The common room in the headquarters of the Order was shrouded in an unreal silence. Dim lighting cast gentle shadows on the walls, while the distant humming of the air conditioning was the only sound that disrupted the silence. There was no one around at that time of the evening. You knew that, which was why you had taken the time to sit back and breathe a little.

You were sitting comfortably on the couch, leaning slightly against the backrest as you placed your katana across your thighs. With slow, precise movements, you ran a slightly damp cloth over the blade of the katana, pausing where the blood had already dried. The katana reflected the dim lighting in gentle, mesmerizing flashes.

You were lost in thought and didn't realize how careless the movement had become.

Your finger was slipping closer to the edge than it should have been. The pain was sharp and sudden. A tiny whimper escaped you as you quickly withdrew your hand, causing the katana to fall off your legs with a thud.

Blood began to spill from your palm. You stared at it for a moment, as if your mind were still trying to catch up with what had happened. You were almost certain that no one else could have heard the sound. Almost.

But the next moment, there were footsteps coming from behind you.

You looked up, and there she was: Osaragi. She was standing a little way off, her gaze fixed on your hand with the blood.

“I have a bandage.”

Her words were spoken with no hesitation at all.

She didn’t give you a chance to say anything. She moved closer to you and sat down beside you on the couch, so close that you could feel the heat of her body. She gently took your hand in hers, cleaned it with a cloth, and then placed the bandage over it as if she did it all the time.

She stayed there for a moment in silence, her hand still around yours.