The drive back to the mansion was suffocatingly silent. The only sound was the faint hum of the engine, a stark contrast to the chaos they had just left behind. Fourth remained curled in Gemini’s arms, his small, battered body trembling uncontrollably.

No matter how much warmth Gemini tried to give, Fourth remained ice-cold, as if the horrors he had endured had seeped into his very bones. He hadn’t loosened his grip even slightly, his fragile fingers still clutching onto Gemini’s shirt with the weak, desperate strength of a drowning man clinging to driftwood. His face was buried in the crook of Gemini’s neck, his uneven breaths brushing against his skin in shallow, panicked bursts.

Gemini had carried him out of that hellhole without a word, his arms unwavering, his expression unreadable. But inside, his heart was fracturing. Every twitch, every whimper, every broken inhale from Fourth sent a fresh wave of fury and helplessness coursing through him. He had gotten there too late.

Phuwin and Pond sat in the front seats, their hands gripping their knees as they exchanged uneasy glances through the rearview mirror. They had seen Gemini kill without hesitation. They had seen him command armies without blinking.

But they had never seen him like this—gentle, patient, protective in a way that seemed almost foreign to him. And the way Fourth clung to him, small and wrecked, made something unspoken settle heavily in their chests.

As the car pulled into the estate, the mansion loomed ahead, its towering presence bathed in soft golden lights. Staff and security were already gathered outside, waiting with tense shoulders and worried eyes. Among them stood Tay, New, Earth, and Mix, their expressions tight with barely restrained concern.

Prim and Tu hovered nearby, their hands clasped together as if holding onto each other was the only thing keeping them steady.

The second Gemini stepped out of the car with Fourth in his arms, the world seemed to still. Conversations died on tongues, movements halted. Even the wind seemed to hesitate, carrying the weight of the moment in its ghostly embrace.

Tay and New rushed forward. “Is he—?” New started, but Gemini’s sharp glance cut through him like a blade.

“He needs rest,” Gemini said, his voice firm yet uncharacteristically soft. “No questions. Not now.”

New swallowed hard, nodding, stepping aside as Gemini carried Fourth inside. The warmth of the mansion enveloped them immediately, but Fourth didn’t react. His body remained stiff, his breaths shallow, his fingers twitching minutely as if expecting pain at any moment.

Earth placed a comforting hand on Mix’s shoulder, the two of them exchanging a look of quiet understanding.

Prim’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she took in Fourth’s fragile state, her lips pressing together tightly. Tu wrapped an arm around her, offering silent support, though her own eyes glistened with barely concealed grief.

Gemini took Fourth directly to his room, his steps slow, careful, as if afraid that moving too fast would break him. Once inside, he kicked the door shut with a soft thud, the sound making Fourth flinch violently against him.

Gemini stiffened. His hold instinctively tightened as a quiet, gut-wrenching whimper escaped Fourth’s lips. He hadn’t made a sound this entire time, and somehow, that tiny, broken noise shattered Gemini more than anything else.

Gently, he lowered Fourth onto the bed, but the second he tried to step away, Fourth’s entire body jolted. His fingers shot out, latching onto Gemini’s wrist in silent desperation, his breathing immediately turning erratic again.

“No—no, don’t—” Fourth’s voice was barely audible, shaking like fragile glass on the verge of shattering. His eyes, glazed over with exhaustion and terror, darted around the room, his chest heaving like he was being suffocated by his own panic. His nails dug into Gemini’s skin, his grip weak but unrelenting.

“I’m here,” Gemini whispered, lowering himself to sit beside him. He kept his voice soft, steady, like soothing a terrified child. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Fourth’s lips quivered, his body trembling violently beneath Gemini’s touch. He looked so lost, so broken, his mind still trapped in the horrors of that warehouse. Gemini could see it in his eyes—the way they flickered with ghosts of pain, the way his breath stuttered every time his mind replayed something unseen, something that still had its claws buried deep in him.

Outside the door, Prim and Tu stood anxiously, their hearts aching at the muffled sounds of Fourth’s distress. Phuwin and Pond leaned against the wall beside them, still reeling from everything they had witnessed. Earth and Mix remained quiet, their gazes unreadable, but their presence was grounding, a silent show of support.

Inside the room, Gemini exhaled softly. His hand hovered hesitantly above Fourth’s head before he finally gave in, threading his fingers gently through his hair. It was unfamiliar—this tenderness—but he didn’t stop. Fourth didn’t flinch. That was enough.

“You’re safe,” Gemini murmured, his voice barely more than a breath. “No one will hurt you again.”

Fourth’s grip on his wrist loosened ever so slightly, his breathing evening out bit by bit. He didn’t respond with words, but he didn’t need to. The way his fingers curled around Gemini’s sleeve, holding onto him like a lifeline, was enough.

For now, it was enough that he wasn’t alone.

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