hurt Ayres. He steps closer, slow enough that Ayres can pull away if it needs to.
“Kaja didn’t get to me,” he says quietly. “Not even close.”
Ayres finally looks up at him fully. Its eyes shine with something raw—fear, hope, disbelief all tangled together.
“But you left,” it whispers. “You didn’t say anything. I thought… I thought I lost you.”
Alden exhales shakily. “I thought I was protecting you.”
Ayres’ expression fractures. “By disappearing?”
Alden doesn’t answer right away. He reaches out—hesitant, open-palmed—toward Ayres’ sparking arm.
“Can I…?” he asks softly.
Ayres hesitates, then nods once, small and trembling.
Alden’s fingers brush the damaged plating, and Ayres shudders at the contact—not from pain, but from the shock of being touched gently for the first time in weeks.
“You didn’t lose me,” Alden murmurs. “You never could.”
Ayres’ breath catches. “Then don’t leave again.”
Alden looks up, meeting its eyes with something fierce and unguarded.
“I won’t.”