"You know, I had a friend once. Back in my assassin days," he said, staring at his metallic blade as it retracted into his palm. "He was the only one who made that hell bearable."
Kyo remained quiet, sensing the weight of Winter's words.
"His name was 71132. That dude always talked about becoming a mercenary," Winter continued, a faint smile crossing his face. "Said that was true freedom, choosing your own missions, making your own rules."
"What was he like?" Kyo asked gently.
"Cool as ice, funny as hell. Even when we were basically slaves to the company, he'd crack jokes during missions, pull pranks on the higher-ups." Winter's smile grew wider with the memories. "Got us both in trouble more times than I can count, but man... those were the only times I felt like a real person, you know?"
His smile faded slowly. "He was the free spirit I never could be. Always said life was too short to let anyone own you."
"What happened to him?" Kyo's voice was barely above a whisper.
Winter's blade extended slightly, an unconscious reaction to the pain of remembrance. "Last mission we had together. He... he stuck his neck out for me. Died with that same stupid grin on his face, telling me to 'live free.'"
The room fell quiet again, only the soft crackle of electricity around Kyo's fingers breaking the silence.
"A-and you know what I did Kyo...? I took his advice and fled on the spot abandoning the mission, no organization...
His voice cracked slightly as he continued.
"It was freezing cold that night I'll never forget. I ran and ran... hours on end in the snow until they couldn't keep up..."
Winter's voice trailed off, his hands trembling slightly as the painful memories threatened to overwhelm him. His eyes took on a distant, haunted look as he relived that frigid night of his escape.
A soft weight landed in his lap, startling him back to the present. Elliot had leaped onto him, purring loudly as she headbutted his chest. Despite himself, a small smile tugged at Winter's lips.
"Thanks, girl," he murmured, scratching behind her ears.
"You know, Kyo," Winter said, continuing to pet Elliot while his voice grew stronger, "these struggles, painful as they are... they shape us. Make us who we are."
He looked up, meeting Kyo's concerned gaze with newfound steadiness.
"Sometimes we just need a reminder that we're not alone anymore," Winter added with a genuine smile.