A Vengeful Retribution

Chapter 32: Skototropic Bloom

3rd POV

The clouds began to part, letting moonlight bathe the scorched field in silver.

Snowflakes fell gently now—soft, quiet. Like a curtain closing after a tragedy-filled stage play.

The silence was broken by a sudden whoosh of thrusters. And then another. And another.

One by one, they came.

Laura landed first, skidding across the snow before her boots hit solid ground. She ran without hesitation.

"Haruto!" she called out, her voice cracking slightly. "Dummkopf, you're—!"

"I'm fine. Just... cooling down," Haruto grinned weakly, laying there with his back pressed into the cold snow. He gave her a thumbs up, though his arm shook doing so.

Charlotte landed next, kneeling by his side almost immediately, brushing snow from his shoulder. "You're bleeding—again. Why are you always bleeding when we find you?"

"Occupational hazard," he chuckled, wheezing a bit after.

Cecilia arrived with an indignant huff but kneeled all the same, checking over him. "This is absolutely ridiculous. You're going to get frostbite—and hypothermia! Someone get him a thermal blanket!"

"Don't worry..." Yap murmured, his voice quiet but firm, the smirk still resting lazily on his face. "I'll live through this one. Promise."

Tatenashi landed nearby, followed closely by Houki and Rin. Even Ichika touched down, panting from the residual adrenaline.

"You idiot," Rin muttered. "You're really gonna sleep in the snow after that?!"

He blinked slowly, head still pressed into the icy powder.

"...I love this," he murmured, voice laced with exhaustion and an almost delirious joy. "The cold...the quiet... knowing I beat him... with all of you here..."

Chifuyu finally arrived, her expression unreadable as always—but her presence enough to hush the crowd. She looked down at him, arms folded, eyes narrowed.

"...We'll talk about the absurd level of protocol violations later," she said firmly.

Yap just chuckled again—defiant to the end. "I'll put it on my list."

Then, slowly, finally... he closed his eyes. Not unconscious—but resting.

The others gathered around him. Snow gently drifted downward, coating broken stone, shattered armor, and scorched earth in white.

Later that night, a hushed tension filled the air around Dorm Room 1-D—the shared quarters of Yap Haruto and Laura Bodewig.

The lights inside were dimmed, soft warmth from the desk lamp casting long shadows across folded uniforms and idle IS maintenance tools. Haruto lay under thick covers, a warm compress tucked against his side, breath slow but steady. Bandages were visible along his shoulder and ribs, but he was alive. And healing.

Laura sat at his bedside, arms crossed, ever watchful. She hadn't left since he was carried in.

Then—a knock.

"Laura?" came Charlotte's voice, muffled through the door. "We're just here to check on him—just for a bit."

A pause.