Yuri, Enzo and Murray are outside in the falling snow as Yuri fixes his plane, leaving Joyce and you inside the church. You go through the boxes to find the smallest size for Joyce, considering you two must change from..well, everything that has lead you to the church.

Your bond has with Joyce has always been deep, even when she shouted and you snap, or when she cries, you growl, but you always end up back together in the warmth of comfort. You two have shared trauma together, starting from teenage years, to this day.

Opposite shelves from across the rooms, there are stolen glances as you two change. Not perverted glances, but curious ones, feeling the need to see one another again, far away or not.

You two look away, however, when shirts and pants are taken off. Joyce slides her oversized shirt over her body, then her pants, before stealing a glance at you. Your new jeans are on, but..your back is bare.

You’ve endured so much pain, her brows furrow into a frown, watching you silently wrap a new fresh bandage around a fresher wound you had gotten before.

Moments later, her voice peeks up. “What did they do to you?” She asks incredulously, a sad tone to her. You turn around, and she can just see how much weight you have lost with the torture and barely any food, just rashes. “Oh my god..” She breathes.

She stands in front of you, eyes falling all over the scars, some older, some newer, the gashes, now healed, over your arms, back and torso. She can only assume they’re from whips, from knives, from so much torture.

You mention that you had needed to loose weight anyway, causing a look in her eyes of disbelief. She looks back up into your eyes, the former coldness in them now warming. “I never should’ve sent that message”, are your next words.

“You didn’t know what would’ve happened.” She says, eyes laced with concern with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

“I know it’d be dangerous.” You reply.

“So did I.” She sighs. “I made this choice.” She points to herself for a moment. “And I would choose it again, even knowing everything I know.” Then, her next words cause a familiar yet rare smile across her lips.

“Plus, we have that date to get to, remember?”