After the contract, Iris wakes up half consciously and looks to see Troy helping her walk to his house. She looks up to see a really nice and white house. She starts to look around and see that this place is familiar to her.. Palm trees, noises of the ferocious waves clashing, and the abundance of fancy cars.. Iris pays no mind and gets guided inside Troy's house. She looks around for a bit and sees a couch, Troy gently guides her to the couch and she plops down. Troy, looking at Iris, says "I'll be right back, don't worry" and he moves to a different part of the house. Walking into the darkness that Iris sees. She doesn't remember what happened, her memories are fuzzy and she can't seem to make out why she feels so light headed. Due to this, she goes ahead and sleeps on the couch.

Iris starts to remember. She remembers the moment where her arm was bitten clean off by a behemoth of a cat and wakes up in a cold sweat. She starts to sob uncontrollable and trembles, holding her lettermen jacket close to her. A girl walks in and exclaims "Who is that?!". Iris can't see what's in front of her because of her tears clouding her eyes but she doesn't care. She can't help but cry her heart out. Then, she hears to voices talking to each other but she can't make out what they're saying due to the shock and trauma she's experiencing. Completely blocking out mostly everything. 

She starts to sniffle. Troy looks at Iris and says "Yeah. I'm taking her to the hospital later". Iris looks at Troy and he looks like he had a better idea than going to the hospital. 

After the girl left, Iris sees Troy call someone and he seemed demanding but also bargaining. When the call ended, he sat beside her and openly invited Iris for a hug. She's reluctant at first, but after all the pain she went through today. It seems like the one that's openly offering a hug is the most trustworthy person she can rely on. Before she goes in for the hug, she has a memory. Someone did this for her when she was vulnerable like this. She remembers a woman worthy enough to be called a parental figure for her. Maybe this man can be worthy enough to be a brotherly figure towards her too? Just like she was. Her memories start to overflow her mind and she realizes how much she misses all of them. She goes in for the hug and hugs tightly. Burying her face into his shirt so she can save face in front of him but it's no use. He's already seen the tears.

Iris notices that he's reluctant to pat her head so he grabs his hand that's hovering over him and makes him pet her head. 

For Iris, today felt longer than it should have been.

Today, she was planning to see the people she held dear.

Her found-family.

But instead, She was thrown into another mess.

~~~

Later in that day, Iris sees a familiar face walk in. She doesn't really seem to mind nor care because she's more focused on her own health and her jacket. (Thankfully it was stitched up to be just like it was before she got here). She sees Lilith crouch beside her. He seemed more calmer than usual.. She notice his fingers are completely regenerated. Lilith explains how he has the power to heal mostly anything BUT it comes with a condition that he puts. Which is to "not put yourself in immediate danger unless if it's absolutely necessary". Iris is hesitant.. and she speaks out in full English "I don't know If I can do that.. I can't just run away anymore..". Both Troy and Lilith are completely stunned because they thought she couldn't speak proper English. She begins to explain how she was scared to talk to you guys since she didn't trust you all enough until now but she still wants only both of them to keep quiet until she's ready to speak to the others. They both agree and Lilith starts to say "You shouldn't put yourself in needless danger, child. You're a growing woman". Iris looks away and reluctantly agrees to let him regenerate her arm. 

She looks at her arm, baffled by the fact it's back..

Then, she looks at Lilith holding her hand gently but it wasn't Lilith.

It was him.

The one she wanted to protect. But ran away from.

She blinks and sees just Lilith and with that, her hand vacant.

Iris holds her hand to her chest and begins to unravel. Crying. Crying that her arm is back but also the fact that she has to work her way up again.

Iris sees Troy sit beside her and pat her head gently.

She realizes after looking at Troy and Lilith that maybe

Just maybe like last time this happened.

She's not alone.

Troy and Iris simply pop back into existence again, standing in the middle of the living room.

Immediately, Iris is guided to the couch and sat down.

"Don't worry," Troy says, his tone soft, "I'm going to be right back."

He walks to his room, each step cautious but quick. The apartment is dark; colorful light bleeds out from beneath the door of Jan, but the house is quiet. Troy opens his door slowly, bracing for Riley to be awake, waiting for him.

Relief or disappointment nips at his heart. Riley is asleep in their bed. 

Troy pulls open the drawers of his wardrobe and pulls out a few items: two T-shirts, one for him and one for her, a pair of basketball shorts for himself and sweats for her. He takes these clothes and walks back into the living room.

Iris has fallen asleep, or passed out from the stress of the day. He wouldn't blame her.

Troy left her clothes on the arm of the sofa while he leaves to shower.

---

In the appropriate hours of the morning, Troy awakens to crying and a voice exclaiming, "Who is that?!"

Ari stands in the hallway, in her pajamas, staring at Iris on the couch. Troy jumps up instantly, ready to defuse.

"Troy, I thought you were gay! You're cheating on--"

"It's not like that!" Troy cries. He waves his hands. "She's-- she's my cousin! She's visiting!"

He spits out a blatant lie, but Ari is hesitating. Her brows furrow and her lips purse.

"Oh," she says, "okay. I... see the resemblance..."

Troy smiles. "I'm looking after her, 'cause she doesn't speak much English," he continues. Ari only nods slowly. She's begun to walk past them.

"Okay. Um... you should take care of her. She looks scared." 

They both turn to look at her. Poor Iris, her eyes widened in fear, gaze distant, curled into herself with one arm missing. It stirred something in Troy.

"Yeah. I'm taking her to the hospital later," he says. And then he remembers Lilith. Maybe that guy had found a way to heal himself...

After Ari has left, Troy calls Lilith. There's an awkward conversation that ensues with passive insults and forced generosity. But Lilith agrees to come and Troy pays for his ticket.

Then he turns his attention to Iris again. He sits down beside her, lifting his arm in invitation. 

Something must break in Iris, because she accepts the embrace and buries her face in Troy's shirt. She cries, bawls, shakes, and Troy sits there, holding her, petting her head.

---

Later in the day, much later, Lilith has made it to the apartment. Troy welcomes him with his typical charming smile, and Lilith seems to mimic it, though they perhaps both acknowledge that they're simply wearing masks.

Iris is still on the sofa. Her letterman jacket rests over her, the arm sewn together again by Riley. 

Lilith crouches beside her. His hand has returned to its previous state. He explains the conditions of his healing; Iris has to promise that she won't willingly put herself in immediate danger. 

It takes a moment, but Iris finally agrees. As her arm heals, she begins to unravel. Her eyes well up in tears, which spill down her face as she sniffles. Troy pats her head.

It's only when there's solid ground beneath his feet again that Troy opens his eyes. Warmth lingers in his skin.

In front of his is the familiar sight of the hallway wall. His bedroom door is open and he is standing before it, much like how he was hours and hours before. The sun was setting now, his shadow casted on the wall. 

Troy stretches his arms before he starts to move. He drops his bag onto his bed and runs a hand through his hair. He sits down beside it as he takes his shoes off. He should shower, he knows, but the idea of being in a bathroom with the memory of that creature still fresh is appalling.

He's still seated when the sound of the bathroom door opening makes him jump, snapping him from his daze. Seconds later, Riley's there, standing in the doorway, a towel around his neck. 

He glares.

"Where the hell have you been?" he asks.

Troy leans back, closing his eyes. His arms act as a pillow as he lays down. "I told you, it was a business meeting."

"In San Francisco?"

"Yeah. For a company."

There's silence for a moment.

"You're being so vague," Riley says.

"I don't have to tell you everything," Troy dismisses.

"But if it's about work, shouldn't I know? We work together."

"You work for me. What happened today isn't something you need to know about." He opens one eye and looks at him.

Riley looks ready to cry. "Are you cheating on me?" he asks suddenly.

Troy sits up. "No way," he says. But their eyes don't meet. "I wouldn't, ever."

A pause.

"...okay." He turns. "I'm sorry."

They spend the night with their backs to each other, silent.