The small room smelled faintly of antiseptic and old wood, but to Ash, it felt like a sanctuary. Ayin rested on the bed, her chest rising and falling with steady breaths. The girl looked peaceful, finally safe, and Ash's heart ached with relief.
Haru closed the door behind them, leaning against the frame. "It feels… unreal," he murmured, his voice low. "We actually made it out."
Ash let out a shaky laugh, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Yeah… unreal and terrifying all at once. I keep expecting something else to go wrong."
Haru stepped closer, his eyes never leaving hers. "Not this time. We survived. And Ayin… she's finally safe because of you—both of you."
Ash shook her head, cheeks warming. "I couldn't have done it without you. You held me together when I thought I'd break."
Haru's hand brushed hers—just the slightest touch—and Ash felt a jolt of heat. "You didn't break," he said softly. "Not once. Not even when everything was falling apart."
Ash's fingers twined with his, hesitant at first, then with more certainty. "I… I don't even know how to let myself feel safe. Not after everything."
Haru's thumb stroked the back of her hand, grounding her. "Then feel safe with me. Here. Now. No machines, no labyrinths, no shadows chasing us. Just… us."
Ash took a breath, leaning closer. "I want that. I… I want to just be here with you. To let everything go for a moment."
Haru's eyes softened, a rare vulnerability flickering across his scarred features. "Then let it go. I'll hold you. I'll catch whatever falls."
Ash let herself press closer, her forehead resting against his chest. The warmth of him, the steady beat of his heart, was more grounding than anything she'd known in months. "I'm so tired," she whispered.
"I know," Haru replied, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Rest here. Breathe. Let me carry the weight for a while."
Ash lifted her gaze to his. "Haru… I'm scared. Not of the world—of losing you. Of… letting myself feel something after so long."
Haru's hands cupped her face, thumbs brushing her cheek gently. "Ash… I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to fight alone. You never have to."
A small laugh escaped her, soft and trembling. "I think… I think I forgot what it felt like to just… be with someone. To let my guard down."
Haru smiled faintly. "Then don't guard it. Not here, not with me. We've both survived hell. We deserve something… normal, even if it's just for a little while."
Ash closed her eyes, leaning into him fully. "Normal… yes. Maybe that's exactly what I need right now. Just you. Just us."
Haru's lips brushed her hairline. "Then that's what you get. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm here. I'm not leaving."
Ash tilted her head up slightly, their eyes meeting. "You know… after everything, I didn't think I could ever feel… like this again. But with you…" Her voice faltered. "With you, it feels like… hope."
Haru's voice was soft, steady. "Hope is exactly what we need. And you'll have it. Every day. As long as I'm here."
For a long moment, they stayed like that—Ash pressed against him, Haru holding her, the quiet of the room wrapping around them like a shield. Outside, Ayin slept peacefully, unaware but safe, and the horrors of Seraph seemed miles away.
Ash rested her head against his shoulder, letting the tension she had carried for months melt away. "I feel… safe," she murmured. "Finally, I feel safe with you."
Haru tightened his hold slightly, murmuring back, "You're safe. I won't let anything hurt you. Not now, not ever."
Ash tilted her head up, catching his gaze. "I… love you, Haru. I don't think I realized it until now, after everything… but I do."
Haru's lips curved into a faint smile, voice soft but steady. "I love you too, Ash. Always have. Always will."
They stayed like that for a long while, wrapped in the quiet intimacy of the home, the world outside fading away. Their hands intertwined, foreheads pressed together, and every whispered word, every subtle touch, carried the weight of their survival, their longing, and the deep trust they had built.
Outside Ayin slept, unaware but safe, while inside, Ash and Haru finally allowed themselves to be vulnerable, to feel the full weight of their love, and to hold onto it as firmly as they could.
For the first time in a long time, Ash allowed herself to believe in a future where they could heal, love, and live—together.