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The cold wind blows the taste of rot into Shuichi's mouth. His eyes hurt from the odd light, the sun gone ever since the sky turned black and red.
It's hard to imagine that just a while ago, this city was full of life. It was a day like any other when the meteors started raining from the sky, tearing apart the life Shuichi knew.
It's been too many nights to make himself believe it was just a bad dream. This was reality now, whether he wanted to accept it or not. The city he once called home has turned into a no man's land.
There was nowhere left to go.
With the ultimate hunt and the angry mobs blaming the ultimates scattered across the city on the virus, Shuichi thinks it's not going to be the end of the world that will do him in. Three days without food or water have taken a toll on him, the inside of the city tightly patrolled by people on the search for him either way.
Growing up sheltered, Shuichi never went camping. His survival skills are basically zero and he doesn't know how to filter water, if the river was usable anymore to begin with. The only thing that's been falling from the sky was acid rain, poisoning what was left of nature. There aren't any plants or animals around anymore. The city became hostile to life itself.
Shuichi starts to question if he should've given in when the Gofer Project demanded him to lay down his life and go to space to save humanity. It feels wrong to abandon earth just to save his own skin. Sitting securely in a space ship while he leaves behind everything and everyone he ever loved, and the people he never got to meet in the first place.
His vision keeps blurring as he make his way across the river at the edge of the city. The water is dark and murky. Dead fish are carried by the stream. Even if he knew how to filter water, it would poison him anyway.
His throat is dried out and his eyes burn from the ash wavering through the air. His face feels hot but his body is shaking from the cold breeze.
The bridge warps into two in front of his eyes and becomes shaky. He can't tell if his brain is giving out or if it's the earth shaking. Maybe it would tear open and swallow what's left of human life whole.
Eventually his legs give out and he sags to the ground with no more strength left to carry on. His nails dig into the dusty ground, he tries to crawl but he's too exhausted.
So this is the end. Just like he expected. Left here for not even birds to pick clean.
The only thing he regrets is that he couldn't go back home to check if his uncle needed help. He hopes he could flee. He hopes the virus will have mercy on him.
It's the last thing Shuichi thinks before his world turns dark, making peace with the fact it may just be the very last time he closes his eyes.
Something cold and wet pressing against his face wakes Shuichi. In the moments it takes him to regain consciousness, he realizes whatever it is on his skin must be filled with water. He gags and starts coughing, greedily trying to suck on whatever is obscuring his eyes.
"Easy there. You don't have to do that."
Shuichi doesn't recognize the voice and freezes. The darkness lifts and he's looking back at a dust-stained face, a friendly smile and emerald eyes, matched by disheveled green hair.
The man is holding a wash cloth, probably what was laying on Shuichi's face. He parts his lips but his throat is too dry to produce any words.
He's alive. It takes a second to settle in.
The stranger seems to understand though, because he's rummaging through a backpack and opens a bottle of water. He carefully rests it against Shuichi's mouth and he can't hold back.
Shuichi groans and weakly grasps after the bottle, downing as much as he can at once. The water drips over his chin and runs out of his nose, making him sputter but he doesn't stop until the bottle is empty.
The stranger is just watching him curiously, and once Shuichi lets the bottle down, he feels embarrassed by his display. "Sorry", he mumbles, "I-"
"Thought you were dead first", the stranger says, "Haven't seen a living soul in a while. Don't be sorry, you must've been dehydrated."
Shuichi sinks back and nods slowly, letting his eyes trail. They are sitting underneath the bridge by the river, he guesses. The air is murky and damp. The space is surrounded by old cardboard boxes, probably the guy's hideout.
"Thank you", Shuichi presses out, "You had no reason to save me."
"You're an ultimate?"
His emerald eyes are narrow with suspicion now.
Shuichi nods weakly.
"Saihara Shuichi, ultimate detective", he says quickly and his features soften.
"Right. Good. I wasn't sure if you'd caught the virus. You're running a fever."
"And you still took me?", Shuichi questions.
He earns a soft laugh.
"Yeah, well I've never been good at keeping out of danger. Amami Rantaro, ultimate adventurer."
Shuichi has heard about him before. People always pointed out how extraordinary attractive the ultimate adventurer was, but Shuichi knows now they were wrong. There are no words invented yet to describe how beautiful Rantaro was in nature.
"I was actually about to leave this place when I found you", Rantaro continues, "You threw my schedule off a little. I don't feel good leaving you in this state, so I guess I'm gonna stay around a little longer."
Shuichi frowns. Rantaro keeps glancing over the edge of the cardboard walls. He realizes how anxious he seems now, fidgeting with his fingers in his lap.
"Where are you going? The Gofer Project?"
"What? Hell no. I... I'm looking for my family. I can't just leave like that."
Just like Shuichi can't leave without checking on his uncle. They seem to be the same.
"I'm also looking for my uncle... I hope he evacuated the city safely. Maybe your family did too."
Rantaro balls his fist and shakes his head. "No. No, my little sister... She went missing months ago, before this all started. I haven't found her yet. I can't stop now."
A siren starts howling nearby. Rantaro's eyes widen and his head snaps up.
"Damn it. They're close. We can't stay here."
"What do you mean months ago?", Shuichi mutters.
The look Rantaro gifts him is tortured.
"I don't expect you to understand. But don't tell me to stop. I won't."
"I wasn't going to! But the virus-"
Shuichi coughs. Tears spring to his eyes and he feels dizzy again. Rantaro sighs and drenches his wash cloth with another water bottle, gently cleaning off Shuichi's face again.
"I've helped to develop a cure to a rare disease before. That's how I got my talent. I can save her if I can find her. Maybe I can save others if I make it in time. I... You're a detective, Saihara. I could really use your help."
His voice is raw now, laced with the remnants of exhausted searching.
But maybe Rantaro isn't entirely wrong. A cure would also eliminate the Gofer Project and it could save Shuichi's uncle.
Shuichi knows the chances of survival are slim, but not zero. Maybe Rantaro's sister is somewhere the virus hasn't reached yet. It can't be ruled out, can it? Just stubbornly clinging to that belief, like Shuichi does himself.
Did Rantaro carry that burden of a possibility to save humanity all on his own ever since the meteors reached earth?
And yet he selflessly rescued Shuichi from dying, unsure if he was sick. Just because they were told they are immune doesn't mean it's certain. Shuichi wouldn't have been able to save himself and he's still frail.
"Okay." He offers Rantaro a weak smile. "I'll help. Once I can think straight again."
Rantaro's eyes light up and a relieved smile settles on his lips. He withdraws his hand and starts stuffing his things back into his bag.
"Great. But we really need to go. I don't think they found us but I don't feel safe being so close to the hunt. I have another hideout further in the forest. Come on."
He reaches out his hand and Shuichi takes it, allowing Rantaro to help him up.
Shuichi is still unsteady on his feet while Rantaro destroys his cardboard hideout, before he wraps Shuichi's arm around his shoulders to steady him.
Shuichi can see a flare lit in the distance when they leave the security of the bridge. They must have found someone. An ultimate just like them.
He quickly turns away and buries his fingers into Rantaro's shirt. If they can make it, maybe there's a chance to save their home and their loved ones. It's only too late if the hunt catches them or death comes for them first.
If they met under other circumstances, Shuichi thinks he would've fallen in love with Rantaro at first sight. Easily, he can't deny how much he feels drawn towards him.
But first... They need to escape the ultimate hunt and save the earth from falling apart. Shuichi has to smother those churning feelings until they are safe.