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He could barely go to sleep anymore, not with the black crown digging into his skull, whispering things in his ear. It hurt, constantly. There was no moment without a dull pain in his head. It was hardly dull to begin with, but he'd gotten used to it by now.
There was one person at fault for this pain.
007n7.
“C’mon, Noli! You need this! We need this! We could take over the world with this, Nols! Just like we always wanted.”
Those words still lingered in his mind. He didn't need this. He didn't want this.
“Don't be a pussy, Noli.”
It hurt. It hurt him so badly to hear his friend call him that. So he took it. He knew it would be a bad idea, he could feel it, but he took it. Anything for 007n7, right?
The pain that shot through him upon grabbing the star hurt even worse.
He could barely remember anything after that. The star temporarily blinded him, and he couldn't hear anything over his own screams. His voice was still broken from that night.
007n7 barely looked at him anymore. Probably too consumed by guilt to face him. Or maybe he just didn't want to look at the Monster who used to be his friend.
Friend. They were more than friends, weren't they? 007n7 was so much more to him than just a friend. He would've been willing to die a million times if it meant making 007n7 happy.
Noli couldn't help the tears that streamed down his now rotted purple cheeks. He couldn't help the ugly sobs that tore at his vocal chords. He'd never get the happy life he wanted with 007n7. He'd never get the life he wanted for himself.
All because of him.
007n7 was sleeping on the couch. He gave up the bedroom willingly, not wanting to be in the same room as Noli. Noli wished he'd come back. He wanted nothing more than for 007n7 to wrap his arms around him again.
They still hacked together, at least. That was all they had anymore. Noli relished these moments with 007n7. As much as he wanted to hate him for the pain he caused, he couldn't. 007n7 was too important to give up.
He decided to take initiative, staggering towards their small living room. He sat down on the arm of the couch, leaning down to kiss 007n7’s forehead. His friend's eyes fluttered open, widening in fear at the sight of him.
Ouch.
“Oh.. uh. Hi, Nols.” He forced a smile. Noli could tell it was forced, he knew what his real smile looked like.
“Hi, S..ev.” It hurt his throat to speak, it cracked with almost every word he said. He felt like he was back in high school again.
007n7 sat up, and Noli moved from the arm to the actual couch. He leaned on 007n7’s shoulder, just like he used to, but the way his friend's body tensed made him want to stop. He didn't stop, he couldn't bring himself to. He needed this, even if just for this moment.
The next few weeks were, admittedly, pretty nice. Almost like the way things used to be. Not quite there, but almost. Noli was still able to have fun with his friend.
Hacking was more fun now, they could do a lot more damage now than they could before thanks to the Void Star. Noli hated being appreciative of that thing, but he had to admit he enjoyed the power trip.
They were sitting on the couch one night, huddled together under a blanket while watching shitty movies. Winter was particularly harsh that year, and they only had one heater in the apartment, which they were saving for their bedroom.
007n7 shot up when the doorbell rang, Noli just looked over, confused. They weren’t expecting anyone, and they don’t remember ordering food.
Noli decided he was going to be the one to answer. Mainly because 007n7 wasn’t moving. He pushed himself up from the couch, walking over to the door and looking out of the peephole. No one. He opened the door, looking in every direction he could.
He looked down, and..
“Seven, there's a baby outside.”
007n7 ran over to him. “What?!” he looked over Noli’s shoulder.
The baby was bright red, and it had small horns poking out from its head. It was wrapped up in a towel and put in a cardboard box. It was shivering from the cold.
007n7 picked it up, cradling it to his chest and carrying it inside. Noli hadn’t seen that level of sympathy from 007n7 towards anyone but him.
“What are you doing, Sev?! You can’t just take a random baby inside!” Noli grabbed him by the back of his sweater. 007n7 wrenched Noli’s hand off of him, cautious enough to not drop the baby.
“I can’t leave it outside! It’ll die, Noli!”
“That’s probably what whoever left it here wanted.” Noli pinched the bridge of his nose. “What would we do with it? Neither of us have the money to take care of a baby!”
“Then I'll get a job.” 007n7 rocked the baby in his arms.
“We won’t have any time to hack if you get a job.” Noli scoffed. Why was he so adamant on taking care of this thing!
“Then I'll stop hacking."
Noli froze.
“What?”
“I’ll stop hacking if I have to. It’ll probably be better if the baby isn’t exposed to that anyways.” 007n7’s gaze was locked on the creature in his arms.
Noli was shaking. If asked, he’d say it was because of the cold, but that would be a lie. He was fucking furious.
“Seven- Are you hearing yourself?!” Noli waved his hands around. He was too stressed at the very thought of 007n7 not hacking anymore to compose himself. “You can't just- Hacking is all we have, Sev!”
007n7 glared at him. “Keep it down, dude. I don't want to have to put a baby to sleep.”
“I can't stop hacking, Sev.”
“Then I guess you won't be staying at my house anymore.”
Noli's heart dropped. Was he serious?? This had to be a dream, there's no way this was actually happening. His breathing sped up, he clutched at his chest.
“I got the Void Star for you! I put myself in so much fucking pain for you! I'm fucking rotting, Seven!” He pointed an accusatory finger at 007n7, who took a step back. “Because you thought it would be good for our hacking. Our dream! And now you wanna give that all up for a fucking baby?!” His throat hurt so badly.
007n7 stayed silent.
“You want to give me up for a baby?!” He clawed at the back of his hands, something he did in moments of panic.
“Get out of my house.” 007n7 sighed.
Noli stared at him.
“Get out, Noli.”
Noli wanted to claw into his chest and rip his heart out right here, not like it was of any use to him anymore. It was beating too hard, he was breathing too quickly, and that throbbing pain in his head was becoming too much to bear. He hugged his arms to his chest.
“Noli, I said-”
A sob cut him off.
Noli wished so badly that his mask hadn't broken in half the day he got the Star. He always felt so weak and exposed without it. Especially now that he was sobbing in front of the love of his life, who was telling him to leave.
He was shaking like a leaf, and when he looked up to see the pity on 007n7’s face, he half expected him to come over and give him a hug.
But that hug never came. Of course it didn't. 007n7 just wanted to be rid of him, didn't he? He saw this baby as a prime opportunity to get rid of the constant reminder of his wrongdoings.
Noli backed into the door, reaching for the knob behind him and slipping out into the cold outside.
He never heard from 007n7 again after that, but he heard about him.
He heard that 007n7 and that wretched creature he calls a son were blacklisted from the very pizza place he and Noli used to destroy regularly. How they never got blacklisted before was a mystery.
He heard that the child, named C00lkidd (Noli laughed at that. Of course 007n7 would name it after his most prized possession.), went missing shortly after.
And he heard about 007n7’s untimely demise. He even shed a few tears. He hated himself for being so weak, for crying over someone he had every right to despise.
But he still loved him deep down. He still craved the connection they once had. He craved more than that. Maybe it was his greed that caused their falling out in the first place.
He was also a little glad for 007n7’s death. At least that meant he would never have to hear his name again.
Maybe he could finally move on.
Noli laughed bitterly at the thought. He knew he'd never be able to move on. Not from something so important.
007n7 would be with him forever.
Just like he wanted back then.