This is the first time that Chishiya is still asleep when Sina wakes up, and he doesn't even stir when she turns around and hugs him. Not that she'd blame him – it has been a very long night for both of them, and even though it has to be already late in the morning, they probably didn't have more than a handful hours of sleep.

Sina would have slept even longer if it wasn't for the cold, but the warmth inside the caravan has vanished completely. The constant ticking of the heater trying to produce more heat reaches her ear, and it seems that they ran out of gas somewhen during the night. But for now, the blankets and the warmth of Chishiya's body shield her from the low temperature, and she smiles as her hands carefully move over his naked skin.

Parts of her body feel sore, and only a minor part can be blamed on yesterday's game.

Everything that happened last night, the things they did… how he allowed her to take over control, how Sina was able to discover what he takes pleasure in, how they spent hours without speaking one word and yet it feels like they have never talked more with each other.

And now Sina is here, watching over him while he still sleeps. She is doing exactly what he has asked her to: to be his strength while he is vulnerable.

It takes him around half an hour more to wake up. Sina can feel it in the way his body starts to shift, a slight movement of his legs, a turn of his head, a fluttering eyelid. He lets out a soft sigh and wraps his arms around her, pulling her tighter into a hug as if he doesn't want to wake up just yet.

Like this, she dozes off for a few more minutes, but she can tell exactly when he fully regains his consciousness. His body tightens and he groans at the lack of warmth.

"We could just stay in bed for a while longer," Sina mumbles against his chest, "it's still warm enough here."

Chishiya breathes out, something she can feel in her hair. "The gas bottle won't replace itself."

"Mhhm, maybe if we wait long enough…"

He snorts and pushes the blanket aside, which Sina quickly grabs and wraps it around her body to replace the cold where his body has just been a moment before. Although it isn't the same warmth.

His skin is immediately covered in goose bumps now that he's exposed to the cold air, but this isn't what draws Sina's attention to it. It's the red marks all over his back, traces left by her fingernails, and she knows that they can be found not only there but all over his body.

Sadly, he doesn't give her much time to admire him, because he quickly puts on some clothes and shoes to take care of the heater. Sina wonders if he thinks about what happened, if he has similar regrets to when they first kissed. But it doesn't feel like he does, at least as far as she can tell.

While she watches him exit the caravan and hears the noises from the hatch that contains the gas bottle, Sina already makes plans to get up as well and put on the kettle for tea and coffee, maybe even start to make breakfast. Something that will do him a favor, to show how good she knows him already.

But when she opens her eyes the next time, the water is already boiling and Chishiya is reading the Metamorphosis, and the heater is running on maximum.

"Oof, can't believe I fell asleep again!" Sina kicks away the blanket now that the temperature is fully back to comfortable and stretches out in bed with relish.

Chishiya gets up to make his tea, but he stops midway and watches her. "Seems like you needed it."

As Sina feels his eyes on her, she realizes that she is still completely naked and currently in a pretty exposable position. Surprisingly it doesn't feel embarrassing, she even enjoys the way he looks at her. She curls up for a moment longer and he eventually pours water into his cup before he places the pot back to the stove. "There's still enough for coffee. You better get up while it's still hot."

Sina first yawns, then sighs when she forces herself up into a seating position. "Dead honest, I love you."

A snort is the only answer, not that she'd have expected more from Chishiya, especially not so soon after waking up. Still she notices out of the corner of her eye how he lifts his head from book and tea now and then while she gets dressed, and Sina hurries up inside the bathroom so the water will still be hot enough for coffee.

It doesn't take long for her to sit down on the table, a steaming cup of coffee and crisp bread with strawberry jam in front of her while the painkillers renew the feeling of cotton candy inside of her body and her wounds have been cleansed and freshly bandaged. She still misses the presence of a radio for music or a phone to scroll through social media, but the silence is not uncomfortable either. Sina just dwells on her own thoughts while she waits for Chishiya to get past his morning grumpiness, and she enjoys the sun shining through the window and warming her hands.

The street outside has almost turned into a small river, and the storm left a clearly visible chaos. Leaves and trash everywhere, branches as thick as her arms all over the asphalt. But the clouds have moved aside for the sun nonetheless, and it looks like it will stay this way for now.

Chishiya closes the book, most likely because he's finished reading it, and once again Sina feels his eyes resting on her.

"What?"

He smirks and sips some of his tea. "That silly smile of yours has not vanished off your face since you got out of bed."

Sina hasn't noticed herself, but she is not surprised either. "I'm just glad the sun is out again."

"The sun. Sure."

Her lips turn into a smile as she rests her head on her hand and watches the outside. It would be nice to go for a walk, to enjoy the warmth on her skin despite the remnants of the storm, but somehow Sina is afraid that a certain blimp will find its way to her again if she does. It is a miracle that they survived an encounter with the King of Spades once – they won't be that lucky again.

"It doesn't matter where you are," Chishiya returns after she has spoken her thoughts out loud, "because the King doesn't rely on eyesight to find you."

With eyes growing big, Sina's eyes turn from the window towards Chishiya. "How so?"

Chishiya leans back against the cushion and places the tea cup on his knee. "I've seen the King wear a special kind of gadget on his wrist, something that appeared to be a GPS-tracker to me. I didn't have the time for further investigation, obviously, but I doubt it's something else."

"You're saying he-… how unfair!"

He shrugs. "Adequate enough for a King."

But if that's true and the sniper King has knowledge of the positions of every single player, why didn't he kill everyone already? How many players remain, after all?

Without thinking about it too much, Sina has assumed that the pianist gave their position away by the noise they were making by playing the instrument. It is a sad thought that bringing a little joy into this world will get one killed, but if it was not the piano… if it was just bad luck that killed them…

"Well then, since it doesn't seem to matter if we're outside or hide in the deepest parts of Tokyo – would you go for a walk with me?"

Chishiya empties his tea and puts down the cup onto the table. "As long as you don't ask me do carry you again."

Rolling her eyes so clearly that he can see it, Sina gets up and puts on her shoes. She didn't really ask him to carry her yesterday as well, but there's no point in starting an unnecessary discussion. Besides, her legs won't cause problems as far as she can judge. They ache slightly, but so does the rest of her body. The only troubling parts are Sina's hands, which still start to shake uncontrollably now and then, but that she can handle.

Right before they leave, Sina opens some of the caravan's windows so fresh air can get inside. Most of the time she doesn't even realize how stiff it gets inside such a tiny space, but when a fresh breeze greets her now she can't wait to get outside.

Without the heavy wind it's actually warm, and Sina puts out the jacket and wraps it around her waist. It is wonderful to hold her face into the sun and close her eyes for a moment, and she doesn't even care about Chishiya's mocking snort as he watches her.

He doesn't wait for her to start moving, and Sina quickens her steps while she blinks into the sun a few times to adjust to the light. She reaches for Chishiya's hand and feels how his warm fingers entwine with hers, and neither of them speaks for a long time.

Something leads them down the road towards the water, and Sina watches the mirroring surface with fascination. Tokyo has never been known for its clear rivers, but there is no sign of pollution any longer. She can even see the colorful pebbles on the river bed, together with remains left by human hands – empty and broken bottles, a car wheel, parts of a bicycle. Most of it is half buried into the gravel, overgrown by algae or converted into homes for the animal life inside the water.

It is no longer an uncommon thought for her that this world would be quite beautiful to stay in if it wasn't for the games, and it leads to a couple of other questions that have also grazed her mind a couple of times already.

With all the things they have gone through, the cruelty they have witnessed and the pain they have suffered, it feels impossible to return to a normal life ever again. How are they supposed to just return to the other world, pretending that nothing weird has ever happened? With all the scars they carry, both outside and inside, how can things ever become normal again?

At least Sina finds solace in the fact that Chishiya will be by her side. She doesn't have to search the inside of her pocket to know that it is there: the little note with Chishiya's medical university written on it. It is no longer the note he has given her back in the Beach, it is in fact a copy she has made not long ago because the original note was about to fall apart. Though she doubts that she will need it. Her eyes have scanned over the letters so many times that they are deeply burnt into her mind, and even without it, Sina'd be able to find him just by his name.

Chishiya Shuntarou. A name she will never forget, no matter what happens.

How will it be, meeting again in the real world?

"Hey, Chishiya?"

He hums without looking at her. Without thinking about it too much, they both head towards another street leading away from the water and deeper into the city. Sina remembers this place with its hundreds of shopping malls, restaurants and whatnot. A place that used to be crowded and noisy, and now it is just… empty.

"What is going to happen once we leave this place? With us, I mean."

Hunger is not such a big issue so far, but she wonders if some of those stores still have something to nibble. Chishiya takes his time to answer, and Sina drags him towards a food store. The door is blocked from something inside, and Chishiya pushes it open with his shoulder, waiting for her to enter. "We live, I suppose."

She squeezes past his figure, trying to make out something in the dim light and toppled shelves. "Yeah, sure. Genius. I meant… we'll live together, right?"

Not much is left inside that could still be called edible, and it seems that other players or animals have taken most of it. Sina is lucky enough to find a dried fruit and nut mix and some crackers, which will do for a small lunch.

"I doubt you'll leave me a choice other than that." It is said with a chuckle, but somehow it causes a sharp pain inside her heart. Sina's fingers tighten around the plastic bags and she doesn't dare to look up from the mess on the ground as she speaks up with a voice far more hesitant now.

"Do… do you want me to? To leave you alone?"

She hears something shuffle behind her, and the following silence causes her to turn around to him eventually. Chishiya has taken a step inside, causing the door to fall shut again, and Sina almost bump into him. With a smirk, he takes the crackers out of her hands, and when their hands touch, his fingers remain on hers a moment longer than necessary. "No. I don't think so."

The shaky breath Sina exhales is the only sign that she actually was afraid for a second, but it is forgotten the moment she looks into his eyes. They still bear the condescending and mocking glance in them most of the time, but sometimes – like in this moment – they actually seem to carry warmth.

"Good." She opens the door again, which is easier now that Chishiya has pushed away whatever has been blocking it, and step into the open. "Now that it's settled that we'll live on together… will we, like, live together?"

Chishiya's hand reaching into the plastic bag makes a rustling sound and Sina waits for him to grab some crackers before she reaches into it as well. "As long as it's close to my work, I don't mind."

She recalls the location of his university, which is not exactly close to the place she used to live in. "Oh… I might get troubles with my workplace. And I'm not sure if I can give it up."

He shrugs and calmly eats another hand full of crackers before he answers. "That's your decision to make, not mine."

It's impossible for Sina to hold back a slightly annoyed sigh, and she decides that this topic is not too important right now. They don't have to move together the moment they leave the Borderlands, and there will be plenty of time to discuss it further when time has come.

The rustling of the bag and the sound of crunching crackers is the only noise accompanying them for a while as they continue to stroll along the road. Sina doesn't know exactly where they are, but somehow they'll find back to the caravan, even if it means walking all the way back to the river and follow its path from there.

At some point, she hears the feint buzz of a blimp, but it's too far away to make out the face card attached to it. All Sina knows is that it's not moving, so there is no direct danger coming from it. And she definitely doesn't want to attend a game today.

"What about children?" She asks eventually as she takes the now empty bag out of Chishiya's hands and throws it into a bin. He'd just have dropped it on the street, Sina knows that, and somehow she feels better if he doesn't do that.

Chishiya shakes his head, a move that she'd almost have missed if she wouldn't have watched him just in that moment. "No."

"Why not?"

She is not surprised, but it still makes her curious. Chishiya has never wasted a single word about his family other than that his father has been a prolific surgeon, and it's impossible for Sina to imagine him as a child, surrounded by loving parents and cheerfully enjoying a child's life on a playground.

"I won't talk about that."

Stuffing the still untouched nut mix into the pocket of her jacket, Sina reaches for his hand but it is withdrawn and hidden inside his hoodie the moment her fingers touch his skin. "I thought you'd trust me."

Chishiya's voice is cold when he answers, and it's just fitting that a sudden gust of wind announces dark and heavy clouds quickly approaching the city once more. "It has nothing to do with trust. This is simply none of anyone's business."

"We both know I'm not anyone." This is exactly the point where she should stop talking. Sina is very well aware of the fact that every word will make it worse, that she has reached a point that shouldn't be crossed for now. It's not even about talking about children, it's the fact that there is something he doesn't want to tell her. Which should be fine, because Chishiya has never been too open about himself, not even with her. So why does she keep talking?

His lips are nothing but a thin line now, and he doesn't look at her. "Hence you should know better than anyone else when to stop."

"Will you tell me at some point?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

The sound of the blimp is becoming louder with each step, and Sina cranes her neck to catch a glimpse of the face card. It feels like they're heading right towards that game, and she wonders if Chishiya is aware of-

"Wait a minute, hold on. You have to be kidding me."

The moment Sina recognizes the Jack of Diamonds banner, she places herself in front of Chishiya with crossed arms. He could have easily walked past her, but he stops, watching her with a raised brow. There is no sight of the warmth in his eyes anymore, and the following silence is more than enough for Sina to understand.

She shakes her head in disbelief, trying to find the right words to express what's going on inside of her. "Chishiya. We just cleared the King of Hearts yesterday and barely escaped with our lives! You can't possibly think of-"

A thick raindrop interrupts her as it lands directly on the tip of her nose, and more follow soon. Chishiya doesn't resist as Sina pulls him close to a shop, hoping that the battered awning will keep them save from the rain. "We literally just talked about getting out of here alive!"

Chishiya doesn't even try to seem bothered by her words. "It's no secret I have been looking forward the Diamonds games since the second stage was announced."

"And you got to clear the Queen of Diamonds. Isn't that enough? You've had the Jack of Clubs and King of Hearts as well! Don't you care about us enough to leave it at that?"

Finally, his eyes lock with hers. But they're so cold that it makes Sina shudder.

"Stop pretending to see a person in me that I am not."

A couple of noises escape her mouth while Sina is unable to build a proper sentence. "But I know you care! Can't I ask you to set back your own desires of some stupid games, just for once? For me?"

Chishiya doesn't respond immediately, causing her to give in to the sudden fury heating up inside of you. "Why would you waste your life like this? We might soon be free of this world, and you're taking the risk of just another game without even blinking!"

"That is exactly what I am talking about. In the end it seems that you know nothing about me."

Now it's her turn to stay quiet and blink away the confusion. How is Sina supposed to know him if he doesn't tell her anything?

"You want a Prince Charming, but that's not me." He shifts a bit without removing his hands from the pocket, and his eyes still watch her in an almost calculating manner.

"Dammit, Chishiya! I love you, I really do, but sometimes you can be so annoying. I don't want a stupid prince. I want YOU!" Sina doesn't care that some tears have started to run down her cheeks again, and she doesn't try to hide the trembling of her hands. It makes her feel helpless, out of control, but that's exactly what is going on right now.

Chishiya sighs and drops his gaze. When he lifts his eyes again, they stare into the distance, probably at the Diamonds blimp hovering close now. "Is that so, really? To me it seems more like you want someone to marry and have children with, someone who would wake you up telling you that he loves you and doing all those pathetic romantic things you like so much. And if I am so annoying to you – why are you still here?"

He doesn't shout. He doesn't sound angry. In fact, Chishiya's voice is as cold and hollow as Sina feels inside.

"What… what do you mean?"

"Stay at my side if you are ready to accept who I am. But if you continue to pretend I am someone else… You better go."

This is the moment where Sina has to take his face into her hands and kiss him over and over again, tell him that it's okay and that she will stay with him for forever even though he can be an annoying jackass. She is sure that this is exactly what Chishiya expects her to do as well, but for some reason… shr can't.

The tears cascading her face make it hard to see anything, but they're soon washed away by the rain descending from the dark grey sky now. Every fiber of her body screams and shouts that this is wrong, that this is not supposed to happen. And yet Sina doesn't stop walking without a direction in mind, as long as it leads her away from the blimp.

One single time she turns around and searches for the shop entrance in the blurry distance.

Chishiya is not there anymore.