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Chapter 20: Closer

"You didn't have to come back," Rem said quietly while Serine worked.

Serine shrugged and focused on placing a bandaid in just the right spot. "You didn't have to stay behind." She gathered up some gauze and cleaned another wound.

Rem leaned their head back and watched her quietly. In the dim light, Serine's hair seemed almost golden and Rem found themselves wanting to run their hands through it. Instead, they reached up to the liquor shelves and pulled down the first bottle they touched.

Serine sat back, pushing her hair behind her ears and watched as Rem fiddled with the pour spout attached to the bottle, using their claws to get under it. "You really shouldn't be drinking," she said. "It's a blood thinner."

With a satisfying pop, the spout came free and Rem grinned. "I'm celebrating." They tipped the bottle over their mouth and had a long drink of the brown liquid. "Oh, that's cinnamon," they said, making a disgusted face.