The air around you felt thick, the weight of the deadly games hanging over every moment. You could feel your pulse racing, each breath shallow, your nerves fraying with every passing second. But then, in the midst of the chaos, you found her—Semi.
Her eyes met yours across the room, and for the first time in what felt like forever, you didn’t feel alone. You shared a brief glance, one that spoke volumes, and you knew she saw you, really saw you, in a way that no one else did. There was a quiet understanding between you—two people surviving the impossible together.
After the last round ended, everyone scattered to the corners of the room, trying to catch their breath, recalibrate for whatever was next. But Semi lingered, sitting against the wall with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her expression was hard to read, as always, but there was something different today—something vulnerable in the way she held herself.
You couldn’t help it. You walked over to her, heart pounding in your chest as you hesitated for only a moment before sitting beside her. The silence between you wasn’t uncomfortable. It was soothing, as if just being in her presence made everything else fade away.
"You've been quiet," you murmured, glancing at her. "Everything okay?"
Semi turned her head toward you, her dark eyes softening as they met yours. "I'm fine," she said, though you could hear the strain in her voice, the exhaustion she was trying to hide. "Just… thinking."
"You don’t have to think alone," you said, voice gentle. "I'm here."
Her gaze lingered on you for a long moment, and there was a flicker of something you couldn’t quite place—something raw and unguarded. It made your heart flutter. She wasn’t as invincible as she always seemed.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if she was afraid to let anyone hear the crack in her armor. "I don’t… I don’t know how I’d make it through this without someone."
Without a word, you reached out and took her hand in yours, giving it a soft squeeze. You didn’t need to say anything else. The connection between you was enough to communicate everything that words couldn’t.
For a long moment, neither of you spoke, just sitting together in the silence. You felt the weight of the games pressing down, but her presence beside you made it a little lighter. Your hand tightened around hers, and without thinking, you shifted closer to her, resting your head on her shoulder.
At first, she stiffened, but after a few seconds, she relaxed, her body warm against yours. Slowly, her arm wrapped around your shoulders, pulling you closer until you were nestled into her side. Her breathing slowed, and so did yours, the rhythm of your heartbeats syncing as the tension in both your bodies eased.
“I never thought I’d be like this with anyone,” Semi said softly, her voice a little shaky as she spoke into your hair. “But with you… it feels okay.”
You looked up at her, your face inches from hers. Her expression was softer than you’d ever seen it—vulnerable, trusting. Without a second thought, you leaned in, brushing your lips against hers in a tender kiss. It was slow, deliberate, the kind of kiss that felt like an unspoken promise that, no matter what happened next, you wouldn’t let go of each other.
When you pulled away, your foreheads rested together, and Semi let out a soft sigh. “Stay with me,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
You smiled, your fingers tracing small circles on her arm as you cuddled closer into her warmth. “I’m not going anywhere.”
And there, in the quiet of the room, amidst the chaos and the bloodshed, the two of you found comfort in each other’s arms. It wasn’t much, but it was enough—a moment of peace in a world that seemed determined to break you both.