They found the hideout just before the sky began to pale—an abandoned clock tower leaning over the edge of a dry canal. The gears inside had long stopped turning, and the walls were coated in layers of dust and faded graffiti.
Kyle pushed the heavy wooden door shut and wedged a beam against it. The sound of the bar locking in place echoed through the hollow space.
"This'll do," he muttered.
Felix dropped onto a crate with a satisfied groan. "See? Perfect. Cozy, private, and—" He glanced at Gia with a playful smirk. "Safe."
Kyle's head turned sharply, his eyes narrowing. "Safe because the Hunter's not here. Not because of you."
Felix grinned. "Could be both."
Wounds and Words
Gia moved toward Kyle, her brow furrowing at the deep gash along his ribs. "You're bleeding again."
"It's nothing," he said, turning away.
She grabbed his arm. "Kyle, you can't keep shrugging things off like—"
"It's fine," he cut in, his voice edged with that familiar growl.
Felix watched them from the crate, leaning back with his hands behind his head. "You know, if you want, I could patch you up. I've been told I have a gentle touch."
Kyle's glare could have cut steel. "Don't."
Gia sighed, stepping back. "If you both keep acting like this, we're going to fall apart before the Hunter even catches us."
Felix raised an eyebrow. "If he catches us." He glanced at her again, slower this time, his smirk softening. "You handled yourself pretty well back there. Guess you're more than just the one we're running to protect."
Kyle stiffened.
Gia didn't notice—she was rummaging in her bag for bandages. "I can handle myself when I need to."
Felix's voice dropped slightly, almost flirtatious. "Good to know. Still… I'd rather not see you in the Hunter's sights again."
Pressure in the Air
Kyle's hands curled into fists at his sides. The clock tower's dusty air felt heavier, pressing between the three of them.
"You keep talking like you're the one protecting her," Kyle said finally, his tone low. "You forget whose blood's been spilled to keep us alive?"
Felix didn't flinch, but his smile was sharper now. "You forget who dragged her out of the way when you were busy hitting the ground?"
The words hung in the air like a drawn blade.
Gia looked between them, a flicker of unease in her eyes. "Both of you saved me. Can we not turn this into a competition?"
Neither answered.
A Thin Truce
Later, when the sun had just begun to creep through the high, cracked windows, they settled into the tower's corners. Felix dozed lightly against the wall, but Kyle stayed awake, sitting where he could watch both him and Gia.
She caught his gaze once, confusion in her eyes. "Kyle… you okay?"
He hesitated, his voice quieter than usual. "I don't like people taking what's mine."
The words were so unexpected that she blinked, unsure how to respond. Before she could say anything, he looked away, his usual guarded mask snapping back into place.
Outside, in the waking streets, a shadow moved across the canal. The Hunter was still out there.
And he was getting closer.
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