8:47
Jin crumples to the ground—but not trapped. Free now, even without power.
Rael wraps an arm around him, holding him close—like he might vanish at any moment. He pulls Jin's face against his chest, resting their foreheads together.
Jin's fingers tangle in Rael's shirt. He buries his face in the familiar scent of his skin. Just breathes, for one fragile moment.
A shadow falls over them. They both look up.
The old one stares down at them, smiling—not angry, but *cold*.
8:49
> "**You broke the chain,"** the ancient voice says, calm—almost amused.
> **"But not the desire."**
With a slow, deliberate gesture, it lifts one hand—not to attack… but to point directly at Jin.
> **"It lives in your breath,"** it whispers.
> **"In your pulse. In every time you look at him and feel *more* than man was meant to bear."**
Rael growls low in his throat—pulls Jin tighter.
But then—the being takes a step back.
Into shadow.
Deeper… deeper…
Until only its eyes remain glowing in the dark.
And its final words ripple through the chamber like dying thunder:
> **"I do not need chains… when your heart already knows my name."**
Then—
It vanishes.
The suppression field collapses.
Sigils flicker out.
Silence returns—with only rain echoing through broken tunnels.
And Rael?
He doesn't move.
Still crouched on the cold ground,
arms wrapped around Jin like he'll never let go,
his breath ragged—
Because he feels it too now…
Not just love.
No.
Something *deeper*.
Something that won't stay buried.
Desire—raw, endless—pulsing beneath his ribs like a second heartbeat…
He can't fight it forever…
and deep down?
He doesn't want to.
(For now—they're safe.)
But somewhere inside…
The bond isn't over...
It's only just begun.
---
Rael walks out into the storm with Jin leaning against his shoulder.
Mina and L follow, exhausted.
"You *broke* that seal," L mutters, shaking his head.
"It's... impossible."
Rael just gives him a look that dares him to try.
"So what now?" Mina asks after a moment.
There's a silence. L scans the streets.
"We find a safe place and sleep," Rael says wearily. "Tomorrow... we'll figure something out."
It takes two hours to find a vacant safe house—the last place anyone would think to look for Espers: an abandoned sector downtown.
Mina collapses onto a dusty sofa, eyes fluttering shut.
"Finally, a place to sleep," L mutters.
"Just... no one snores."
He takes the couch across the room.
Soon, it's just Rael and Jin left awake.
Rael leads Jin into an old bedroom—and closes the door behind them.
The second the door closes, Rael turns and pulls Jin into his arms.
He buries his face against Jin's hair, breathing him in like he needs the air more than Jin does.
For a moment, they just stand there, holding one another close.
"You're here," Rael whispers at last, voice cracking. "You came back..."
His fingers run through Jin's hair, tracing the line of his jaw, stopping at his lips as if he's trying to convince himself that Jin is still real.
Rael takes a shaky breath, fighting to hold back tears. He takes a step back, still grasping Jin's shoulders—almost frantically sweeping that haunted gaze over every part of him.
"Don't ever do that again," he whispers, voice hoarse.
Jin cups Rale's face in his hands, drawing them closer together.
"I'm not going anywhere," he whispers back. "I'm here. I'm with you."
They lean into one another, foreheads resting together, eyes closed.
Rael buries his face in the crook of Jin's neck, fingers digging into his hips like he needs to *feel* that he's really here—not just a memory, not a ghost.
"I thought I lost you," he whispers, voice breaking. A shudder runs through him. "It was like... everything inside me just *died*."
He pulls Jin closer, arms almost crushing him. "Promise me," he mumbles against his skin. "Promise you won't just disappear."
Jin wraps his arms around Rael's waist, fingers tangling in his shirt.
"I promise," he murmurs, resting his head against Rael's shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere."
They remain like that for a long moment, clinging to that fragile comfort until their breathing falls into sync—slow, steady, *alive*.
The room around them is little more than rubble—old furniture covered in dust, broken windows, rain lashing the walls. But right now, nothing outside this shattered room matters.
Rael draws back just enough to meet Jin's eyes—holding his gaze like he's trying to memorize every part of him. He reaches up to gently trace the line of Jin's jaw, fingertips lingering at his mouth.
"I never want to spend another second without you," he whispers, the words so faint they'd almost be lost to the rain if they weren't so close.
Jin smiles faintly, feeling the warmth of his breath.
He leans into the touch, pressing a kiss against Rael's fingers.
"You have me."
8:59
Rael's breath catches.
Then, without warning, he pulls Jin into a kiss—deep, desperate, like he's sealing a vow. Not gentle. Not slow. A claiming in the quiet dark.
When they break apart—both trembling—he rests his forehead against Jin's again.
> "You're mine," he whispers—not a question, not a hope. A truth etched in fire and bone.
Jin closes his eyes.
> "Always."
Outside—the storm still rages.
Somewhere beneath the city—a heartbeat stirs once more.
And far away…
A voice smiles into silence:
> **"Good… let him believe it."**
> **"The deeper love burns…"**
> **"…the sweeter it is when I take you back."**
But inside the broken room?
Two souls breathe as one.
For now—they are safe.
They are together.
And desire?
It watches…
and waits…
10:37
Under the dim, flickering glow of a broken streetlamp, rain still falling in soft sheets, an old van pulls up beside the abandoned safe house.
The side door slides open.
A man steps out—tall, cloaked in a long coat that hides his form. His face is sharp but calm beneath shadows; eyes like polished onyx. He carries no weapon—only a small device pulsing faintly blue in his palm.
Behind him emerges another—a younger man with silver-streaked hair and restless hands that twitch like he's fighting unseen chains.
They look at the building where Rael and Jin are hidden inside…
And the older one smiles slightly—not unkindly—as he speaks to his companion:
> "They broke it… but not *him*."
The younger one tilts his head.
> "You knew they would."
A pause.
Thunder rolls gently overhead.
> "I *counted* on it," says the elder. Then softer:
> **"Because now… they'll need us."**
He turns to walk away—but stops just once.
Looks back at the darkened window where two silhouettes can be seen close together.
His voice drops into something almost mournful:
> "Love burns bright...
but desire always returns."
Then they vanish into shadow—
leaving only silence behind…
To be continued....