The room was dim, the faint flicker of a single lamp casting long, distorted shadows across the cracked walls, bathing the space in a dull, amber glow. The sterile scent of disinfectant lingered in the air, mingling with the faint metallic tang of dried blood, creating a stark reminder of the violence that had recently unfolded.

Winter was asleep, her body still and fragile, her presence a stark contrast to the turbulent energy that had filled the room only hours before. Her breathing was shallow but steady, her face pale against the pillow, marred with bruises and cuts, a roadmap of the pain she had endured. Bandages were wrapped around her head, a faint trace of dried blood peeking through the stark white gauze, her wounds a painful reminder of the danger she had faced. Her lips-usually curled into some smart remark, a quick quip, were now still, cracked from dehydration, her usual defiance silenced by exhaustion and pain.

Karina sat beside her, unmoving, her gaze fixed on Winter's face, her body tense with a mixture of worry and unspoken emotions. Her hands rested on her knees at first, clenched into fists, a silent testament to her inner turmoil, but slowly, hesitantly, one hand reached out, her movements deliberate, her touch cautious. Her fingers brushed through Winter's hair, tangled and matted with dried sweat and blood, her touch almost reverent. She smoothed it back, her fingers tracing gentle lines through the strands, almost like she wasn't even aware she was doing it, her actions guided by instinct and an unspoken longing.

Her heart ached, a sharp, painful reminder of the emotions she had been trying to suppress, a visceral sensation that threatened to overwhelm her carefully constructed composure.

What are you doing?

What the hell are you doing, Karina?

She was breaking her own rules, the carefully constructed walls she had lived by, the defenses she had relied on to survive. No attachments. No emotions. They had always been her mantra, her guiding principles. But here she was, completely unraveled, anchored to someone she had sworn she wouldn't care about, her resolve crumbling under the weight of her own emotions.

Her thumb grazed the curve of Winter's cheekbone, hovering over a purple bruise, her touch gentle, her gaze filled with a mixture of tenderness and self-reproach. "Stupid," Karina whispered under her breath, her voice rough, almost breaking, the word a self-deprecating curse as much as an endearment.

As if the word pulled her back from the depths of unconsciousness, Winter's eyes fluttered open, her gaze unfocused, her pupils dilated, her mind struggling to make sense of her surroundings.

Dazed, unfocused at first-

Until they met Karina's.

For a second, neither spoke, their gazes locking, their breaths heavy and shallow, caught somewhere between reality and whatever fragile thread tethered them to each other, their silence a language that spoke volumes about the emotions that simmered beneath the surface.

Karina swallowed hard, her heart pounding against her ribs, her breathing erratic as she pulled her hand back like she had been burned by a hot flame, her actions a desperate attempt to regain control, to maintain the carefully constructed facade that hid her vulnerability. But her heart was still there, exposed, raw, vulnerable, unable to return to the silence it had been so carefully confined to.

"You're so stupid," Karina finally muttered, her voice sharp but her eyes soft, her tone a mixture of exasperation and underlying affection, her words a cover for the emotions she was struggling to contain.

"Why would you-why would you choose to stay back? Trying to act tough ?" Her jaw clenched, her hands shaking slightly, the words tumbling out faster now, a mix of anger, fear, and a deep, desperate longing. "You could've died. You almost did."

Winter blinked slowly, her lips parting into a faint smile, a small but genuine show of affection despite the pain she must have been enduring. "I'd rather keep you safe." Her voice was weak, barely a whisper, but steady, carrying more weight than the walls could hold, her words a testament to her unwavering loyalty and her underlying feelings.

Karina felt something shatter inside her chest, her carefully constructed walls crumbling under the weight of Winter's words, her heart exposed, her vulnerabilities laid bare.

No. No, no, no.

She leaned forward, her face inches from Winter's, her breath shaky and uneven, her control threatening to shatter completely. "Don't ever do that again," she hissed, her voice a mixture of threat and desperate plea. "Don't you dare."

Winter's smile faded slightly, replaced by something quieter, something more vulnerable-curiosity, maybe, a hint of genuine vulnerability that mirrored Karina's own. Her gaze locked on Karina's trembling lips, then back to her eyes, her gaze searching for answers, her curiosity piqued.

"Why?" Winter asked softly, her voice barely audible, the word simple, direct, a loaded question that sat between them like a live grenade, threatening to detonate the fragile peace that had momentarily settled between them.

Karina's heart skipped a beat, her body reacting instinctively to the question, her internal turmoil suddenly heightened. She opened her mouth, then closed it, her mind racing for excuses, deflections, any way to escape the question that was now hanging in the air between them, a question that threatened to reveal her carefully guarded emotions.

But none came, her excuses falling flat, her carefully constructed defenses crumbling under the weight of her own truth.

"Because I like you, you idiot." The words spilled out, fast, reckless, raw, an admission she hadn't meant to make, the truth forcing its way through the cracks in her carefully constructed composure. Her face flushed instantly, a wave of heat rushing to her cheeks as she scowled, more at herself than at Winter, her actions a mix of vulnerability and self-reproach.

"Stupid." She added again, almost as an afterthought, trying to patch the damage, to regain the control she had so carelessly lost, her attempts at composure feeling forced and inadequate.

Winter blinked, her gaze fixed on Karina's flushed face.

Then-she laughed, a soft, breathless chuckle, but genuine, a sound that was like a crack of light through the darkness, a small but significant moment of intimacy. The sound cracked through Karina's chest like a bullet, her vulnerability now exposed, her walls crumbling under the weight of her own emotions.

"Ow-okay, not too funny," Winter winced, her hand instinctively moving to hold her side, but her grin didn't fade, her amusement evident despite the pain she was enduring.

Karina glared at her, her cheeks burning, her heart pounding against her ribs, her emotions threatening to overwhelm her. "It's not a joke," she insisted, her voice sharp, her tone defensive, her words a desperate attempt to regain control of the situation.

Winter's smile softened, her eyes narrowing slightly with curiosity, her gaze fixed on Karina, her interest clearly piqued. "What about Giselle?" she asked, the question casual but laced with a sharp, subtle edge, a hint of jealousy present despite her efforts to conceal it.

Karina blinked, her brow furrowing in confusion. "What about Giselle?"

Winter rolled her eyes, her actions exasperated, her irritation evident even in her weakened state. "Aren't you two together?"

Karina recoiled as if she had been slapped, her body reacting instinctively to the question, her emotions suddenly threatening to overwhelm her.

"What?! No!" The denial came fast, too loud, too defensive, her reaction a clear indication of her surprise and her internal conflict. Her face twisted into a cringe, realizing how ridiculous she sounded, how transparent her reaction was. She cleared her throat, trying to regain composure, her actions a clumsy attempt to hide her own vulnerability. "Absolutely not. No. Never. Gross."

Winter chuckled again, the sound softer this time, her gaze watching Karina's face flush deeper, her amusement barely concealed, her teasing tone a clear indication that she had succeeded in getting a reaction. "You're bad at this," she observed, her voice soft and teasing.

Karina groaned, burying her face in her hands for a brief second, her actions a mixture of exasperation and embarrassment before glaring through her fingers, her cheeks still burning. "Shut up."

Winter's smile didn't fade, her gaze fixed on Karina, her amusement clear, her underlying affection now impossible to deny.

And for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Karina let herself smile, too, her heart soaring with a mixture of vulnerability and affection, her smile a genuine reflection of her inner truth.