I can feel his eyes on me even as I avoid his gaze. The silence between us is no longer casual. It’s strung so tight I think I might suffocate.

I sigh. “Alright, fine. Suppose we need to get this out in the open at some point. The world isn’t going back to normal, so it’s best we know what it will take to survive in this new world. Both of us.”

My eyes are level and steady as I look at him across the small plastic table. He leans forward over it, elbows braced, hands clasped quietly as he waits for me to decide how to proceed. Because he knows he’s finally going to get what he wants—it’s just a matter of how I intend to serve it up.

I stretch my hand across to him, palm up. “Give me your hand.”

He places his hand in mine without hesitation. Just like a puppy. Maybe that’s why this group calls them hounds.

“I obviously haven’t done this since day one. So, bear with me, okay?”

He nods, but I can see the anticipation in his eyes.

Closing mine, I focus my attention inward—to that bright, hot ball of energy that has existed inside me ever since the day I awakened. With my full attention on it now, it springs to life. Welling up and pushing through me, filling my whole body with white-hot energy. It feels like my insides are burning, but I focus on channeling that energy into my arm, my hand, and then through our connection into his body.

It’s painful.

The amount of energy I’m able to will into him feels like trying to drain an ocean through a pinhole. My hand is shaking. My joints ache. My muscles feel hot. Through the onslaught, I can sense the impact I’m having on him—like a drop of food coloring in a lake. The minuscule amounts of energy practically vanish into nothing as soon as they move through our hands.

With a gasp, I release him.

I’m sweating. My whole body is shaking like a drug addict gone through withdrawal. I try to focus on willing that energy down, back into my chest. I imagine wrapping it up and shutting the door on it. My heart is racing. My breathing ragged. But I finally manage to get it under control.

When I’m mostly stable again, I sneak a glance over at the kid. He’s holding his hand in front of him like it’s something sacred, but his eyes are on me. Worried, but giving me the space to work through it.

“Are you okay now?” he finally asks.

“Yeah…”

I’m still slightly out of breath and my voice is hoarse, but I am okay.

“So? How was it?”

He’s still looking at his hand. “It… tingled.”

“Hah… sounds about right.”

“Was that really all it took?”

“No.” I grimace. “Of course not. You remember how bad it was for you.”

“Okay… so…”

“I have no way to know for sure, but I’m fairly certain that it’s more effective the more intimate the physical contact is.”

I let the statement hang in the air between us, watch as it settles over him and he deciphers it. His brow furrows; he tugs at his lip. Then, finally—

“Did we have sex?”

“No—!” I take a deep breath. “No. Just a kiss.”

I swear he looks disappointed.

“I expect this is why Mina isn’t able to help Yuichi. There’s probably some difficulty getting over that physical barrier.”

He eyes me quietly for a moment. “Is that also why you wouldn’t help Yuichi?”

I scoff. “No, kid. That’s not the issue. This is bigger than that.”

His gaze turns thoughtful, but he doesn’t press further.

“Enough of that for now. You wanted a roof—now you’ve got it. Get some sleep. I’ll take first watch.”

He hesitates a beat, as if considering whether he really wants to let it go, then rises and moves to get comfortable for sleep.

I move about the space, double-checking that everything is turned off, then huddle up on the couch with a blanket and prepare for the long hours with just myself for company in the dark.

Later that night, just before dawn—

Another dungeon appears above the city.

This time, it doesn’t break.