THANOS HAD BEEN by my side the entire morning. I could feel his presence even when I wasn't looking at him. 

Breakfast was served, and he handed me an extra piece of bread, a gesture so simple yet so loaded with meaning here. He leaned closer.
''Eat up, bunny. You need your strength.''

I didn't react to the nickname. It wasn't new, but it was still strange to me. No one had called me anything other than my name in years, and I didn't think I'd ever get used to it. I focused instead on the bread in my hands, taking small bites as if savouring every crumb.

Nam-gyu, one of Thanos' friends, sat across from us, muttering something under his breath about needing more food. I barely noticed until Thanos turned to him, his tone sharp.
''Just take someone else's bread. Minji didn't get enough.''

I froze.
''That's not very nice,'' I interjected quietly, looking directly at Thanos before turning my gaze back to my tray.

His jaw tensed, and for a moment, I thought he'd argue back—lash out like he often did when he felt cornered. But instead, he glanced at me, his expression softening.
''You're right,'' he muttered, his voice barely audible over the clatter of trays and murmurs around us.

Nam-gyu looked at him like he was crazy but said nothing. Thanos stayed silent for the rest of the meal, and though he didn't say it, I could tell he was trying to respect what I'd said. It was a strange feeling.

◯ △ ▢ 

THE GUARDS STOOD in a line, their expressionless masks reflecting the harsh fluorescent lights above. The rules were laid out in that cold, detached tone they always used, but my mind was already turning over strategies.

Team members will start with their legs tied together. At each ten-metre interval on the track, one member of the team will play a mini-game. If that player wins, the team can move on to the next challenge. 

I glanced at Thanos, who was already looking at me. His confidence in me was unnerving, but it also gave me a strange sense of calm.

''We should put Minji on ddakji,'' he said, his voice firm.

The others nodded in agreement. I didn't protest. I was good at it—better than his high friends, that is. Thanos gave me a slight smile, as if to reassure me, and I nodded back.

My heart pounded as I stepped up for the ddakji challenge. Thanos was next to me, his hand brushing against mine. 

''You've got this,'' he murmured.

I clenched the folded paper tightly, the edges digging into my palm. The guard across from me slammed his piece onto the ground, flipping mine over. The sound echoed.

I took a deep breath, crouching low as I prepared my move. Thanos' hand found mine again, just for a moment. He rubbed his thumb over my knuckles. I glanced up at him, and he gave me a smile—not the cocky, over-the-top grin he often wore, but something softer. Something meant for me.

''You can do this, bunny,'' he said softly.

I nodded, focusing on the paper in my hand. The world seemed to narrow down to just the guard, the ground, and the sound of my heartbeat. I slammed my ddakji down with all the force I could muster. It flipped the guard's piece with a satisfying thud.

The team cheered beside me, and I felt a small smile tug at my lips. Thanos clapped me on the back as I returned to the line, his grin wide and genuine.

''Knew you had it in you,'' he said. 

Back in the dormitory, the mood was lighter. The team celebrated their victory, voices filling the otherwise oppressive space. I sat in our little corner, watching Thanos joke with Nam-gyu and the others.

He turned to me after a while, holding out a bottle of water.
''You were amazing out there,'' he said, his tone quieter now.

I nodded, taking the bottle. I didn't need the praise, but it still felt good to hear. 

The others were deep in conversation, their voices mingling into an indistinct buzz in the background. I sat quietly, my knees drawn up to my chest, resting my chin on them. It was easier to let my mind drift than to engage in their chatter. 

Thanos, as usual, was beside me. He wasn't laughing along with the others or adding to their conversation. Instead, he leaned slightly closer.

''You know,'' he began, his tone uncharacteristically serious, ''I didn't eat those pills. today''

His words caught me off guard, and I turned to look at him. His expression was softer than I'd seen before, almost vulnerable.

''What do you mean?'' I asked quietly.

''I've taken them before,'' he admitted, his eyes fixed on a spot on the floor. ''Back then... when things got really bad and I felt scared. They made me act crazy. Made me feel like I wasn't really there.'' He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair as if trying to shake off the weight of the memory. ''I thought it helped. I thought if I didn't feel anything, I could handle it. But today... I realised something.''

I waited, watching him carefully. 

''If I take them during the games again,'' he continued, his voice barely above a whisper, ''I won't be able to save you.''

I felt my chest tighten. Thanos wasn't looking at me, but I could see the faint tremor in his hands.

''Today, I was scared,'' he said. ''But not of the games or the guards. I was scared of losing you.'' He finally turned to me, his gaze meeting mine. ''We promised, didn't we? To leave this place together.''

I nodded, my throat tightening. ''We did.''

For a moment, I couldn't find the right words. There was something so disarming about his honesty, his willingness to lay bare the fear and strength that had brought him to this point.

''I'm glad you quit,'' I murmured. ''Really.''

He tilted his head slightly, studying me. ''What about you?'' he asked gently.

I hesitated, my fingers curling into the fabric of my trousers. ''I... I used to hurt myself when I was scared,'' I admitted, my voice barely audible. ''I thought it would help me control the fear, make it feel smaller. But it didn't.''

Thanos didn't say anything, but the look on his face made my chest ache. He wasn't judging me. He wasn't pitying me. He was just... listening.

''They sent me to a mental hospital,'' I continued, forcing the words out. ''That's when I stopped. I realised it wasn't fixing anything. It was just another way of running away.''

He nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. ''I get it,'' he said softly. ''I really do.''

For a moment, there was silence between us, but it didn't feel awkward. It felt... understood.

''I'm glad I've got someone to relate to in here,'' Thanos admitted, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

''Me too,'' I replied, surprising myself with how much I meant it.

After lunch, the group began moving their mattresses closer together on the floor. Safety in numbers, they said.

Thanos was already dragging his mattress next to mine before I even had to ask.

''Better to keep the bunny safe,'' he quipped lightly, though his eyes carried a seriousness that belied the joke.

I didn't respond, but I gave him a small nod, letting him know I understood.

As I lay down, I caught Thanos glancing at me from the corner of his eye. He gave me a quick, almost sheepish smile before turning away. I closed my eyes, letting the quiet hum of the room settle over me. 

◯ △ ▢ 

THE DARKNESS IN the dormitory was thick, oppressive, and filled with the faint sounds of restless shuffling and muffled whispers. I lay on my mattress, staring up at the black void above. 

I turned my head slightly to see Thanos lying next to me, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. His face looked so peaceful and for a moment, I hesitated. But the discomfort in my bladder left me no choice. 

''Thanos,'' I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He stirred, his brows furrowing before his eyes blinked open groggily. ''What's wrong, bunny?'' he murmured, his voice rough from sleep.

''I need to use the bathroom,'' I admitted, keeping my voice low to avoid waking anyone else.

He sat up immediately, rubbing his face. ''Alright, let's go.''

The two of us made our way to the door, our footsteps soft against the cold floor. A guard stood like a statue just outside, his masked face turning toward us as we approached.

''Bathroom?'' Thanos asked, his tone more assertive now.

The guard's voice was flat, almost robotic. 'Not allowed during lights-out. Wait until morning.'

I opened my mouth to respond, but Thanos stepped forward, his frustration bubbling over. ''What? Are you serious? I'm a rapper, not some kind of... I don't know, rule-breaker, but how dare you deny my lady the basic right to use the bathroom?'' He gestured toward me dramatically, his voice rising.

I touched his arm gently, trying to calm him down. ''It's alright,'' I murmured. ''I can wait until morning.''

Thanos shook his head. ''No, it's not alright! You can't expect her to hold it all night! What if she gets sick or something? What kind of barbaric rules are these?''

The guard remained silent for a long moment. Finally, with a sigh that was more resigned than annoyed, he unlocked the door. ''Fine. Make it quick.''

Thanos shot me a triumphant look as he held the ladies bathroom door open for me. ''Go ahead, bunny. I've got this.''

I gave him a small, grateful smile as I slipped through the door. ''Thank you,'' I whispered.

''Always,'' he replied, his tone softer now.

The bathroom was eerily quiet. After finishing my bussiness and washing my hands, I emerged to find Thanos waiting for me, leaning casually against the wall.

''Thanks again,'' I said, drying my hands on my trousers.

''We're teammates,'' he replied with a shrug. 'We look after each other. That's how it works.'

I nodded, my chest warming at the sincerity in his voice. ''Your turn,'' I said, motioning toward the men's bathroom.

He grinned and headed in, leaving me standing alone in the corridor. The silence felt heavier without him there.

When he returned, we made our way back to our mattresses in the dormitory. The other players were still, some snoring softly, others breathing quietly in the dark.

Thanos sat down next to me, pulling his blanket over his lap. ''Can't believe I had to argue with that guy just so you could pee,'' he remarked, shaking his head.

I chuckled softly, the sound surprising me. ''You handled it well, though.''

''Yeah, well,'' he began, leaning back on his hands, ''that's what I do. Handle things.'' He tilted his head toward me. ''What about you? What did you used to do before... all this?''

I hesitated. ''I used to love dancing,'' I admitted. ''Before everything fell apart. It was... an escape, I suppose. A way to feel free, even for a little while.''

Thanos nodded thoughtfully. ''Dancing, huh? That's cool. I miss rapping. Not the fame or the crowds, but just... the way it felt to let it all out. Like free therapy, you know?''

I smiled faintly. ''I get it.''

He glanced at me, a spark of determination in his eyes. ''Tell you what. When we get out of here, when we pay off all this crap, I'm getting back into music. And you're going to be my one and only dancer. Deal?''

I couldn't help but smile at the earnestness in his voice. Holding out my pinky, I said, ''Deal.''

He grinned, hooking his pinky around mine. ''That's a promise, bunny.''

As I lay back down, the sound of his steady breathing beside me was oddly comforting.

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