Let's rewrite it properly with that context baked in.
—
The base had gone quiet for the night.
Training was over. Machinery hummed low. The air carried that constant underground chill.
Corpse stood at the corridor junction with his tablet.
"Room assignments."
"Zane. Room 4."
"Finally. Peace."
"Tanya and Luna. Room 6."
They nodded.
"Richard retains his quarters."
Of course he did. He'd been here for days already.
Training. Losing to Ghoul. Getting stronger.
Corpse looked up.
"All rooms are assigned."
A pause.
"Siara."
Everyone turned.
"You may share with Zane… or Richard."
Zane froze.
"Wait. Why do I feel like I'm in a reality show."
Siara didn't look at him.
She looked at Richard.
They had known each other since they were kids.
Family barbecues. School projects. Walking home together. That one stupid fight in tenth grade. That summer they dated. That awkward break-up when everything started going wrong.
History doesn't disappear just because the world ends.
Richard met her gaze calmly.
"You can stay with Zane," he said evenly. "It's fine."
Neutral.
Always neutral.
She folded her arms.
"How far apart are your rooms?"
"Opposite ends of the corridor," Corpse replied.
Which meant—
If something happened. If there was an alarm. If she woke up scared.
Distance.
She exhaled slowly.
"I'll stay with Richard."
Zane clutched his chest dramatically.
"BETRAYAL."
Tanya elbowed him.
Luna hid a small smile.
Richard didn't react much.
But his shoulders stiffened just slightly.
"Understood," Corpse said.
And walked away.
—
Richard's room hadn't changed much in days.
Metal desk. Wall storage. One heater.
One bed.
The door slid shut behind them.
Siara looked around.
"You always were minimalist."
"It reduces distraction."
"You used to have posters."
"That was school."
"You had that dumb racing one."
"It was not dumb."
She smirked.
He looked away first.
Silence settled.
The bed sat between them like a memory.
"We've shared worse," she said finally.
"Group study sessions don't count."
"I meant when my parents made you stay over during storms."
"That was different."
"Why."
"We were fifteen."
A beat.
"And now?" she asked softly.
He didn't answer.
Before the air could get heavier—
The door burst open.
Music crackled from a phone speaker.
Zero entered.
In a full inflatable dinosaur costume.
He began dancing immediately.
No greeting. No explanation.
Tiny arms flailing. Tail smacking the wall.
Siara blinked.
Richard closed his eyes.
"…Zero."
He attempted a spin.
The costume twisted.
He tripped.
Fell sideways.
The dinosaur bounced once on the floor.
Siara burst into laughter.
Real laughter. The kind she hadn't had in weeks.
Zero slowly raised one tiny arm.
"I remain functional."
Richard pinched the bridge of his nose.
"You cannot enter without knocking."
Zero stood.
Reached inside the costume.
Pulled out a pack of chips.
And a deck of UNO.
He tossed them onto the bed.
"Be happy," he said.
The dinosaur head tilted toward Richard.
"Life is short."
A pause.
"I do not want you to end up like me."
That landed differently.
Because Richard knew what he meant.
Zero adjusted the oversized head.
"Do not waste calm."
Then left.
Still dressed as a dinosaur.
Door sliding shut.
Silence.
Siara wiped her eyes.
"He fell."
"Yes."
"You almost laughed."
"I did not."
"You did."
A small, reluctant smile broke through.
They sat on opposite sides of the bed.
Chips opened.
UNO untouched.
The heater hummed.
After a while, she spoke.
"Do you remember third year?"
"Yes."
"You helped me pass math."
"You bribed me with iced coffee."
"You said you hated coffee."
"I did."
"You still drank it."
He gave a faint shrug.
"You were stressed."
That simple.
She looked at him.
"You used to carry my camera bag."
"You overpacked."
"You complained."
"You still overpack."
A small smile lingered.
Then it softened.
"…I didn't think we'd end up like this."
"Like what."
"Underground. Fighting monsters. Sharing a bed because the world collapsed."
He looked at the ceiling.
"I thought we'd fight about college applications."
She laughed quietly.
"I thought you'd move away."
"I almost did."
"I know."
Silence again.
He turned slightly toward her.
"When everything started going wrong… I didn't want you near it."
She met his eyes.
"You don't get to decide that."
"I didn't want you hurt."
"I was hurt anyway."
Honest. Not angry.
Just true.
3:18 A.M.
They were lying sideways now.
Blanket over both of them.
A small gap still there.
Talking about school. About teachers they hated. About that time he got suspended for punching someone who spread rumors about her.
"You didn't have to do that," she said quietly.
"Yes, I did."
"You almost got expelled."
"Worth it."
Her expression softened.
"You're still the same."
"No," he said.
"Some parts."
3:51 A.M.
Her voice slowed.
"You're tired," he murmured.
"No."
"Yes."
"Shut up."
She shifted closer.
It wasn't new.
They had fallen asleep on couches before. On bus rides. In libraries.
This just felt heavier.
"It's cold," she muttered.
"The heater is on."
"The walls are metal."
Fair.
Her head rested against his chest.
He stiffened.
Then slowly relaxed.
Her breathing evened out.
Soft. Familiar.
Carefully—
He pulled the blanket higher around her shoulders.
His arm hovered.
Then wrapped around her waist.
Not bold. Not hesitant.
Just… known.
She shifted in her sleep.
Closer.
One leg over his. Face tucked beneath his chin.
Like before.
But not really.
4:03 A.M.
Richard stared at the ceiling.
Listening to her breathing.
He remembered school hallways. Her camera strap hitting his shoulder. Fighting over dumb things. Kissing under the bleachers after exams.
He remembered breaking up because everything was already starting to feel unstable.
He remembered thinking distance would protect her.
It didn't.
His arm tightened slightly around her.
Not enough to wake her.
Just enough to feel real.
And for once—
He let himself stop being strong.
And just be.
Slowly—
He fell asleep too.
Outside in the corridor—
A dinosaur-shaped silhouette paused briefly.
Two steady heartbeats.
Stable.
Zero kept walking.
—