#zenless zone zero angst

[tinum]

Memento Vivere - Harumasa x Reader (Angst)

Summary: Harumasa's death and everything that comes after it. Warnings: CHARACTER DEATH, possible errors, maybe ooc Word Count: 1.6k Notes: the plot hole is actually filled with hidden lore about the reader guys! It's totally intentional, trust me! Thanks to the anon who requested!! ill work on it ASAP <3 okay, i think i did pretty good on this one but i really struggled with the ending tho. Let me know what you think.

The beginning. To every start, there must be an end. No matter how gently you stretch a rubber band, it is bound to break. What can not be cured must be endured, and what is endured succumbs with you.

Harumasa lays in your arms, his own body giving in to the weakness he had been born with. Tiny crystals have begun their spread across his cheek. Slowly sleeping below the skin, splitting muscle and replacing it with a mineral you hope you'd never seen him wear.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." You repeat like a mantra. It was you who had gotten him into this mess. If you had not insisted on him accompanying you, He would have been back at the office, slacking off as he deserved. "It's all my fault. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"Hey now, you didn't know this would happen." His voice was gravelly as if the corruption had already made its way to his throat, permeating his voice box.

Behind you, your bangboo's buzzing circuits shoot out sparks as it twitches helplessly on the concrete. It repeats the same dialogue over and over. The echoing fills you with insurmountable rage, and each discordant repeat of your failure fills you with a burning desire to smash it into pieces.

You stumble over your words, scanning your surroundings. "We have to get out of here. Maybe there's a chance-"

Harumasa cuts you off, gently squeezing your hand. "I think we missed that boat a long time ago." A brutal cough overtakes his words, leaving nothing but grits of dust.

"Stop it." You spoke gravely. "Stop talking like that!" You didn't mean to raise your voice. Comforting him is what you should be doing, not yelling as if he is in the wrong.

Harumasa couldn't help but chuckle. He had always admired your tenacity, even if you were lying to yourself.

"Hey.. remember what I asked from you?" His eyes reach yours, the brilliant gold now a cold yellow. You nod sullenly; tears cloud your vision.

"That's good." Harumasa looked down at his legs; crystals had already formed around their length. "It seems like I have nothing to worry about, then."

You held him for a few moments, your breaths fluctuating as you struggled to hold on to your sobs. You aren't sure what you're waiting for. The end was inevitable; once corruption took root, it would only spread.

"C'mon.. you promised. You wouldn't go back on a promise, would you?" He rested his head on your shoulder, unable to hold the weight alone. He reaches for your thigh, pulling out the dagger from its sheath.

The bough finally breaks, and sorrowful tears shove themselves past your waterline. "I can't.."

"Please." He begs. You were being selfish; you knew you were. Stretching a few moments with him while he was suffering an insoluble torment.

He places the dagger in your palm, folding your fingers over it. Guiding the dagger to his chest, he whispers, "please."

The crack of rocks becomes more apparent as it travels up from his legs at an alarming speed. No longer could you delay your parting. It was a matter of seconds now.

Oh, how you wish you had more time—more time to spend doing the things he loves and more time with him.

The cool steel punctures through his breast. Penetrating faster than corruption could leech. In your arms, he ceases his breathing. The hand, cradling his killer, falls to his side, never to rise again.

-----

The world was cruel to those who can't acclimate. A goodbye will only fall deaf to those who refuse to listen. It will always loom even if they ignore what happened, waiting for the day they let their guard down.

When you return to work a few weeks later, you expect to see him sitting at his desk, his head resting gently on the piles of paperwork he has yet to do. You know it's impossible, but you can't shake the routine you have grown to love.

Once you are seated at your new desk, one far from his, a voice gently calls out your name.

"I think it's best if we talk-"

"Don't." You don't bother turning around; you don't want to see them.

"Please, just give it a chance. It would be beneficial to us all if we had a moment to talk about him."

"I said don't. I don't want to talk about this, okay?" She noticed how you tiptoed around the subject, too afraid to speak his name.

"I won't force you," she pauses, unsure if she should speak. But I think he would want you to attend his funeral." She gently places a card on your desk—a funeral.

You wouldn't. You had too much work to do.

-----

It comes in waves. A sheet of weight that crushes you, you can fight against the tide till it recedes, but it always comes back. Violently.

He should have never gone with you. It was his fault. It's his fault for coming. It's his fault for being sick. That's what you keep telling yourself over and over till you are choking on your guilt.

When you are not blaming him, he comes in your dreams. He haunts your safe haven, removing the white and painting it red. His figure is tainted with corruption, and his eyes are a different shade than you remember. He laughs, and he jeers, mocking your own failure to protect.

You were weak. Weak in battle and weak against him. Everything he says rings true, no matter how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise.

-----

Wishing for a different outcome. If you were given the chance to reverse time, what would you do differently?

Sometimes, you ponder if you could have done something to prevent this from happening. If you had told him no that morning, would he be laughing with you today? How about if you took a different route in the hallow? Would he have safely made it out? You have repeatedly run through all the possibilities in your mind, looking for a new path to alter.

If you had one wish, it would be to see into the future. You would make sure you would never make the same mistake. You'd protect him this time.

You smile fondly at your fantasy.

-----

The world is bleak, but it's worse without them. The battle against the tide has been lost. You let the water submerge you.

You haven't been to work in almost a month. Getting out of bed was already daunting, but seeing his desk was more so. Even the thought would cause tears to well up in your eyes. You didn't want to cry anymore, but you didn't know how to stop.

Once you had reluctantly drifted to sleep, he spoke. It was soft and tender, a strong contrast to his previous visits. His eyes were that familiar shade of sunset you had remembered. His flesh had broken through the corruption, no longer tainted with pain. It was truly him.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You're stronger than this."

"Harumasa!" you call out, reaching for him, hoping to feel his warmth, but your hand passes through.

"Hah, that doesn't work, I already tried."

"Is it really you?" you whisper, your illusionary hand caressing as close to his face as you can. Your eyes snap to his features, his eyes, his nose, and his hair, painting a memory. "I miss you so much."

His hand hovers over yours; there is no sensation of touch, but something else overwhelms you—a warmth so beautifully him.

"I miss you too." He eyed gaze upon you as if you hung the sun itself, and you couldn't help but do the same.

When you can't handle his stare any longer, you pull him into a hug to the best of your abilities. For a moment, you feel like he's real again.

But as the way of all things, it must come to an end. Just as quick as the warmth came, it began to disappear. His figure slowly blended in with the backdrop of your dreamland.

"No-!" You stumble towards him, but he is already gone.

"Don't rush. I'll see you when you get here, kay?"

You woke up with a gasp. The room was grey, except for a single ray of light shining through the crack of your curtain.

Perhaps you would get out of bed today.

-----

It is never truly gone, just bearable. A wound so deep can heal, but a scar will always remain.

The dream where he spoke so tenderly was his last visit. He never returned, no matter how often you tried to recreate that day. The wounds have healed, but they left their mark. The world may have gone on without him, but yours had stopped the day he passed. You weren't sure if it would ever spin again, but you'd be damned if you didn't try.

Returning to work after your final meeting was daunting, but his words cleared the clouds in your mind, allowing you to see clearly for the first time. If you had just pulled the curtain, you'd realize the light had been shining there all along.

The members of section 6 were your light. They carried the burden of loss just like you did. They cried and screamed for a second chance, just as you. Allowing them in was allowing yourself to heal. You deserved that much.

So, you will allow yourself to heal. Day by day, you will carry on your work, fighting for everything he believed in, just like he would for you.

[idlescara]

my friend recently died so i’m subjecting everyone to harumasa angst lol will probably subject everyone to more angst later

gender neutral reader, established relationship, hurt/no comfort, harumasa backstory spoilers (may be inaccurate bc i’m going off how i interpret it), harumasa dies, angst

“why didn’t you tell me, haru? why…” you muttered under your breath as you clutched onto the jacket that was always tied around his waist. it was the only thing that miyabi and soukaku found when they were sent into the hollow to search for him.

the investigation concluded in that he was declared KIA, or rather he turned into a ethereal and was now roaming the hollow.

he hadn’t told you that he had ether aptitude regression syndrome, or how he had been tested on when he was a child.

miyabi could only watch you as you kneeled on the ground where you had met them as they emerged from the hollow holding harumasa’s jacket, nearly tearing the fabric of it from how tightly you were holding it in your hands.

you silently sobbed into it, body shaking as you did.

she, and the rest of the team, eventually left the area, giving you privacy as you grieved.

[wwaheoh]

"The Dangers of Hollow Work", Cunning Hares x gnReader (Platonic), SFW, Angst no Comfort

c/w: contains mentions of blood, death, injury, and body mutation.

a/n: in chapter 2, sorry if it's ooc. fun game, even if it is a bit mindless. i like the animation a lot, can't wait for further updates and for more fics for it!!

To be trapped in a Hollow without a proxy was a death sentence. Depending on one’s aptitude, it would be a quick transformation after half an hour or so, or would be a slow, painful change. Your body would mutate, cells being created at an accelerated rate as the environment forced your body to change into something inhuman. New appendages, body parts being ripped apart as it struggled to keep up. Your psyche only knowing pain, for hours, before finally setting into a new shape, your DNA having been broken and reshaped.

Only pain and destruction filled your mind, mindless, memories of what you once were and those you knew washed away like a sandcastle on the beach.

-

The Cunning Hares were no stranger to traversing the Hollows, oftentimes enlisting the help of the legendary Phaethon. This time their leader, Nicole, had accepted a lower paying commission. One that seemed simple, quick in and out, so they skimped on the premium and gone with a cheaper proxy. Something perfect for you, still easing into working with them. A mistake that would cost them dearly.

It started off normally, following a Bangboo through the formerly human-inhabited city. It was more rudimentary than the premium one Phaethon used, without the syncing and high-tech they had, it couldn’t do the same as theirs could. As they delved deeper, the proxy reported a nearby disturbance, their tech couldn’t identify that it was a monster magnitudes higher than what they were being paid to fight.

They learned the hard way, with only a moment of notice before the monster sprang out, a head split open, revealing a mass of unstable energy. Green splitting their charcoal body. It was monstrous, forearms the size of entire car. It crashed through a wall, as if on a mission to kill them, and only them.

-

“Nicole! The proxy’s trying to tell us something!” Billy the Kid, an sentient AI, spoke out, kneeling as the Bangboo held out text, encrypted in case anyone apart from them got hold of this information. Nicole, the leader of the Cunning Hares, made her way over, a sense of unease as they continued along their mission. “It says…” She read the small text that was displayed on the Bangboo’s eyes.

“Something’s coming!” Anby spoke, rushing with blinding speed from her spot guarding the group to parrying a monster that smashed through the wall. It was a monster too strong for them to handle right now- or at least until they were being paid to.

“Fall back! We’ll do this commision later!” Nicole shouted, swinging her suitcase forward as she shot out a ball of energy, erupting as it began to pull the monster and anything nearby to its epicenter. “It won’t hold it for long, let’s go!”

You, Nicole, Billy, and Anby ran out, picking up the Bangboo and having it direct the group on the go. There were monsters on the way out, having to slow down every once in a while to combat them before making a break for it. “We better get a bonus for this!” Nicole shouted as the telltale screech of the monster echoed through the city.

Finally after seemingly forever, the Cunning Hares had reached the exit, a swirly mess of blue and purple, with a white bubbly outline was their way out of this mess.

“Trial by fire eh!” Billy joked, slowing down to your pace, his long legs easily making him the fastest out of the group. He helped keep you calm, someone who could make the best out of unfortunate circumstances.

“C’mon guys! Only a bit further left.” Nicole directed, someone emotionally sturdy, who had been the first of the group to meet you. Originally you’d been friends outside of this whole Hollows business, until the two of you learned that you’d shared this “hobby” together. She’d invited you to join the Cunning Hares, happy for one friend to meet her other friends.

The portal out got closer as they moved, yet the stomping of the monsters got arrived first. It landed from the air, with Billy saving you from being squashed by the several ton monster. He tossed you to Nicole, having her help right yourself as he unloaded bullets onto the monster. It didn’t do much but helped distract the monster for Anby to rush in.

“Say hello to my little friend.” She spoke in her monotone voice, seemingly to herself, as she unsheathed her blade and rocketed forward, slashing at the monster, sparks flying as electricity flowed through her blade.

Quickly they moved, hurrying to the exit as the monster was riddled with electricity coursing through their body, locking their joints and nerves, immobilizing them.

It seemed to be smooth sailing from there, with the adrenaline that had been coursing through your veins seemingly evaporating in seconds. A mistake, as you were not out of the woodworks just yet. A stray piece of debris on the ground made you trip, with a small yelp as you slipped onto the ground.

The monster recovered from their stun, now more ferocious than ever, they charged. Nicole and the others hadn’t seen you fall, caught up in keeping the monster busy and keeping the Bangboo safe. Once they had reached the portal and turned back to the monster, they’d seen you on the ground.

It was a shock, with Nicole nearly rushing forward to help you before being stopped by Anby. “The monster is too strong for us. It should’ve been incapacitated for 72.3% longer. We need to come back again.” “But we have to save them!” “We will all die if we do. We can come back, with Phaethon to aid us.” Nicole couldn’t bring herself to agree to what Anby was saying, it would basically be agreeing to abandon one of their own, even if for seemingly a short while. But she stopped protesting, letting herself be dragged out. Once she got to the outside world, she made a break for the video store, in search for the legendary Proxy’s help.

-

You lasted for half an hour against the monster. Running and dodging, clashing for a minute before making a break for it when you could. You knew the Cunning Hares would be back, but this was an enemy unlike anything they’d come up against previously, the only monster akin to them would’ve been the Dead End Butcher.

The monster had caught up, pulverizing your ribs with a single hit and leaving you concussed, falling down several floors. Your vision was blurry, the world felt like it was spinning. Pain, unbearable. Unable to move without the chance of nicking an artery or damaging an internal organ. Nothing to say of your spine having been shattered as you hit the ground.

You lay there for half an hour, your screams and cries rang out for thirteen minutes before, your voice failing on you. Before a groaning and inhuman screams replaced what was left.

-

The Cunning Hares had been able to take down the mysterious monster; what would usually call for celebration had to be postponed as they followed Phaethon deeper into the Hollow, searching for the last signal of human life. It had been seventeen minutes since the last ping. Phaethon warned them that what they would find would either be a corpse but the Cunning Hares refused to believe that, not wanting to part with you so early into your career, not when you had become integrated into the group.

Finally reaching the last known location, they found a puddle of blood, drying up, with no body. A monster nearby, with scraps of clothing still hanging on, yours.

They couldn't even leave with a body to bury.

[aventurineswife]

I ssaw that ur requests are open fr a bit and that u opened zzz requests so imma shoot my shot (hehe)

Harumasa, Seth and maybe Hugo (I don't know much about him but I'm biased cuz he's voiced by Jun fukuyama so sue me XD) or wise (tho I'm not sure about wise since he doesn't have fangs) giving playful love bites whenever they're happy.

Them with their s/o having a good time just staying indoors either playing video games, cuddling, or doing anything fun (maybe an arcade date where they play games together like the mini games in zzz, or an at home candle lit dinner idk XP) and when they feel extremely happy nuzzling up to them, they just give a bite~

And if they hurt, they will do that thing that cats do, where they lick or kiss the area they hurt... Only to chomp elsewhere X3c

~🍮

Affection, but with Teeth

Tags: Harumasa x Reader, Seth x Reader, Hugo x Reader, Fluff, Playful Biting, Domestic Romance, Teasing & Banter, Light Angst (implied backstories), Affectionate Men, Cat-Like Behavior, Established Relationship, Humor.

Warnings: Mild biting (playful, not harmful), Light suggestive teasing (mostly Hugo), Mentions of food/eating (if relevant for food-sensitive readers), Minor swearing (?), Might be ooc.

A/N: Thank you for making another ZZZ request! 🤭🙏 I tried my best... though I probably wrote them very ooc. I've seen that seth has the same va as Alhaitham and hugo's kr va is Dan heng I think, I'm not sure... 🧍‍♀️

Harumasa wasn’t the type to go out of his way for extravagant dates. He preferred efficiency, and to him, the best kind of date was one that required minimal effort but maximum enjoyment. So when you suggested a cozy day indoors, playing games and just lounging around, he had no objections.

You sat on the couch, controller in hand, as the two of you played through one of the many arcade-style games from Random Play. Harumasa, half-laying across your lap with his own controller lazily balanced on his stomach, let out a small yawn. "If I win this round, you have to go make coffee for me," he murmured, eyes half-lidded yet still calculating his next move.

"Oh, is that so?" You smirked. "And if I win?"

"You get bragging rights."

"That’s a terrible deal."

Before you could argue further, he launched a sneak attack in the game, completely wiping your character out. Harumasa gave a satisfied hum, stretching lazily as he turned to look at you with a smug grin. "Looks like you’re making coffee—"

Chomp.

You yelped when you felt sharp teeth gently press against your shoulder. He didn’t bite too hard, just enough to make you flinch, and before you could react, he lazily licked the same spot in a mock attempt to soothe it.

"You—!"

But just as you were about to scold him, he struck again—this time on your wrist, grinning against your skin. "Mmm. You taste like victory."

"You menace."

"Hm? I’m just expressing my joy in the most efficient way." His voice was laced with amusement, and he gave one last, playful nibble before settling back into your lap like nothing happened. "Now, about that coffee…"

Going to the arcade with Seth was always a fun experience—he was passionate, competitive, and absolutely terrible at keeping a low profile. He wasn’t the best at stealth games, but give him a fighting or racing game, and he would pour his entire soul into it.

"Alright, final round!" Seth declared, gripping the arcade controls with unshakable determination. "If I win, I get the last slice of pizza when we get home!"

"Deal," you agreed, smirking.

The match was intense, pixelated characters clashing in a battle of reflexes and skill. You held your own, but Seth had sheer enthusiasm on his side, and in a dramatic final move, he won.

"YES!" He practically jumped in place, tail flicking behind him in excitement. "Did you see that?! I actually pulled it off!"

You chuckled, watching him vibrate with happiness—then yelped as he suddenly leaned in and gave a quick, playful chomp to your shoulder.

"Seth!"

He blinked at you, ears twitching, before quickly pressing a kiss to the same spot. "Sorry! I didn’t mean to bite that hard!"

"...So you admit that was on purpose?"

"Uhhh," he hesitated, then suddenly chomp—this time on your wrist.

"Seth!"

He laughed, pulling back slightly but keeping his hands on yours. "I dunno, I just got so happy! You don’t get mad when cats do it!"

"Yeah, but you’re not a cat, Seth."

"Debatable," he grinned.

You sighed, rubbing your wrist with mock exasperation before ruffling his hair. He purred—actually purred—and leaned into your touch. "Fine, you win. Enjoy your last slice of pizza."

"Hell yeah!"

(But the moment he looked away, you took a sneaky bite of his pizza anyway. He totally deserved it.)

Spending a quiet evening with Hugo was always a refined yet subtly mischievous experience. He had a way of making even the simplest moments feel elegant, yet you knew better than to let your guard down entirely.

Tonight, he had surprised you with a beautifully set dinner—candlelight flickering against fine wine glasses, soft classical music playing in the background. It was almost too perfect, and you gave him a knowing look. "Are you trying to impress me?"

"Would it be so wrong if I was?" Hugo smirked, sipping his wine with effortless grace. "Besides, I rather enjoy treating you to things like this."

Dinner went smoothly, filled with pleasant conversation and the occasional flirtation. But it was when you made an offhand comment about how charming he looked under candlelight that he tilted his head with a playful gleam in his sharp eyes.

"Oh? Flattery, my dear?"

"It’s not flattery if it’s true," you teased.

He chuckled, leaning closer across the table. "Then allow me to show my appreciation."

Before you could react, he gently took your wrist, bringing it to his lips. And then—

Chomp.

It wasn’t painful, just a teasing press of his fangs against your skin, but the suddenness of it made you yelp. "Hugo!"

He chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to the spot he bit, only to immediately sink his teeth into another spot higher up your arm.

You shot him a glare. "You’re doing that on purpose."

"Of course I am," he admitted shamelessly, smirking. "It’s rather endearing how you react."

"You’re lucky you’re charming."

"That is the general consensus," he mused. "Now, would you like dessert? I promise not to bite."

"Liar."

He simply chuckled, reaching for your hand once more.

[wyzzze]

Sorry I just needed this on my blog forever

[miammey]

Everyone's just talking about how hot Lighter is, and yeah he's attractive, but he has such a painful story and barely anyone is mentioning it??? I haven't even finished all his hangout stuff yet, but already I can tell that he's still extremely troubled by what happened in his past.

During the film we watch with him he wasn't scared of the blood and gore, mainly since there wasn't as much as expected (and he wore his glasses so he wouldn't faint), but he was scared about what one of the characters did that caused a disaster, something he relates to in a sense, saying that even if he looked calm his hands were shaking. I wanted to tell him that he can stay and calm down all he wants, give him a more relaxing movie to watch free of charge, because to me he felt so uncomfortable after watching the movie because he didn't expect it to hit so close

And don't get me started on this man's physical injuries. He's covered in MASSIVE scars, realistically, if we were to map out how they got there, he would've nearly had his arm cut off or just be cut in half. He mentioned that another reason he wears sunglasses is because of an old injury, even tho it's basically already healed he just no longer feels comfortable going out without them. He mentioned his neck and legs weren't what they once were, and judging by his backstory that's mainly because he's always fighting. He's the type to strain himself to whatever extent necessary do get the task done

He also is just genuinely so attached to his gang and so scared of losing them, but even then he stays strong because others need him to. He also saw Caesar almost die, his leader and a good friend, and yet he stayed strong for Lucy. He goes off by himself to deal with things because he doesn't want to get others in the gang involved, and he's just so genuinely earnest. He's caring and awkward and bad at hiding it, but he's still that Champion, a position he takes pride in because it means he's succeeding at protecting his loved ones, something he failed to do in the past

Speaking of the past, back to him being self-sacrificing, he went into debt and basically signed his life away to pay it off after his group all died all to make sure their families were taken care of. He knew that businessmen were greedy and there's a good chance it would take decades for him to pay them off, if he ever would, but he still did it. He described himself as a zombie back then, and only until after he got comfortable with the gang did he break out of that state

I know people gawk over attractive characters, I can't say I don't as well at times, but every time he's on screen and anything even remotely seems to upset him I just wanna make him comfortable. He's relaxed, but not comfortable, and I don't think he's been comfortable for a very long time. He says everything's in the past, but I'm pretty sure he's still trying to convince himself of that, because what happened in his past had such a big impact on his future that it's still in the back of his mind day in and day out

[luminique]

Fate, Hollows, Grief and Lighter.

cw // mentions of death, angst, comfort. 4.8k words, not proofread, lighter x gn reader. happy birthday lighter !

You don’t have to be an expert to understand that hollows are confusing. There’s a lot of mystery that goes around them despite the amount of resources that is put into its research. Everyday, it’s some new discovery, some new technology, some new treatment related to them. You told Burnice to switch through the other channels on the mini television at the bar, you didn’t get much of the newer shows in the Outer Ring but you did get the boring news channel.

“Joining us for today’s program is Miss Hoshimi Miyabi from the Hollow Special Operations Section 6. I believe that she needs little to no introduction as your team has been making the rounds online with the most recent case,” a man wearing a black suit, presumably the host, guided the camera over to the thiren next to him with his hand. You’ve seen her before, the proxies that the Sons of Calydon have worked with also mentioned Section 6 as one of their clients. Not everyone can just step into a hollow, even the proxies themselves don’t go in there willingly.

After a moment of silence between the host and Hoshimi Miyabi, the man finally breaks the ice. “Well, we are not here to discuss the controversy; however, there has been a recent discovery regarding the hollows. According to the White Star Institute, your team was able to control Hollow Zero and noticed how time was affected in there. Can you please elaborate on that?” The host was clearly uncomfortable by her quiet demeanor, thinking he’d be interviewing someone who was not as unapproachable as her.

Time, huh? That’s nothing new, even the Tour de Inferno had improved its recording equipment in order to reduce the delay between the inside and outside of the hollow. “Yes, due to its high ether energy, Hollow Zero has the ability to manipulate time, causing us to fight ethereals we had initially already taken down.” The fox thiren finally spoke, her voice was clear and confident, fitting for a chief. The host beamed at her answer, you could see the worry in his eyes when she took a moment to respond to him. “Were there any other anomalies aside from that? The claim coming from the White Star Institute is rather large and I believe that viewers at home would love to hear your experience.”

Lighter notices you staring at the screen intently, it was a rare sight for you to be so engrossed in such a show. He taps the counter a couple of times as he sat on the stool next to you, Burnice immediately understood what that gesture meant. His hand came up to your side, resting it on your hip. “Didn’t know you were into this kind of thing,” his smooth voice cut through your train of thought. You barely even noticed him, finally back from a few small fights but barely even a scratch on his face.

“They’re talking about hollows, those proxy friends of yours should know more about it than this old man on the screen.” you pointed the remote at the screen, not changing the channel though. “My deputy chief, Tsukishiro, found herself reliving a moment from her past relating to another member of my team. Asaba said that he was beginning to see the same ethereal over and over again. For me, on the other hand….” a moment of silence from the young lady as her hands gripped on her neat skirt. “I was able to see other possibilities of my past decisions and how they’d affect my current self.” Her usual commanding voice began to sound slightly weak and shaky yet her expression never faltered.

It slowly clicked in your head. This new discovery was not the simple time manipulation that had been publicly known for years, it was instead a lot more complex. A lot scarier, a lot more complicated and even went into the realm of alternate timelines. Was that even possible? Time travel and theories of alternate timelines have been one of humankind’s biggest questions. Would this not have been found out earlier while researching other hollows? Every smaller hollow around Eridu came from the existence of Hollow Zero, what made those any different?

You turn to look at Lighter, his usual laid back demeanor now mirrored yours. He hadn’t even touched his drink once since Miyabi had spoken. “Now look who’s the one staring at the TV,” you teased as you pushed on his shoulder lightly. His sunglasses slipped down his nose bridge, he cleared his throat as he pushed his shades up. “I just thought it was interesting, nothing more,” he pretended to not show how much that information meant to him.

If you could do it all over again, would you? The opportunity was presented right at him, albeit from a boring show on the TV. Rarely was it ever on this channel, as Burnice would normally choose to have it on some sort of sports or music channel. However, she’d listen to her customer in front of her and on this early evening, it was only you sitting there.

The thought was intriguing, he did have a higher ether aptitude than most. Venturing into hollows alone, with a carrot, wasn’t anything new to him, especially not after the passing of his fallen comrades. He doesn’t know exactly where they were last but he’d often bring flowers to where he found their dog tags, at least he knew they were there at one point. He knew that time worked differently inside the hollows, communication becoming an issue inside and outside of it, but he didn’t know anything more than that was capable.

No, no. He can’t just go into Hollow Zero and come out unscathed like it’s a normal fight. He could live his whole life not knowing what would’ve happened if he had chosen to go with them but the knowledge that he can, at least, see its possibility… that was eating at him. After you had teased him, the idea was still there. Who wouldn’t want to know what happened during that one moment in their life? Who wouldn’t want to know the answer to ‘what if’ and ‘if only’? He shook his head, trying to get rid of the curiosity building up in him.

Cold glass, the refreshing drink that he had gotten accustomed to since joining the Sons of Calydon now tasted bitter. No lollipop in his pocket to distract him from his thoughts. Another harsh swallow, he placed the glass back on the counter. “Do you want another glass? Maybe some Nitro-Fuel instead?” Burnice’s cheerful self was always ready to fill a glass up despite knowing that he doesn’t prefer the taste of Nitro-Fuel on its own. Now though, it sounded just perfect to make him forget this information.

Night time came, the howling winds kept Lighter awake. Usually he would have passed out already from the amount of Nitro-Fuel he drank but for some odd reason, he couldn’t now. It wasn’t odd at all, he knew why he was awake. Haunted by the memories of a not-so-distant past, the voices of his comrades rang in his ears as he got up from his bed. His bright red scarf that contrasted his usual outfit, was now stuffed deeply into his jacket. The soft clinging of the dog tags were now muffled by his scarf, his heavy footsteps making his way out to his bike. The only way to forget is to completely kill a man, erase his memories and the possibilities that he can come up with.

With his past as mercenary leader, getting to Hollow Zero wasn’t a mystery. Many have gone there in hopes of getting rich, finding some sort of ethereal matter, or maybe searching for whatever was left of the person they once were. Dodging a few military bases, back roads and, going through smaller hollows, Lighter found himself right at the edge of Hollow Zero. There were a few close calls on his way here, but nothing a Carrot can’t solve. The convenience of modern technology, able to find the safest route out and predict any new changes in the course of being in the Hollow. If only they could predict the possibility of his friends passing that day.

He parked his bike, brought the little bangboo off his bike and took a deep breath. “Lighter…” He heard the faint whispers of his name as he stepped into the pitch black sphere, the voices sounded oddly familiar to him. An older breathier male voice, a deeper younger male voice, and a reassuring female voice all coming together to call for his name. No, he can’t be hearing things. He was still young and had just entered the hollow. Signs of corruption did not include hallucinations, nor did it include any sort of hearing problems. He ventured deeper into the hollow, bangboo by his side to make sure he’d make his way out.

Ethereals came at him but they were no match, one after another. A swift punch before landing his finishing blows on them, he dusted off the little bits of burnt etheric matter off his shoulders. “Lighter! There you are!” He immediately prepared himself for another fight, quickly looking around for the source of that voice. No ethereal was in sight however, maybe it was paranoia striking him once more. He decided to take a break somewhere off to the side, taking a serum to reduce ether corruption. He closed his eyes, the rubble of the Fallen Eridu surrounding him as he was taken back to his days of a mercenary leader.

He remembers it like it was just yesterday. The smiles on their face, the laughter, the drinks, the bets, everything that your typical mercenary group does. They were his comrades, his friends, his family at the time. He was still new to leading a team, choosing to go for the higher paying jobs in the hollows rather than outside work. He’d come back with a few bruises here and there, getting patched up while trying to split up the money they received. The hands of Dane scruffing Lighter’s hair, or Nick reminding him to stop smoking, or Ratena drinking another pint of Nitro-Fuel with him. He could see and feel those memories so vividly…

“We’ll be heading out now, Boss.” Dane gave a hearty pat on Lighter’s shoulder, a firm goodbye grip to tell him to rest. Lighter chuckled as Dane finally let go,“It still sounds weird…” he added on, believing that such a title isn’t fit for him just yet. “Ratena, you got the med kit ready?” He asked the tomboy-looking female who was always prepared when it came to injuries. Even his now fractured arm was taken care of by her, proving her deep knowledge in the field of first aid. She nodded towards him with a small wave of her supplies in hand, “All ready, Lighter!” Nick gave a weary smile, one that was oddly energetic for a much older man than everyone else in the group.

“Take care, everyone. Remember what we’re going in there for, retrieve the item and receive our cash,” everyone looked towards their leader, Lighter giving them one last reminder before they headed off. All of their dog tags hung around their necks, reflecting the bright sunlight and Lighter’s own reflection. “Be back safely!” Dane’s little sister began waving goodbye as they watched the team head off straight into the hollow. Lighter knew of the dangers that they could face while in there, especially with the lack of a Carrot. Those don’t go for cheap however, good and reliable info about hollows aren’t easy to come by at low prices.

That final goodbye would serve to be his biggest regret in life. A wound that can never be healed no matter the amount of times he went back to the last place he found their tags. He had called out for them and yet no response, shouting into an endless void. What would’ve happened if he had followed them that day, not heeding their advice and sacrificing himself alongside them. Non-existent answers to a question that has ruined a young man of his own mental freedom.

Boss… Kiddo…. Lighter….

Was he going insane again? He opened his eyes, expecting to see nothing just like before but this time, he was outside of his old mercenary camp. A distant woof could be heard as an eager dog ran right up to him, pouncing onto him. ‘What? This… this isn’t right…’ Lighter thought to himself. Was this some sort of deja vu? A dream of some sort? The dog licks Lighter’s face, excitedly panting and sniffing him. This felt a little too real for him, running his hand through its soft fur.

“Lighter! We got another commission today. Gotta go into this hollow, grab this ‘mysterious item’ and they’re paying us big time,” Dane came up behind him and petted the dog, throwing a small ball to allow Lighter to get up. Lighter turned around, seeing the large man with his familiar beanie towering over him. He fell back, not believing what he was seeing. Was he dead? They do say that the brain replays the best moments of one’s life before death, but this seemed less like a memory and more like reality.

This was just the day before their deaths, was this his second chance? “I was able to see other possibilities of my past decisions and how they’d affect my current self,” the fox thiren’s experience now making sense as he looked up at his should-be-dead companion. “U-uh yeah. Dane, sorry but I don’t think we should accept this mission,” Lighter grabbed Dane’s hand, his fractured one still healing in its cast. Dane blinked at his teal-haired leader in confusion, not expecting him to decline such an offer. They walked back into the home, Ratena and Nick coming up to them with big smiles on their faces.

As Ratena tended to Lighter’s fractured arm, they all discussed their plan regarding the new mission. “They said it’s just a box, bring it back safely and then we’ll get paid,” Dane said with lots of enthusiasm, playing around with his little sister. Nick gave a hearty chuckle, petting the dog as he spoke, “It’s not easy, my boy. Look at what happened to Lighter the last time we went into a hollow.” Both men looked over to Lighter, seeing the effects of an ethereal attack and Nick being physically unfit to keep up with the rest of the group. Before Ratena could give her input, Lighter interjected with the knowledge of their future. “I really don’t think we should go. Hollows are dangerous and just like Nick said, ethereals are no joke.” Lighter hoped they would understand him without him needing to explain to them why they shouldn’t go.

Ratena shook her head, “Oh c’mon Lighter, you don’t trust us? We got out safely last time and we made big bucks.” Safely? Was having a fractured arm considered safe? Was bleeding out his side considered safe? “Guys, you can’t be serious.” Lighter was in disbelief, he remembered his initial response in his past. He had agreed wholeheartedly to the offer, thinking that such a huge sum of cash was what they all needed to live better lives. Now with his knowledge, he didn’t want to lose them. Not again, he didn’t want to make the same mistake twice.

“Yeah boss, we know how hard you’re working. You gotta rest up and we’re more than capable of taking down those ethereals.” Dane gave him a wolfish grin, clearly oblivious to why Lighter was so against all of this in the first place. “We’ll leave in the morning, be back by sunset.” Nick had the whole plan laid out on the table, trying his best to reassure their worried leader. Everyone went to their sleeping quarters that night but Lighter couldn’t sleep at all knowing what would happen to them. He laid awake in his cold bed that his body used to find solace in, but now reminded him of the hard shell of a coffin.

Sunlight came streaming through the windows, Lighter was the first to get up, the rest unknown to his lack of sleep. Everything replayed exactly as it did on that fateful day; Dane placing his hand on Lighter’s shoulder, Ratena waving her first aid kit in the air, Nick’s energetic smile that highlighted his wrinkles. He can’t relive this, he can’t let this happen. “W-wait!” They all turned back to him, stopping right in their tracks. Lighter had already told them to take care, what else was there to be said? ‘Don’t die’? ‘Don’t go’? ‘You’ll all die and I won’t be able to find you’? He had recurring nightmares of this exact moment multiple times before this and yet, the words were stuck in his throat. “I’ll miss all of you.” Lighter couldn’t stop them, even if he tried. Fate is cruel in that way, never is it a choice, unable to be changed. As he watched them leave again, tears began to prick his olive eyes. He closed his eyes, trying to blink away those tears but also look away from his regrettable decision.

The sandpaper-like wet and warm muscle went up Lighter’s cheek again. He blinked open his eyes, seeing the familiar sight of yesterday. Was this some sort of hell? A never-ending cycle of living his lifelong burden he carried with him. As expected, Dane’s voice could be heard once more, grabbing Lighter up from the ground and bringing him back into the camp. As expected, they had planned to take up the offer because money is money and they were mercenaries first and foremost.

He was determined this time. If he couldn’t stop them from going, at the very least he had to make sure to go with them. Ever since that day, he had been yearning for death. If Fate won’t change his friends’ passing, maybe it will be kind enough to change his. “I’ll go along,” Lighter’s confident voice cut through their chatter. “But boss, you’re being stretched thin.” “Your condition still isn’t fit for a mission in a hollow.” “Take it from an old man, you deserve the rest, son.” All of them gave their own concerns to Lighter’s suggestion–arguably, it sounded closer to an order rather than a suggestion–but he didn’t want to listen to them. He was adamant, also having his own power as their leader to push himself into this plan. He was willing to do anything, not caring about his injuries. With little to no luck, they accepted his persistence, each slowly heading off to bed to prepare for the early morning.

He had dreamt of this possibility for days, maybe even months. His body was definitely not in the best shape but if he could spend just a few more minutes with his comrades, his limbs could be torn off by an ethereal and he’d still smile through it all. It all played out exactly as his memories, this time he was joining them. As they walked together towards the hollow, Lighter began to feel dizzy. His vision slowly blurred, however his companions continued to walk forward.

“Dane! Nick! Ratena!” Lighter called out to them, yet they didn’t turn around, not even taking a moment to stop. “No, no, no no no no NO-” He tried running towards them but the distance just kept getting further and further. Running infinitely, trying to catch up to them but with his poor condition and slowly darkening eyesight, he couldn’t continue anymore. He came to a stop, looking down to his feet and seeing something shine in the dust. As he bent down, his eyes widened in surprise. It was their dog tags; Dane, Nick, and Ratenna, but there was one more with its name turned over. Lighter Lorenz. His name. How was that possible? His hand immediately went to his neck, searching for his tag that always hung around there. It wasn’t there. That was his dog tag, on the ground, with the rest of his mercenary companions.

He fell to his knees, understanding the possible outcome of this decision he could’ve made back then. Who would have found these if it weren’t him? Who would carry on their stories if he had gone along with them? What does that mean for his current present self? Questions bounced around in his head, holding those dog tags close to his chest. Tears began to trickle down his face once more, sadness being a common emotion at the end of all of these possibilities.

As he blinked away those tears, his surroundings had also changed. His bangboo would’ve notified him if he walked into a fissure so there was no way that he did. The setting sun of the Outer Ring burned his pupils, a scenery that he has become more than accustomed to since joining the Sons of Calydon. He hadn’t made any regretful decisions since joining, so there has got to be a reason that he’s experiencing this random day again.

He heard footsteps coming up behind him, followed by the sounds of feminine laughter. Despite being called the Sons of Calydon, it was a biker gang filled with mainly women. Currently, he is their champion, always winning and never turning down a challenge. They all stood side by side next to him, joking and teasing around with each other. “Caesar! Did you use my makeup again?” Lucy was trying her best to pull the tall green-grey haired woman down to her height. Piper barely kept her eyes open while Burnice was drinking another pint of Nitro-Fuel down as they all watched the sunset together.

“I can always buy you more makeup, Lucy.” Lighter offered, his used to be young voice was now a lot deeper. None of them replied to him though; Caesar and Lucy still argued with each other, Piper was trying her best to stand up straight, Burnice started playing her songs. Was he being intentionally ignored? He remembers this moment, him heading out to Lumina Square and there he met you. His life had fully turned around when he joined the Sons of Calydon, understanding what it meant to be a Champion. Not just theirs, but yours as well. He had people he wanted to protect, disasters he wanted to prevent.

Fate played its tricks on him once more. He had his ��second chance’, choosing to die alongside his comrades and now he had to ‘live’ as a ghost. Lighter was slowly trying to figure out how Hollow Zero was affecting his memories and ‘fate’. None of this was real–he knew that at least–but he had to admit that it felt real. Would he be satisfied with death? Would he be satisfied with his story not having a proper ending? His movie could be hours long, but after 30 minutes, there would be an abrupt black screen.

‘The aim of all life is death. Only there can we find true peace.’

This wasn’t the peace that he wanted. He craved closure, real end credits to his tragic documentary. If the aim is death, then he’ll live until he’s tired of it. Until his face becomes sore from smiling with you, until his taste buds turn numb with the lingering after notes of Nitro-Fuel, until his eyesight becomes hazy from the bright lights of the city, until his ears start ringing because of everyone’s laughter.

He yearned for death, believing that regret was all he could carry in his heart. Love and companionship changes a person, losing it turns them into a monster. He knows how it feels to have survivor’s guilt, he now knows how it feels to have so much love left to give but ultimately ripped away from him. Care, love, remorse, regret, they all went hand in hand when it came to Lighter, he can’t have one without the other. Tough decisions, bad mistakes but they all ultimately led him to where he was now.

He felt the Outer Ring’s breeze brush his face, a soft and gentle reminder of his new home and his new family.

Lighter opened his eyes once more, a small LED screen with crying eyes were barely inches away from his face. His hand went up to give the little bangboo a pat on the head, making it immediately spring back to life. “Hey, little guy. You think you can get us out of here?” Lighter asked as he slowly pushed himself up, seeing a few ethereals around. The bangboo began running through the hollow, following its Carrot to find the nearest exit out of Hollow Zero.

A couple of punches before swiftly sliding away. His top priority was to get out safely, not to fight every ethereal in his path. This ever changing maze proved to be difficult to navigate, the poor bangboo constantly finding a new route. After winding through the ruins of Old Eridu, they finally made it out of Hollow Zero. Further away from where they initially entered, however nothing too far to walk to. The sun was beginning to rise now, painting the sky in light gold hues. As he drove back to Blazewood, he took in the early morning sights of the Outer Ring. After living in the shadows for so long, he remembers his first purchase since being saved by Big Daddy. He used a little bit of the money to purchase his first and only pair of sunglasses. In order to help him acclimatize to bright life above those fighting rings while helping him with his hemophobia and eye injury, he thought that the shades would be a good start to his new chapter. Everything was a change of pace, including these.

“Lighter! There you are!” He immediately froze up. Those were the same words he heard in the Hollow. Was he still in there? He got off his bike and turned around slowly, preparing himself to see nothing again. “Where were you? I was worried sick last night when I went over to your room and you didn’t respond.” Your concerned voice put him at ease as he looked at you. “Uh um… my bad. Just… wanted to go for a late night drive,” his voice was shaky, hoping you wouldn’t see through his lie. Your brows furrowed as you looked him up and down, he felt as though he should just die because of your intense gaze. “Without me?? Next time I go to Lumina Square, I am not buying you the super pack of lollipops,” you teased him. He let out the biggest sigh of relief, for once not worrying about whether he’d get his favorite grape-flavored lollipop.

He removed his glove off of his hand and brought it up the side of your face. Your soft skin under his calloused hands, this felt like his true reality. He could see the way you scrunched up your nose, your eyebrows raised as he began caressing your cheek. “I missed you,” he whispered out, just loud enough for you to hear. It was still early in the morning, not as many people out just yet so he could allow himself this vulnerability for just a moment. Especially after realizing the possibility of never seeing you again, never seeing the girls again, he doesn’t know if he’s ready to go just yet. “What are you saying? Did you hit your head on a cactus?” Your hand went up to his, cupping it against your face as you nuzzled into him. He couldn’t give this up, never in his wildest dreams could he imagine a decision better than what he made back then.

“I just thought I should tell you. I lo-“ just as he was about to finish his words, Piper comes up in Steeltusk, parking the truck right next to the both of you. “You youngsters are so energetic these days…” She commented as she filled up the truck with some fuel, chuckling to herself. Both of you turned a little red, Lighter especially. Everyone knew of your relationship and yet it was still a little embarrassing to be so outwardly in love with each other. Lighter cleared his throat, thinking that Piper was still the same as she was in his memories. The rest of the girls were probably still asleep but this was all he needed to confirm that he was indeed out of that damned hollow.

With your hand in his, he knew what was waiting for him at the end of his life. The Sons of Calydon that he sworn to always win for, his mercenary comrades that haunts him every night, the friends he had made through the Tour de Inferno, and his love that was willing to be with him through it all. Fate is unfair, humans do not have the power to change what has already been decided. However, being human means having the power to live your life to its fullest, accepting what fate has in store and learning from it. Lighter will carry his regrets and burdens with him, over into the afterlife and even when all he becomes is a humble cactus to poke you.

[royalfriday]

Hello, 🌸

I hope my message finds you well 

I'm Momen Al Madhoun / Digital Artist / From Gaza 🇵🇸

I need your help to amplify my voice by sharing my artwork

"The work is about my beloved wife's suffering during a year of genocide" 🕊️

Please reblog my post and donate if you can 🙏🏻

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....

[bitterbutblue]

the person you're calling has turned into an ethereal...

let my last thought be you ☆ zzz x fem!reader

characters : Ellen Joe (platonic), Anby Demara, Grace Howard, Zhu Yuan

~ LMAOO U TURN INTO AN ETHEREAL AND ITS THEIR FAULT LMAOOOO.. also i wrote this for my fav artist yurieater69.. hi yurieater69.. <33

warning for zhu yuan's- INACCURATE POLICE TALK. PLEASEEEE IM A UNI STUDENT IDK ABOUT COPS ~

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let me see tomorrow ☆ platonic!ellen joe x reader

This was supposed to be one of their easiest missions yet. There wasn't even supposed to be any weapons drawn, for fuck's sake. Lycaon sent in you and her for a reason- an in and out hollows mission. You were her closest... coworker? Could she call you a friend? She would like to call you a friend. You were around her age, but you always managed to somehow balance this odd job and your school work flawlessly- something she deeply envied. You never seemed tired, always at the top of your game. For the longest time she despised you, until you two were sent on this mission.

Just the two of you.

And she realised there was much more to you than just perfection. Of course, perfection is only an idealistic dream but to her you were perfection. Your moments of weakness she found herself overlooking because she had already idealised you in her head. It was really only two hours, yet she found herself regretting not talking to you earlier.

But now, Ellen can only watch in horror, unable to move, staring in horror as you collapse to the ground. She finally manages to move, pushing herself off the ground, dashing towards you.

"Hey, hey, stay with me."

Cool, calm, collected. That's how a maid from Victoria' Housekeeping should be acting but as each second ticks by she can feel herself losing her calm. You lunge at her, fear swallowing your every move and thought as you grab onto her collar.

"Ellen, Ellen I don't wanna turn- Ellen please-"

You both knew it was too late but you were panicking, tears falling before you even know it because you can just feel yourself falling down that abyss. All she can do is watch. She doesn't know what to do, she doesn't know you well. Should she hold you? Should she grab your hand and run? She can feel her own panic surfacing, eyes darting all over the place. Her head feels light, breathing shallow as she tries to calm herself because this isn't about her. This isn't about her.

"Ellen, call Lycaon, Rina, please, Ellen-"

Your begging is all she can hears and she's never heard you sound like this. So afraid, frantic, desperate. Your usual put together self now thrown away as you scramble to keep yourself together.

"Ellen, I'm scared. Ellen, please-"

Her instincts take over, rushing over to you. She holds you in an awkward embrace, collapsing to her knees as she pulls you in close.

"It's okay."

The words sound awkward coming out of her, and she can hear how choked her own voice is. She's scared, she has no right to be but she's scared. She doesn't want to lose you.

"I want my mom, I'm scared. I don't wanna turn, Ellen-"

The last thing you hear is her heartbeat and the last thing she hears is your cries before you go limp. And it's only a matter of time until you start moving again so she grabs her weapon as fast as she can. She doesn't even realise she's crying until she moves to stab her shears through your now-ethereal body. She doesn't even realise she's sobbing and her chest hurts until she hears Lycaon's voice calling out to her. The puzzle pieces click in his head when he sees your weapon lying on the ground and the usually stoic and emotionless Ellen Joe on her knees, tears flowing silently as she lets out choked cries of apologies.

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love me one last time ☆ anby demara x reader

When she fell in love with you, Anby swore to herself she would always put your safety over her own because to her, you were more than the world itself. Working with her in the Cunning Hares is and always will be a danger, and she knows she can't let her emotions get the best of it all. But you always saw it differently. You always wore the softest smile around Anby, one that had her usual stoicism fading into an embarrassed and shy smile. You were her exception, and that was the problem.

Yet this time it was all her fault. She led you guys the wrong way, deeper and deeper into the hollows while thinking you were on your way out. You told her it's okay, you told her that you trusted her no matter what and she just wanted to believe that but the sinking feeling in her gut had her growing more and more worried over time.

You play off how you feel something going wrong, because you wanted to trust her so badly but something was definitely not right. And your theories came true when you feel yourself growing dizzy and weak. Anby catches on, growing more and more panicked when you suddenly stumble and fall to the ground.

"Don't worry- I'll call for someone, I'll-"

"Anby?"

Your voice is so quiet, so hoarse. Her heart drops when she looks into your eyes because she sees it too now and she feels like throwing up. This can't be happening.

Was this... her fault?

"Just stay close."

You were hunched over, her kneeling next to you and she hated feeling so helpless. She hated knowing that right now it was happening all over again, she's losing someone and it's her fault.

"Don't talk like you're dying." She hisses out angrily, scrambling to help you up onto your feet but you refuse to budge.

"Anby please."

You sound tired, drained. If she listens carefully she can hear the hint of fear you are so desperately trying to hide from her.

"Just stay close."

You knew what was happening- you weren't stupid.

"It's not your fault."

Anby didn't register the tears falling until she feels your hand reach up to wipe away the stray tears that are falling from her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

She's never heard herself sound so vulnerable and afraid. The sound of her own voice has her shocked.

"It was bound to happen."

She hated how casual you sounded about it all, how you tried to swallow back the tremor in your voice.

"No it fucking wasn't." She's lost control now. She snaps at you despite the fact that she knows she shouldn't be doing that but she can't help it because she's so scared. "I could've gotten us out, I shouldn't have been..."

She trails off when she sees the look in your eyes. Even now it's still soft and loving and she wants to hold you forever. Instead she pulls you in for a hug. Tight, but gentle. Your hearts are beating against one another, like a perfectly tuned macine.

"It's okay. I'm still me."

She's breaking down now. She can feel how hard you're fighting to stay in this body for just a second longer.

"I love you, Anby."

She can feel herself shaking and trembling, swallowing back her sobs as she whispers out the last words you'll hear- right before piercing her blade through your still-human chest. You slump over, head in her shoulder, a ghost of a smile on your face as she sobs into your still body.

"I love you."

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let us love for another day more ☆ grace howard x reader

Perhaps it was time to put it all to rest. Maybe she had taken it too far this time. You had warned her not to get to carried away at night with her experiments and she keeps brushing you off, promising to be home soon... soon... soon.

You grew sick of waiting for her, so one night you decide to venture off to Belobog Industries on your own. She's been spending too much time with her robots (or her children, as she likes to call them) and staying out this late in New Eridu is always unsafe. So you drive to her, but on your way there you find yourself lost. The surroundings grow unfamiliar, and you feel a cold chill down your spine when you realise your situation.

You've fallen into a hollow.

Grace realises far too late that you're not picking up her calls, and that her messages aren't going through. She panics as soon as she realises, calling Koleda in a frantic rush. They woke Phaethon up at 1 in the morning (frankly, both of them we're still awake so was it really waking them up?). She follows the Bangboo into the hollow, Koleda tailing her.

"Seriously, sis, why didn't you just let her know you would be home soon?"

"Not the time, Koleda."

Koleda pauses when she hears her name slip out of Grace's lips. No pet name, no 'sis' or 'sweet pea'. 'Koleda'. Grace is scared. Her usual, lighthearted self now replaced with a pale, worried and shaky demeanour that has Koleda growing anxious too.

"She's okay, seriously."

"GRACE-!"

The Phaethon's panicked voice causes her to jump, she turns around, quickly identifying the source of the sound. Her heart drops at the sight.

The Bangboo is crouched next to this figure, who is slumped over next to their car. Grace could recognise that figure from fucking anywhere because that's you. That's her fucking wife. A pang of guilt hits her so hard she almost stumbles. She rushes towards you, picking up your limp body in her arms.

"Darling, baby, can you hear me? Are you okay?"

Your eyes fluttered open, breathing shallow as you looked up. A ghost of a smile forms on your face.

"Grace.. I made dinner for us.. at home.."

Your voice was weak, shaky and she can feel her throat closing up as she blinks back tears.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry baby-"

"Can you take me home?"

Koleda just stands to the side awkwardly, watching as Grace pulls your limp body close to her.

"Yes, let's go home, darling."

Grace knows the situation. Koleda knows the situation. Fuck, even Phaethon knows the situation. You're not making it home.

"I feel weird."

"I know, baby."

Grace pulls you onto her lap, your head resting against her chest as you struggle to breath properly. Ethereal matter is no joke, and Grace knows it too but right now she can't care that they're in a hollow with limited time. All she can think about is you.

"It's gonna be okay, just look at me?"

She can't even have it in her to remain calm, her words come out through her tears as she holds you closer. You can feel her regret through her actions, and you can feel her tears dripping down her face and onto the top of your head as she hugs you close.

"Grace... I wanna go home."

She breaks down now, sobbing messily as her cries echo through the night. She tells you false promises, tells you that you guys are going home. She tells you she will prepare a warm bath for you, and you guys can go to bed together, and sleep in the next day. She tells you it will be alright, and that she will make you breakfast tomorrow. You let out a content sigh, before closing your eyes.

Koleda takes this opportunity, watching you right as you turned to an Ethereal, and strikes it down. Grace can only watch as the rest of you fades from her arms into the air, hugging herself- as if clutching the remains of you to her heart.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

my mistakes haunt my nights ☆ zhu yuan x reader

The day she became the captain of N.E.P.S. was essentially the day she devoted her life to protecting you and people like you. Each night she would come home with a grateful smile that she could come home to you. You spend the rest of the evening cooking dinner together, laughing, talking about whatever case she had going on that day and whatever stupid thing your boss had told you to do during work.

Zhu Yuan put you first. She always had put you first.

So the one time she doesn't, it comes back to get her.

The unpredictability of New Eridu meant that anyone could fall into a hollow any day. Zhu Yuan knew that, so did you. And you trusted that if it were to ever happen, she would find you. And she promised she would. And like predicted, You and other civilians had fallen into a hollow one day. And Zhu Yuan intends to fulfil her promise.

It was just a rescuse mission, save those who have fallen in hollows. The civilians they were after had already been saved, yet they kept mentioning 'someone who ran off'. Zhu Yuan clicks her tongue in annoyance.

"Another one who ran off?"

"Captain?"

She quickly picks up the walkie talkie. They had managed to get the first group out, leaving her and Qingyi trying to find the others.

"Yes?"

"W-we found the others, but..."

"What?"

"We're north of where you are now, you need to come, fast. It's- it's your wife, we think she's-"

She runs. She runs before he even finishes his sentence. She hears the fear in his voice and that fear is what they can't have on field because that fear is what breaks them. Qingyi follows her, right at her tail as they finally find the group of PUBSEC officers that stand with their guns pointed up.

"Captain, she's-"

"PUT THEM DOWN."

She feels her heart dropping when she sees the sight in front of her. You were curled up into a ball, looking pale and sickly and so scared of all the officers that had their guns pointed at you. Your eyes widened when you noticed Zhu Yuan.

"Zhu Yuan- please, they won't let me leave..."

Zhu Yuan's heart stutters in her chest as she approaches you slowly, dropping onto her knees in front of you. She can feel the tears pricking at her eyes because she knows she's too late. She's encountered innocent civilians turning into Ethereals, she learned to predict when it was too late and when there was still time left to save them but this.

"I just wanted to see you at work." You croaked out weakly, holding onto her jacket.

Never has she ever let people see her cry, or have her fellow officers see her in a moment of weakness but she can't hold back this time. She takes in a shaky breath, feeling her tears fall from her eyes as she takes off her glove, before putting a hand to your cheek. You sigh at the skin to skin contact, leaning into her touch and that simple act has her letting out a pained sob.

"I'm sorry, baby-"

She wasn't fast enough. If she had come earlier, you wouldn't have ran to try to help the civilians. Curse you- curse you and your stupidly kind heart and your need to help everyone. Zhu Yuan just wants you to be selfish for once because if you're selfish then you would've still been here, smiling with the intention to go home.

"Are you going to kill me, Zhu Yuan?"

The fear in your voice is evident and Zhu Yuan shuts her eyes tight, taking in a deep breath as she pulls your head onto her lap. She moves a hand, gently stroking your hair. She feels the softness thread between her fingers, and you feel her tears drip onto your cheek.

"I just- wanted to see you."

You were shaking now, gripping onto her hand as if it's a life raft that could ground you, take you home.

"I don't want to die."

Zhu Yuan screws her eyes shut, biting down on her lip to prevent another sob from escaping but she can't stop her shoulders from quaking.

"Please..."

"I love you."

The words flow out of her, unstoppable. She knows this is the last time she can talk to you.

"I'm sorry I wasn't fast enough. I'm sorry, baby, I love you. I love you..."

"Zhu Yuan-"

Your words are hoarse and choked, your grip on Zhu Yuan's arm is so tight. She can feel your nails digging into her skin but she can't care about that in the moment.

"I don't want to die... please..."

"I love you-" she cries, moving to hold your hand tight "I love you, I'm sorry, I love you-"

And she can only watch in horror as you let out a sharp gasp, body freezing up as your eyes widened. And Qingyi steps in, firing a shot right through your head- right before you turned.

Officers could only stand and watch- another successful case, majority of the civilians rescued.

But at what cost?

She couldn't stop herself- she let out a scream, grabbing onto your body and holding it close as she sobbed out meaningless apologies that only fade into the night sky.

Zhu Yuan returned to an dark and empty home, cold and harsh. She takes off her jacket, now stained in your blood, and just stares at it. She stares, and stares, before her knees finally give out as she breaks into loud wails and sobs. She clutches the jacket close, it's the last of you she can hold onto. But also a painful reminder of why it's all she has left.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

[maximaxstreasurebox]

I need someone to write about how Harumasa probably crashed out after learning his master saved him (again), like there's no way hes not feeling like sht after the rooftop scene-

Imagine- hes so conflicted and confused, takes a moment to process silently, coming to a logical conclusion that yeah his master was not the best guy, staying calm with the proxy around... but then few hours later back in his room, he just.. breaks, emotionally, he thought he was a goner but master gave him a chance again, even beyond death.... no matter what master was tasked to do originally, he still chose to later go against it and try to cure him. Even if Haru doesn't fear death, the fact that he's not going out as a monster that haunts his dreams... Man 🧍

[m-inntii]

HARUMASA IS AFUCKING LIAR AND A HALF AND I HSTE HIM SM RIWNFKSG

RAGGHH I HATE THIS MAN SM HES SO SAD AND DEPRESSING SJFOJEKFND.

ONE OF HIS TRACES OR WHATEVER THE FHCK THEY CALL CONS IN ZZZ IS LITERALLY NAMED "WHITE LIES" HE LITERALLY LIES ABOUT THE SERVERITY OF HIS ILLNESS SONOTHERS WONT WORRY AJGJIWJD

AND YOU CANNOT TELL ME HE WASNT PRETENDINGNTO BE FINE IN THE AFTERMATH OF HIS STORYR QUEST. HE NEARLY FUCKING DIED (HELL THE WAY HE TALKED BEFORE GOING INTONTHE ECHO MADE IT SEEM LIKE HE KNEW HE WAS GOINGNTO DIE LKKE WTF), SAW HIS MASTER, THE SAME PERSON WHO HAD HELPED EXPERIMENT AND TEST ON HIM, TRYING TO PROTECT THE CASE WHICH HAD THE THING WHICH WOULD HELP HIM EVEN IN FUCKING ETHERAL FORM, AND HAD EVEN GAVE HIS OWN SPINAL FLUID SO THE KIDS WOJLDNT HAVE TO, AND HE COMES OUT SEEMJNGLY OKAY?? NAH I AINT BELIEVING THIS FACADE NO WAY BITCH

AND HIS TRAILERS. OH MY GOD. LIKE THIS MAN APPEARS ALL GOOF5 AND SHIT BUT THEN OFFSCREEN HE LITERALLY SUFFERING FROM FUCKING NIGHTMARES, BELIEVS HES NOT WORTH LOVING JUST BECAUSE HE HAS AN ILLNESS, USES A CHOCKER TO HIDE THE INJECTION SCARS, AND THEN DRILL PRETENDS TO BE OKAY AND PLAYS OFF HIS ISSUES TO AVOID WORRYIJJG PEOPLE

*exhales* anyway thanks for coming to my Ted talk if you couldn't tell I'm obsessed with this man

[falling-star-cygnus]

Billy chronically rocks with ass-kickin women and i love that for him -> he really went from:

the Sons of Calydon [and i see you, Lighter, bbg, i do] to the Cunning Hares and in neither is he in a commanding role -> this man supports women's right's AND women's wrongs!!

if we ever get a reveal of the drifters he had travelled with before the Sons, i really hope they're all women too

BUT IF THEY'RE NOT- [if they're all MEN] -> i invite you to imagine with me:

Drifter, trying to tug Billy off to the side: Hey- hey, Kid. Billy, swatting him off but leaning down to sort of have a private convo: What? *the rest of the hares' not so covertly listen in* Drifter, whispering: We sold you to those Sons of Calydon people, why are you with the Cunning Hares!? Billy, also whispering: They recruited me! Drifter: What!? *bewildered silence* Drifter: ...Damn. Damn, Kid. All the broads want you Billy: Don't- call my coworkers.. broads. Please.

[wwaheoh]

Henlo. 👋 I love the Unrequited Love series you wrote for Lycaon, Anby, and Zhu! If you're accepting requests and have free time, could you write a part three where the reader is confronted by someone about it (though it's not necessarily the one the reader's avoiding)? Thank you again for the wonderful pieces you've wrote for the ZZZ fandom! 💜

“Heart Meet Mind”, Zenless Zone Zero x gnReader

Ellen Joe (Von Lycaon), Qingyi (Zhu Yuan)

a/n: originally supposed to be a oneshot angst, now getting a happy(?) ending- still deciding whether to go for a bittersweet or happy ending. consider part 2 and part 4 endings depending on which one you’d prefer 

Part 1.

Part 2.

You went out for another walk, thoughts of Lycaon were still buzzing around often, but time slowly began to erode at the amount of space it took. They say time heals all wounds after all. It seemed it was doing so at last, maybe you’ll move on finally, after stewing in your heartbreak at home.

It was a bit pathetic, being so hung up on another person. Lycaon, such a gentleman, such a nice guy, a guy who could bounce back from a relationship ending so quickly. Such a kiss-ass, maybe you two weren’t as close as you foolishly thought- seeing through rose-tinted glasses rather than how he actually was. How happy you saw him when he was with that other person at the Noodle Shop… How warm he looked against the lamp lighting, his clothes fitted and fur groomed. Did he look like that when the two of you hung out? Or was he eager to leave- using those emergencies at work to ditch you…

You stopped walking, now in a nearby park. The feeling of a constricted throat and stinging eyes that’s become more and more familiar since that day rising once more. 

Sitting yourself down onto an empty park bench, you looked blankly out to the lake of water the park surrounded, ducks swimming lazily, leaving small ripples in the water. The sounds of their honks and nearby cicadas filling the silence of the afternoon. It’s helped a lot whenever you needed to get out and get fresh air.

“Yo.” A feminine, monotone voice spoke behind you- a yelp escaping you as you nearly fell out of your seat, not having heard the newcomer. Looking back and to the approaching girl, you noticed that she was familiar- Ellen Joe, one of the featured members of Victoria Housekeeping. Crap.

“Realized huh? I’d imagine, considering how often you hung around Lycaon.” You flinched at the name, a look of guilt passing through Ellen’s face. “Look, if it helps, I’ve never seen the man so hung up on anything in his life.” 

“No… it doesn’t.” You replied nervously, inwardly cringing at how you were terrified to speak to a high school girl about your failed confession to her boss.

“Good.” She took a lollipop from her pocket, ripping the plastic off, and popping the treat into her mouth- stick sticking out of her mouth like a cigar. “Would’a been a red flag.” Speech a little different due to the treat in her mouth, yet still carried its meaning clearly.

Taking the lollipop out of her mouth, she pointed it towards you, red sphere of hard sugar facing you. “You go to the cafe- the one you met the boss at. He’ll be there. Tell him again.”

“But he’ll just say no again.” You mumbled, eyes downcast at the reminder of her confession.

“I wouldn’t bet on it."

“Huh?” You looked up quickly, nervousness painting your face.

“I said I wouldn’t bet on it. The fact that I know how much this’s been messing with him shows that he realized he made a mistake.”

“Now, go there tomorrow, he’ll be there.” Popping the treat back in, the shark-girl stood up and walked off, dropping the plastic wrapping into a nearby trash can on her way out.

Tomorrow, he’ll be there. Tomorrow, you’ll see him again. 

((i actually dunno much about her so take this with a grain of salt))

Shifting the car into the parking lot, you were excited to finally get out of duty. Not that you hated being a police officer- it was a dream of yours ever since you were a kid and basically a shoe-in due to your high Ether Aptitude, but because of your partner. Not your reassigned partner- they were great, the two of you had become fast friends and while the sting of heartache still lingered, it was beginning to fade. This morning however, they had called off sick, forcing a newcomer into your car and who had been shadowing you today.

Qingyi. Now you weren’t going to say you disliked her, especially for such a petty reason of being too late to ask your crush out. Though you also weren’t going to say you liked her. It was a surprise to see her tap on your window, even bigger to know that she would be joining you today. It was a tense couple of minutes- like what do you say to the one who stole your crush’s heart? It did slowly fade by the end, making conversation and helping out around the neighborhood- but it still never left.

She probably felt it, you thought, guilty for putting your coworker through the stifling awkwardness for a reason she didn’t know of.

She did feel it and she did very much have an idea of what was going on.

So just as you pulled into the police department’s private parking lot and settled into an open space, she locked the doors and turned to you.

“Are you infatuated with Zhu Yuan?”

“Huh!?” You had nearly been about to ask her why she locked the door when she hit you with that. “Why?”

“Because. Now answer.”

“N-no…” As much as you wanted to say yes, to tell the shorter person that you had plans to confess- it wasn’t your choice anymore, it never was. Since you were-

“- not too late.” Her voice cut through your inner monologue.

“Huh.” She stared at you with an exasperated look, “I mean, just cause she’s my partner doesn’t mean you’re too late.”

“What? That exactly means I was too late!” You blurt out before slapping your hand over your mouth. Mortified at what you just exposed.

“I’ve seen the way she looks at you. If you talked to her, it’d help. She’s been pretty down since you stopped hanging out with her.”

“What?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh…”

“Tomorrow, tell her. Her shift ends at the same time as yours.”

She clicked the locks back off, opening the door and sliding out, shutting it behind her as she left. You stared at where she sat, mulling over what she said. 

Tomorrow. That’s the time. 

[aventurineswife]

Thought of a Zenless Zone Zero request. It’ll be with Nicole with a reader who was a childhood friend at orphanage. You know how Nicole came to love earning dennies? In the lore when trying to fundraise for dennies it’ll be changed to that you were with her throughout it all. The two of you would promise no matter what you two would always be with each other through thick and thin. Life had other ideas as Nicole was eventually adopted but left you with the first denny you two earned together. Timeskip to the current day and the reader became very successful but remembered their roots through that very same denny. The reader hires a team for some task in the hollows and it so happens to be the Cunning Hares. Of course you two recognize each other leading to a reconnection. You and Nicole would catch up and after many months of this you told her how you felt. You prove it by handing back the denny saying how you never forgot about her.

The Promise of a Denny

Summary: Years ago, you and Nicole made a promise—to stay together no matter what. But life had other plans, separating you when she was adopted, leaving you with the first denny you two ever earned. Now, as a successful individual, you unknowingly hire the Cunning Hares for a job, only to be reunited with Nicole. As old memories resurface and your bond rekindles, you finally confess your feelings, proving it by returning the denny that had kept your promise alive all these years.

Tags: Nicole x Reader, Reunion, Childhood Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff & Feels, Second Chances, Promise Kept.

Warnings: Mild Angst (Separation and past hardships), Mentions of Orphanage Life, Brief Financial Struggles Mentioned, Emotional Reunion.

[Header credits]

The sound of laughter echoed through the dimly lit orphanage halls as two children huddled in a corner, a single gleaming coin sitting between them.

"We did it!" Nicole cheered, holding up the shiny denny like it was the most precious thing in the world. "Our first ever earnings!"

You grinned beside her, wiping the sweat from your brow. "Took a lot of convincing to get the old man to pay us for cleaning up his shop. But we pulled it off."

Nicole beamed, gripping your hands. "Promise me something, [Name]. No matter what, we'll stick together through thick and thin. We'll make something of ourselves."

"I promise," you swore, sealing the vow with a shake.

But fate had different plans. Not long after, Nicole was adopted by a wealthy family, leaving you behind. The last thing she gave you was that very same denny—the first of many you had planned to earn together.

Years passed. Life carried you forward, success followed, but no matter how much you gained, you never let go of that small, worn-out denny. It was a reminder of where you started, and of the girl who had once been your closest friend.

When the time came to hire a team for a high-risk Hollow commission in New Eridu, you left the details to your assistants. The last thing you expected was to come face to face with the past.

"Cunning Hares, reporting for duty!" A familiar, confident voice rang out, and there she was—Nicole Demara, standing at the forefront of her ragtag team, still as bold and mischievous as you remembered.

Your breath caught. "Nicole?"

Her eyes widened in recognition before a smirk curled on her lips. "Well, well, well. If it isn't [Name]. Fancy seeing you in a place like this."

The reunion was a blur. You hired her team for the job, but every moment spent together felt like slipping back into old times. Jokes exchanged, memories resurfaced, and soon, what started as mere business turned into something more.

Weeks passed. Then months. And as the days bled into one another, one truth became undeniable—you never forgot Nicole. And more than that, you never stopped caring.

One evening, under the neon glow of New Eridu’s skyline, you found yourself standing before her once more, heart pounding.

"I need to show you something," you said, pulling a small, timeworn coin from your pocket. The same denny she had left with you all those years ago. "I never forgot our promise. And I never forgot you."

Nicole's playful bravado faltered as she stared at the coin in your palm, realization dawning in her eyes. Slowly, she reached for it, her fingers trembling slightly as they brushed against yours.

"You kept it… all this time?" Her voice was uncharacteristically soft.

You took a step closer, swallowing your nerves. "Because I meant what I said back then. I still do. No matter what, I want to be with you, Nicole. Through thick and thin."

For the first time in a long while, Nicole was speechless. Then, after what felt like an eternity, she let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head.

"You really are something else, [Name]." A slow, genuine smile spread across her lips. "I spent my whole life chasing wealth, but somehow, you’re the one thing money could never buy back."

She flipped the coin between her fingers before pressing it back into your palm.

"Let's start fresh," she said, her eyes glinting with something deeper than mischief. "Together this time. No debts, no deals. Just us."

And with that, the promise made in childhood was rekindled—not as a distant memory, but as the beginning of something real.

[dawn-attempts-art]

Happy Valentine's Day~ Text credit goes to @hymn-psyche

[luminique]

HEAR ME OUT, one sided love?? Imagine s/o doesn’t like lighter back, being oblivious about lighters feeling and only see lighter as a friend meanwhile lighter is so MADLY in love with them and is aware of s/o not liking him back but he can’t help it because you’re the only one that makes him feel this way even if his feelings aren’t reciprocated… they’re so doomed think about the potential angst!! 🫤

lighter isn’t perfect. his body is littered in scars of his past, his actions are solutions to mistakes he had made before. to say that he deserved something as rewarding as love didn’t sound right to him, but oh, would it feel right if it was from you.

it was definitely not an immediate fall, rather it was slower like starting a fire. you bring the materials you require, some wood and a starter. it’s difficult to get a fire going, even he knows that with his lighter in hand. his hand gets warmer the longer the flame is out but it doesn’t compare to the accidental grazes of your hand against his gloved ones.

he had poked you once with the spikes on his gloves. the look on your face when you brought your hand up to rub it while you apologized for it. why were you apologizing? every soft “sorry” that came out of your mouth was like sprinkling water onto the fire. best to get fresh firewood so that it doesn’t go out.

ensuring that the fire is a consistent flame is also important to prevent accidents. accidents like playfully taking off his sunglasses and putting it on yourself while imitating him. somehow, that didn’t cause the fire to go out, in fact, it made it burn even brighter than before. the redness on his face when he watched you was comparable to the orange and red hues of a fire.

he stayed close to the fire, close to you. feeling the warmth of love on his skin, finding it calming but also terrifying. it doesn’t rain often in the outer ring but that doesn’t stop him from worrying that it would all of a sudden. so he lies awake at night, thinking about all of the possibilities, the what ifs and its outcomes.

he thought he had considered everything. from keeping the fire from going out, to ensuring it was a stable flame, to tending it slowly and carefully. what he didn’t consider was getting too close to the fire, burning through what he thought was tough skin.

he was too focused on trying to maintain a certain personality, not quite showing his interest in you. so when caesar was talking to you about her love stories while everyone was hanging around the bar, his heart rate increased. just like how consuming alcohol affects one’s mental and physical state, so does it affect a fire. maybe someone poured his drink into the flames as he watched it burn even brighter than before, making him eavesdrop on your conversation.

but a large flame meant a higher possibility of getting burnt, and soon he saw the burn marks on his skin. as you continued to talk with caesar, the longer he let the fire burn him. how you had said that real love wasn’t like the stories, how you seemed disinterested in romance, how you had believed that no one was interested in you. at that moment, he ended up getting more drinks from burnice, hoping it would soothe the roaring flames within him. he drank so much and fell asleep to the soft crackling of the fire, your voice acting as background noise.

he woke up to the coldness of the bar counter pressing on his cheek. the fire had been put out by you when you tapped on his shoulder. the memories of last night flooding into his mind like water. maybe it was all some nightmare and you did like him back, but the sudden coolness of your touch made him realize the reality of it all.

you didn’t like him, and not because he did anything wrong but because he didn’t do anything in your eyes. you were feeding the fire in his heart and he mistook that fire for your heart too. he sat up straight, took one look at you and shook his head. you still cared for him, came with water and woke him up gently. he never intended to get so severely injured because of his own growing feelings for you.

his own feelings, you didn’t even know he had any for you. the pile of ashes, you both stared at it and yet only he knew that fire existed. the flames had misled him, danced around his heart that craved for you, that only asked for you as its fuel. now all he can do was sit next to what was once a big fire, feeling the cold on his skin despite the layers. no warmth left, no light left, no love left.