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Chapter Text

Gundham and Sonia were chanting their usual dark rituals in Gundham’s room when it happened.

Their ritual was coming to a conclusion, and, as usual, they didn’t expect much to happen. Nothing ever did, so far. It took time and patience to get into contact with a demon. But, when Gundham chanted the final words of the ceremony, something amazing occurred.

The summoning circle on the floor lit up with a brilliant bright blue color.

Sonia gasped. Gundham looked shocked, but didn’t say anything.

A glowing mass slowly formed, rising above the circle and growing. Sonia grinned brightly, looking incredibly excited. Gundham remained silent, merely staring at the mass with wide eyes.

Soon, the mass began to take form. It was soon apparent that it was taking the shape of a human silhouette, only with horns and a tail. More features began to form in, before suddenly, the light vanished, leaving only the silhouette it was forming in its place.

A demon.

Sonia gasped again, looking to it with wide, sparkling eyes. Gundham was also starting to look a bit excited. The two took in the demon’s appearance.

The demon had two long horns, and a tail, firstly. They were both deep red in color, and both the horns and the tail were thin. They didn’t remain as the center of attention for long. The next thing that the two took in was the demon’s bright pink hair, and yellow jumpsuit.

It wasn’t exactly the way they’d expect a demon to dress. But, nevertheless, they were excited

But… The demon was also small. He was shorter than Gundham, which was acceptable since Gundham was very tall, but he was also a bit shorter than Sonia. And other than his horns and tail, he just looked like a normal guy, someone just about their age.

It… certainly wasn’t how they expected a demon to look, to say the least.

Nevertheless, they were still pretty excited about it.

“Oh my goodness!” Sonia squealed. The demon turned to look at her, looking slightly confused. “We did it!”

“It appears we have.” Gundham responded breathlessly, still in shock.

“Oh, uh, hi!” The demon greeted them. His voice wasn’t deep or scary, like most would have expected, but rather, the voice of a normal guy, maybe a bit high pitched. “Why am I here?”

“Well, we summoned you!” Sonia chirped.

“Uh, yeah, I know that. But why did you summon me?” He asked.

The two paused. They hadn’t meant to actually summon a demon, actually. They only meant to get into contact with one, but instead, one had appeared.

“Well,” Gundham began, “It appears that our ritual has gone awry. We merely meant to commune with your hellspawn brethren, however, it seems that you have been summoned from the fiery underworld to meet us instead.”

The demon blinked. “Uh, sorry, what? Why are you talking like that?”

Sonia snorted, bursting out in a fit of giggles. Gundham stared at the demon with wide eyes. Did the demon… really not understand how he was speaking? He’d expected demons to understand the way he talked, hell, he’d expected them to talk the same way! This was troubling.

“I’m sorry! Did I say something wrong?!” The demon asked, seemingly panicking at Gundham’s reaction.

“Wha- Why are you apologizing?! You are borne from the fires of hell, why are you apologizing to the likes of us?!” Gundham exclaimed.

“I-I don’t know! I don’t want to make you guys upset!” The demon responded, cowering.

“You’re a demon!” Sonia wheezed, laughing harder. “Why are you worried about offending us?”

“I don’t know! I have no reason to make you guys angry, I don’t even know you! I’m sorry, I’m new to this!” The shortest in the room responded.

“You are? Hm... I suppose your behaviour makes some degree of sense then. But why would your superiors allow you out Pandemonium and into this mortal coil if you are so inexperienced?” Gundham murmured, trying to make sense of everything that was happening.

“What?” The demon asked. Sonia wheezed harder. Gundham looked appalled.

“He’s wondering why you were able to be summoned if you’re so new to this.” Sonia translated.

“Oh! Well, um, I don’t know?” The shortest in the room responded.

Gundham looked incredibly confused, almost more so than the demon. Sonia tried her best to keep her composure, but failed, continuing to cackle.

“Do you know why it is that you were able to be summoned on this day, while every other time we have attempted this it has failed?” Gundham asked. The demon looked apologetic, not even responding this time.

Sonia tried her best to calm herself down, but couldn’t.

“H-Hold on a moment, I must- I need to go get- oh my goodness!” Sonia was barely able to get the words out in between her chucking, and left the room.

Gundham and the demon were left alone.

The shorter of the two shifted awkwardly, fiddling with his hands. He looked very nervous, strangely enough. Gundham, on the other hand, was in disbelief, looking a bit like all of his dreams were being crushed.

The two stood there in silence.

“So. How is it that you left this mortal coil?” Gundham asked, still curious about the demon despite how disappointingly normal he’d seemed so far.

“Are… Are you asking how I died?” He asked, in fear of misunderstanding the question.

Gundham sighed. “Yes.”

“Oh, well, I was, uh… I was hit by a car.” The demon recounted. “Guy came outta nowhere. It was over before I even knew what was happening.”

Gundam paused. “I… I’m sorry that causality willed your passing to come so early.”

The demon paused, tensing up and shifting awkwardly, tail swishing behind him. Gundham sighed.

“You do not understand what I mean by that, do you?” He asked, despite already knowing the answer. The demon nodded, looking uncomfortable. Gundham sighed again.

“It does not matter. How long are you going to remain here?” He asked. The demon looked to him, understanding this question.

“I need to stay here until I fulfill whatever task you guys give me!” He chirped.

“But… we did not provide you with a task?” Gundham questioned. The demon paused.

“Uh. Well. Hmm.” The shorter of the two stopped to think for a moment. “I… Well shit, I don’t know. I guess I need to stay here until you give me a task, then?”

Gundham sighed.

“Sorry.” The demon apologized, looking a bit guilty.

“There is no need to apologize. I suppose you may do what you wish until the Dark Queen returns, then. Feel free to look around if you desire to.” He muttered. The shorter of the two perked up, curious to explore the area.

Gundham remained silent, watching as the demon floated around, exploring curiously. He eventually made his way over to Gundham’s curtains, and tried to open them up to look outside. However, when he touched them, his hand merely phased through. The shorter of the two looked disappointed.

Gundham noticed this, and stood up. He walked over to the demon, standing beside him. The demon looked to him curiously. The breeder opened up the curtain.

“Oh, thanks!” The demon chirped, looking out of the window with curious, pink eyes. The city outside of Hope’s Peak Academy was bustling with life.

“Wait a minute…” He muttered, furrowing his eyebrows in concentration. Suddenly, his face lit up in recognition. “I recognize this street!”

Gundham blinked. “You do?” He asked.

“Yeah!” The demon chirped. “I used to go out down there all the time! There’s some really cool things on that street, like, there’s this store that-”

The demon was cut off by the door opening. Sonia walked in, leading someone inside behind her.

It was none other than Hajime Hinata.

“See, look!” She exclaimed, gesturing to the demon. Hajime looked to him, and his eyes widened, seeing the floating boy. The shortest in the room gave an awkward wave.

“Oh my god, you two actually summoned a demon?!” Hajime asked in absolute disbelief. Sonia smiled. “Mhm!”

“How did you- wait.” He muttered, looking at the demon closer. The demon tilted his head a bit, looking a bit confused.

“I recognize you!” Hajime gasped. The demon’s eyes widened. “You do?!”

“Yeah! You were a student here!” The brunette exclaimed, pointing to the demon with a look of shock and disbelief on his face.

“I was?! Wait, is this Hope’s Peak?!” The shortest in the room gasped. “Yes!” Hajime cried out.

Sonia and Gundham watched the display with wide eyes. The demon… was a student here? How? And why didn’t they recognize him?

“Wait! You died?!” Hajime cried out, going pale.

“I- yeah! I guess news hasn’t gotten out yet, huh?” The demon responded, averting his eyes from Hajime with a nervous look on his face.

“Wha- how?! You were a student at Hope’s Peak, that should’ve been over the news!”

“Well, uh…” The demon’s trailed off, fiddling with his hands. “I may have died a bit more recently than I lead you guys to believe…”

“How recently?” Gundham asked. The demon tensed up, tail curling around his leg anxiously.

“... This afternoon.” The demon replied.

“WHAT?!” Hajime cried out. “O-Oh my!” Sonia squeaked, looking a bit horrified.

Gundham remained silent, eyes wide.

“I-I got hit by a car, a few blocks away from here.” The demon explained.

“Wait! I-Is that why our ritual worked today?!” Sonia asked, looking sick to her stomach.

The demon said nothing.

“Who… Who are you?” Gundham asked, trying to remain calm. The demon looked to him, sadness and guilt swirling in his eyes.

“My… My name is Kazuichi Souda.”

Chapter Text

Of all the things Kazuichi Souda had experienced in his life, this was DEFINITELY the strangest. Then again, this wasn’t really part of his life anymore, was it? He wasn’t really alive, was he? After all, an hour ago he’d woken up in what seemed to be hell. 

At first, he’d been COMPLETELY terrified, of course. Who wouldn’t be? I mean, what the hell are you supposed to think when you suddenly wake up surrounded by brimstone and fire?! But soon, he’d learned that he wasn’t sent there to suffer eternal damnation or whatever it is all the bad people are subjected to.

No, instead, he’d received an offer. 

If he wanted to live his afterlife freely and without neverending torment, he’d need to bring back a soul. It didn’t matter WHO’S soul, really, but if he managed to convince someone to sign a pact to surrender themselves to him, he’d be set forever. Or at least for a long while.

He didn’t know what would happen to whoever he took back to the underworld with him. Frankly, he didn’t want to think about it. 

As a newly transformed demon, his powers weren’t very strong. The way to grow stronger, supposedly, was to bring back more souls. He guessed that was incentive to keep at his job after he was freed, but he’d never really cared about power all that much. He’d rather be respected because of his abilities rather than brute force, in truth.  

Despite his limited power, though, he was expected to be able to grant someone’s wishes. Since he was a beginner, he’d been told that he’d be sent to a weaker ritual site, since that would be “less grating on him”. And, without much further explanation, he’d felt his new body beginning to warp.

This was, of course, a lot of information to take in for someone who’d been hit by a car less than an hour ago. 

The pink haired demon was feeling things he never had before. A terror, a dread, a sinking feeling deeper and more sickening than he ever could’ve imagined. The fluttering of a small pair of bat-like wings at his back, the flicking of a thin tail. An ache across his body like a bruise, where he’d been struck. 

The feeling of not having a heartbeat. 

It didn’t seem comprehensible to him, to not feel his heart. It wasn’t something he was really aware of before. When he’d been embarrassed, or angry, or when he’d run, he’d feel his heart pounding at his chest. Now though? He barely felt it at all. It only managed a few weak beats, a fleeting moment of being human when he’d first woken up. When he was feeling the worst fear of his life, he’d felt a weak thudding. 

Now, he wasn’t feeling as afraid. Now, his heartbeat was gone. 

His chest felt devoid of life, devoid of substance, as did the rest of him. All he could feel was the sickening fear, but the gentle twitching of organs he’d never been aware of was absent. 

His body heat, too, had gone away. He never realized how much he’d taken it for granted. Everything around him felt so devoid of warmth, so cold. Even surrounded by the flames of the underworld, he didn’t feel warm anymore. 

He wondered if getting demon powers would bring his heartbeat back, bring back his life. After all, the senior demon who’d explained this to him seemed far more lively than he was feeling now. Maybe it’d be worth getting those souls for, if that was the case. Now, though, it didn’t matter. He had to get the first soul before he could even conside r more. 

As much as he didn’t want to subject another person to whatever went on in this place, he was far too afraid of what would happen if he declined. 

So, as he felt his form reemerging from the light he’d been folded into, he tried to stay focused. He had to complete this task. The rest of his eternity depended on it.

He had no idea what kind of people would be trying to summon demons in the middle of the day. He didn’t WANT to know. But still, when he’d opened his contact-covered eyes, he couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised at what he saw. 

A room. A normal looking school dormitory, similar to his own, decorated with various symbols of the occult and dark, slightly transparent window curtains. Below where he was floating (how was he doing that?!), a small, simple looking circle lay, drawn in a powdery blue substance. 

And in front of him were two cloaked figures. One looked surprised, and had multicolored eyes and dark hair. The other was beaming, with bright blue eyes and blonde hair. 

The former looked more as though he belonged in such a setting, but the latter looked almost entirely out of place, holding an innocent and cheery demeanor. 

Still, Kazuichi wasn’t sure what, exactly, he HAD expected. Cultists? Some lonely, sleepless-looking creep? Drunk college kids?

Nevertheless, the most shocking thing about them in Kazuichi’s books was the absolute surprise in their eyes. As if they hadn't expected him to appear at all.

And as it turned out, they hadn't. 

He learned quickly from the tall boy that this was only supposed to be a communication ritual, and not a summoning one. And thus, they had no wishes of him; There were no requests to fill.

Kazuichi… Had NO idea how to deal with that.

He couldn’t go back to hell. He’d been summoned. If he came back empty-handed, he’d be doomed. But… There wasn’t anything to DO here.

So, he had no choice. He’d just have to wait. Wait until maybe they decided to give him something to do…

… The tall one didn’t seem to eager to do so. 

Gundham, as he’d learned the other boy’s name was, seemed to know a fair bit about demons, and certainly seemed to know not to give up his soul to one. He even claimed himself to be part-demon, saying that if Kazuichi even TRIED anything he’d be forced to take “drastic measures”... 

Kazuichi wasn’t sure he believed that, but nevertheless, he felt intimidated. It seemed Gundham’s soul was a no-go. 

The girl, Sonia, seemed to find him very interesting. However, she seemed completely against the idea of giving him a task, even going as far as not to even ask favors of him. If he asked if she needed anything, she’d outright decline without a thought. It wasn’t like he could just TAKE her soul if she didn’t explicitly agree to it!… COULD he?

Either way, she was also completely unwilling to give him a proper assignment.

So… He was stuck.

This, of course, was a HUGE problem.

He was a demon now! He couldn’t just go out into the streets anymore! What if someone saw him?! Where would he go now?! What was he supposed to do about this?!

It took a long night of crying and trying to figure out how being a demon worked to come up with a plan. Even if they didn’t want to give away their souls NOW, that didn’t mean they NEVER would, right? So, he’d decided he had no choice. He’d just need to convince them.

But as he’d learned from the brunette kid Sonia had ended up bringing in, Hajime, he was apparently visible to the outside world. That was a problem in itself. If he went out like this, people would call an exorcist on him! And he doubted that his new “friends” would be all too sympathetic towards him now that he was a creature of the underworld… 

But luckily enough, he’d soon figured out that despite his currently-weak form, he COULD turn invisible. It was a bit tricky, but as long as no one startled him out of it, he could focus hard enough to appear as nothing more than a shadow in the corner of someone’s eye. Not entirely ideal, but it was close enough.

Thus began a routine. He’d go through the school day with either Sonia or Gundham (oftentimes both, as they’d shared a lot of classes) and attempt to bug them into giving up their souls. 

It wasn’t a sound plan, obviously. That much he knew. I mean, annoying someone so much that they’d give up their mortal being to get you to stop? That was a stretch, even for him.

But what other choice did he have?

So, without another option, he’d spend the days by the sides of one of his companions, and spend the nights in his now-abandoned dorm.

It… Hurt, being there. Seeing his old tools, his old projects, little gadgets he’d never get to unveil to the world… Every day was a painstaking reminder of what he’d lost.

But he had nowhere else to go. So, it was at the dormitory he’d stayed.

As he’d expected, news of his demise spread quickly. After all, he WAS an Ultimate Student.

The loss of The Ultimate Mechanic, or at least the loss of the Ultimate Mechanic’s talent , spread a deep sense of mourning across the nation. Within the walls of Hope’s Peak, things seemed just a bit dimmer. People seemed sadder, even those Kazuichi was certain he never really knew. 

The only ones who didn’t seem to be feeling his loss were Gundham and Sonia. But, well, they hadn’t really lost him. But with what he was trying to convince them to do, he wouldn’t be surprised if they wished they had. 

Nevertheless, they treated him with a surprising amount of respect. It would’ve been far too easy for them to be rude, or angry, or hurl insults at him. After all, he was a demon. Scum coming straight from the underworld. But instead, they tried to be as kind to them as they could, merely ignoring him at worse. 

Sure, the occasional snide comment was made, and okay, maybe Sonia was starting to get really irritated by his antics, but in all honesty, the pair still treated him far better than he’d expected. And that was enough, for now at least. 

But as time went on, it got harder and harder to try and stick to his original plan. After all, how COULD he when they were so… Nice to him?

Nevertheless, he tried. Even if after a while he began to stop believing in the ideas he tried to spread, he still kept up with his plan.

After all, what else could he do? 

So, without another choice, Kazuichi continued to try.

…

“Hey Gundham!” A familiar, high-pitched voice called. The Lord Of Ice only sighed to himself, not turning to face who he’d known had approached. Still, he murmured a low greeting into the air.

“Hello, Kazuichi.” His low voice replied, careful not to draw any attention from the crowd of students around him. After all, talking to the air would look suspicious. “What brings you here?”

Despite not looking at the now-familiar demon, he could feel his sharp grin. He’d already known the answer to that question before the shorter boy could even open his mouth, of course.

“Your soul, duh! Come on, hand it over!”

“No.” He replied simply.

“Aww, come onnn!” Kazuichi whined from behind him as he opened up his locker. “It’s been so long already! Aren’t you ready to give it up yet?”

“It has been TWO weeks. Two weeks, Kazuichi.”

“I know right?! That’s, like, a ridiculous amount of time! So, why don’tcha give it up so we can get this over with?”

“For the last time, Sharp-Toothed one, I refuse. When will you get it through your head that I am powerful enough to resist your underworldly allure?” 

Gundham, taking his books in his hands, finally turned back to the demon, who looked a bit nervous now.

“But there’s so much you could do… Come on, man, anything you want! What is it?”

“What I’d LIKE is to live peacefully, WITHOUT handing over my power to some lowly imp, thank you very much.” The Overlord Of Ice replied simply, a faint trace of annoyance lacing his tone.

Kazuichi frowned, shoulders slumping. The taller boy pretended not to notice this, merely weaving his way into the crowd and walking to class.

He knew the pink-haired boy would follow. After all, he always had. It was a routine developed easily, a mere night after summoning him. 

Despite the demon’s initial confusion, it seemed as though he knew what he was doing now. At first, the jumpsuit-clad student seemed almost vulnerable, just as alarmed and confused as Gundham had felt when seeing him for the first time. This DID make sense to some degree, of course. After all, he’d supposedly only died an hour before he was summoned. 

But this faux-innocence quickly faded. Soon, a more confident demeanor emerged, and the demon began trying to coax the breeder into giving up his soul. It was almost disturbing how instinctual the action seemed to be, such unnerving things said with ease.

Nevertheless, Gundham remained unperturbed. At least, he did on the outside. Internally, though, he couldn’t help but wonder about the demon near-constantly.

It’d been a long time since he’d seen someone like himself. Although under unfortunate circumstances, it was certainly interesting to be able to interact with something besides a lowly human. 

But of course, he couldn’t let the weak imp know this. After all, if he did, he was sure he’d try to use it to his advantage. 

So, Gundham kept a blank expression as the demon soon caught up to him, floating easily to his side.

“Come on! You can have ANYTHING! There must be something. If a genie came along one day and said you could have anything in the world, what would you wish for?”

“What kind of nonsensical scenario is that?” The taller of the two scoffed. “If you’re going to ask such a ridiculous question, you should at the very least try to hide your mischievous intentions.” 

“But you MUST’VE wondered about it!” Kazuichi insisted childishly. 

“I swear on all seven circles of hell, this might just be one of the least interesting conversations I’ve had the displeasure of having. Tell me, do you do this on purpose? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to irritate me into giving up my being.”

The figure beside him fell silent for a moment, only the chatter of the crowd filling Gundham’s ears. He ducked into class quietly, coat flowing behind him as he entered the quieter room.

“... That’s NOT your plan, is it…?” He questioned suspiciously, voice dropping to an even lower tone.

“S-Shut up! So what if it is?!” The pink haired boy replied defensively, tone switching to that of a child about to be chided. 

“ You CANNOT be serious . Tamer Of Automations, what in the world would make you think that would be an effective strategy?! I swear, I don’t think any earthly irritation could warrant such grave action!”

“W-Well, what else am I supposed to do?!” 

“How should I know?! I’ve never had to attempt to take away a person’s very identity, thank you very much! And yet even I know what an ineffective plan that is!” 

“You know what, you have no idea what it’s like being like this, s-so shut your mouth!” Kazuichi huffed, embarrassed. “I’m gonna go bug Sonia instead…”

“This won’t work on HER either.”

“Sh-Shut up!” 

Gundham let out an irritated sigh, and without another word, watched the demon phase through the wall, presumably to go to Sonia’s class. 

Yes, the little imp was certainly… Irritating, to say the least.  But certainly not irritating enough to warrant the loss of his soul. Besides, he still couldn’t help but be curious about the demon. After all, this type of encounter was certainly a unique one… Not often did he see demons not yet corrupted by the forces of the underworld.

So, when he was certain no one was left to pay attention to him, he couldn’t help but release a low, mirthful chuckle.

Annoying or no, this would certainly become interesting.

…

As the weeks wore on, routine was beginning to settle back into the lives of the students at Hope’s Peak. 

Gundham and Sonia quickly became used to their new lives. Hajime, while at first being rather weary of the otherworldly being he’d witnessed, slowly began to grow more comfortable and just be grateful that it wasn’t him who’d summoned Kazuichi, and remained as a disgruntled bystander. And Kazuichi only remained as persistent as ever.

But another oddity was soon called to Gundham’s attention. He’d began to notice that the incessant chatter of the mortals around him was beginning to return to its regular volume. And when he’d noticed this, he had to take a moment to remember why it’d quieted in the first place.

And that lead to a startling conclusion.

People were starting to forget about Kazuichi.

The school had held a mournful energy for the first few days after the pink haired boy’s death. Low murmuring and talk about how “close” everyone was to him ensued. But now, it seemed people were all-too-ready to move on.

For some reason, the Overlord Of Ice couldn’t help but feel bothered by this. If these mortals were all so close to the mechanic, how could they seem to forget him so quickly?

Thinking back on it, when he’d passed through the halls with the demon before, he’d seemed uncomfortable. Whenever he’d pass by someone talking about him, he’d cringe. When they’d pass the memorial the school had made for him in the main isle, his shoulders would hunch in. And when he’d notice someone adding a flower to it or some other tribute, an anxious, sad expression would cross his face.

Kazuichi had seemed particularly uncomfortable and saddened as of late, as a matter of fact. The Overlord Of Ice couldn’t help but feel a bit concerned, almost worried for the demonic boy… But that couldn’t be the case, right?

Nevertheless, the message was clear now. Hardly anyone had actually been deeply affected by his passing.

The revelation was a disturbing one, certainly. To know that no one had deeply cared for the energetic ball of neon color floating around his sides… It frustrated him.

Truly, the humans here were worthless. 

But he supposed he couldn’t help that. 

Still, whenever he crossed the halls with Kazuichi, a small ache would echo quietly in his chest. 

If no one here would remember the pink-haired boy, that couldn’t be helped, he supposed. But at the very least, he’d make sure to remember him. After all, it was hard not to when he was talking your ear off on a daily basis. 

Speaking of which, he should probably listen to what the demon was saying now. After all, it could be important. So, walking down the halls with the jumpsuit-clad being at his side, he slowly tuned into whatever he was rambling on about now.

“-So I told her that she was being stupid, right? Because seriously dude, all I did was bump into her! But she went on about how I should watch my back or whatever. Dunno. Point is, I never got to see what’d end up coming of that, but ah well. Maybe it’s better I didn’t. Hey, you don’t think she called a hit on me, do ya?”

“What? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. I mean, kid looked like she was like 12, no way she coulda managed that.” 

Gundham only nodded in reply. He hadn’t heard the full story, but he figured he had the gist of it. Nevertheless, Kazuichi grinned to him, sharp teeth gleaming gratefully. 

A moment of silence passed between the two. It almost seemed peaceful for a moment, the chatter of the hallways providing a steady white noise. 

“... So, do you believe in, like… Ghosts?”

“... Kazuichi, look at yourself.” He deadpanned in reply.

“What?! No, I’m a demon, there’s a difference! I mean ghosts! Like, wandering soul types!”

“You mean the haunt your dwelling and attempt to convice you to make clearly idiotic choices types?”

“Yeah, like- Wait, hey!” Kazuichi gasped, sounding offended.

Gundham let out a low laugh, disbelieving. An embarrassed, slightly angered look came across the demon’s face, but Gundham wasn’t intimidated. He knew by now that he was practically powerless to do anything to him.

He opened his mouth, likely about to go on another long rant, but Gundham held up a hand, interrupting him before he’d even begun.

“To answer your question, yes.” He murmured lowly. “I figured you would’ve understood by now that I’ve been interacting with the occult for quite some time.”

“Ah, y-yeah, you’re right…” Kazuichi sighed, defeated. 

“Did you believe in such supernatural entities before you became on yourself, Tamer Of Automations?”

“I-I dunno… I mean, I never really thought much a-about that… Pretty hard to deny it now, though.” 

Gundham only hummed in acknowledgement. They walked through the rest of the hall silently. 

Soon, they reached the dormitories. Kazuichi, luckily, never followed him into his room. Yet as he closed the door, he could almost swear he saw the demon looking to the ground with a saddened, vulnerable expression.

…

Kazuichi Souda was in a strange situation, one he’d never have been able to imagine himself being in before it’d happened. And yet, as he lay awake on his old dorm bed, he couldn’t help but feel content with his new routine. Comfortable, even. Why?

He was dead. Legitimately dead. No-turning-back dead. Cold, empty, and lifeless.

But he hadn’t forgotten that, no. In fact, it’d only grown more and more obvious. He was beginning to find that he wasn’t blinking anymore. He’d spent a fair amount of time staring at the slowly deteriorating memorial of himself lately, and he’d pretty quickly realized that his imaginary staring contests were going on far longer than they should.

And yet when he’d break away, alarmed, his eyes wouldn’t sting. Instead, blinking did nothing to him, merely being an instinct. And every day, he seemed somehow colder, becoming more and more aware of how he’d been failing to generate body heat.

Curled up under his blanket now, he didn’t feel himself getting any cozier. He wasn’t transparent now, he knew that; He’d made himself tangible here. But yet, the blankets remained cool. And thinking of all this, growing anxious, he wasn’t feeling any fluttering. No, his heart was still dead silent. 

And worse of all, he was beginning to get used to it. 

He didn’t WANT to get used to it.

He didn’t WANT to forget what being alive is like. 

So, he wasn’t sleeping, obviously. No, there was no way he’d be able to fall unconscious with these kinds of thoughts in his head. But he already knew he wouldn’t feel tired the next day, even if he’d stay up all night. Just another grim reminder of his new reality. The reality that he wasn’t human anymore. 

He let out a choked sound, unable to bear his twisting, terror-filled thoughts anymore. Frustrated, he covered up his eyes with both hands, letting out a desperate, guttural noise.

It was only when his eyes were covered when he realized he’d been staring a hole into the ceiling. Unblinking. 

His shoulders began to shake. He couldn’t take this anymore. He had to distract himself somehow.

So, thinking for a moment, he decided what to do. There was only one thing he really COULD do, at this point. TV wouldn’t work, it’d just remind him of the staring. He couldn’t work on his mechanics, the metal being as cold as his skin was too unsettling to bear at the moment. So, all he could think to do was torment his summoners.

Well, it’d be annoying to them, at the very least. And pestering them was his job now, apparently.

But which one to target…?

… Well, it’d be rude to disturb a girl when she’s alone in her room. That’d be an intrusion of privacy.

So Gundham it was, then. He’d seen the other boy’s room before, so it’d probably be fine for him to go back, right? Right.

So, without bothering to make himself transparent, he phased through the wall, floating through Hope’s Peak’s abandoned halls. Finally, he made his way to the familiar dorm number of Gundham’s room.

He’d known where it was, of course; He’d followed the breeder here before. But never had he tried to actually go inside, no. He’d merely walk here with the boy after classes, and once he was home, he’d leave him be.

Standing outside now, though… It made him a bit nervous.

It SHOULDN’T, he was a demon. He should be poised, confident. He shouldn’t care whether he was intruding on the other’s space. But…

… Well, he didn’t wanna be RUDE…

But he was a demon. Manners should be the least of his concerns! And yet, he couldn’t seem to force his legs to move.

After a long moment, Kazuichi sighed to himself. He was GOING to get in there. So, deciding on a compromise with himself, he raised a fist.

Gently, he knocked on the door. 

… This was stupid. Utterly ridiculous.

He was a demon. And he was knocking on the door of the person who’s soul he was supposed to steal. Unbelievable. He probably wasn’t even awake! Why had he decided to come here, anyw-

The door slowly creaked open, a tired looking red eye meeting his on the other side.

… Oh.

“Sharp Toothed One?” Gundham’s low, gravelly voice murmured to him. A shiver racked the demon’s spine. “What brings you here?” 

“O-Oh, well, I, uh…” He stuttered, wringing his clawed hands. “... I couldn’t sleep…”

Gundham only stared blankly at him in return. Kazuichi couldn’t help but feel stupid for a moment.

Why’d he decided this was a good idea?

“... Follow me.” The breeder sighed.

Wait, what?

The taller boy turned away from the door, walking deeper into his dorm room. A pair of pink eyes watched him, reluctant, before the boy who they belonged to slowly floated inside, the door shutting behind him with a gentle click.

Hearing this, Gundham still didn’t turn to face him, instead stepping into a small kitchen and rummaging through the cabinets. Kazuichi’s eyes shifted awkwardly, before landing on the couch.

Slowly, he made his way over, and dropped down onto it with a thud. Even still, the breeder didn’t face him.

A long, uncomfortable silence ensues, Kazuichi on the soft cushions of the sofa and Gundham doing who-knows-what in the kitchen. All the while, the demon asked himself the same question again and again.

“Why did I come here? I’m so stupid.”

He ended up getting so lost in his winding thoughts that he almost didn’t notice when Gundham finally sat down beside him. Two mugs of liquid were in his hands, steaming.

“Wha-” Kazuichi began, but was interrupted when an arm gestured towards him, holding out one of the cups. Tea. It was full of tea.

Reluctant, the demon gently took the cup into his hands, taking a slow sip. The heated liquid slowly drained from the mug, and he felt a warmth blossoming inside of himself. Warm, warm, warm… When was the last time his insides felt warm? 

“... What ails you, Tamer Of Automations?”

“Wh-What?”

“Why is it that you cannot sleep?” 

The shorter of the two paused, hesitating. A slow, hushed murmur escaped his lips, heavy and sad. 

“... I can’t feel warm anymore.”

“What?”

“I don’t have body heat, I don’t have a heartbeat, h-hell, I don’t even need to blink! I-I don’t feel alive anymore!” Kazuichi nearly wailed out, frustrated. “I-I don’t wanna forget what it was like being a hu-human…”

All fell silent for a long, tense moment. Gundham’s eyes were more alert now, staring at him with shock. What time was it? Had he been asleep before Kazuichi came? It didn’t matter. 

He felt cold, colder now. The heat of the tea felt long gone by now, and only an emptiness remained.

“... Demons can overtake one’s vessel, can they not?”

“What? You mean, like, p-possession? I mean, yeah, but why-” Gundham was staring intently now. A course of shock pulsed through Kazuichi’s body, eyes widening. “W-Wait, what are you trying to imply?!” 

“I could help you.” Gundham shrugged, almost seeming nonchalant. His eyes, though, were calculating and cool. “I already know you cannot harm my mortal form by now. If you promise not to try anything, I suppose I could let you use it.”

“W-Why?! Why would you trust me w-with that?!” The pink haired boy exclaimed, disbelieving.

“... I cannot help but wonder what it feels like. You’re a curious creature, Kazuichi. I don’t have much grasp on what powers you may possess, so it may be interesting to find out. Besides, you seem… Distraught.”

All fell quiet. The shorter boy was speechless. How much did Gundham trust him to be able to do this? Why was he so certain nothing would go wrong? Was he just tired and not thinking straight?

… But no matter what the case was, the offer was alluring. To appealing to refuse.

Kazuichi had to know. Kazuichi had to feel again.

“A-Alright…”

“Before you do this, promise me.”

“Huh?”

“Promise me you will not harm me if I allow this.” Gundham stated, holding out a hand.

Oh. Oh, of course. He was a demon. He couldn’t break any deal he made, even if it wasn’t for a soul. No wonder the breeder had been so trusting.

So, feeling a bit more certain about the situation, Kazuichi slowly reached out and took Gundham’s hand, shaking it firmly. 

“... So, now what?” The bandage-clad male asked.

“I-I dunno…I guess I just… Uhh…” Kazuichi murmured, unsure of how to explain his intent. So, without further warning, he slowly phased his arm into Gundham’s.

In unison, the two gasped. The taller of the two visibly shivered, seeming unnerved by the sensation.

Kazuichi, though, was speechless once more. 

Warmth. Warmth, warmth, warmth.

“Is… Is this okay?” He asked, feeling a need to make sure the other didn’t want to back out of this, no matter how desperately he wanted it. 

“Yes… It feels a bit unsettling, but I suppose I can manage that. You may proceed…” The Ultimate Breeder replied, seeming a bit cautious. His shoulders tensed, preparing himself.

So, without further adieu, Kazuichi slowly merged his body with Gundham’s.

An electric sensation ran through him, and a deep shudder racked the boy’s spine. Slowly, it faded, and Kazuichi opened his eyes- When had they shut, anyway?

Immediately, he was overwhelmed with color. Vision. Slowly looking down to himself, he saw a familiar and yet oh-so-foriegn form. A form that wasn’t his.

Gundham.

In the back of his mind, he could still feel the other boy’s presence, deep and solid and calming. But that didn’t matter now. What mattered was the feeling enveloping him.

Warmth. Warm, heated blood pulsed through his entire being. He could feel Gundham’s, his, hands shaking. A heartbeat. A pounding, frantic heartbeat was resting in the left side of his chest, only growing faster as it was noticed. His eyes were beginning to sting with salt. 

Alive. This was it. This was what being alive again felt like.

Pulsing, overwhelming, solid.

Beautiful.

Unrestrained, Kazuichi began to sob.

Chapter Text

Kazuichi felt a foriegn flash of alarm ring throughout the body he was occupying, but he paid it no mind, instead continuing to tremble against the unbelievably soft cushions of the Ultimate Breeder’s couch. He hiccuped, lungs stinging, and relished in the sensation. Tears streaked across his— or, rather, Gundham’s— face like lightning bolts, arms wrapped around his shoulders and pressing into them like molten metal. 

It was all so much .

He hadn’t realized that as the weeks had gone on, his sense of touch had been getting worse, ever-so-slightly, day by day.

… Well, that wasn’t quite right. Perhaps he just hadn’t wanted to acknowledge it on top of everything else that was happening. 

Either way, it made every little sensation from the press of the cushions against himself to the feeling of water dripping down from his chin all-enveloping, each miniscule thing trying to steal away all of his attention until nothing made sense anymore. 

It wasn’t exactly pleasant, but after everything, it wasn’t something he was willing to give up. Instead, he stayed where he was, burrowed into Gundham’s body and sobbing with reckless abandon. 

Had he been in a more stable state of mind, he would’ve certainly felt embarrassed about being so emotional in the presence of the body’s true occupant. In the moment, though, he couldn’t care less, simply basking in the unbelievably overwhelming sensation of life in his body. 

Breathing, body heat, organs, the need to blink, all of that and so much more, it was all there! The whole package! It was as wonderful as it was head-spinning. Automatically, the body of the boy he was haunting continued to carry out its duties without fail, and with every moment he sank further into it like he would the familiar blankets in his dorm room, as though he’d never started to forget what being alive was in the first place.

It was disconcerting, yet it was too comforting to even consider worrying about for more than a second. In what seemed like no time at all, his breathing started to steady as his soul grew accustomed to the body’s familiarity with its environment.

He felt alive . He was alive.

Joy flooded his body. 

A voice in the back of his head— unmistakably Gundham, seemingly somewhat aware of his surroundings and still knowing what was going on whilst Kazuichi possessed him— continued speaking, concerned, but the demon didn’t retain even a syllable of what the human was saying. 

But that didn’t mean that Kazuichi wasn’t aware of his presence whatsoever.

No, on the contrary, Kazuichi’s thoughts shifted onto Gundham the moment that his frazzled mind wasn’t too overloaded to do so. 

God, Gundham . This was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him, and it was coming from someone he’d only known for a couple of weeks. This was an unbelievably selfless act, one entirely for the demon’s gain, and it was coming from Gundham ? Why?

This was kind, so incomprehensibly kind of him, and for what? Why would Gundham do this? On a whim? Surely not.

Kazuichi hadn’t been nice to Gundham, ever. He’d irritated the other boy on a constant basis, and purposefully at that. So what had he done to deserve this?

Joy was overcome by worry.

What was the other’s motive? Why did the self-proclaimed Overlord of Ice of all people decide to help Kazuichi ?

Was it because he was too pitiful to keep looking at? Was this because he couldn’t sleep, because he decided to whine about it once ? Was that all it took to garner Gundham’s sympathy, to act weak in front of him? To act as though he wasn’t a horrible, hellish creature, trying endlessly to whisk away his spirit? To act vulnerable, to act human?

No, that couldn’t be it. Gundham hadn’t just forgotten what he was, what he was trying to do. But this wasn’t some grand act of friendship in spite of his demonic nature either. 

This was not some noble sacrifice in the naive hope that maybe they could coexist together as friends despite Kazuichi’s purpose here, no— Gundham was smart in the time Kazuichi had known him, as pompous as he could be, and they didn’t know each other nearly well enough for that .

No, no, no. This wasn’t an act of friendship, at least, not entirely. Kazuichi might’ve been able to believe that if they’d known each other longer, a couple of months, a couple of years maybe. But no, they’d known each other for a couple of weeks . It might just be his trust issues talking, but he was damn near positive that it took longer than that for someone to decide that you were worthy of piloting their fucking body.

So what was it? Why in the world had Gundham agreed to this?!

Sure, they’d made that deal and all, and sure, Kazuichi had ample motive to steer clear of any funny business here. But still, this was unbelievably reckless even in his eyes, and Kazuichi certainly wasn’t known for thinking his own actions through!

This was textbook stuff, for crying out loud! If he asked anyone on this mortal plane , as Gundham was so fond of calling it, they’d all unanimously agree what a shitty idea it was to give a demon full control over your body.

So what was it? Surely Gundham must’ve had some ulterior motive here, but what?! He knew that people got a bit stupider without sleep, but surely Gundham hadn’t gotten that stupid, even if it was— 

… 2:36 AM, apparently, assuming the wall clock was correct.  Huh. Not as late as Kazuichi assumed it was.

… But, anyway! Point was, this was a really stupid desicion on Gundham’s part, wasn’t it?! What in the world was he thinking agreeing to this?! This was gonna bug him forever if he didn’t figure it out!

The body’s grasp around its own shoulders, subconscious, tightened, the feeling sending a shiver up its spine. 

It was an unendingly worrisome train of thought. Knowing that the owner of the body he was inhabiting must’ve had a reason to let him borrow it, but not knowing what... 

But when Kazuichi stopped for a moment to think about it… That didn’t really matter now, did it?

One way or another, he had access to Gundham’s body now, and he wasn’t sure how long that’d last. And, to reiterate, this was a really wonderful gift; this was still the absolute nicest thing anyone had ever done for him ever, hands down, secret ulterior motive or not. 

And this body… It was so, so warm. It would be so easy to just stop thinking about it, just for a while.

So he supposed he could agonize about what in the world Gundham was thinking when he decided to agree to this later, probably when he was back in his dorm and unable to sleep. For now, though? Kazuichi decided that he should just stop worrying about that and enjoy the present moment.

So, letting out one last sniffle and shoving his worrying to the corner of his mind, he slowly moved his arms away from his shoulders, away from the pseudo-hug he’d enveloped himself in. Whatever Gundham had been saying in his head had trailed off, the breeder having fallen silent with surprise to see him moving. Slow and shaky, he attempted to rise to his feet, before stumbling in place, nearly slamming into the ground.

“W-Woah!” He yelped out in shock. Then, at the sound of the unfamiliar voice saying his own words, he parroted the sentiment again.

“Woah…”

Suddenly, a wave of wrongness washed over the demon. He trembled for a second, brow furrowing.

This… Wasn’t right.

He was far too tall. He’d always wished he was taller, sure, but not like this. He’d wanted to be taller in his own body. Now it just felt… Wrong . And his voice, it was… Well, it’s not like Gundham’s voice was nails-on-a-chalkboard awful or anything, but it certainly wasn’t his! And his hands, the way his wrists moved as he brought them closer to his face… They didn’t have the same calluses, the same scars, instead spattered with unfamiliar traces of unknown wounds from times long past. With each passing moment, the mechanic found something new to look at.

And it wasn’t right .

That conclusion was inescapable, echoing through his head. 

This wasn’t right. This wasn’t right at all .

But, before the feeling of wrongness could drag him any further into his thoughts, words rang throughout his head, finally registering to the demon.

“Tamer of Automations! What are you doing?! Can you hear me?! What in the world is it that you think you’re doing with my vessel?!”

“Woah…!” He gasped out for the third time this evening. Then, finally able to think in words longer than a syllable, he replied, “Gundham! Sorry I was ignoring you but look at this, Gundham! I’m in your body!”

“What— Of course you are, isn’t that obvious by now?! By the stars, you’re denser than I thought.”

“W-Well yeah, duh, it’s not like I forgot or anything!” The demon snapped, crossing his arms with a huff. “It’s just… Wow, it’s really sinking in now… This is all really different...”

Gundham let out what sounded like a discontented hum. 

“I… Suppose I can’t contest that. This must be quite an odd feeling for you as well, no doubt… But on another note, how are you feeling? Have your ailments been put to rest?”

“H-Huh?” Kazuichi blinked, before recognition lit up his thoughts.

Gundham must be talking about all of the crying he was doing earlier.

“Ah, shit, you were there for all that, huh? Look, man, it’s not my fault I got a bit worked up, alright?! If you forgot what having a heartbeat felt like for days on end, you’d be a bit teary-eyed too!”

“What? That’s not what I… I’m not accusing you of anything, rest assured, I’m simply…” He trailed off. “ ... On second thought, that’s of little importance right now. You’re occupying my body. What in the world are you planning on doing with it now?” Gundham asked, sounding surprisingly anxious.

“Huh? What’s got you all worked up all of a sudden?” Kazuichi wondered aloud, frowning. 

“Not having control over my mortal vessel is… More disconcerting than I anticipated. It’s nothing the Overlord of Ice can’t handle, of course, but I can’t deny that this is inspiring quite the uneasy feeling in me.”

“What? Didn’t you consider that before handing it over?”

“... Of course, but it’s different to actually experience it.”

“Huh… Well, don’t worry man, I’m not gonna be doing anything weird. I’m just… Trying to remember how to walk, I guess.” The demon explained, legs shivering underneath him at the reminder that he was, in fact, currently standing.

Though the taller boy’s body was more-than-used to the sensation, Kazuichi certainly wasn’t. The height difference was throwing him off especially badly, not to mention the fact that he hadn’t walked properly in general for quite some time. He didn’t float around all of the time, sure, but he hadn’t actually fully felt the weight of his own body as he’d walked since his demise, let alone the weight of someone else’s. It was more-than-a-little-bit jarring. 

All in all, it was certainly going to be difficult to get used to again, but he was going to try his best nevertheless.

So, slowly, he took another step forward, only to immediately stumble and almost faceplant, barely catching his balance in time, just as he’d almost done when he’d initially stood up. “Gah!!”

“Careful!” Gundham barked, sounding quite startled. “Are you trying to drag me to the Underworld with you?!”

“Look man, it’s not like I’m being this bad at walking on purpose!” The demon growled out, sounding far more intimidating than he would’ve in his normal voice. “Besides, I couldn’t hurt you if I tried! ‘You will not harm me if I allow this’ , remember?” 

In reply to the echoing of his own words, Gundham’s voice fell strangely silent, and a sense of dread that wasn’t the demon’s own filled up the body. Kazuichi cocked a brow, curious and on-edge. 

He fell still for a second, wondering what the boy who’d been reduced to a voice in his own body’s head was thinking about.

Nothing moved for a moment too long, though, and the excitable mechanic quickly got distracted, overeager and deciding to attempt another step. Even when he nearly fell over again, though, the true voice of the body Kazuichi was occupying remained quiet. 

At this, the demon paused for a moment longer, eagerness ebbing away.

Now, he was getting concerned. 

“... What? What’s up, man?”

“... Hellish One… How much longer are you going to inhabit my body, exactly?”

“W-What?! Hey, come on man, don’t rush me!” He squeaked, terror striking suddenly and making his heart pound like a drum. “I-I haven’t even done anything bad! Look, I get why you’re feeling iffy about this, but please, let me have a bit longer!”

“Ghrk—!” He heard Gundham’s voice catch. “What in the— calm down!”

“Huh?” Kazuichi blinked, before noticing that his vision had gone fuzzy with tears. His heart was pounding, and his throat had started stinging. He barely stifled a yelp, wiping at his eyes furiously. “H-Hey, come on, you’re the one w-who’s trying to get me to leave when I haven’t even been alive again for an hour yet! Who wouldn’t be upset at a time like this?! I-I wouldn’t be getting this worked up if it weren’t for you!”

“I didn’t even say you had to exit my vessel anytime soon! I simply asked a question!” Gundham retorted.

“Oh…” The demon occupying the body with the heterochromatic eyes blinked. “W-Well… Uh…  T-That’s what it felt like!”

“… I suppose I can see why you’d assume I was trying to banish you from my body, yes…” Gundham conceded, sounding oddly choked up. “But that was not my intent. I was simply wondering how much longer you’d be staying, that is all. This is… All much more intense than I anticipated.”

“Huh? Wait, can you feel all this?” The demon sniffled, the eyes of the body he was inhabiting widening slightly.

Gundham didn’t reply.

His silence, though, was answer enough, especially considering the foriegn flashes of negativity Kazuichi had felt earlier. Guilt began to gnaw at his sides, but then he remembered that if he felt guilty, Gundham might feel guilty too. This, in turn, made Kazuichi feel more guilty.

He then realized his error. He quickly did his best to banish that train of thought, as he’d been doing throughout the night. Despite this, though, a frown lingered on his face as he recalled the events of the possession so far. 

“Ah, that… All of this, uh, can’t be nice to go through… Uh, sorry man…” He murmured, mind flashing to the intensity of his breakdown earlier, to Gundham’s pleading voice speaking words he couldn’t recall. He tried to resist the urge to linger on his guilt all over again. 

A hum echoed in his mind, but aside from that, no reply was given.

Again, silence fell over the two. Finally, Kazuichi sighed.

“... Look, man, I won’t be here too much longer, alright? I mean, this is your body, you’re the one doing me a favor here. I… I just wanted to… Remember…” The former-human explained, resisting the urge to start crying again. “Just… Give me a little while longer, okay? I’ll… I’ll let you go back to bed soon, I just want to be here, just… A bit longer.”

Silence reigned for another moment, before a quiet reply came.

“... Very well.” Gundham replied, sounding quite uneasy.

“Oh, okay, g-good!” Kazuichi smiled weakly, shivering. “I… I guess I should figure out what I want to do, then. Huh… O-Oh, I know! Let’s go to my dorm!” 

Suddenly and with an enthusiasm he hadn’t felt in months, Kazuichi darted forward, only realizing his mistake when he promptly slammed himself into the room's wall.

Pain struck him.

“Gah!” He yelped out, before realization shocked through his body like a livewire. He gasped, horrified.

Because it wasn’t just Gundham’s voice that had yelped, but rather, his own had as well.

In an instant, he’d been separated from Gundham.

“No… NO!” He hiccuped, eyes brimming with tears. “Wait, no, I didn’t mean to! I-I’m not ready yet, I'm sorry!”

“Gurghh…” Gundham groaned, rising to his feet. Suddenly, his eyes widened, snapping to meet Kazuichi’s in an instant. “... Oh.”

The dead mechanic bit back a sob, feeling like an ocean had frozen over in his non-existent bones. He was so cold… 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

“Ah…” Gundham paused, seeming at a loss for words. “That… That wasn’t your fault, Tamer of Automations… I suppose getting used to walking after so much time must’ve been… Difficult. You’re forgiven.”

The aforementioned demon whimpered a bit in response, still unused to the sudden coldness and unable to muster up a more meaningful reply, but soothed by the human’s reassurances nevertheless.

However, that calming feeling was crushed when the living one continued on to say, “... That said, I don’t think it would be wise to let you inhabit my vessel again, not for a while, at least.”

“H-Huh…?” 

“... I… Feel as though perhaps I hadn’t quite considered the ramifications of our joining when I agreed to it.” Gundham began, turning the demon’s heart to ice. “I didn’t think out my terms nearly well enough, loathe I am to admit it. It was a truly foolish mistake, one I realized when you recalled our terms earlier. While I did specify that you weren’t allowed to hurt me , you could’ve easily decided to attack someone else, or taken my body somewhere dangerous for someone else to hurt me, or… Come up with any number of plans to blackmail me with. Had you realized this while you were still in my body and decided to act on it, I would’ve been completely unable to prevent it. I didn’t even specify how long you were allowed to control my vessel... Of course, you seemed unknowing of that possibility, and you didn’t do anything overtly malicious, but even still, I’m… Quite lucky you slammed into that wall, in truth.”

“W-What?!” Orchid eyes widened, filled with hurt and disbelief. “I-I would never do something so awful! How could you think that I…?! That I...  I would...” 

The demon trailed off, horrified. 

A cold, sick feeling filled his lungs.

He would never...

… Would he?

No…! He wouldn’t do something like that!

But…

Thinking back on the desperation he’d felt, the terror over what might happen if he failed to bring a soul back to the underworld…

… What if he did realize the loophole in Gundham’s agreement? What would he have done then? He wanted to believe that he would never do something so horrible, but what if he would’ve?

What if he would’ve taken the opportunity to ruin Gundham’s life, had he realized he could? What if he decided that it was worth it, to force Gundham to give him his soul to prevent him from doing something terrible?

Or what if he decided that he couldn’t take being dead anymore? What if he decided that he wouldn’t give Gundham’s body back when the time came? What if he stopped listening to Gundham’s voice, hijacked the rest of his life, until they both died with his body? Then what?

Was he really above that? And even if he was still above that now, would he still be above that in a few months from now? A few years?

“I… I wouldn’t… I…” He shivered, curling up tighter, suddenly unable to look the taller Ultimate in the eyes. Harshly, his demonic form let out a rough sob, tears spilling out from between his eyelids and dissolving into nothing the moment they dripped off of his cheeks. “I… Oh… Oh, god … What if I would …?”

“... Oh. I apologize, Tamer of Automations.” The self-proclaimed Overlord of Ice murmured with widened eyes. He winced, voice shifting into a pitch that was surprisingly gentle. “Putting these ideas into your head… You must be quite distressed. I should’ve considered that. I didn’t mean to cause you any undue harm.”

“I… But… But Gundham, I… What if I…?!” Kazuichi wailed breathlessly, unnaturally breathlessly, unable to force out even a sentence. 

“... I wouldn’t blame you for succumbing to such urges.” The human admitted. Orchid eyes snapped open, staring up at the taller boy with disbelief. 

“What?! B-But… But that’s… Th-that’s awful…! The idea that I… That I c-could do that…” The distressed mechanic hiccuped uncontrollably, vocal chords seeming to stumble over his own sorrow. “That’s… I’m… A-Awful…”

But Gundham merely shook his head, contrary.

“No, such feelings are only natural. Any creature truly worthy of the gift of life would do anything necessary to ensure its own survival. Even if you are deceased, it only makes sense that your fear of the unknown would outweigh your morality, in this case. It would be foolish to blame you for that.”

“But… That’s… I-I...”

“... I understand, even if your survival instincts in this situation are to be expected, realizing this must be quite distressing. The nature of this world is not an easy thing to accept, not for one still so unknowing of its evils. That is why allowing you to possess me wasn’t the best of ideas... I should’ve considered this far more thoroughly, for both of our sakes. Had I not allowed the opportunity for evil to arise, you would not have had to consider acting upon it, in hindsight or otherwise.”

Gundham let out a deep breath, shoulders sagging slightly. “... But my curiosity overwhelmed me, I suppose. I was far too eager to learn of the limits of your abilities.”

Straightening his posture, the taller boy tilted his head downwards to meet the distressed demon’s eyes. “Next time, I’ll set the boundaries of our pact in far stronger foundations and ensure that our joining is as close to unexploitable as a resident of this mortal coil can possibly hope to get it. For both of our sakes, the stipulations of these possessions will be far more solid from here on out. That much I can proclaim to you with confidence.”

“... W-Wait, huh?!” The demon questioned, eyes widening as he jolted out of place. Surging forward, he looked to the calm breeder, frantic. “S-Slow down, what was that last bit?! What d-did you mean b-by that?!”

Gundham blinked, looking confused for a brief moment, before realization filled his features. “... This experience hasn’t fulfilled either of our wishes, Hellish One. As such, we will be trying this again in the future, as soon as I manage to figure out how best to go about such dangerous dealings…”

“Wait, really?! Are you serious?! Like, really really serious?!” The mechanic jolted as if struck by lightning, hope welling up in his chest and disbelief catching his heart in a chokehold. “You’re really considering trying this again?! E-Even though you don’t even trust me to not try and steal your body, or commit crimes, or—”

“I already told you, it would be foolish of me to blame you for such desires.” The human interrupted.

“Besides, this isn’t a matter of my trust for you, this is a matter of human instinct. I wouldn’t allow anyone to proceed in puppeteering my mortal form from here without taking more steadfast precautions first.”

“B-But—”

“Oh, for the love of all that is good on this godforsaken earth! Will you calm down for a moment?!”  Gundham snapped, migraine starting to ebb into his head. “Stop blaming yourself so insistently and listen to what I’m about to tell you! Or are you trying to talk me out of this?”

“No! No, no, no! I-I’m sorry!” Kazuichi exclaimed, panic gripping at his throat. “I’m sorry.  I just… This is all just… Why ?” 

“... As I’ve stated, I’m curious.” Gundham admitted. “Coming across another supernatural entity is… Rarer than I’d like to admit. To neglect the opportunity to learn more about your kind and how your powers operate would be foolish, a denial of my core ideals. Though it will likely lead to my doom, I cannot simply let this opportunity pass me by.”

“You… You really mean that?” 

“Yes, without a doubt.”

“Huh…” The mechanic nearly whispered, voice catching in his throat. “You’re… You’re really a lot braver than I think I’ll ever be.”

Gundham shrugged in return. “I’m simply following my principles.”

Kazuichi, not quite knowing what to say to that, only nodded, finally beginning to regain control over his voice but not knowing how to use it. He stood there, unsure of himself and lost in thought, when the breeder began to speak again.

“... Regardless, it would be best if I laid this body to rest, for now. Mortal forms are rather finicky. I will be sure to make a better plan over the course of the coming weeks, and should you come up with any more questions to ask, we can discuss it when the sun has risen once more.” 

“Huh? Oh , you’ve gotta get to sleep. Right, right…” Kazuichi murmured dazedly, drifting towards the door.

“... Hey, Gundham?”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you for this, really. I know that the whole me-possessing-you thing didn’t really last long, and I didn’t really do much except, uh, cry, but… But it was still… Weirdly nice. I really do appreciate it, man.” The demon stumbled over his words, feeling like nothing he could say could possibly express the feeling of gratitude overwhelming him, anything he could come up with falling flat. 

Regardless, the boy with the heterochromatic eyes blinked, seeming to take his shaky appreciations to heart. 

“... I certainly had ulterior motives for agreeing to your pleas, but nevertheless, your thanks are appreciated. Now, I must bid you farewell, Hellish One.”

“Right… Um, goodnight, man.”

And, with that, Gundham turned and made his way to his bed. Lingering for only a second longer, Kazuichi did the same, drifting through the door of the Ultimate Breeder’s dorm room and making his way back to his own. 

They both had a lot to think over that night.