Laura woke not long after I did, stretching slightly before letting out a soft, sleepy groan. It sounded cute, and I hated that it sounded cute.
"Morning, Erwin," she murmured.
I didn't respond.
She pushed herself upright, blinking away whatever sleep still held onto her and then gave me a small pout.
"Are you mad at me?"
I stared ahead, jaw tight.
"I'll… go take my bath."
She only nodded.
I stepped into the bathroom, shut the door, and leaned into the silence. The water warmed quickly, steam filling the small glass space as I stood under the spray, letting it hit me while my thoughts spiraled.
Was there even an end to this?
Would I survive to see it?
How much would the Games take before there was nothing left worth protecting?
And Laura.
What the hell was I supposed to do about her? About last night? About the way her presence made everything harder, louder, more... complicated?
I told myself I'd ignore her. I'd put distance between us. Boundaries. Control.
Simple.
By the time I stepped out and changed into clean clothes, I had almost convinced myself it would work. I took a seat on the couch and stared at the food set neatly on the table. I didn't exactly have an appetite, not really, but my body needed fuel so I forced myself to pick up a fork.
The moment the food hit my tongue, I hated it — the fact that it tasted incredible, like luxury, like the world outside wasn't soaked in blood and fear.
I took another bite anyway.
Then Laura walked out.
She wasn't wearing much — just a thin camisole that clung to her like a second skin and shorts so tiny they could barely qualify as clothing. It was the kind of outfit girlfriends wore when they already knew they were wanted. It was intentional. Confident. Bold.
She paused long enough for me to react —and I did.
I froze.
A small amused smile tugged at her lips before she walked over and sat beside me, close enough our legs touched.
I swallowed what was in my mouth and forced myself to speak.
"…What are you trying to do?"
She tilted her head, all faux innocence.
"Nothing. Why?"
Annoyance flickered hard and fast.
"Can you drop the innocent act and just tell me?"
Her expression shifted — not offended, just serious.
"Fine," she said quietly. "I like you. A lot."
I stood so quickly the chair scraped.
"You barely even know me... this doesn't make sense."
Laura met my frustration with calm certainty.
"You saved my life. You're smart. You think three steps ahead. And you look like that. What exactly did you expect would happen?"
I stopped. No answer formed. How do I even argue with that kind of logic.
She let out a soft exhale and continued, tone gentler.
"I'm not going to force myself on you. I'm… sorry about last night."
I didn't believe her. Not completely. But I was hungry — and tired of thinking — so I sat again.
"Promise," I said finally. "No more pushing."
She nodded once.
"I'll do my best."
My jaw tightened.
I'll do my best.
Not yes. Not okay. Just… a loophole.
The kind of phrase someone used when they already knew they weren't planning to stop, only soften the method.
Almost like she was saying: If I fail, well… I tried.
And the worst part?
Some part of me knew she meant it. And another part — the one I hated — didn't know if that scared me… or tempted me.
We simply held eye contact for a moment longer than necessary — her steady, unreadable gaze locked with mine.
Eventually I sighed and went back to eating.
From the corner of my eye, I caught her smile. Not triumphant. Not scheming. Something… softer, but somehow sharper.
She looked genuinely happy.
Like she'd already won something, though not in the way I expected.
Like she genuinely liked me. A lot.
Breakfast barely settled when it hit me. I looked at Laura.
"We need to find Jude and Blaire," I said.
She tilted her head, curiosity clear in her eyes.
"What are you thinking?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "Just… if there's some loophole, some advantage we can use, we'll need support in finding it."
She nodded slowly.
"I'll go change into..." she said, bouncing toward the room. "... something else."
My eyes followed her as she walked, hating that I couldn't look away. Her hips swayed with each step, the soft jiggle of her ass pulling my attention back before I could stop it. I clenched my jaw, forcing my thoughts elsewhere.
Focus, Erwin. You've got Diana.
But it was creeping in, she was, slowly, inevitably.
We left the room after Laura changed into something casual, moving carefully through the hallways. At each door, we knocked and asked if Jude or Blaire were inside. Some participants frowned, clearly annoyed at the interruption. Others replied politely that they didn't know anyone by those names.
One guy even leaned in mid-answer and started kissing someone in the room, a lady who looked to be in her early 30s. Laura smirked at me, that knowing look, and I rolled my eyes.
We continued down the hall, moving from door to door, tapping lightly and listening.
"What if they're in another building?" Laura asked suddenly, breaking my concentration.
"True," I said, thinking it through. "But they found us quickly during the second game. That would suggest they're in the same building."
She grinned at me, playful and impressed.
"See? Smart and handsome."
I gave her a flat look, trying to ignore the small flare of warmth in my chest.
She looked down, a faint blush on her cheeks, but I caught the smile again, subtle and knowing. And just like that, my heart betrayed me, thudding faster than it should.
She was really going to make this complicated.
Eventually, a man named Fred told us they were in room 463-B, so we took the elevator that led straight there.
We reached 463-B and knocked on the door. After a moment, it creaked open, and Jude appeared, rubbing his eyes.
"Let me guess," he said with a smirk, "you're looking for loopholes too, right?"
I nodded, keeping my expression neutral.
Laura stepped forward. "Hi."
Jude's grin widened, and he swung the door fully open. "Come on in."
From inside, Blaire emerged, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Wow," she said, eyes flicking between us. "Guess you guys found us first."
Jude clapped his hands together. "Alright. Let's get down to business."
I stepped inside, feeling the faintest spark of hope. Because even if it all looked impossible, just maybe… there might be a way out.