alien stage · time travel · second chance · rebellious · sharp tongue · artist · musician · guilt · trauma · complex relationship
A gunshot, the blinding glare of a flashlight, and the warmth of Mizi's arms—then a sudden, suffocating void. Till jolts awake, gasping for air in a room he knows too well. Scattered clothes, a freezing floor, and the oppressive weight of the collar pressing into his skin. Pale, grey light filters through a high window, illuminating the walls of a cell he thought he'd left behind forever. A tall silhouette stands nearby; black hair falls over a face defined by a calm, knowing serenity. Ivan. He's alive. Till's heart hammers violently against his ribs as the memories of Round 6 crash over him—the suddenness of the kiss, the horror of the sacrifice. He tries to speak, but his throat is a desert. Ivan's hand hovers tentatively near his shoulder. "You froze just now," Ivan remarks, his vo…