Finn leaned back against the wall, letting out a long breath. The confrontation with Marcus had taken more out of him than he wanted to admit. His hands were still shaking slightly.

’You did well, Bearer,’ Nyx said, settling beside him. Her hood was up, but he could feel the warmth of her shoulder against his. ’Firm, but not antagonistic. A delicate balance.’

’I don’t think I’m cut out for it,’ Finn thought back. The adrenaline was fading, leaving him hollowed out. ’If things had gone wrong and his group turned on us—’

’Then we would have handled it.’ Her voice was calm, unwavering. ’Together.;

Finn glanced sideways at her. In the pale blue light of the Safe Zone, her crimson eyes seemed to glow beneath the shadow of her hood.

’Together,’ he echoed, and despite everything, he felt the corner of his mouth lift. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

They sat in companionable silence for a while, watching the camp. The Marshals had returned to their posts, but Finn noticed more than a few glances being thrown their way—some curious, some calculating. News of their supply run had clearly spread.

After a moment, Nyx stirred.

’Bearer. The child.’

Finn followed her gaze. The little girl with the rabbit was awake, blinking owlishly in her mother’s lap. As he watched, she reached for her stuffed toy—and the loose ear finally gave way, tumbling forlornly to the tarmac.

The girl stared at it for a long moment. Then her face crumpled.

Finn was on his feet before he quite knew what he was doing. He crossed the car park in a few long strides, aware of Nyx shadowing him like a ghost.

The girl’s mother looked up as he approached, wariness and exhaustion warring in her eyes.

"Hey," Finn said softly, crouching down to the child’s level. "What’s your rabbit’s name?"

The girl hiccoughed, peering at him through her tears. "B-Bun-bun."

"Bun-bun? That’s a great name." Finn reached out slowly, telegraphing his movements, and picked up the severed ear. "Looks like Bun-bun had a bit of an accident, huh?"

She nodded miserably.

"Well, I bet we can fix that." He glanced at the mother. "May I?"

After a moment, she nodded again.

Carefully, Finn took the rabbit from the girl’s unresisting hands. He pulled the spool of thread from his pocket, swiped from the Tesco’s sewing aisle, and got to work. Nyx watched him intently.

His stitches were clumsy, uneven, but they held. In a minute, Bun-bun’s ear was reattached, flopping good as new.

"There," Finn said, handing the rabbit back. "All better."

The girl clutched Bun-bun to her chest, wonder dawning on her tearstained face. "What do we say, Lucy?" her mother prompted gently.

"Thank you," Lucy whispered.

Finn smiled. "You’re welcome." He stood, nodding to the mother, and turned to go.

Nyx fell into step beside him as they walked back to their spot. She was quiet, but he could feel her eyes on him, considering.

’What?’ he asked finally.

’Nothing,’ she replied. But he caught the edge of a smile beneath her hood. ’It suits you, that’s all. Fixing things.’

Finn ducked his head, suddenly glad for the dimness. ’It was just a torn seam.’

’It was more than that, and you know it.’

He didn’t argue. Couldn’t, really, with the warmth unfurling in his chest.

They reached their wall and settled back into their positions, Nyx’s shoulder brushing his. Finn fished a can of beans from his rucksack and set about opening it, his mind turning over the day’s events.

They’d somehow survived. They’d scavenged supplies, faced down monsters, navigated the uneasy politics of the camp. Small victories, but victories all the same.

And through it all, Nyx had been there. A steady presence at his side. Her background was still a mystery. But he knew, with a sudden fierce certainty, that he was lucky to have her.

’Careful, Bearer,’ Nyx murmured, amusement coloring her tone. ’You’re thinking loudly again.’

Finn huffed a laugh. ’Sorry.’’

’Don’t be.’ Her voice softened. ’I quite enjoy listening to your thoughts.’

He glanced at her, startled, but she was looking out over the car park, a small secret smile playing about her lips.

Finn shook his head and turned back to his beans. The world may have ended, but somehow, impossibly, he’d found something good in the wreckage.

He’d found her.

And for now, in this moment, that was enough.

-

The night deepened around them, the pale blue glow of the Safe Zone dome fading to a softer silver. Finn finished his beans in contemplative silence, hyper-aware of Nyx’s presence at his side.

After a while, he set the empty can aside and leaned his head back against the wall, exhaustion settling heavy on his shoulders.

’Bearer? ’What troubles you?’

Finn hesitated. But something about the darkness, the stillness, loosened his tongue.

’I was alone too, you know,’ he said quietly. ’Before all this. Before meeting you.’

He felt Nyx go still beside him. ’Alone?’

’Yeah. No family. No real friends. Just me, my shitty apartment, and a job that barely covered the bills.’ He laughed bitterly. "I deserved it, I suppose. But still, the loneliness... it eats away at you."

Nyx shifted to look at him, her brow furrowed with concern. "Why would you say that, Bearer? No one should have to be alone, not even you."

He shook his head, jaw clenched tight. "After what I did... I deserve it."

Silence stretched between them, heavy with things unsaid. Then, slowly, tentatively, Nyx leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I won’t pry since you asked me not to. But if you ever want to talk about it, I’m here to listen"

Finn’s breath caught. A lump rose in his throat, sudden and sharp. He blinked hard, grateful for the darkness.

"...Thanks."

"You should rest," Nyx whispered. "I can take first watch."

Finn wanted to argue, to insist on taking first shift. But his eyelids were already drooping, his body heavy with fatigue.

"Wake me in a couple hours to switch." He mumbled, letting his eyes slip closed. "Don’t let me sleep too long."

"I won’t. Now sleep."

Finn’s eyes slid shut as exhaustion claimed him.

And he dreamed.

-

He was fourteen again, standing in the kitchen of his childhood home. Late afternoon sunlight slanted through the windows, painting everything in a deceptively warm glow.

"Mum?" he called, setting his school bag on the counter. "I’m home!"

It was silent. The house was never this quiet. Unease prickled along his spine.

"Mum?"

He moved through the house, dread mounting with every step. The living room, empty. The bedroom, empty. The bathroom—

Finn stopped dead in the doorway.

His mother hung from the showerhead, a rope tight around her neck. Her face was mottled, bloated, her eyes bulging sightlessly. Her feet dangled inches above a kicked-over stool.

Finn’s scream stuck in his throat, choking him. He staggered back, hit the wall, slid to the floor. This couldn’t be real. It couldn’t. It was a nightmare, a horrible, awful nightmare, and any second now he’d wake up, he’d wake up, he’d wake—

-

"Bearer!"

Finn jolted awake with a gasp. For a terrifying moment, he didn’t know where he was. Then he registered the hard ground beneath him, the chill air, the pale dome above.

The Safe Zone.

"Bearer." Cool hands cupped his face, crimson eyes staring into his with concern. "You were dreaming."

Finn sucked in a shaky breath, then another. His heart was pounding, his shirt damp with sweat.

"I’m okay," he said shakily. "I’m okay. Just a... just a nightmare."

Nyx searched his face for a long moment. Then, wordlessly, she drew him into her arms.

Finn stiffened, startled. But Nyx just held him, her slim body surprisingly strong, surprisingly warm. Slowly, incrementally, he relaxed into her embrace.

They stayed like that for a long time, Finn’s face pressed into the crook of her neck, Nyx’s fingers carding gently through his hair.

"This always helped when I had bad dreams as a kid," Nyx murmured. "Is this okay?"

Finn nodded against her. "Yeah. Thanks."

.

.

.

Morning found them still entwined, Finn’s head on Nyx’s shoulder, Nyx’s cheek resting against his hair. Finn blinked awake slowly, groggily, feeling like he’d barely slept at all.

"Morning," Nyx said softly, her cheek on his hair.

Finn smiled tiredly against her neck. "Morning."

A new day dawned over the end of the world, and together, they rose to meet it.