The two of them return to the HQ, the adrenaline of their encounter with the voidbeast still coursing through them. But this time, the energy buzzing around them feels different—not just with tension, but a deep sense of connection.
As they enter the building, the cool, controlled buzz of the HQ feels almost alien compared to the raw energy of the streets. The other Espers look up as they pass—some curious, some wary—but most just keep their heads down.
Jin sticks close to Rael, feeling the weight of the other Espers' gazes. Some whisper—some stare—but Rael keeps one arm around Jin, almost possessive. Even that simple gesture seems to carry weight, as if marking Jin as his.
As they make their way to an elevator, Rael pauses, looking down at Jin with a question in his eyes.
> "Feeling okay? That was... intense."
Jin nods, though he can't deny the tremble in his hands. The adrenaline is starting to fade, replaced by a bone-deep exhaustion. But along with the exhaustion is something else—a strange sense of connection, as if the encounter with the voidbeast has woken something in him.
> "I feel... different," he admits, running a hand through his hair. "Like something's shifting inside me."
Rael nods, pressing the call button for the elevator. His gaze is still intense, fixated on Jin in a way that's both protective and... hungry.
The elevator arrives with a soft ping, opening onto a cool silver interior. As Rael and Jin enter, Jin feels his breath hitch at the sudden closeness—not just because of the cramped space, but also because of how hyper-aware he is of Rael standing next to him. Every breath, every movement seems to heighten the energy building between them.
As the elevator begins its silent climb, Rael speaks again, his voice low and quiet.
> "Something *did* shift. Your power."
Jin turns, meeting Rael's gaze.
The elevator seems to shrink as Rael steps closer, almost trapping Jin against the wall. His breath is warm against Jin's cheek, sending a shiver down Jin's spine.
> "I felt it," Rael murmurs, his voice dropping even lower. "When you touched the voidbeast. It wasn't just control... it was something *more*."
Jin's heart quickens—not just from the thrill of closeness, but also from the implications of Rael's words.
> "What... what does that mean?"
Rael studies Jin, his gaze searching, intense. He reaches up, touching a strand of hair that has fallen over Jin's forehead—a gesture so soft it seems at odds with the intensity in those dark eyes.
> "It means..."
His voice trails off, fingers lingering at the back of Jin's neck. The proximity of his touch is searing, making it hard to think straight.
> "It means you're not just a Guide."
The elevator dings, signaling the floor they need—but neither of them move. The world shrinks to this moment, this *edge*.
The world outside the elevator doors feels a million miles away, the outside world forgotten as Jin and Rael stand frozen, caught in the tension between them. Rael's fingers move, tracing a gentle path down Jin's neck, leaving a trail of burning heat that ignites every nerve. Jin shivers, trying to find his voice through the fog of emotions.
> "So... what am I, then, if not just a Guide?"
Rael's gaze darkens, his fingers pausing at the base of Jin's throat, right over his pounding heart. It's as if he can feel the pulse, the life beneath Jin's skin. His words come out as a whisper, low and rough.
> "Something more."
He takes another step close, pressing Jin back against the cool metal wall. So close now, they're sharing the same breath, the same electric space.
> "You're... something *rare*. *Powerful*."
Jin feels both trapped and completely alive, caught between the hard surface of the wall and the heat of Rael's body. His heart *thunders* behind Rael's fingers, a primal rhythm in the silent space. He feels exposed, not just by their closeness, but by the weight of Rael's gaze, like he's being peeled back, layer by layer.
> "Is... is that bad?"
Rael's touch slides higher, cupping Jin's jaw, tipping his chin up so their eyes meet in the near-darkness.
The air between them vibrates, thick with emotions that border on dangerous. Rael's touch is almost reverent, as if touching something fragile, something irreplaceable. When he finally answers, it's barely a whisper, a confession meant for Jin's ears alone.
> "No," he breathes, thumb skating over Jin's lower lip. "It's not bad."
Rael's gaze dips, his focus shifting to Jin's lips, as if magnetically drawn there. His thumb slowly traces the curve, almost as if trying to memorize it. When he speaks again, his voice is rough, strained with barely controlled desire.
> "It's rare. And...*precious*."
The air crackles with electricity, every nerve ending in Jin's body alive and raw, craving *more*. He opens his mouth to respond—to deny what he's feeling, to step back, anything to break this tension—but no words come.
The moment hangs suspended, the only sound their ragged breaths and the faint hum of the elevator. Rael's grip tightens almost imperceptibly, fingers digging into the softness of Jin's jaw. His gaze flicks up to Jin's eyes, pinning him, holding him where he stands, and the words that come are more a groan than a statement.
> "You're *mine*, you know that?"
Jin can only nod, his voice caught in his throat, lost somewhere between denial and desperate need.
With that silent agreement, something inside Rael snaps. A growl rumbles low in his throat and he slams their bodies together, trapping Jin against the wall completely. He's everywhere at once; hands gripping wrists, leg pressing between Jin's, mouth just millimeters from his ear.
> "Say it."
The command is rough, a demand, like something deep within Rael has torn free. Jin can only gasp, dizzy with sensation—the heat, the pressure, the raw *claim* in Rael's voice.
7:45
Jin's breath comes in short, desperate gasps as Rael pins him tighter — not cruel, but *insistent*, like the world ends if Jin doesn't answer.
> "Say it," Rael growls again, his teeth grazing Jin's ear. "Say you're mine."
Jin trembles — not from fear, but from something deeper. A truth rising like a tide.
And then…
> "I'm yours," he whispers.
The words hang between them — fragile and unbreakable all at once.
Rael stills.
Then exhales—long, slow—like he just survived drowning.
In one swift motion, he turns his head and claims Jin's mouth—not gentle this time—but *ferocious*, like sealing a vow with fire. The kiss is fierce, messy… perfect.
And outside the elevator doors?
Footsteps echo.
Voices approach.
But neither of them pulls away.
Because for the first time…
They're exactly where they belong.