I WOKE TO the sound of murmured voices from the group. The cold floor beneath me made me shiver slightly as I sat up, my limbs stiff from a restless night.

I noticed the only other woman in the group approaching me with a tentative smile. Her short hair framed her face neatly, and her eyes held a flicker of warmth.

''Would you like to go to the bathroom together?'' she asked, her voice soft.

I nodded, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. ''Sure,'' I replied simply, rising to my feet.

The hallways leading to the bathrooms were eerily silent. The cold, sterile tiles underfoot seemed to reflect the unease in my chest. Inside the bathroom, the two of us exchanged brief glances as we stood by the sinks.

''What do you think about all of this?'' she asked, her tone shifting to something more casual, almost conspiratorial.

I hesitated, glancing at the mirror. My reflection looked pale, almost ghostly, as if the games were already draining the life out of me. ''It's fucked up,'' I said quietly, my words almost swallowed by the silence.

She nodded in agreement, leaning slightly against the sink. ''It is. But I suppose we don't have much of a choice.''

Our conversation drifted to lighter topics for a moment—small fragments of gossip about some of the other players—before we decided to head back to the group.

As we returned a masked manager had appeared, his faceless stare scanning the crowd. He stood stiffly at the front, explaining the next step.

An election.

We were to decide whether to continue the games or end them.

Thanos, standing at the edge of the group with his arms crossed, was the first to step forward. Without hesitation, he pressed the button to continue.

I flinched slightly at his confidence.

Before anyone else could follow, Gi-hun stepped forward. ''Don't do it,'' he implored. ''Vote 'X.' If we keep going, none of us might make it out of here.''

Murmurs rippled through the group, doubt creeping into their faces. When pressed further, Gi-hun admitted, ''I've played these games before!''

The confession hit like a wave, silencing everyone. Thanos, however, only seemed more resolute. ''If you've played before, that works for us,'' he told Gi-hun with a smug grin. ''You can give us tips on how to win.''

The room buzzed with mixed reactions. My chest tightened as I pressed my button. I chose to end the games, my fingers trembling slightly as they left the device.

When the results revealed the majority had chosen to continue, Thanos celebrated with Nam-gyu, his grin wide and arrogant. My chest felt heavy.

Thanos must have noticed because he approached me after the vote. ''You're quiet,'' he observed, crouching slightly to meet my eyes.

''I don't want to die.'' I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.

His expression softened, but I could see the determination still burning behind his eyes. ''Nothing's going to happen to you. I'll make sure of it.''

I turned away, my frustration bubbling to the surface. ''You can't promise that.''

His posture stiffened, and though he didn't lash out at me, I could sense his frustration. He walked away, leaving me to stew in my thoughts.

Later during the day, the commotion drew my attention again. Thanos and Nam-gyu were confronting Myung-gi, their voices raised.

''You owe me,'' Thanos snapped. ''All the money I busted my ass earning from rapping.''

When Myung-gi refused to give up his dinner to Nam-gyu, Thanos shoved the food into his face. ''You want it that bad? Fine!'' he growled, his temper boiling over.

I watched from a distance as the fight erupted. Thanos and Nam-gyu were both locked in a heated altercation with Myung-gi. It all spiralled too quickly—shouting turned into shoving, and before I knew it, fists were flying. My stomach churned as I stood frozen, my arms crossed tightly over my chest. This wasn't the Thanos I thought I had begun to understand.

When Player 001 stepped in, I hoped it would be enough to stop them. ''That's enough,'' he warned.

Thanos, however, only scoffed, turning his face toward the elderly man. ''Save the lecture for your own damn kids,'' he snapped.

The moment the words left his mouth, Player 001 retaliated with a fury I hadn't expected. He lunged at Thanos, knocking him to the ground, and before I could process it, the others joined in, landing kicks and punches. My heart thudded painfully in my chest, and for a moment, I felt paralysed.

Finally, the fight broke apart, leaving Thanos crumpled on the ground, his breathing laboured and blood trickling from a cut above his eyebrow. Despite the anger simmering inside me, I stepped forward. ''Let me help you.'' I murmured, my voice steady but low, as I gestured for Nam-gyu to help me. Together, we hoisted Thanos to his feet.

The walk to the bathroom was tense. Nam-gyu grumbled under his breath, but I ignored him, focusing on the task at hand. Thanos was silent, his head hanging slightly, but I could feel the frustration radiating off him.

When we reached the bathroom, I led Thanos inside and leaned him against the sink, while Nam-gyu hovered awkwardly near the door. 

''You can leave now,'' Thanos barked suddenly, his voice sharp. Nam-gyu hesitated, glancing at me for confirmation, but I only gave him a small nod. With a sigh, he left, the door clicking shut behind him.

Thanos exhaled heavily, then glanced at me, his features softening. ''I didn't mean for you to see this,'' he muttered, his voice quieter and softer now.

I flinched slightly at the memory of his earlier tone but quickly composed myself. ''You were reckless,'' I replied, keeping my gaze fixed on his injuries. ''That didn't look like you.''

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. ''I know. I lost control.''

Without another word, I grabbed a paper towel and dampened it under the tap. The water was ice-cold as I wrung it out, and the sound of the dripping echoed in the small room. Carefully, I began to dab at the dried blood on his face, wincing slightly at the deep cuts. He flinched once, but stayed still, his eyes locked on mine.

''Are you still mad?'' he asked eventually, breaking the silence.

I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. ''I'm not mad for the sake of being mad. I'm upset because you're putting your life and health at risk. This whole situation could have been avoided if you just controlled yourself.''

He exhaled slowly, a flicker of guilt crossing his face. ''You're right. I promise it won't happen again.''

I didn't respond immediately, focusing instead on the wound above his eyebrow. ''You can't let your emotions get the better of you. Not here. We're on the same team, it affects me too.''

''I get it,'' he replied softly. Then, with a faint smirk that almost seemed out of place, he added, ''Legend Thanos can't let down his fans, right?''

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the faint twitch of a smile tugging at my lips. 

''Why did you choose me?'' I asked, my voice cutting through the silence. I crossed my arms over my chest. ''Out of all the people here, why did you ask me to join your group?''

Thanos scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, his gaze shifting briefly to the floor before meeting mine. ''Because you were the only one who actually cared,'' he replied, his voice quieter than usual. ''When I was moving during the game, you were the only one who asked if I'm okay. Everyone else just watched.''

I frowned, shaking my head. ''I only did that because I was scared you might get eliminated by moving. That's all.''

''Still,'' he shrugged, a faint smirk tugging at his lips, ''you cared enough to ask if I'm okay. So, thank you for that. You're... a good person.'' His words carried a surprising sincerity, one that made me falter for a moment.

''You're wrong,'' I said firmly. ''I only—''

''No,'' he interrupted, his smirk fading. ''You're a good person, but you tried to save the wrong one.''

''What do you mean by that?'' I asked cautiously.

Without a word, he reached up and tugged at the chain around his neck, revealing a small capsule hidden inside the pendant. He opened it to show me a cluster of small pills.

''Are you serious?'' I whispered, my voice trembling with anger. ''You're taking drugs? Here?''

Thanos gave a half-hearted shrug, his expression almost... shameless. ''Yeah,'' he admitted bluntly.

I felt a surge of heat rush through me, anger mixed with disbelief. ''I was seriously worried about you,'' I snapped, my tone sharper than I intended. ''And the whole time, you've been doing this?''

''You don't know shit about me,'' he shot back, his voice rising with sudden intensity. ''So stop acting like you worry about me!''

His outburst made me flinch, my body instinctively stepping back. His eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of regret in his expression. ''Minji...'' he began, his voice softer now.

I raised a hand, cutting him off. ''Don't,'' I said firmly, my voice shaking despite my attempt to stay calm. ''Don't try to explain. Are you high right now?''

He hesitated before nodding.

I stared at him for a moment, trying to make sense of the situation, but all I felt was a bitter disappointment. Without another word, I turned on my heel and walked out of the bathroom, the sound of my footsteps echoing in the empty corridor.

I rejoined the group. I didn't look back. If Thanos wanted to throw his life away, I wasn't going to stop him. But that didn't mean I wasn't angry. Or hurt.

The smell of stale air mixed with the faint scent of sweat and disinfectant filled the space. Players shuffled around, some talking in low voices, others lost in their own thoughts. I sat alone for a while, arms crossed, watching the chaos around me. Despite the noise, it felt quieter than ever, like the whole place was closing in.

I couldn't shake off the anger I felt towards Thanos. I kept thinking about the vote, the one where he chose to stay. It was reckless, selfish, and dangerous. We were all risking our lives, but he seemed so nonchalant about it. The thought of him possibly jeopardising everything—and everyone—by being high made my blood boil. I hated how he'd lied to me too, how he'd hidden things. And yet, I was just as angry at myself for caring. I barely knew him, and yet I felt betrayed. How was it that a person I'd just met had managed to earn my trust so quickly, and then shatter it just as fast?

I hated that I even felt this way. Maybe I was just fooling myself. Thanos wasn't a friend. He was someone I was stuck with, like everyone else. But when I thought about it—really thought about it—he was the first person who had tried to talk to me, tried to connect with me, in this hellhole. That must've meant something, didn't it?

Before I could spiral any further into my thoughts, Thanos came out of the bathroom. His usual swagger was gone, replaced by a sombre expression. He wasn't angry—no, he wasn't even upset. But there was something different about him. His eyes were a little darker, his shoulders a little slumped.

We ate breakfast in silence. I kept my distance, though I noticed Thanos glance at me a few times, his gaze softening when he thought I wasn't looking.

I didn't touch my food. My hands stayed folded in my lap, while my gaze wandered to the back wall where cracks formed delicate, spiderweb patterns. It was easier to look at than the faces around me—or his face, for that matter.

Finally, after everyone had finished eating, he leaned in and quietly asked, ''Minji, can we talk?''

I gave a small nod, my heart pounding a little faster than usual. I followed him to a quiet corner of the room, away from the others. He sat down, staring at his hands for a moment before speaking again.

We moved to a corner. He leaned against the wall, shoving his hands into his pockets, while I crossed my arms, keeping my distance.

''Look,'' he began, his eyes darting away from mine. ''I know you're angry—''

''Angry?'' I interrupted sharply, my voice low but firm. ''You voted to stay in this game, knowing exactly what it is. You took drugs during a game, Thanos. You could've gotten yourself killed—maybe even someone else.''

His jaw tightened, and he dropped his gaze to the floor. ''I didn't mean—''

''Don't.'' I cut him off again, my frustration bubbling to the surface. ''I don't even know you. And yet, I trusted you—for some reason. Maybe that was my mistake.''

I turned to leave, ready to put this conversation behind me, but his voice stopped me in my tracks.

''I'm twenty-nine,'' he blurted out suddenly.

I blinked, turning back to face him. ''What?''

''I'm twenty-nine,'' he repeated, his tone steadier now. ''I grew up in Busan. I have a younger sister who used to look up to me—before I ruined everything.'' He paused, running a hand through his hair. ''You don't know me, Minji. But I want you to. Because we need to trust each other if we're going to survive this.''

I stared at him, utterly confused. ''Why? Why do you care so much about what I think?''

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. ''Because we're alike.''

I let out a bitter laugh. ''Alike? You don't even know me.''

''But I do,'' he insisted, his gaze locking onto mine. ''I've seen it in your eyes. The way you move, like you're waiting for something to crush you. The way you flinch when someone raises their voice or does something sudden. I've noticed.''

My breath caught in my throat, and I looked away, feeling exposed. It wasn't like I wanted to hide it, but it was something I didn't talk about. Not with anyone.

''Last night,'' he continued, softer now, ''your sleeve was pulled up while you slept. I saw the marks.''

My eyes dropped to my feet, shame prickling at my skin.

''Hey,'' he said quickly, his tone gentler. ''I'm not judging you. I'm just saying... I get it. I know what it's like to feel like there's nothing left. But if we work together, maybe we can both make it out of here.''

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence stretched between us, heavy but not suffocating.

''Fine,'' I muttered eventually, extending my hand towards him. ''But if you pull something stupid like that again, we're done. Understood?''

His lips curved into a faint smile as he shook my hand without hesitation. ''Understood.''

I stared at him, unsure of what to say. I had no idea why he was so insistent, why he cared so much. But the more I looked at him, the more I realised—maybe I was wrong to dismiss him so quickly. Maybe there was something more to him than I had first thought.

I shook my head in disbelief, a laugh slipping past my lips. ''You're a strange one, Thanos.''

He grinned at that, but there was something different in his smile. 

''Maybe I am,'' he agreed. ''But that doesn't mean we can't make it out together and split the money, right?''

I stared at him for a long moment. ''Alright, Thanos. Let's get out of here together.''

And in that moment, I knew—he wasn't just an ally anymore. He was someone I was going to fight for, just as much as I was going to fight for myself.

words: 2679

A/N

I felt like they were rushed but at the same time they are in a deathly game so it makes sense i guess