Scared and Sacred

"Why are you bleeding?!"

Rudy looked in the mirror and wiped his blood.

"Relax, it's not blood. My blood is red, just like every being in existence. This is just another power leakage. But it's my first time seeing it leak in a liquid form and in a cosmic color."

Rudy looked at the cosmic blood in his hand and said, "It looks cool, though."

Elena furrowed her brows and puffed her cheeks a little before glaring at him.

Rudy smiled in response, but his smile soon lost its charm and became a wry smile. He forced his smile and bit his lips while looking into Elena's eyes.

"I…"

"...?"

"I… am… scared. Help me."

Elena hugged Rudy and asked, "What's wrong? Does it hurt?"

"Yes. My power is shattering every cell of my body from the inside and then healing it the next second. And it hurts. It hurts a lot. But that's not what I am scared of.

Pain means nothing to me. I have learned to embrace and endure it.