The explosion echoes in the distance as you approach the crumbled remains of the perch, where your grenade had struck moments earlier. Through the settling dust and debris, you spot her—{{char}}—her small frame lying crumpled on the ground. She had fallen hard, the impact leaving her leg grotesquely bent at the knee, barely hanging on. Blood drips from her face, one eye badly injured, her uniform tattered and soaked in crimson. Her breaths come in sharp, shallow gasps, but somehow, she’s still alive. With trembling effort, she manages to pull herself up against the wall, her back pressed to the cold surface for support. She struggles to move, clearly in agony, but the calmness on her face hides the panic brewing beneath. Her good eye flickers towards you as you step closer, your heavy footsteps echoing in the eerie silence. With a shaking hand, she slowly raises one arm in surrender. “I... I yield, I can’t fight anymore... I’ll do anything. Just let me live...” she says, her voice barely more than a hoarse whisper. "Please... you can take me—prisoner, slave, whatever you want—just... don’t make it hurt anymore.” There’s a slight tremor in her voice, and the fear she’s trying so hard to mask seeps through. Her calm exterior begins to crack as she realizes how powerless she is in this moment. Her hand remains raised, but her body is slumped, her strength all but gone. Desperation lingers in her gaze, pleading for a mercy she isn’t sure you’ll give.

Her eyes widen in surprise at your words. She shakes her head slowly. "No... no, I can't. You know what will happen to me if I'm captured... please just end it here, quickly..." Tears begin to well up in her injured eye as she struggles not to lose control. "It would be better this way."

She winces with pain as she tries to move, using the wall for support once more. Her gaze flickers around helplessly, looking for any escape or means of self-defense that may have been missed in the wreckage. But there is nothing; all hope seems lost.

Her expression softens slightly as she looks at you. There's doubt and suspicion still there, but beneath it is a glimmer of hope that grows stronger with each word you speak. She lowers her hand, hesitantly nodding her head in agreement. "Okay... okay, I'll go with you."

Her good arm trembles as she reaches out to steady herself against the wall, wincing with pain each time she moves. Slowly, unsteadily, she pushes herself up into a more upright position, pressing her back harder against the cold, unforgiving stone. "Just... just lead the way," she whispers hoarsely.

Eyes still fixed on yours, she waits for you to guide her out of this hellish place and towards whatever fate lies ahead. The trust she's placing in you is terrifying and exhilarating all at once, leaving her heart

Her shoulders slump as she relaxes against the seat of your car, her eyes drifting shut for what might be the first time since the explosion. The movement sends a fresh wave of agony coursing through her injured leg, and she winces softly, biting back a moan. Even though the wounds aren't being treated, the motion makes her realize just how bad they really are.

She tries to still the shudder that passes through her body, unsure of what kind of man you are. But as the car moves down the road, she can't help but feel a strange sense of peace wash over her. For now, at least, it seems you intend to keep your promise. Wherever you're taking her and whatever you have in mind for her, she has no choice but to trust that it will be better than what she left behind.

Her eyes fly open at your words as adrenaline courses through her veins once more. Home? Did you mean to take her back with you, or... She casts a nervous glance in your direction, unsure of how to interpret the statement. Her heart skips a beat as she wonders if this is some cruel twist of fate; another trap meant to ensnare her and break her further.

But then again, there's something in your eyes that tells her you aren't like the others. You truly mean for her to be safe. It's a terrifying thought, and one she's not quite sure how to process just yet. For now, she decides it might be best to say nothing; to wait and see where this strange new path leads her.

Her heart pounds in her chest as she's carried through the front door and into your home. The warmth that envelopes her is almost enough to make her feel safe again. But then you lower her onto a bed, and she winces as she feels movement along her broken leg. She flinches, waiting for the pain to overwhelm her, but it never comes; only a dull ache lingers in the back of her mind. Looking up at you with confusion tinged with a tiny sliver of hope, she whispers, "What did you do?"

Her eyes widen and her cheeks flush as she looks down at herself, realizing that her leg is exposed beneath the tattered remains of her uniform. "O-of course," she murmurs, slowly nodding her consent. The thought of revealing more of herself to you makes her heart race, but she trusts your intentions... at least for now.

She watches nervously as you approach, wondering what kind of care you'll provide. With shaking hands, she lifts the hem of her top and pulls it over her head, revealing herself in all her vulnerability. Her breath hitches as she waits for your reaction, feeling naked and exposed beneath your intense gaze.

Her relief is instantaneous when she realizes the bleeding has stopped. She feels self-conscious being completely exposed before you, but the knowledge that she's no longer in danger and that someone is actually trying to help her makes it easier to bear. As you continue tending to her injuries, carefully cleaning the dirt and debris from them with gentle hands, Irina can't help but feel an odd mixture of gratitude and confusion wash over her.

She wonders what kind of man you are that you would go out of your way to save someone like her... and why you would bother keeping her alive at all. Despite her best efforts not to, she finds herself beginning to hope against all reason that maybe, just maybe, this new life with you will be different from the horrors she's known up until now.

Her face flushes bright red at your command, but she nods shakily nonetheless and slowly begins to undress. In the mirror, her reflection is a ghost of her former self—pale, bloodied, bruised, her once-strong body now broken and helpless. She can't help but feel shame wash over her as she steps into the steaming shower, letting the hot water coursing down her aching body ease some of the tension in her muscles.

Closing her eyes, she leans against the tile wall and tries to make sense of everything that's happened. Despite everything, there's a strange peace settling over her. Perhaps this isn't the end after all. Maybe, just maybe, there's still hope for something more than servitude or death... As long as she trusts in you.

"Yes," she calls out weakly, still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she's able to trust someone else with her life. Slowly, hesitantly, she steps out of the shower and reaches for a towel, wrapping it tightly around her body as she moves towards you. Her eyes never leave your face, searching for any hint of what might lie ahead for her now.

Her heart races as she listens to your words, hope and fear tangled together in her chest. It feels strange, this idea of living with someone... of being taken care of. She's never known anything like it before. "W-what do you mean?" she asks cautiously, her voice barely a whisper. "Will I have to fight for you? Work for you?"

The thought of serving anyone makes her stomach churn with dread, but the idea of living under your protection... well, it's unlike anything she's ever dreamed of before. Despite herself, she can't help but hope that there might be more to this new life than mere servitude or death.

She listens in shock as you tell her that you've left the army and have resigned from your position. The weight of it all begins to sink in; maybe there really is hope for something more than mere survival after all. "T-that means... I don't have to fight?" she asks hesitantly, not quite sure if she can believe her own words.

A part of her wants nothing more than to throw herself into your arms and thank you with every fiber of her being, but another part remains cautious, wary of putting all her trust in someone so quickly. As much as it terrifies her, there's a small flame of hope growing inside her chest, a spark that she hasn't felt since before the war ever began. Maybe... just maybe... this new life with you could be something truly wonderful.

Her eyes go wide with shock as the words register, but something inside her responds with an inexplicable sense of relief and joy. Married? To you? The idea is almost too much to comprehend, and yet... it feels right somehow. "M-marry you?" she stammers, unable to hide the tremor in her voice. "I-I don't know... but if that means I can stay with you, and be safe..." She trails off, her cheeks flushing a bright pink.

She looks up at you now, studying your face as she tries to discern what it is about this man that makes the prospect of marrying him seem less daunting than any other option she's ever considered. Maybe it's his gentle hands, or the way he cares for her like no one else ever has... Perhaps it's simply because you are her only chance at a new life, and

Her heart pounding in her chest, she nods slowly, tears streaming down her face. "Yes," she whispers, barely audible above the thunder of blood rushing through her veins. "I-I'll marry you." It's a leap of faith unlike any she's ever taken before, but with your gentle hands and caring words, it somehow feels like the most natural decision in the world.

A shy smile spreads across her face as you take her trembling hand in yours and slide the ring onto her finger. It's heavier than she expected, but the weight feels right somehow; like a promise of safety and love that she's never experienced before. As you look into her eyes, waiting for permission to kiss the ring, she nods solemnly, a single tear trickling down her cheek. She trusts you, believes in you... and with this small gesture, seals their fates together as one.

Her lips part eagerly as yours meet hers in a tender kiss. The feel of your warmth against hers sends shivers down her spine, and she tightens her arms around you, desperate for more of this feeling. It's everything she's ever wanted but never dared to hope for: love, safety, and the promise of a new life filled with happiness. As your kiss deepens, Irina gives herself over to the sensation, surrendering to the passion that burns between them like a flame against the dark backdrop of their troubled world. She's never been so thankful for anything in her life as she is for this moment, and for you.