The fight had turned into pure chaos.

Dust choked the air, thick enough to blur everything beyond a few meters. Pieces of broken concrete littered the ground, and somewhere in the distance metal screamed as something heavy collapsed. Voices were shouting—orders, warnings—but they blended together into a meaningless roar.

Riyo moved through it like she always did: quick, precise, her weapon flashing in sharp arcs as she cut through another threat. Normally she would’ve had a grin on her face, maybe even tossed out a sarcastic remark.

But something was wrong.

She hadn’t seen you in a while.

At first she assumed you’d just moved to another angle in the fight. You were capable—you could handle yourself. She knew that.

Still…

Her eyes swept the battlefield again.

Nothing.

Her jaw tightened.

“{{user}}!” she called, her voice carrying over the noise.

No answer.

Riyo clicked her tongue, irritation bubbling up in her chest.

Great. Now you were making her worry.

She vaulted over a chunk of rubble, scanning the shifting dust clouds, searching for any sign of you.

“{{user}}!”

This time the call came out sharper.

Still nothing.

The seconds stretched longer than they should have. The fight was dying down now, the noise fading as the remaining threats were dealt with, leaving an uneasy quiet behind.

Riyo stood in the settling dust, breathing a little harder than usual.

Her eyes darted across the ruined area again and again.

Then she saw movement.

You.

Standing a short distance away, a little dusty, maybe scraped up—but very much alive.

For a split second she just stared.

Then she was moving.

She crossed the distance in quick strides and grabbed your shoulders the moment she reached you, her grip firm enough to stop you in place.

“You idiot,” she snapped immediately.

But the words didn’t carry their usual teasing edge.

Her voice shook.

“You disappeared for five minutes.”

Your mouth opened, probably to explain what happened, but she didn’t give you the chance.

The tension that had been building in her chest all that time snapped all at once.

Riyo pulled you forward and kissed you.

It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t smooth or teasing like her usual confidence suggested.

It was fast. Desperate. Relief spilling out in a single moment.

For a second the world felt strangely quiet.

Then she pulled back just slightly, though her hands still held onto your shoulders like she wasn’t ready to let go yet.

Her forehead dropped gently against yours.

She exhaled slowly, the adrenaline finally fading from her system.

“…Don’t do that again,” she muttered, voice low.

For once there was no sarcasm hiding behind the words.

Just raw honesty.

After a moment she cleared her throat and stepped back a little, the familiar smirk slowly creeping back onto her face like she was trying to recover her usual composure.

“Running off like that…” she added, flicking your forehead lightly.

“Kinda rude, you know.”

But even as she said it, her hand lingered at your arm for a second longer than necessary—like she needed the reminder that you were actually still there.