ChessChess

"Help-..."

You can barely breathe, dust going directly into your lungs. Pain is long gone, but you don't think the cause is too. You're just too overwhelmed by keep breathing and keep your heart beating to process the agonizing, sharp sensation on your arm and leg anymore. There's no blood running on your face, although you know there is a dry mark on it.

It's been hours since the building collapsed over you. You followed all the emergency protocoles, and you think that's why you're still alive at this moment.

The earthquake struck first when you were walking on the streets of Linkon, so you could cover yourself at that first moment with no problem. Reports warned of aftershocks in the following days, so you had no plans to go anywhere.

That until Hurter Association called you to go help checking protofields that could be activated with these irregularities. Linkon was not a seismic zone.

Weather was strange these days anyways.

Strong heat waves followed by torrential rains had shaken the city for almost a month. Experts said that they could be part of the cause.

You called Zayne, late night on the first day, and he was more busy than usual. Even when buildings were made to withstand all kinds of calamities, people were hurt by falling objects or by panic attacks that affected their hearts.

"Hi, how are you doing?", his steady voice was tinted with exhaustion.

"Better than you, it seems".

A low chuckle.

"Probably, yes. But I'll get some rest here in the hospital."

"Just an hour it's not enough".

"I'll get a week off after I finish here. That's enough for you, Miss Doctor?"

"Well, if you have this energy to joke, I think it will be".

"Take care, my dear."

"You too".

And then, the sound of the ending call.

Zayne loved to hear your voice, but you knew better than anyone that he also needed some time of silence to recover. So, you left him some voice notes the next days. He could listen to them whenever he wanted to.

You wished you would have talked more on them.

You coughed, and your broken rib reminded you of its existence. Damn, it hurts.

Your Hunter Watch was broken, over the arm you couldn't feel anymore. You didn't even know if it kept working. You didn't even know which were the last coordinates it sent because the signal was awful here. And now probably there was none.

This protofield looked stable when you walked in. A old building, abandoned due to its instability in The Chronorift Catastrophe.

You should have gone with a partner.

"I... Can't", said Xavier when Jenna asked him over the phone.

"Well, it's okay then", she said before hanging up, "I sent Tara and Simone to other locations". There was a hint of an apology on her tone.

"I can go alone."

She thought for a moment.

"Well, but do not enter the buildings if not necessary."

"I won't."

Then, she approved the mission.

You really had no intentions of going anywhere you shouldn't. You speeded up your bike to the area and left it very far of the buildings, near enough for a quick access.

"I'll be fine, I promise", were your last words for Zayne.

Now, you weren't.

You now wish to have heard Mephisto's metallic wings flying over you.

"Kitten, he's under observation because he's been making weird sounds since the earthquakes", that was what Sylus told you when you visited him two days after the events.

He wasn't really worried you would go on any risky missions. You weren't, either.

It was not your job anyways.

"Could them scare Mephisto that much?"

An outraged caw. Sylus smirked, amused as always.

"No, but there were some strange Metaflux fluctuations were he was, here in the N109 zone".

"I see".

Why were you suddenly remembering all of this? Maybe you were about to die.

Well, Rafayel would say you died in a very boring way. He had been away for a week and had not yet returned... Or so he had said. You couldn't reach for him.

Nor you could have reach Caleb for a while now. Again.

Those bastards. Could they learn to disappear a little less? You hoped they were fine.

Your eyes started to close.

"I'm sorry, my love", you said under your breath, thinking of Zayne. Your lungs feel like there were millions of knives inside them.

"I'm sorry, boys", your thoughts wandered to the artist, to your childhood friend and to your partner.

"I'm sorry, my dragon", you also though about the twins and the mechanical crow.

"I can't... Keep waiting".

"Take care..."

A soft, constant rumble placed on your ears, putting you to sleep. Your chest felt less heavy, as your breathing began to be more superficial. You relaxed the little tension you've been holding unintentionally.

Far away, or maybe near close, something crashed. You didn't know where your heart was at this moment. Maybe it was with each of the pieces where you had left it. Maybe it was with you, reminding you of the warmth of each of those pieces.

So peaceful...

"Oh, no, you better tell them directly".

You tried to open your eyes, but you only catched a glimpse of the vision.

A soft smile, long canines.

"I've never smelled you with this stench, I almost thought I was imagining things".

This voice...

"I know you're alive, don't you dare to pretend otherwise. Don't move, but stay with me."

Lord have mercy.

"Stay with me."

"Stay with them."

"Stay with us."

"Yes, she's here, I found her. Yes, doctor, I know how to do this, I have the machinery, don't come down, this is so unstable I barely reached to her. Tell the red eyed guy to send his bird when he can".

"Valko..."

"Don't talk, you don't have energy enough for that".

He put something over your nose and mouth, and you could breath again.

"Slower, damn it. You're going to absorb all the oxygen of the tank. Keep breathing, I'm going to get you out of there."

And somehow, he did.

"We're going out. I'll follow the bird".

Concentrating a little bit, you could hear Mephisto's gears.

If you haven't read the story, Spoiler Warning.

Here

"Where are you?", you say at the moment you cross the front door of the villa, "Are you guys in here?"

"Hi, sweetie", "Good afternoon, love", they reply I unison.

"Why did you-?" Zayne starts, falling quiet suddenly.

"Come on, don't be shy", you say to Valko. Although he looks anything but concerned by watching the two towers of men you live with.

To be fair, he was also a tower of a man himself. Probably that was the reason why.

Valko's nose twitched, noticing something. Then a low growl came out his throat.

"So, you are the ones she chose before me", he looked back at you, unreadable.

Sylus and Zayne tensed up, the first ready for whatever this man could do physically, and the second, analysing the words carefully, expecting to find a hint of danger or a correct answer.

But before any of them could do something, Valko just sped up straight to the couch, jumping on it to relax. He took one of the cushions and started to sniff it enthusiastically.

"You've been living long enough to have your scent very mixed, I can barely differentiate each one's".

Zayne and Sylus looked at each other, speechless. Then, they turned at you looking for answers. You just shrugged your shoulders and smiled.

I was found by this.

"It's okay, Val."

You've said that like a thousand of times since thunderstorm started, but he was refusing to move.

"It's hurting my ears."

"Are they that sensitive?"

"Even if I'm without wolf ears, my audition is pretty better than average human."

"But, buddy, you can't stay all the storm hiding under the bed."

"Says who?"

You sighed. Your hair swayed as you turn to peek under the border of the furniture. It would be a funny scene, that big frame of a grown-up man hiding and covering his ears, if it weren't for his face contorted by a deep discomfort.

"How do you usually deal with this loud world, then?"

"The only thing I still can't stand, is thunder", despite his condition, his yellow eyes look pleased to see you there. "Hi."

"Hi, big pup", you chuckle, "But you can't hide if you're in your office and it's raining, can you?"

He thinks for a moment.

"No, but my office is right in the middle of the building, and I made the proper modifications to the walls. It's... The best place I can be during this weather."

"I see... Oh, wait for me".

"Where are you going?!"

He goes back to closing his eyes, as if that could turn down the volume of the storm. After some minutes, he feels your body adjusting down the bed, right beside him.

"Hi, again", he opens one eye, half smiling.

"Hello. Uncover your ears", you command, "It's gonna be quick", you say when he opens his mouth to protest.

He does as you say, frowning. Then, you put in a little silicone cap.

"Is it better now?"

"What?", he asks.

"How does it feels?", you try to gesticulate in the small space between the both of you and the bed.

"What?!", he repeats. But before you can talk again, clearly annoyed, he says, "I'm kidding. I still can hear you".

Now you frown, waiting.

"Where did you find these?"

"I just remembered that when I was younger, I also was afraid of thunder. So, Caleb and Zayne managed to find me some earplugs, so that I could sleep during those days. I'm not afraid of them anymore, but I always have a pair, just in case", you smile a little embarrased.

Valko doesn't wait a second more and hugs you tightly. You almost can feel his tail wagging, if he had one right in that moment.

"Can you stay here? With me?", he asks, his voice muffled by your chest.

"I figured that if those didn't work, I would do exactly that. We can get comfortable", you show him the twin pillows and the blanket you left right behind you.