The quiet buzz of machines became background noise, like ocean waves trying to sing lullabies to a heart that refused to sleep.
Rin sat beside Ari, her fingers tangled in the blanket pulled to her chin. The bruises on Ari's face looked smaller now, but that might've been wishful thinking. The respirator hissed in perfect rhythm, artificial lungs doing what Ari's own body struggled to keep up with.
Every few minutes, Rin would reach out. But she'd stop midway, afraid her touch would somehow break what was left.
A shadow fell across the cot.
Athena stood there, arms folded loosely, not as the impenetrable tactician of the team, but as someone who had seen too many comrades fall.
"You were right," she said softly. "We should have saved her. No matter what."
Rin blinked slowly, still coming down from the storm. "Then why didn't you?"
Athena hesitated. Then walked to the side of the cot—opposite Rin—and gently lifted the blanket, folding back one edge with the care of someone handling sacred relics.
There, half-hidden in the folds, was a mask.
Black. Intricately woven with metallic silk. A single silver fang curled beneath the right eye socket—fractured. The surface was cracked down the middle like it had been crushed by the weight of an entire world.
Rin's breath hitched. The recognition struck her like lightning.
No. No. No, no, no—
Her head shook, even as her eyes widened.
"That's not—"
"It is," Athena said gently. "Your cousin is Miss Arachne."
The world slowed.
Rin looked at the mask, then at Ari's bruised face—suddenly it wasn't just her cousin lying there. It was the shadow that moved through city rooftops, the savior with midnight grace, the phantom who tied up villains in silk webbing and left without applause.
"I—I didn't know," Rin whispered.
"She kept it from you for a reason."
Rin's hands trembled in her lap.
"She…" Athena continued, stepping back to give her space, "…chose this life. She signed up for the risk. Every mission she took, every fight she stepped into, it was her decision. She knew the cost."
"That doesn't make it okay," Rin snapped, eyes red. "You speak like she's already—like she's—"
She bit the words.
"Is." Rin said sharply. "She is a hero. She's still here. Please don't talk like it's already over. Please don't—" Her voice cracked. "Just don't."
Athena lowered her gaze. "You're right. She is a hero."
Silence stretched for a few moments, broken only by the hiss and click of Ari's vitals stabilizing for now.
"I'm sorry," Athena finally said. "For everything. I know this is a lot. I can't begin to imagine how hard it is for you. But you needed to know. She didn't just fight because she had power. She fought because she cared. For this city. For everyone. Including you."
Rin swallowed hard.
"She saved thousands tonight. If she hadn't slowed Ammit down—even just by minutes—the civilian loss would've been catastrophic. She gave everything she had."
Rin stared at the fractured mask.
And then, quietly, she asked, "Can I… be alone with her for a while?"
Athena nodded. "Of course."
She gently pulled the blanket back over the mask, giving Rin that final piece of distance. She lingered only a moment longer before stepping out, closing the door behind her with a soft click.
The silence returned.
But this time, Rin welcomed it.
She leaned in, brushing stray hair from Ari's face. Her thumb grazed the edge of a healing bruise.
"You idiot…" she whispered. "You absolute idiot."
Her voice shook.
"You were a superhero. And I didn't even know. All this time… you protected others, while I was worried about making friends in class."
She gave a weak laugh that quickly dissolved into a tearful sniffle.
"I should've seen it. You always came home late. Always had excuses. Always had that look in your eye—like you were carrying more than you let on."
Her shoulders trembled.
"I hate this. I hate not knowing how to help you. I hate that you're in this bed instead of laughing at my dumb obsessions."
She leaned forward, pressing her forehead to Ari's hand.
"Come back to me. Please…"
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"…Because I'm not done yelling at you yet."
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