The air was still, the tremors of the battle now fading into the distance. Axton stood in the midst of the clearing, his body worn and battered, but his spirit resolute. The energy from the battle still hummed in the air, a reminder of the chaos they had just averted. But even as the Rift seemed to settle, another kind of tension hung in the atmosphere, one that had nothing to do with the dimensional rifts.
As Axton turned, he saw Rei standing a little distance away, her back to him as she looked out across the landscape, her posture relaxed but thoughtful. She had been a constant presence at his side throughout their fight, never wavering, always ready. She was strong, determined, and had an unwavering sense of loyalty that Axton had come to admire deeply. But there was something else there, something that lingered just below the surface, something Axton wasn't entirely sure he understood.
Kenji, as usual, had wandered off to inspect his equipment, humming to himself as he tinkered with his devices. Axton knew that Kenji was a genius, but he also had a tendency to get lost in his inventions, especially after a hard fight. So for the moment, Axton was alone, standing in the quiet aftermath of the battle.
It was then that Rei turned toward him. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to still. There was a softness in her gaze that wasn't there before, and Axton found himself drawn to her in a way that went beyond the familiar bond of comradeship.
Rei was the first to speak, her voice quieter than usual, tinged with something he couldn't quite place. "It's over," she said, her words almost a question as she looked around at the battlefield. "The world's safe—for now."
Axton nodded, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his energy blade. "Yes. But the Rift is still a threat. We've only stopped one piece of it. There's still so much we don't understand."
Rei's expression softened, and she stepped closer, her eyes lingering on his face. "You're always thinking about what comes next, aren't you? Even after everything we've been through, you're already thinking ahead. You're always carrying the weight of it all."
Axton's gaze flickered to the ground for a moment before meeting hers again. "Someone has to. I can't afford to let my guard down—not with everything at stake."
She took another step closer, her gaze unwavering. "You're not alone, Axton. You don't have to carry it by yourself."
Axton felt a pang in his chest, an unfamiliar but not unwelcome feeling. He had grown used to isolation, to bearing burdens alone. But in Rei's eyes, he saw something different—a promise, maybe. A promise that he didn't have to walk this path alone. For the first time in a long while, the weight on his shoulders felt lighter.
"I know," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I've never been able to trust anyone like that… until now."
There was a brief silence between them, one that hung with an unspoken tension. Rei's expression softened, and before Axton could fully understand what was happening, she stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You don't have to be so guarded with me," she said quietly. "We've been through a lot together. We've seen each other at our best and worst. You don't have to pretend with me."
Axton's heart skipped a beat. There was something raw and genuine in her voice, something that reached deeper than the walls he had built around himself. For a moment, he felt as though he could let down his guard, that he could be vulnerable.
But as quickly as the moment had arrived, it was gone. Rei quickly withdrew her hand, her face flushing slightly, as though she had just realized how close they had become. She cleared her throat, avoiding his gaze now. "Anyway," she said, her voice slightly more strained than before. "I think I'm going to check on Kenji. You should rest."
Axton stared at her, unsure of what just happened. He wanted to say something, wanted to ask her more, but the words caught in his throat. This wasn't something he had ever been good at. Emotions, connections… it all felt foreign to him, a distant echo from a life he had left behind. And yet, with Rei, it felt almost natural, as though it was meant to be.
As Rei turned to walk toward Kenji, Axton stood still, his thoughts swirling. Is this what it means to care for someone?
For the first time since he had arrived in this world, Axton wasn't sure what the next step should be. He had never allowed himself to form such bonds before—never let anyone get too close. But Rei… Rei was different. She had been with him from the start, and as much as he tried to push it aside, he knew deep down that he couldn't ignore what was growing between them.
---
Later that Night
The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the stars now dotted the sky above them. Axton sat by a small fire, his mind still racing from the events of the day, but now there was something more. Something lingering. He had to admit it. Rei had made him feel something—something he hadn't allowed himself to feel in a long time.
Kenji had retreated to his makeshift workshop, leaving Axton and Rei alone by the fire. She was sitting nearby, sharpening one of her weapons, but Axton could sense that she was aware of his presence. There was an unspoken tension in the air, one that neither of them had fully addressed.
Rei finally broke the silence, her voice low. "You know, you don't have to keep pretending like you're not tired. It's okay to rest. You don't always have to fight everything by yourself."
Axton looked at her, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I've never really been good at resting."
"You're not invincible, Axton," Rei replied, her tone soft but firm. "And you don't have to be."
He looked at her, really looked at her for the first time in a long while. Maybe… maybe she's right.
Rei put down the weapon and turned to face him, her expression more open than he'd ever seen. "I know you're carrying the weight of the world, Axton. But I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere."
Axton felt his heart race again, his emotions swirling. This was the moment. The moment he could let down the walls he had built. His hand reached out, almost on its own, as he slowly closed the distance between them.
For a brief, fleeting moment, everything else faded away—the Rift, the battles, the past. It was just him and her. And in that moment, Axton finally let go.