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This was new.
It wasn't the normal music that played from a Chase.
This music was... familiar to them.
A song that they remembered.
A burning sensation snaked up his leg, and Two Time looked down to see he'd been stunned by a purple... tendril of some sort?
Two Time struggled to break free, but the tendril was holding them strong.
And then, singing.
The voice was cracked and hoarse, and the singer coughed often, but the words were easy to make out.
It was one of the songs that Two Time would sing when they were at worship circles.
It was the last song he'd sang to Azure, before sacrifice.
And, now that they recognised the song, they also recognised the voice.
It was barely like her, but when you looked deeper, she was still there...
"AZURE!" Two Time yelled at the top of their lungs, attempting to run towards the singing. But, the tendril wrapped around their leg tighter- and seemed to burn them more.
"yOu r direTion sen Se is Way off, deAresT. I am Behind y Ou."
And then, Two Time was in agony. They kneeled, hands grasping urgently at their back.
"Pay for your sins, Two Time." said a much clearer voice. And there was another slash, aimed directly at his back.
How long were they going to stay like this. They couldn't run. They couldn't stab.
"N O oO!"
Azure dashed away from two time, and then appeared in front of them. A slash was aimed at Two Time's head, but something stopped Azure in midair, and she instead fell to the ground, digging her claws and tendrils into the dirt.
"I wWanTed T o Se E youU!" Said Azure, struggling to not rise again. "hElp me! There's soemthiNg conTro o olIng me- It makes me-"
Another tendril came from the ground, wrapping itself dangerously tight around two time's other leg. They stumbled and fell flat faced, and Azure struggled to get on top of them, their claws grabbing and cutting Two Time's shoulders, tendrils wrapping all over their body...
"I'm s o O O RRy!"
Two time was in agony. Burning sensations crawled up and down their body. They were openly bleeding on the ground. Tears streamed down their cheeks.
Azure clung on even tighter, which made the pain unimaginably worse.
"Sor rRy SorYR!"
Two Time felt a senstation next to their face and cheek, and when they looked, Azure's face was right next to theirs.
They weren't the Azure that Two Time had known.
Their face was melty- and dark purple? And their eyes were glowing light pink.
But they were Azure.
"i Mis S sSED yo U..."
Two Time felt her body shake violently for a few seconds, and then go back to calm.
"You're hurting me..." Two Time whispered.
Azure violently shook again, and one of her arms made a long gash down their side.
"n O OooO... st oOp P leaseE..." Azure whispered. "yOu youU are HuR R Ting us ...."
and then, all was quiet.
And Two Time couldn't see anything.
They couldn't hear anything but their and Azure's heavy breathing.
They couldn't feel anything but Azure's body, cuddles up on top of them, claws and tendrils keeping them steady.
And suddenly, the pain was gone. Two Time was laying on a cot, with Azure still snuggled up next to them.
Two Time felt their partners breathing steadily. Or, ex, I guess.
Azure started singing softly.
It wasn't broken, he wasn't coughing. His voice was clear and smooth, yet quiet. It was comforting.
"Time." She said, breaking the song. "Look at me, Time."
But they couldn't.
Not after everything Time did.
"Time... please, look at me."
Two Time didn't move. They kept their eyes closed.
"Time."
There was a gentle touch on Two Times shoulder.
"Wake up."
Two time turned over, to face what they were assuming was Azure, but kept their eyes closed.
"...Good enough."
Two Time felt a soft breath near their face, and Azure kissed them on the cheek. Two Time felt a shiver go down their body.
"When you're ready, join me outside, please."
Two Time felt themself shaking like hell.
"Oh, Nightshade... did I do something?"
Two Time couldn't play this game anymore. They opened their eyes, sat up, and buried their face in their hands.
"Hi, Nightshade..."
"G-get away from m-me..." Two Time whispered, scooting away from azure.
"No, Nightshade- that's something I don't want to do."
"The Spawn is going to- I'll probably-" Two Time felt around their waistline for their knife, but found it gone.
"I got your knife, Time. You're safe, you're not going to do that."
"I'm going to once again, ask you to look at me. Please, Time."
"I-I can't," Two time whispered. "Not after what I-I did."
"Please. Look at me, Two Time." Azure's voice broke.
Two Time looked up, for a brief second. Azure was sitting in front of them, now silently watching. Tears glimmered in his eyes like the sea would on a sunny day.
He wasn't like than tempered tendril monster Two Time had seen. She was back to looking like... normal?
"Please, stop l-looking." Two Time said, a bit louder. "I'm a monster, you have every right to hate me- to hurt me, if you must- to just... walk away..."
"No." Azure whispered, staring directly into Two Time's eyes. Without warning, Azure was hugging Two Time Two Time sso tightly they could barely breathe.
"Please, Two Time, l-listen..." Azure whispered, "I- I still... I forgive you... I love you- I love you dearly- nothing will ever change that, I swear on my life."
And then, they both broke down.
Two Time sobbed into Azure's shoulder, clinging onto her tight. Azure was also crying slightly, rubbing Two Time's back as an attempt to bring comfort.
"It's okay, Nightshade... It's okay... It's okay...Shh- I got you, dear..."
"mmmh..." Two time was still crying, but seemed to have settled a little. Azure noticed something had changed about Two Time- were they regressed?
"I got you, baby. Stay here as long as you want. I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart."
"...Promise..."
"Yes. I swear on the world." Azure rocked Two Time back and fourth a bit, then ran one of their hands through their hair. Two Time buried their face into the crook of her neck.
Azure began singing, it was that song yet again.
The line, 'the Spawn will love hys devotees regardless', was changed though.
"Azure will love his Nightshade regardless".