MEMORY PROTOCOL

DATE

JAKE

Rin found him early that morning, sitting on the steps with a handful of wildflowers he didn’t quite know what to do with.

“You planning to stare at those until they turn into dinner?” she teased.

Jake gave her a look. “You ever try to plan a surprise for someone who notices everything?”

Rin grinned. “You mean Sammy.” She crouched beside him, tying her hair back. “Come on, soldier. I’ll help you. There’s a cove on the west side—quiet, full of glass stones from the old tides. Perfect spot for whatever this is.”

He followed her through the trees, carrying a small pack of supplies—fruit, old lanterns, a blanket that didn’t quite match the moment but would do. Rin helped him set everything up before slipping away with a soft smile.

“I’ll keep him busy for ten minutes. You just… stop thinking like a commander for once.”

Jake waited. The wind off the sea smelled of salt and rain. When Sammy appeared on the path , a little uncertain, Jake’s chest tightened.

“What is all this?” Sammy asked.

Jake gestured to the blanket, the fruit, the lanterns catching bits of light. “Dinner . Thought you might like it here. You always stop to watch the waves on this side.”

Sammy smiled—slow, like he wasn’t sure he remembered how. “You noticed.”

“I notice everything about you,” Jake said.

They sat together as the sun began to fall, eating quietly, trading small stories about the island.

When the sky turned gold, Sammy looked at him. “You didn’t have to do this.”

“I wanted to,” Jake said. “After everything that happened, I wanted to give you something that wasn’t broken.”

Sammy’s eyes softened. He set his cup down and shifted closer. “You already did.”

The world went still for a heartbeat. Then Sammy leaned forward and kissed him.

It wasn’t the fierce, desperate kind of kiss from the past— full of the ache of all they’d lost and the fragile hope of what might come next.

When they finally pulled apart, Jake didn’t speak. He just rested his forehead against Sammy’s, breathing the same air, feeling the same tremor of peace. The sea moved behind them, soft and endless.

By the time they made it back to the outpost, the moon was high. The walk through the trees felt easier than before; every step carried the quiet hum of something new.

Rin was sitting on the porch when they appeared, boots up on the railing, half a grin already waiting for them.

“Well, look who finally decided to come back,” she said. “Thought maybe the sea swallowed you both.”

Sammy flushed instantly, ducking his head. “We were just… walking.”

“Walking,” Rin repeated, drawing out the word. “That what they’re calling it now?”

Jake gave her a look that didn’t quite hide the smile tugging at his mouth. “Rin.”

She raised her hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. Not judging. Just glad to see someone around here actually smiling for once.”

Sammy tried to glare, but it didn’t hold. “You’re impossible.”

Rin chuckled. “That’s what they keep telling me. So?” She leaned forward a little, eyes glinting with amusement. “Good walk?”

Sammy hesitated, then smiled—small, genuine, a smile that reached his eyes. “Yeah. It was.”

Rin’s grin softened. “Good. You deserve it.”

Jake felt the tension leave his shoulders. The teasing had done its job—it made the night feel normal again. Not like fugitives hiding from the world, but friends sharing a home.

“Come on,” Rin said, standing. “You two look half-asleep. I’ll put some water on for tea.”

As she disappeared inside, Sammy leaned close to Jake and whispered, “She’s never going to let me live this down, is she?”

Jake smiled. “Not a chance.”

Sammy laughed quietly, the sound light and bright against the hush of the waves.

For once, Jake didn’t mind the teasing. He didn’t mind any of it. Because tonight, there was laughter in their little hideout, and that was something worth holding onto.

Sunlight came early on the island.It slipped through the cracked shutters and across the floorboards, painting long gold lines on the walls. Jake woke to the sound of gulls and the soft clatter of dishes from the kitchen area.For a moment, he just lay there. He found Sammy at the counter, hair still a little wild from sleep, trying to slice mangoes with one of Rin’s dull knives. Rin herself sat nearby, sharpening tools and pretending not to watch with amusement.

“Morning,” Jake said.

Sammy looked up and grinned. “You’re late. Breakfast’s almost edible.”

“Almost,” Rin added, smirking. “He’s improving. Didn’t cut himself this time.”

Sammy threw her a mock glare. “You could offer to help.”

“I’m supervising,” Rin said, stretching. “Someone has to keep morale high.”

Jake chuckled and took the knife gently from Sammy’s hand. “Here. Let me.”

After they ate, Rin disappeared outside to check the panels, leaving the two of them at the small table. The breeze pushed through the open window, carrying the scent of the sea.

Sammy leaned back in his chair, eyes half-closed. “You ever think it’d come to this?”

Jake looked at him. “You mean peace?”

“Yeah. Just… mornings. No running, no hiding.”

Jake shook his head. “Didn’t think much into it.I mean I wasn't sure I'd ever find you."

Sammy smiled . “Guess we both got lucky.”

Jake reached across the table, covering Sammy’s hand with his own. “Luck had nothing to do with it. You fought for this. We both did.”

Outside, Rin’s voice called something about a working signal on the old radio, but neither of them moved just yet. The moment was too gentle to break.

Jake watched the sunlight play on Sammy’s face and thought - This is what surviving was for.