Chapter Text
i've rejected affection for years and years
now i have it and damn it, it's kind of weird
as the head of a once-thriving clan, vox was used to people gushing over him and following him wherever he goes, accepting affection and flattering words with ease and even satisfaction. though it all changed when he and his beloved people were slain. brought back to life but devoid of what used to fill him with life, vox was alone for years after the fall of his clan. having no one to serve him, no one to worship him, but most importantly, no one to be with him.
for years, vox stayed alone. the fear of losing someone so dear to him again numbing him. isolating himself when he can. avoiding making connections with anyone. rejecting invitations to hang out. keeping to himself in public. distancing himself with people he needs to interact with. it took some time getting used to and honestly, vox still isn’t used to it, but he numbs that thought too. so vox started to write. writing helped him gain a sense of company and control over what he feels. vox wrote about whatever he felt or thought in writing sessions, whether it be an emotion like sadness or melancholy, memories from his old clan, or imaginations of what could have been had they not been killed with no remorse by a certain bastard.
it was all going well, or as well as it could go considering his state, until he met a certain sorcerer and a cyborg.
vox met them during a trip to his local library, looking for inspiration to drive himself to write. he was in no means a famous writer, but known enough for people to acknowledge his works and ask for more. he sifts through different types of books, but mostly history and fiction. anything to strike that emotion or hidden memory unlocked by time.
-----
vox greets the librarian on his way, a small and gentle woman with long flowy hair and eyebags, then heads on to the shelves containing ancient history books. he picks a random book that he thinks might catch his interest, and flips it open. turning to a random page, he catches a historical event that intrigues him. not bothering to take his eyes off of the pages, he starts to walk to his table. well, not technically his, he just uses that table a lot so it’s his, okay…
as he walks with his nose stuffed down a book, vox bumps into someone. he looks up, ready to blurt out his apologies and- oh wow he’s pretty. he’s never seen him before.. he must be new? vox stares for a second before shaking his head from pretty purple eyes and apologizes.
“oh dear, i’m so sorry. i wasn’t looking where i was going. i’m not always this careless, sorry.” vox bumbles, keeping his head down, totally not to hide his blush nope and walks to his usual spot. mentally screaming and facepalming so hard he feels his mental self’s face being ripped off, he tries to keep his composure. blissfully unaware of the fond surprise on the person’s face, purple eyes following his figure.
the day seems to love messing his mental fortitude however, because as he nears his spot he sees an unfamiliar person with silver hair. he contemplates going to another table because i don’t know this person i don’t wanna disturb them even if they are in my sp- then the guy looks up at him, to the table, and then realizes.
“oh is this your spot? sorry this was the only spot that was empty a while ago. we can share?” the man says apologetically. vox looks at the man and- oh what are those lines on his left eye they complement his eyes really well. he catches himself thinking and hurriedly replies,
“oh sure sure, i don’t mind” vox nods. he doesn’t mind, it’s still his table anyway and it’s a large one that can fit more than two people. he moves to sit down to the chair nearest to him and starts to read. things go smoothly for a bit, too lost in his own book that he doesn’t notice someone coming to his- ah, their table until they spoke. he jumps a bit and looks up, oh my god it’s the pretty man again ahhhhh is he mad at me for bumping into him earlier holy shit holy fuck holy cow h-
“eyy, hi! can i sit here? not a lot of vacant spots and my friend’s here.. do you mind?” he gestures to the silver-haired man he spoke to.
he doesn’t mind, no.. they seem pretty nice and chill anyway so he replies, “i don’t mind. go ahead.” vox says with a smile on his face. a bit giddy to have them on his table and speak to him... him!
“thanks! ah also, i’m shu. this guy here is fulgur.” the man- shu, says to him. the silver-haired man- fulgur, nods at him. shu follows his introduction with a “nice to meet you…?”, probably hoping to get his name.
vox feels his throat choke up before he blurts out, “vox! my name is vox. vox akuma. yes. nice to meet you both. shu, fulgur.” a bit too tense but they both smile and nod. they are so nice and pretty i’m going to completely lose it. introductory pleasantries done, shu sits down a seat away and they settle down, turning to their own books.
it’s nice, this is nice. vox thinks, he hasn’t felt this comfortable and at ease with new people before. he hopes they meet again, not just a one-time thing he’ll keep craving for for a long time.
-----
it’s not just a one-time thing. they keep meeting in the library and sit at the same table. it was quiet for the first few times, but thankfully, they start to make conversation. asking what the other is reading and what’s it for, leading to questions about their interests and what they’re up to. though, one certain question sets things off a bit different than usual… at first, they were talking about video games, that lead to talking about smash and ended up in a very intense one-off.
“i’m pretty sure i could beat you no sweat big guy.” vox said smugly. all sense of timidness out of the window and replaced by the excitement of getting to play his favorite game with someone he knows and need to be the best, refusing to stand down.
“in your dreams, vox. you know, getting a bit too smug now might cost you your whole pride later, right?” fulgur shoots back. he’s not about to be one-upped by this guy he just met, no matter how cute or endearing he is… (you didn’t hear that from him)
shu just watches them amusingly. pleasantly surprised at vox’s determination to prove himself and snickering at fulgur’s snarky retorts. he knows fulgur won’t back down, we’re talking about smash after all. as much as he would love to see the two almost childishly go at each other’s throats, they are starting to pick up volume and he doesn’t want them to be kicked out from a very cozy library.
“do you guys wanna race in getting over it? it’s very fun.” shu cuts in, looking at fulgur pointedly. fulgur visibly deflates and looks away. “no thanks shu i’d rather keep my pc intact and working”, fulgur says with a strained smile.
“getting over it?” vox asks, curious.
-----
surprisingly, that conversation served as the key to a deeper relationship. as time went on, they got to be comfortable with each other. though with vox’s demonic powers and shu’s innate ability to sense supernatural phenomena, it wasn’t long before they confronted each other about the other’s abilities. with vox knowing about shu’s identity, fulgur revealed his own soon after. a cyborg from the future, travelling through time and ending up in their timeline. nothing changed, really. going about as usual.
his life changed though, for the better, of course. having the two of them in his life changed his routine, his viewpoints, and most especially, his happiness.
not to forget that deeper friendship comes different dynamics.
they don’t only meet up at the library soon after that, eventually starting to meet up and hang out at different places.
fulgur naturally cares for him, not too showy or extravagantly, but vox himself feels it. being depraved of human affection and the subject of being cared for is pretty new to him, therefore pretty noticeable but not unappreciated. quite the opposite actually. fulgur checks up on him from time to time, asking how he’s been, what he’s been doing, etc. fulgur plays games with him and they ramble about their own interests. and that becomes the center of their banter, which brings them closer.
shu, however, does it in a flashy yet subtle way. shu enchants him with spells that give him little bursts of luck through out the day, or subtly enchants his house so his dreams are less sadder, and more … happier. he listens to vox ramble about things he’s read, about five nights at freddy’s, or memes, and actually gives his own personal and interesting input. shu’s attentive to his needs and wants, even if vox himself doesn't say it out loud or even know it himself. he just knows.
they both changed his life, and he’s still getting used to all of it. but he wouldn’t have it any other way.