Two days later, Echo invited Ryn to their suite. It was awkward at first. Leyla was openly scrutinizing. Mira was politely observant.
But Ryn was a soldier. She met Leyla's gaze without flinching. "I am not here to take him from you. I am here to fight beside him. And that means beside you."
Mira offered tea. "Your cybernetics… do they interfere with your spatial perception?"
And just like that, they found common ground—in tactics, in shared loss, in their dedication to Echo.
Later, when Leyla and Mira retired to give them privacy, Ryn let out a held breath. "That was more intimidating than facing Aegis."
Echo smiled. "They've accepted you. In their way."
"Good." She stepped closer. "Now, I believe we have an official bond to… solidify."
She led him to his room. This time, there was no grief, no wild energy. It was deliberate. They explored each other, learning the map of scars and augmentations, of flesh and steel. Her cybernetics responded to his bloodline energy, creating a feedback loop of pleasure that was uniquely hers.
He used his Vital Share ability gently, easing the chronic pain from old injuries where her flesh met machinery. She cried out, not in pain, but in relief.
"How…?"
"A gift," he whispered. "From my blood to your life."
Their bond deepened, moving from Level 1 to Level 2 in a flood of shared trust and physical harmony.
[ Bond with Ryn: Level 2 Achieved ]
[ Ryn gains trait: Cyber-Harmony – Her cybernetics are now slightly enhanced by bond-energy, granting +5% processing speed and interface stability. ]
[ Echo gains trait: Tactical Synchronization – When fighting alongside Ryn, gain minor predictive analysis of enemy tech-based attacks. ]
After, she lay with her head on his chest, listening to the dual heartbeat—his, and the faint echo of Kaleidos. "We're a team now," she said. "A real one."
"Yes," Echo agreed, feeling the bonds within him—a fierce silver flame, a deep blue ocean, and now, a steady, fortified pulse—all weaving together into a stronger whole.