CHAPTER — THE PUNCHLINE
MATURE CONTENT WARNING
This chapter contains explicit sexual dialogue, full nudity, sexualized humiliation and harassment, dark/adult humor, discussion of coercion and sexual submission, amputation/disfigurement trauma, emotional abuse, severe trauma responses, and intense psychological distress.
Some sexual dialogue in this chapter occurs during a character's psychological breakdown and is intentionally portrayed as unhealthy and self-destructive.
Skip if you do not like heavy romance
Reader discretion is strongly advised.
A laugh came from one of the auxiliary beds.
Nobody recognized it.
A man lay against the wall with bandages around his ribs and no surviving insignia anyone could identify.
Apparently, he had been awake for a while.
His eyes were fixed on Eris's partition.
"So that's the God of War?"
Kaosu looked over.
"What about her?"
The man smiled.
"Nothing. Just expected more arms."
Raiyo's expression flattened.
"Don't."
"What?"
The stranger looked genuinely innocent.
"War finally got disarmed. Somewhere, a pacifist just got an erection."
Nyxus stopped halfway through a bite.
Kaosu stared at the man.
"You got about five seconds to become less funny."
The stranger laughed.
"Less funny?"
His eyes returned to the partition.
"She retires now? Shame. I was about to ask if War does private parties."
Yamiya slowly closed her notebook.
"That's enough."
"Oh, come on."
The stranger adjusted himself against the bed.
"She's still attractive. Now she just comes with fifty percent fewer ways to say no."
The room changed.
Nobody laughed.
The stranger noticed.
And smiled wider.
That was when Raiyo understood.
The man wasn't failing to read the room.
He was reading it perfectly.
The discomfort was the point.
Kaosu stepped forward.
"Say another one."
Aoikishi looked toward him.
"Kaosu."
"No. I want to hear how fucking stupid he plans to be."
The stranger raised his hands.
"Well."
His eyes flicked toward Eris's empty side.
"Hand."
Raiyo's fingers touched his sword.
The stranger immediately noticed.
"Jesus, swordsman, calm down. If anybody here should appreciate reduced limb count, I figured it'd be you."
Raiyo drew the blade one inch.
The stranger laughed.
"What? Going to cut my sense of humor?"
Raiyo's face remained perfectly still.
"No."
Steel whispered against the sheath.
"Your relationship with the exit."
Noctis opened one eye.
"I recommend accepting the offer."
The stranger ignored him.
"God of War, huh?"
His gaze returned to the partition.
"I guess foreplay gets interesting when your safe word is 'ceasefire.'"
Kaosu moved.
Aoikishi caught him by the shoulder.
"Let me go."
"No."
"He gets one more."
"That is precisely why I'm holding you."
The partition opened.
Nobody noticed at first.
Eris stood there.
Barely.
Her left hand held the frame.
The recovery gown hung loosely around a body that had not remotely finished recovering.
Her hair had been cleaned, but several strands still fell unevenly around a pale face exhausted by blood loss and sleeplessness.
Dark bruises remained along her ribs.
Bandages disappeared beneath the gown.
One side of her still looked unmistakably like the body of a fighter—strong shoulder, conditioned arm, narrow waist, powerful thighs supporting her despite the tremor in her knees.
The other side destroyed the symmetry.
Her right shoulder simply ended.
There was no arm beneath the sleeve.
No hidden outline.
Nothing waiting to return.
The stranger looked at her.
Slowly.
Far too slowly.
Eris noticed.
His smile paused.
Then returned.
"Oh, shit."
His eyes traveled over her again.
"You know, nobody mentioned you were actually gorgeous."
Kaosu's jaw tightened.
The stranger leaned back.
"Kind of buried the headline."
Eris didn't move.
"Face like that and everybody's worried about the missing arm?"
He shrugged.
"Men have ignored bigger red flags for less."
Raiyo's blade moved another fraction from the sheath.
"Careful."
The stranger glanced toward him.
"What? I'm complimenting her."
Eris laughed.
Tiny.
Unexpected.
The stranger pointed at her.
"There."
"She understands."
Eris looked down at herself.
Then back at him.
"You think I'm pretty?"
Yamiya turned.
"Eris—"
"No."
Eris kept watching the stranger.
"I'm asking him."
He looked her over again.
"Pretty?"
A pause.
"Yeah."
His eyes dropped.
"More than pretty."
Eris's mouth twitched.
"So you'd still look."
"I am looking."
That answer hit her.
Yamiya saw it.
Not pleasure.
Relief.
That frightened her more.
The stranger continued.
"You've still got a body half this room would make terrible decisions over."
Eris laughed.
Wet this time.
"Still got a body."
"Definitely."
Her remaining hand moved down the recovery gown.
"Still got the parts men actually give a shit about."
Nobody answered.
The stranger did.
"Well."
His gaze lowered again.
"I wasn't going to say it."
Kaosu snapped toward him.
"You were absolutely going to say it."
"Eventually."
Eris watched him watching her.
Her shoulders straightened.
Barely.
His gaze had become proof.
If someone still wanted to look—
maybe something remained worth looking at.
Yamiya stood.
"Eris."
Eris turned.
"You're looking too."
Yamiya didn't deny it.
"Yes."
That stopped Eris.
"Do you like what you see?"
Kaosu found the ceiling fascinating.
Raiyo rubbed his forehead.
Nyxus whispered:
"Oh, this got dangerous."
Yamiya ignored them.
This was no longer conversation.
It was combat with different consequences.
Eris kept escalating.
Every reaction encouraged the next escalation.
Pulling her backward would make her fight.
Looking away would confirm what she was trying to prove.
Yamiya needed Eris choosing responses instead of choosing exits.
Control distance.
Redirect momentum.
Make the next move depend on an answer.
Yamiya met her eye.
"You're beautiful."
Eris froze.
The stranger whistled.
"Well, shit."
Eris stared at Yamiya.
"You mean that?"
"Yes."
A smile appeared.
Small.
Real enough to hurt.
"So you like looking."
Yamiya hesitated.
Wrong.
Eris immediately noticed.
"There."
She stepped closer.
"Come on."
Yamiya adjusted.
"If you need me to admit I like looking at you…"
A faint smile.
"…fine."
Eris's eyebrows rose.
"I do."
Silence.
Eris smiled slowly.
"Careful."
"Why?"
"You sound like you're flirting."
Yamiya tilted her head.
"I am."
Kaosu turned toward Raiyo.
Raiyo turned toward Kaosu.
Neither had prepared for this.
Yamiya added:
"A little."
Eris laughed.
"You're terrible at it."
"I'm improvising."
"Terrible excuse."
"You're still talking to me."
Eris paused.
Yamiya smiled.
"So apparently I'm doing something right."
"You're distracting me."
"Yes."
"At least lie."
"No."
Eris stared.
Yamiya lowered her voice.
"You asked if I liked looking at you."
"Yes."
"I answered."
"Badly."
Yamiya looked her over.
Deliberately this time.
Then returned to her face.
Eris smiled.
"Better."
The stranger leaned forward.
"She asked about the body."
Yamiya didn't look at him.
"I know."
Eris's smile widened.
"Specifics."
Yamiya sighed.
"Your eyes."
"Safe."
"Your face."
"Still safe."
"Your legs."
Eris blinked.
Yamiya almost smiled.
"There."
Eris laughed.
"You hesitated."
"I was being polite."
"Don't."
Yamiya raised an eyebrow.
"You don't want polite?"
"Not if you're flirting."
"Fine."
Yamiya stepped a little closer.
"Your legs are gorgeous."
Eris went still.
"And you have a beautiful figure."
"Better."
"And that mouth is dangerous."
Eris grinned.
"Because I talk too much?"
Yamiya's gaze dropped to Eris's lips.
"Among other possibilities."
The room died.
Raiyo turned his face away.
Nyxus covered his mouth.
Kaosu stared at Yamiya like she had spontaneously become a different person.
Eris flushed.
Only slightly.
Enough.
"Oh, fuck you."
Yamiya smiled.
"You asked."
"That was deliberate."
"Yes."
"Bitch."
"Still talking."
Eris stepped closer.
"Would you kiss me?"
Yamiya paused.
Eris caught the pause.
"Interesting."
"This is a terrible time to ask."
"That sounds like yes."
"It sounds like terrible timing."
"Still not a no."
Yamiya exhaled.
"Ask me tomorrow."
Eris stopped.
Tomorrow.
The word mattered.
Yamiya saw it land.
Not never.
Tomorrow.
A future.
Eris smiled.
"Promise?"
"If you remain alive long enough to annoy me tomorrow."
"Deal."
Yamiya stored that away immediately.
One promise to exist tomorrow.
The stranger groaned.
"Jesus. Get a room."
Eris looked toward him.
Wrong direction.
Yamiya pulled her back.
"Eyes here."
Eris froze.
Then smiled slowly.
"That sounded dirty."
"Good."
"Bossy."
"Currently necessary."
"You like telling me what to do?"
Yamiya's eyebrow rose.
"You really want me answering that in front of these people?"
Eris grinned.
"Yes."
Yamiya leaned slightly closer.
"Then behave."
Eris actually bit her lip to keep from laughing.
For several seconds she looked almost—
alive.
Then her gaze dropped to herself.
The warmth disappeared.
"Maybe this is all I'm good for now."
Yamiya's expression changed.
"No."
Eris looked toward the stranger.
"One arm."
He watched.
"Less resistance."
"Eris."
"Easier to handle."
Silence.
"Easier to hold down."
Yamiya stepped closer.
Eris stepped backward.
"Don't."
Yamiya stopped.
Immediately.
"Okay."
That bothered Eris.
"Okay?"
"You said don't."
"You're not going to grab me?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you said don't."
Eris stared.
The simplicity of it seemed almost offensive.
The stranger broke the silence.
"You people are terrible at commitment."
Eris smiled at him.
"Easier to fuck."
The room went dead.
His expression changed.
"There she is."
Eris laughed.
She tapped her chest.
"There."
"Was that dirty enough?"
"Getting warmer."
Yamiya cut in.
"I liked you better when you were flirting with me."
Eris's head turned immediately.
Perfect.
"Jealous?"
Yamiya made the decision instantly.
"Yes."
Everyone looked at her.
Eris most of all.
"Oh?"
"He's annoying."
"That's your excuse?"
"Do I need another?"
"Maybe."
Yamiya stepped closer.
"Maybe I don't like sharing your attention."
Eris stared.
"You are absolutely flirting now."
"Good."
"Good?"
Yamiya lowered her voice.
"Keep looking at me."
Eris swallowed.
There.
Anchor.
"You want my attention?" Yamiya asked.
"Yes."
Too fast.
Too honest.
Yamiya's chest tightened.
"Then keep it here."
Eris did.
Yamiya continued.
"If she'd taken more?"
Eris's expression weakened.
"You'd still look?"
"Yes."
"If she'd taken everything?"
Yamiya paused.
Eris caught it.
"What?"
"If Discordia had taken everything…"
Yamiya's voice went quiet.
"…I'd be too busy killing her to flirt with you."
Eris stared.
Something warm entered her face.
Not sexual.
Not entirely.
Something more.
Eris swallowed.
"Nice."
Yamiya smiled.
"Don't tell anyone."
The stranger made an exaggerated gagging sound.
Eris looked toward him.
Yamiya immediately reclaimed her.
"Hey."
Eris looked back.
"Eyes here."
That smile returned.
"Say it again."
"What?"
"Eyes here."
Yamiya narrowed hers.
"You're enjoying this."
"Maybe."
"Fine."
Yamiya stepped closer.
"Eyes. Here."
Eris's smile widened.
"Fuck."
Yamiya almost laughed.
Then Eris's fingers curled around the gown.
"Maybe I should give you something better to look at."
Yamiya's stomach tightened.
"You don't have to."
"I know."
That mattered.
Eris pulled.
Slowly.
The hem rose.
An inch.
Then another.
Kaosu turned away first.
Raiyo followed.
Noctis closed his eyes.
Nyxus stared intently at the wall.
Aoikishi turned his face aside.
The stranger kept looking.
Eris saw every reaction.
She pulled the gown free.
It fell around her feet.
Eris stood naked in the infirmary.
There was no abstraction left now.
The damage had nowhere to hide.
Her body still carried the unmistakable shape of a warrior: toned legs, a narrow waist, defined abdomen softened by exhaustion, the remaining shoulder and arm built by years of combat.
Bruises disrupted the lines of her hips and ribs.
Bandaging crossed injuries that had not completely closed.
Her skin was marked by healing cuts and impacts.
And the entire balance of her body had changed around the missing arm.
Her stance still unconsciously tried to account for weight that no longer existed.
Her remaining shoulder compensated.
Her torso tilted by fractions whenever fatigue won.
She stood barefoot on cold flooring.
Bare skin.
Bandages.
Bruises.
One arm.
No armor.
No divine presentation.
Nothing between her and everybody's reaction.
She tried to make it look confident.
Her shaking knees betrayed her.
The stranger stared openly.
Eris caught him.
"Better?"
His eyes traveled over her.
"Yeah."
"Still gorgeous?"
"Definitely."
The answer visibly relieved her.
That frightened Yamiya.
Eris shifted slightly.
Almost posing.
Almost.
"You like the view?"
The stranger smiled.
"I'm not complaining."
Eris turned toward Yamiya.
"You?"
Yamiya did not look away.
She let herself look.
Actually look.
Eris was not some blank silhouette standing behind the word naked.
She was a badly injured woman whose body still carried strength and beauty despite the damage.
Her proportions were athletic rather than delicate—strong legs, visible conditioning through her core, a naturally curved waist and hips that the loose hospital clothing had hidden.
And then there was the asymmetry.
Impossible to ignore.
Impossible to pretend did not change the image.
Yamiya took all of it in.
Then returned deliberately to Eris's face.
Eris raised an eyebrow.
"Well?"
"You're fucking beautiful."
Eris stopped breathing for half a second.
Yamiya added:
"And yes."
A pause.
"I like the view."
Eris grinned.
"There she is."
Yamiya felt heat in her face.
Eris stepped closer.
Still naked.
Still trembling.
"Want a closer look?"
"Dangerous question."
"Scared?"
"No."
"Then look."
Yamiya did.
Briefly.
Eris caught her.
"Again."
"You're demanding."
"You're blushing."
"You're naked."
"That sounds like an excuse."
"It's a fairly strong one."
Eris laughed.
Yamiya did too.
Quietly.
Then Eris's gaze sharpened.
"You're still dressed."
Yamiya froze.
"So?"
Eris looked down at herself.
Then at Yamiya.
"This is uneven."
"It isn't a competition."
"Everything is a competition."
"That sounds like Kaosu."
"Take it back."
Yamiya smiled.
For a moment, it worked.
Then Eris looked toward the door.
Discordia.
Yamiya saw it.
Eris noticed her noticing.
Her expression changed.
"You want me to stay?"
"Yes."
"Then stop standing over there pretending you understand."
Yamiya went still.
Eris gestured toward herself.
"You want me standing here like this while everybody turns away?"
"They turned away because you wanted a reaction."
"Bullshit."
Eris's eyes hardened.
"You want me to stay?"
"Yes."
"Prove it."
Yamiya knew exactly what Eris meant before she said it.
"Stand here with me."
Kaosu's head moved slightly toward them.
Yamiya's voice hardened.
"Don't."
Kaosu faced the wall again.
Eris watched Yamiya.
"Or I leave."
"Eris."
"I know where Discordia is."
That killed the room.
Yamiya stared at her.
Eris's eyes were glassy.
Unstable.
But the threat was real.
"You want me here?"
She spread her remaining hand.
"Join me."
Yamiya had several possible responses.
Argue.
Restrain her.
Call Aoikishi.
Block the door.
Every one of those transformed the room into a cage.
Eris would fight.
And if Eris fought hard enough—
Discordia became the direction opposite them.
Yamiya made the calculation.
Fine.
She took off her jacket.
Eris blinked.
The stranger sat up.
Yamiya folded the jacket.
Set it aside.
Then removed her shirt.
Kaosu made a strangled sound while facing the wall.
Yamiya ignored him.
Underneath, she wore a simple black bra—practical rather than decorative, the kind chosen because it disappeared beneath clothing and stayed where it was supposed to during movement.
Eris stared.
Yamiya noticed.
"Something funny?"
Eris smiled.
"No."
"Then stop looking so pleased."
"Make me."
Yamiya unfastened her trousers.
Stepped out of them.
The room became even quieter.
Yamiya was built differently from Eris.
Leaner.
A little more compact.
Long legs and a narrow waist, with softer curves through her hips than the severe lines of her clothing usually suggested.
Her body looked less like something deliberately trained for war and more like something that had learned survival anyway.
Eris was openly staring now.
Yamiya caught her.
"Enjoying yourself?"
Eris's smile became unmistakably flirtatious.
"Maybe."
"Good."
Yamiya's hand moved to the bra clasp.
Eris blinked.
"You're actually doing it."
"You threatened to run to Discordia."
"That usually gets people to restrain me."
"I'm trying something new."
Yamiya removed the bra.
Set it with the rest.
The stranger whispered:
"Holy shit."
Yamiya looked toward him.
"Eyes elsewhere."
He laughed.
"Not a chance."
Raiyo finally spoke while still staring at the wall.
"I can fix that."
The stranger quieted.
Yamiya hooked her thumbs beneath the final garment.
She hesitated.
Only once.
Eris saw.
"You can stop."
Yamiya looked at her.
That was interesting.
The same Eris who had threatened to leave was giving her an exit.
Yamiya smiled faintly.
"No."
She finished undressing.
Nothing remained.
Yamiya stood completely naked opposite Eris.
For several seconds—
Eris forgot to spiral.
Yamiya was lean and proportionate, with a controlled, almost understated physicality her layered clothing usually hid.
Long legs.
A defined waist.
Soft curvature through her hips.
A flat, lightly conditioned stomach.
Narrow shoulders held with habitual composure.
There was nothing theatrical about her body.
That somehow made Eris stare harder.
Yamiya stood with considerably more dignity naked than Kaosu managed fully clothed.
Eris's mouth slowly curved.
"Wow."
Yamiya folded her arms.
"Very sophisticated."
"I told you. Vocabulary impairment."
"Convenient."
Eris looked her over again.
Not subtly.
"You're hot."
Yamiya's face warmed.
"You forced me to strip. You can do better than 'hot.'"
Eris laughed.
"Oh, you want a review?"
"I want effort."
Eris looked again.
Slowly.
Yamiya allowed it.
"Fine."
Eris smiled.
"You're really fucking pretty."
"Better."
"Your clothes are criminal."
"That sounds dramatic."
"They've been hiding all of this."
Yamiya's eyebrow rose.
"You're recovering remarkably quickly."
"Motivation."
Despite herself, Yamiya laughed.
The stranger watched both of them with naked fascination.
Eris noticed.
Then looked back at Yamiya.
"Turn around."
Yamiya stared at her.
"Buy me dinner."
Eris burst out laughing.
A real laugh.
Yamiya smiled.
There.
Another foothold.
Eris wiped at her eyes.
"Fuck you."
"Tomorrow."
Eris stopped.
Yamiya realized what she had said.
So did everybody else.
Nyxus made a very small choking sound.
Kaosu whispered:
"Holy shit."
Yamiya closed her eyes.
Eris's grin became enormous.
"That was not strategy."
Yamiya opened her eyes.
"It was absolutely strategy."
"Bullshit."
"Stay alive until tomorrow and argue with me then."
Eris's grin softened.
"Deal."
Tomorrow again.
Yamiya had gotten her there twice.
The stranger shook his head.
"You two are making this infirmary extremely difficult to leave."
Yamiya ignored him.
Eris stepped closer.
Now both women were naked.
No clothing.
No armor.
Nothing to hide behind except language.
Eris smiled.
"You know, if this is stabilization therapy, your technique is questionable."
Yamiya's eyes dropped over her once.
"Effective."
"Are you checking me out?"
"Yes."
The direct answer made Eris blink.
Yamiya smiled.
"You wanted dirty."
Eris laughed.
"Keep going."
Yamiya stepped closer.
"You look good enough that under different circumstances I would be making significantly worse decisions."
Eris stared at her.
"Different circumstances?"
"Less blood."
"Fair."
"More sleep."
"Boring."
"And preferably fewer spectators."
Eris glanced around.
"Coward."
"Standards."
Eris looked at her.
"Would you actually?"
Yamiya didn't answer immediately.
The pause did more than an answer would have.
Eris smiled.
"Oh."
"Don't."
"You would."
"I said nothing."
"You're terrible at hiding things."
Yamiya tilted her head.
"So are you."
That changed Eris's face.
Yamiya continued before the darkness could return.
"If you're trying to get me to confess something while you're naked, emotionally unstable, and technically my patient…"
"I'm not your patient."
"…then you're abusing the power dynamic."
Eris stared.
Then laughed.
"Did you just accuse the naked traumatized woman of abusing you?"
"Yes."
"Unbelievable."
"I'm brave."
"You're an idiot."
"Also possible."
Eris's laughter faded into something softer.
She looked at Yamiya.
Really looked.
"If she'd taken more?"
Yamiya's smile disappeared.
"You'd still flirt?"
"Yes."
"If she'd taken everything?"
Yamiya paused.
Eris caught it.
"What?"
"If Discordia had taken everything…"
Yamiya stepped closer.
"…I'd be too busy killing her to flirt with you."
Eris's expression broke open.
Warm.
Painful.
Almost adoring.
"Yamiya…"
"What?"
"I think I might love you a little."
CHAPTER — TOMORROW
MATURE CONTENT WARNING
This chapter contains full nudity, explicit sexual dialogue, trauma-driven hypersexual behavior, sexualized self-degradation, references to coercion and abuse, severe psychological distress, blood and injury, and an on-page self-harm attempt.
The chapter also contains discussion of worthlessness, loss of bodily autonomy, self-destructive thoughts, and characters intervening during an acute mental-health crisis.
Reader discretion is strongly advised.
Nobody spoke.
Yamiya's heart slammed once.
Strategy.
Stay focused.
Keep Eris here.
She could analyze everything else later.
Yamiya gave her a small smile.
"Terrible judgment."
Eris laughed.
"That's your response?"
"You met me this week."
"So?"
"I could be awful."
"You got naked because I threatened to run away."
Yamiya stared.
"That is not evidence in your favor."
Eris smiled.
"It is to me."
Yamiya's expression softened despite herself.
That—
was not strategy.
Probably.
She chose not to investigate.
Then Eris's smile disappeared.
"Maybe Discordia already made me her bitch."
Yamiya's entire posture changed.
Eris continued.
"She took what she wanted."
Her hand touched her chest.
"So maybe next time I make it easy."
Yamiya moved closer.
"Eris."
"Maybe she can pin me down."
Eris stared into her eyes.
"Would that make it sexy enough?"
Yamiya did not recoil.
"No."
Eris flinched.
Yamiya caught it.
"You flirting with me?"
She lowered her voice.
"Very."
Eris stared.
"Discordia hurting you?"
Yamiya's face went cold.
"I'd kill her first."
Warmth returned to Eris's expression.
Yamiya stepped even closer.
"If I wanted you on your knees…"
Eris stopped breathing.
Yamiya's mouth curved.
"…I'd ask you myself."
Eris stared.
Yamiya added:
"She doesn't get to steal my lines."
Silence.
Then Eris laughed.
Softly.
"Fuck."
Yamiya's face warmed.
Eris smiled at her.
"That was dirty."
"I'm learning."
"Possessive."
"Strategic."
"Bullshit."
Maybe.
Yamiya did not examine it.
Eris looked down at their bodies.
Then back up.
"Maybe I spread my legs and save everybody the fucking trouble."
The room died.
Yamiya stayed in front of her.
Eris waited for disgust.
Yamiya recognized it.
The actual attack.
Reject me.
Prove I'm ruined.
Yamiya refused.
Instead she tilted her head.
"That is a terrible proposition."
Eris blinked.
"What?"
"You can do better."
Eris stared.
Then laughed.
"You are fucking insane."
"ACT membership requirement."
Her laugh fractured.
Became a sob.
Yamiya's teasing vanished.
But she stayed exactly where she was.
Eris looked down.
"She laughed too."
The stranger spoke from across the room.
"Who?"
Eris's eyes moved toward him.
"Discordia."
"Every time I got back up…"
Her voice dropped.
"…she laughed."
Yamiya watched Eris's hand.
"Every time I figured out how to fight with what she left me…"
Eris swallowed.
"…she found something else."
Tears ran down her face.
"When she took this…"
She looked toward her missing side.
"She laughed."
The stranger chuckled.
"Well."
He shrugged.
"Sounds like she knew how to commit to a bit."
Eris laughed.
Hard.
Too hard.
Yamiya saw the glance.
Medical tray.
The shift of weight.
The hand opening.
A tell.
"Eris?"
Eris moved.
Metal scattered.
The scalpel flashed.
Yamiya lunged.
She caught Eris's wrist.
Too late to prevent the first sharp streak of red.
"ERIS!"
Eris twisted.
"LET GO!"
"No!"
The blade turned back toward her.
Yamiya threw her weight over Eris's arm.
Both women struck the edge of the bed.
Skin against skin.
Bare limbs tangled only because Yamiya was fighting desperately for leverage.
Nothing about it was graceful.
Nothing was remotely sexy anymore.
Eris's breathing came apart beneath her.
But some fractured piece of her mind registered the absurdity anyway.
Yamiya—
finally this close.
Eris gave a broken laugh through the tears.
"You finally get on top of me now?"
Yamiya stared at her.
"Are you seriously flirting?"
"Coping."
"Terribly."
"Still counts."
The scalpel moved another inch.
Yamiya shoved the wrist away.
"DROP IT."
"No!"
"Eris!"
"Get off me!"
"DROP THE FUCKING SCALPEL!"
Eris looked up at her.
For one strange instant, despite the tears and panic—
she smiled.
"You're really pretty from here."
Yamiya's expression broke.
"Jesus fucking Christ."
Eris laughed.
Then tried to turn the blade again.
Yamiya's humor vanished.
"HELP!"
Nobody moved.
Half a second.
Every man in the room had spent the last several minutes very deliberately not looking at two naked women.
Yamiya snapped her head around.
"NOW WOULD BE A GREAT FUCKING TIME TO DEVELOP MATURITY!"
Kaosu turned first.
"Oh, shit."
Raiyo followed.
Aoikishi was already moving.
Kaosu grabbed Eris's forearm.
Aoikishi locked her wrist.
Raiyo drew.
His blade never touched Eris.
"Micro-cut."
Eris's fingers stopped obeying.
The scalpel dropped.
Nyxus kicked it across the floor.
It vanished beneath a cabinet.
Eris screamed.
Not from the cut.
From losing the option.
"GIVE IT BACK!"
Aoikishi held her safely.
"No."
"GIVE IT BACK!"
Yamiya stayed directly over her for one second longer.
Breathing hard.
Terrified.
Then shifted back enough to give Eris space without abandoning her.
Eris stared up at her.
"You stopped me."
"Yes."
"I hate you."
"I know."
"No, you don't."
Yamiya's eyes filled.
"Then hate me tomorrow."
Eris froze.
Tomorrow.
Again.
Yamiya's voice shook.
"You can flirt with me tomorrow."
Eris's breath caught.
"You can insult me tomorrow."
Tears ran down Yamiya's face now too.
"You can ask me every disgusting question you can think of tomorrow."
Eris stared.
"But you have to fucking be here tomorrow."
Silence.
Eris's face crumpled.
The stranger started laughing.
Kaosu turned slowly.
"Holy shit."
The man shook his head.
"War really does have an off switch."
Nyxus put his food down.
"Stop."
The stranger looked at him.
"The snack guy grew a moral compass."
Nyxus didn't smile.
"She was laughing before."
"So?"
Nyxus looked toward Eris.
Then back at him.
"She isn't now."
The stranger shrugged.
"Looks like laughing to me."
Nyxus shook his head.
"No."
No food.
No stupid question.
No grin.
"She isn't."
Kaosu stepped beside him.
"You heard him."
Raiyo drew an inch of steel.
Noctis opened both eyes.
"I have spent a considerable portion of my life assigning costs to actions."
The stranger looked over.
Noctis gestured toward the exit.
"You are becoming expensive."
The man snorted.
"Is everybody in this faction fucking insane?"
Yamiya never looked away from Eris.
"Yes."
Then:
"You should still leave."
Aoikishi pointed toward the door.
The stranger looked toward Eris and Yamiya one final time.
Nothing clever came.
He left.
The door closed.
Nobody moved for several seconds.
Then Kaosu, still staring extremely hard at the ceiling, grabbed two blankets.
He threw one toward Yamiya.
Raiyo caught it without looking.
Passed it backward.
Yamiya wrapped herself.
Aoikishi gave the other to Eris.
She accepted it.
That mattered too.
Eventually—
Eris whispered:
"I'm sorry."
Aoikishi crouched nearby.
"For what?"
"For making everybody stop."
Nyxus answered first.
"You didn't."
Eris looked toward him.
"He did."
Then Eris looked at Yamiya.
Yamiya's wet hair clung lightly against her face.
The blanket was wrapped tightly around her shoulders.
Eris gave a tiny, exhausted smile.
"You actually got naked."
Yamiya looked at her.
"You threatened to go to Discordia."
"That works?"
"Once."
Eris laughed weakly.
"So I shouldn't try it tomorrow?"
Yamiya's mouth curved.
"Tomorrow you can try asking normally."
Eris swallowed.
"Tomorrow."
"Yes."
A pause.
"You still think I'm beautiful?"
"Yes."
"Still like looking?"
Yamiya's smile became faintly dangerous again.
"Ask me when there aren't six traumatized witnesses."
Kaosu, still facing away, shouted:
"THERE ARE MORE THAN SIX PEOPLE IN HERE."
Yamiya closed her eyes.
Eris laughed.
Actually laughed.
Small.
Exhausted.
Real.
Then her face collapsed.
Yamiya held out her hand.
Eris ignored it.
She leaned into Yamiya's shoulder instead.
Yamiya froze.
Then carefully let Eris choose the distance.
Eris cried.
Yamiya stayed.
Whether everything before had been strategy—
or attraction—
or some irresponsible mixture of both—
could wait.
Nobody told Eris she was strong.
Nobody told her surviving made it worthwhile.
Nobody tried to make it inspirational.
And nobody laughed at her.
For once—
they just let it hurt.