The underground processing floor beneath Pride Headquarters smelled of antiseptic and fresh chrome. New recruits sat in silence while technicians cataloged names, implants, and debts
No one spoke because everyone there had already learned that speaking got noticed
Jinu was the first to notice the purple-haired boy
Not because he saw him…because he didn’t.
Every time Jinu glanced over, the seat looked empty until his eyes adjusted. Then he’d realize someone had been sitting there the whole time, completely still beneath oversized sleeves and tangled lavender hair
Mystery barely looked up.
“I don’t…you just stop looking”
Jinu couldn’t help smiling.
Mystery’s lips twitched just enough to count as a smile.
It was the first one he’d given in weeks.
Across the room Baby was quietly trying to peel the medical adhesive off his wrist. It hurt but he kept pretending it didn’t. Abby watched him struggle for almost a minute before letting out an exaggerated sigh.
“…You’re making this way harder than it has to be”
“You look like you’re trying to wrestle a sticker”
“I’ve never been good at taking these things off”
Abby walked over, gently caught Baby’s wrist, and carefully peeled the adhesive away a little at a time
“…You’re surprisingly good at that”
“I’ve had to patch up idiots long enough to know what I’m doing”
Abby opened his mouth to argue
Baby couldn’t stop the quiet laugh that escaped him
It wasn’t loud just warm enough that Abby caught himself smiling before quickly looking away
Abby rolled his eyes, but he didn’t hide the smile that time.
Every technician looked annoyed
He’d already been flirting with the guards on his way inside
Baby immediately looked away.
Mystery hid further beneath his hair
Jinu pinched the bridge of his nose
“You just got here and you’re already a problem”
“I prefer ‘an experience’”
Hours later they were released into the recruits’ dormitory
Until Baby quietly set a bag of convenience-store snacks onto the table.
“I… um…they gave me extra”
Romance grabbed one immediately.
“I wanna marry you already”
“…Guess it’d be rude not to”
Jinu accepted one with a polite nod.
Mystery waited until everyone had looked away before taking the last
It was the first genuine smile he’d had since joining the Pride.
Jinu stared at the ceiling, wondering how he’d gotten here.
Mystery listened to everyone else’s breathing, relieved he wasn’t alone anymore
Baby quietly hoped these strangers might become friends
Romance whispered into the darkness,
“So… anyone else terrified?”
“…Yeah” Abby admitted quietly
Then Baby reached across the narrow gap between the beds his fingertips brushed Abby’s hand…Abby didn’t pull away
A few seconds later, Mystery reached toward Jinu’s bed and Jinu silently intertwined their fingers beneath the blankets.
Romance watched the tiny chain of connected hands stretch across the room and smiled to himself. Maybe the Pride had brought them there to become weapons. Instead…It had accidentally introduced them to the people they would spend the rest of their lives loving.