Chapter Text
Z doesn’t know what the hell just happened.. one moment he was in a black void with two creepy eyes staring at him ..the next he’s back at home, his body moving on instinct ..rushing towards the kitchen, eating Regects disgusting fruitcake while he curls himself up into a corner.
Everything is too loud ..that laughter especially- it just won’t shut up- the sound of his heart racing only seems to make the sound worse, makes it hard for him to breathe-
Z knows he probably looks pathetic right now.. thank God Regect isn’t here to see him like this ..he could already hear the way the entity would laugh at him …make fun of him-
His head can’t stop replaying the events of what just happened.. the cave, the bedrock …that weird house, those eyes… the thought of them snaps Z back into focus, his face feels wet.. no, it’s soaked- I’m crying- he realizes ..his tears rushing down his face similar to a waterfall- but he’s barely able to focus on that thought, the laugher is still too loud …mocking him-
He’s barely able to register the sound of the door opening ..the sound too faint to his pounding ears- he blinks and suddenly Regect is in front of him- the laughter abruptly stopping at the sight-
“Hey- where is my fruit-“ Z could hear how the entity started to complain before his words cut themselves off as Regect turns to face him ..at least he thinks he does- ..it’s kinda hard to see with the water blurring his vision- “Zee-?”
Z’s first reaction was to wipe his face off ..to tell the entity off before it could question him- but as soon as his mouth opened, everything went quiet-
“Regect..?” Z heard himself say ..why did he say that?? He didn’t want to say anything to the entity- he can feel how his body shifts slightly too ..he feels lighter, he can feel how his heart rate starts to slow as ..something that isn’t him, moves his body- then everything goes black-
“Zee?? Hey.. why are you …crying-?” Regect only questions the man again when he doesn’t immediately answer him.. something feels …off though- he’s not sure what- but just a moment ago the man’s eyes were filled with a mixture of terror and panic ..but now? All that fear is gone ..eyes locking onto where his head is supposed to be ..the one golden eye that floats there filling with concern despite him and Z’s ..issues with each other- He’s half tempted to reach over and shake the man to get him out of whatever daze he’s in …but before he’s able to, Z speaks.
“I’m not.. oh-“ Z mutters out ..his voice unusually soft, a tone Regect has never heard the man use before- speaking as if he were unused to it, testing the waters.. Z’s hand comes up to wipe his eyes, staring at it for a moment before his gaze finally snaps back up towards Regect ..and he smiles- yeah.. something’s definitely wrong here- “Huh, that’s strange-“
“What the hell dude-??” Regect is only able to blurt out as he stares at Z with a mixture of concern and confusion.. “Did.. did you hit your head or something- why are you acting like that?”
Z continues to stare at the entity in a way he has never stared at it before ..head slightly tilted, eyes still slightly wet from the tears he just wiped away, but gaze beaming with excitement-
Regect can see how the man opens his mouth to say something again, but before he’s able to, the entity reaches out, grabbing Z by the shoulder (which surprisingly doesn’t come with any protest from the man-) and gently forces him up into a standing position, “Fuck- you definitely have a concussion man- what the hell were you doing??” Z doesn’t say anything ..not even in response to practically getting picked up- just blinking at Regect with those owlish eyes..
He finally did it..
…
It’s been so long sense he’s seen Regect..
But he’s here now.. he’s back with his ghost friend.. and he actually waited for him-!
Sure.. it was kinda rude that he stole Regects ..friend? They act more like enemies body to do it… but Micha is back-! He’s alive.. somewhat at least..
He doesn’t understand what happened to him, all he remembers is those loud scary alarms before he passed out ..code blue- whatever that meant- but that doesn’t matter now- Regect was waiting for him ..and now they’re together again!
Micha just hopes Regect doesn’t try to fight with him like he usually does with Z..
He blinks again and suddenly he’s on a couch- Regect hovering over him ..or technically Z- he’s better than Z.. he doesn’t try to pick fights with Regect, or yell at him for no reason- but Micha tries not to think about that right now ..quickly distracting himself with that look on his friends face(?) he looks worried.. which is dumb- there’s nothing to be worried about-
“Regect- ..I’m fine-!”
“No you’re not Zee- you were looking like you went through hell and back a second ago- but now you’re ‘fine’? I don’t buy it.” Regect rants out, hands feeling over the man’s head ..trying to find any trace of what is causing Z’s new ..attitude- hell- Z isn’t even making an ounce of a protest at his touch- “You’re acting strange dude..”
Micha doesn’t say anything for a moment ..it’s true- he did scare Z really bad- …to be fair he didn’t realize he looked so scary- and that’s not his fault- ..he doesn’t feel guilty about it though- “Uh.. It’s because your fruitcake tasted kinda bad-“ he just mumbles out after another moment of silence ..it wasn’t a full lie- he tasted the cake when Z ate it too and… yeah- Regect really shouldn’t be a baker-
“What?? You actually-“ Regect starts to complain loudly before he cuts himself off ..he was supposed to check on Z ..make sure he’s not concussed- not yell at him… though the urge is still there- “You don’t even like fruitcake… why’d you eat it?”
Silence follows again, Micha both too distracted by looking over that familiar form and not wanting to make up another excuse- Regect doesn’t look diffrent at all from when he last saw him.. not that he’s sure the ghost really could change much.. that golden chain is still on the ghosts ankle, it appeared the same day Micha left ..he meant to ask Regect what it was for- but he never got the chance..
“You.. don’t look different at all-“
…
“Okay.. I’m taking you to the hospital-“
That only makes Micha huff in frustration.. why was Regect so worried- he’s not supposed to like Z.. he’s not supposed to worry about him- he’s seen how the two act around each other… so why is Regect acting like this-?
Regect was about to pull away, maybe to check someplace else on his body ..maybe to do something else- but he doesn’t care- he doesn’t want to go to the hospital again …not after last time- Micha’s- or Z’s.. hand darting up to catch Regect’s wrist before it’s able to get too far, “Stop.”
“…Stop?” Regects voice comes out confused.. that concern only seeming to grow, which Micha both hates and misses-
“Stop worrying about him. Worry about me-“
“What..” the concern grows, Micha didn’t mean to sound so harsh.. he’s not used to having Z’s voice..
“I’m not him..” Regect only lets out a confused sound in response to Z’s words ..which the man seems to ignore, the grip on his wrist growing tighter ..obviously not intending on letting go-
“Dude.. Zee- I’m seriously getting concerned-“
“I’m not him!” Z cuts him off with a harsh snap in his voice ..Regect couldn’t figure out what that tone was ..but it kind of sounded like jealousy- he’s getting a closer look at Z’s eyes now too ..not able to pull away from the man’s grip so it’s not like he could look anyplace else- ..but they’re different than usual- Z’s eyes are normally a very dark shade of brown …Regect first thought they were fully black when he first met the man ..but now? They’re not brown.. it’s hard to tell at first, but they’re now a dark shade of purple..
“It’s me..”