The door to the Command Wing quarters hissed shut, sealing them away from the shrieking horrors outside. The sudden, profound silence was more jarring than the noise had been. For a long moment, they just stood there, the adrenaline slowly receding like a tide, leaving behind a bone-deep weariness.
The floor was polished composite steel, patterned with old Vault insignias that hadn't faded. There's no claw marks. No blood. Just clean place.
Jin's first instinct wasn't to marvel at the supplies, but to check on his team. He saw Clara still trembling, her knuckles white around her toolkit. He saw Sera standing rigidly. He saw Rosa trying to force a smile, but the strain around her eyes gave away.
"We're safe now," he said, his voice calm and clear, his eyes meeting each of theirs in turn. "For a moment, we can breathe."
The simple words, delivered with quiet conviction, seemed to break the spell. Clara's shoulders slumped in relief. Sera let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
To the left, military-grade lockers stood untouched. Clara, drawn by a morbid curiosity, touched a glowing button on a locker. It hissed open, revealing not weapons, but crisp, navy blue uniforms with gold trim, a stark contrast to the grimy, torn Vault jumpsuits they'd been wearing. Beneath them lay casual clothing—soft shirts, cozy hoodies, even sealed packs of clean undergarments.
Further down, another drawer hissed open, revealing sleep sets of cotton-silk that looked impossibly soft.
"Is this real?" Clara whispered, her voice filled with disbelief. She reached out a trembling hand, her fingers grazing a folded hoodie reverently. "It even smells… clean. Like lavender…"
But it was the beds that made her gasp. A dozen of them, arranged along the far wall, with real mattresses and actual linens. It was a vision of peace so profound it felt like a joke.
Across the room, Rosa let out a low whistle as she approached a sealed module in the corner. "Sweet!"
It stood like a heavenly relic. Condensation glistened on the glass, and steam rose from inside, curling into the cool air. The panel on the door blinked gently: `[WATER TEMP: 41°C / STERILIZED: YES]`.
Rosa's fingers hovered just over the glass. "Hot water," she breathed. "Actual hot water! I haven't had a proper bath... since before the cryo-sleep."
Jin blinked, the sheer luxury of it all not quite registering. "Whoa—Asha, why is it already running?"
'Command Wing protocols detect viable life signatures within a secured perimeter,' Asha's calm voice explained in his head. 'Systems automatically resume limited function under Directive 9.4: Maintain Crew Morale and Hygiene.'
As Rosa slid open the frosted privacy partition, a hiss of warm, humid air rolled out, revealing a massive, sunken tub, wide and circular, tiled with smooth ceramic and chrome. The water inside sparkled faintly.
"Ohhhhhh my god. Am I dreaming?!" Rosa gasped, dipping a toe in. "It's perfect. Clara! You gotta try this!"
Clara peeked in timidly, her cheeks turning a bright, adorable pink. "That's a bit… m-much, isn't it?"
Sera approached with her usual skeptical scowl, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of longing. "It's just a bath. Don't overreact."
Jin wandered up behind them, his gaze taking in the luxurious tub, then shifting to the exhausted faces of the girls. He saw the dirt, the grime, the dried blood on their skin. He saw the deep weariness in their eyes.
Rosa turned dramatically, a mischievous glint in her violet eyes. "My hero," she whispered, leaning her arms over his shoulders. "It's time for your reward. A bath… with three beautiful naked girls!"
Sera choked, her ears turning a violent shade of red. "T-There's no way we're all getting in there at once. That's ridiculous!"
Jin didn't fluster or stammer. He simply met Rosa's gaze with a calm, steady look. "That's not happening," he said, his voice gentle but firm, setting a clear boundary. "But you all should use it. You've earned it." He gave a small, reassuring nod. "I'll take the first watch. Get cleaned up, and rest."
His decisiveness was disarming. He wasn't flustered; he was taking care of them. He turned away, giving them their privacy as he moved to inspect the supply racks, his actions speaking louder than any awkward protest could.
Rosa pouted playfully. "Aww, what a gentleman. But you're missing out!"
Sera watched Jin's back for a moment, a complicated expression on her face. Her gaze fell to her reflection in a nearby terminal. She saw the matted silver hair, the torn suit, the dirt and blood smudged on her face. A tired young woman stared back.
"...What a mess," she whispered, the frustration in her voice trembling with exhaustion.
---
[DIALOGUE CHOICE AVAILABLE – SUBJECT: SERA VALERIUS]
[Emotional Signature: VULNERABLE STATE DETECTED]
[Proximity Link Established | Tone Sync Enabled]
Choose Response:
A) "You know… you'd still look good even if you were covered in Crawler goo."
B) "Heh… well, you're still the second scariest thing in this Vault—after Rosa with no caffeine."
C) "Sera… We wouldn't be here without you."
D) "…You look tired, Sera. It's okay to rest. You don't have to carry everything alone."
---
Jin, who was pretending to examine a rack of rations, noticed her shoulders slump in the reflection. He finished his thought, then walked over. He didn't say anything at first, just stood near her, a quiet presence.
"Sera," he said softly, his voice sincere. "We wouldn't be here without you."
He didn't wait for a response, didn't fish for a compliment. He just stated the truth he felt and let it land. Then he gave a small, respectful nod and moved to check the weapon rack, giving her space.
> Selected: C
[Response locked. Delivering…]
---
[+2% Affinity Gained – Sera: 34 / 100]
[TSUNDERE RADAR – SIGNAL DETECTED]
---
'Analyzing Subject Sera,' Asha's dry voice noted in his neural feed. 'Internal metric suggests 73% likelihood she appreciated that compliment, Jin. And there is an 89% chance she has no idea how to handle it.'