TDSW
"You ready to join the group? Everyone's been waiting," Reid said, arms crossed as he leaned in the hotel room doorway.
Sosuke stood in front of a cracked mirror, adjusting the stiff collar of his new Astorian shirt—a high-collared, navy-blue button-up with silver threading along the cuffs and seams. A strange sash hugged his waist, embroidered with a pattern that looked like eyes stitched in gold. The pants were slightly too tight, the boots stiff and foreign.
"It feels like it's trying to strangle me." He tugged at the collar again. "I'll go now. Not like I have a choice."
"I can wait." Reid smirked.
Sosuke exhaled sharply and nodded, following him out.
Downstairs, the hotel lobby buzzed with soft piano music and murmured conversation. Arthur and Lyra were draped across a red velvet couch like two characters from an overly dramatic romance novel. Arthur wore a sharp burgundy coat over a deep-green shirt, the ends of a silk scarf spilling over his shoulder. Lyra's dress shimmered with metallic thread, her hair braided and pinned back with gleaming pins shaped like crescent moons.
Rin pointed a thumb over her shoulder. "Don't ask. I have no idea what they're doing."
"Can't a lady have some fun in something that isn't my usual boots and blades?" Lyra twirled, the hem of her dress fanning out as she grinned.
"What are we doing, anyway?" Arthur asked, eyes scanning the ornate chandelier above them.
"Exploring!" Reid's arms stretched high. "New country, new chaos. Let's make the most of it."
"I'm starving," Lyra added, already heading for the doors.
"You know, I'm quite famished myself," Sosuke muttered, trying to sound casual as he fell in step behind her.
They stepped out into the streets of Stalport—and the city hit Sosuke like a wall.
The sidewalks swarmed with color. People wore coats stitched with mismatched fabrics, some with long flowing tails, others short and cropped at odd angles. Feathers, chains, belts, and silk sashes fluttered in the breeze. A man passed wearing a monocle shaped like a crescent. A woman had painted her face silver and wore a dress that looked like layered leaves. Street vendors shouted about dreamstones and spirit paint. Somewhere, a violin screeched over a pulsing drumbeat.
Arthur, Lyra, and Reid moved ahead, weaving through the crowd with ease. Sosuke and Rin trailed behind in the sudden crush of noise and chaos.
"We haven't talked in a while," Sosuke said after a beat of silence.
"Really? I hadn't noticed," Rin replied without looking at him.
"I—" He hesitated, words jamming in his throat.
"That sounded like Lyra. Ugh, I've been around her too much," Rin muttered.
"When did you guys get close?"
"When… you weren't around. I needed people to talk to, y'know? Ren's been a dead end with how he's acting lately."
Sosuke chuckled weakly. "Yeah. Wonder what's up with him." He cleared his throat. "So… what do you think? About being here."
Rin shrugged. "It's alright. Bit much for me, honestly. I'd rather be back home. All this blending in, hoping we don't get caught…" She smiled faintly. "Wouldn't want to get stuffed in a prison again, right?"
The moment the word left her lips, Sosuke's body locked up.
His smile fell. His chest clenched.
The street sounds faded into a dull, echoing hum.
Stone walls. Chains. The sting of cold metal around his wrists. The memory of flickering lights in a concrete cell. Of silence so loud it carved holes in his thoughts. Of the way the air tasted—sterile, dead, final.
His breath hitched. His knees wobbled slightly. The collar around his neck suddenly felt ten times tighter. He yanked at it, gasping.
He wasn't in Astoria. He was beneath it.
Suffocating.
Rin moved without hesitation. Her hands, warm and steady, cupped his face. She leaned in close, eyes locked to his.
"Hey," she whispered. "You're fine. You're here. Right here with me."
His eyes blinked back into focus—no walls, no shackles, no sterile lights. Just Rin. The street. The wind brushing against their faces.
His breath slowed. The trembling stopped.
He gave a small nod.
"Too soon?" Rin asked, her voice softer now.
He nodded again, slower.
Rin lowered her hands. "Sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to—just slipped out."
"It's okay," Sosuke muttered, voice still rough. "Let's just… catch up to the others."
Rin turned, scanning the crowd. "Huh. Didn't even notice they were gone."
They jogged up to the rest of the group, slightly out of breath.
"Are we close to the place yet?" Reid asked, dragging his feet like a child forced on a museum tour.
"I said I heard of a place, I never claimed to know where it was," Lyra replied, arms crossed.
"So we are wandering aimlessly?!"
"Wasn't that your idea, Mr. 'Let's explore and be spontaneous'?" Lyra shot back.
Sosuke leaned in from behind. "What place are we talking about?"
"This plaza I saw in a magazine. Supposed to be a hot spot—food, shops, entertainment, the works," Lyra said.
Reid looked over her shoulder at Arthur. "You've been quiet. Something up?"
Arthur's eyes scanned the busy street. "Just thinking… This place is so far ahead of what we have. Tech, architecture, style—it's like they jumped a decade."
"Don't get used to it," Lyra warned. "This city's rich. The bad districts? They're like stepping into another world. Not a good one."
Sosuke nodded. "Still… kind of makes you wish we had some of this back home."
Rin pointed down a narrow alley that curved toward rising music and glowing lights. "That might be it. Feels like something big's going on that way."
⸻
The alley opened into a dazzling plaza ringed with stone buildings and colorful awnings. A string of glowing lanterns crisscrossed above the street, swaying gently in the wind. Musicians played upbeat tunes on strange instruments. Performers juggled fire. A group of kids ran past, laughing.
The group scattered immediately.
Reid dove into a food stall, stuffing his face with meat skewers, sauce dripping down his chin. Lyra and Arthur haggled over handmade jewelry. At one point, Arthur lost a dance-off to a masked performer and had to wear a ridiculous hat for the next half-hour. Lyra took pictures.
Sosuke and Rin wandered off toward the prize games.
They stood in front of a water ring toss game. Rin missed all five tries. Sosuke, with a sly glance, tapped a finger against his thigh—and subtly guided the last ring through the air with a quiet current of water. It landed perfectly.
The machine lit up and spat out a giant plush bunny.
"No way. You cheated." Rin jabbed a finger at him.
Sosuke held the toy up proudly. "Can you prove I cheated?"
"I saw you cheat!"
"But can anyone else say the same?"
Rin groaned. "That was so risky. But… could you maybe do it again next time? For me?"
"If you wanted mine, you could just ask." He grinned and held the bunny out toward her.
Her eyes lit up. "Really?"
She reached for it, and he pulled it away at the last second.
"Actually… I think I've grown attached." He gently patted the bunny's head. "He's part of the team now."
"You are the worst." Rin spun on her heel and stomped ahead.
"Wait! Come on, don't be like that!" Sosuke jogged up beside her, laughing. He grabbed her hand, gently placing the bunny in it. "Take care of him with your life."
Rin looked at him with mock solemnity. "I swear on my honor. Even if it costs me everything."
They broke into laughter as the group reformed around them.
⸻
Sosuke slipped off his coat and tossed it on the bed. He peeled off his shirt, muscles sore from the day's walking. His fingers traced along the old scars that crossed his torso. For a moment, he just stared—expression unreadable. They didn't ache like they used to.
But somehow… that scared him more.
He sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair.
Why couldn't he enjoy today like the others? Why did the good moments always feel like borrowed time?
He shut his eyes and leaned forward, elbows on his knees.
A knock at the door.
His breath caught. Rin?
He grabbed a plain white shirt from the chair and tugged it on, walking over to the door.
Hand on the knob. A slow turn.
It opened.
Not Rin.
Isabelle stood in the hall, startled by how fast he answered. She quickly smoothed down her blouse and adjusted her hair. "Wow. That was fast…"
Sosuke blinked. "Oh. Isabelle."
Her brow raised. "What's that tone? You don't sound thrilled to see me."
"No, I just…" He sighed, stepping aside. "You wanna come in?"
She brushed past him with a faint smirk. "I swear your room's bigger than mine."
"Why are you here?" Sosuke asked as the door clicked shut behind him.
Isabelle looked up from the bed where she was already sitting, legs crossed. "Checking up on you. Like always." She gave a faint smile and pressed her hands against the sheets. "Your bed's softer, by the way. Not fair."
Sosuke stayed by the door. "No one told you to keep checking on me. That was never part of your orders… was it?"
She tilted her head slightly. "What is this? An interrogation now?" Her voice dipped into playful sarcasm, but she turned her face away from his. "I just wanted to see how you were doing, okay?"
"But… why?" Sosuke's voice was low, cautious. "Isabelle, do you… have feelings for me?"
"W-what? No! That's—no!" Isabelle's fingers shot up to twirl a strand of her hair, fast, almost nervously. "You really know how to ruin a moment. Saying it like that is just—ugh, so embarrassing…"
He didn't laugh. Didn't smile.
"Does that mean you don't?" he asked, quieter this time.
She hesitated. Her hands slowed. Her tone dropped. "I just really admire you, Sosuke. That's all. You're brave. You're kind to people who don't deserve it. You keep fighting no matter what. Those things… they make you someone I want to be like."
Sosuke's expression shifted. His jaw tensed. He stepped forward a little, eyes shadowed.
"You're wrong about me," he said, and it sounded like it hurt to say it. "I'm not fearless. Every time I fight, I'm afraid I'll die. I try to be kind, yeah—but mostly it's so I don't feel worse about myself. And strong?" He let out a hollow breath. "You have no idea how weak I feel most of the time."
"Sosuke…" Isabelle whispered. Her voice faltered.
He looked down at her. "I need you to stop pretending I'm something I'm not. I can't carry that weight for you."
She reached out and took his hand.
"Sosuke," she said again, gently this time. "Sit.
He paused, then lowered himself beside her. He didn't realize a tear had slipped down his face until he felt the warmth on his cheek. He touched it with surprise, as if it didn't belong to hi
Isabelle reached up, resting her palm against his cheek. Her thumb traced the faint scar on his eye.
"You've been strong for so long," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You just don't see how much it's hurting you."
He leaned into her touch, the warmth of it. Her arms circled around him, steady and soft.
It should've been comfort. But all he could feel was the wrongness of it.
What am I doing?
After today… after Rin…
The sound of her laugh still echoed in his head. Her grin. The look she gave him when he handed her the plush toy.
But she turned me down, didn't she? She didn't say how she felt.
Maybe that meant there was nothing to wait for.
Still…
"Can you… stay for a while?" Sosuke asked, barely audible
Isabelle nodded against him. "Yeah," she said. "I will."
Her voice sounded so certain.
Too certain.