Chapter Text
The Knight exited the Colosseum full of cheering bugs. The Trial of the Warrior had now been conquered, but the only thing swirling in their mind was Zote. The little bug could barely pick up all of the won geo scattered on the rough floor, and now had to hobble themself into the warriors' pit. Their short legs stumbled to the nearest unoccupied bench. Thoughts of rest were infested with Zote's embarrassing beat down. They only felt more and more guilty as they recalled the mighty's panicked body flying through the air. They lowered their head into their hands, and tried to rest their whirling mind.
The little warrior didn't know how much time had passed, or if any had passed at all, when he heard a sound standing out from the bustling warriors surrounding him. A small sob, hardly audible, weaved its way from a seemingly empty corner. The knight could barely make out the quivering ball of cape tucked away alongside crates of rations and bent up nails. The crying hushed as equally quiet footsteps echoed within the tight corner.
"Go away, or face the wrath of Life Ender," a muffled voice choked out.
A foot emerged from the cape, and inched a wooden sword to it. The ghostly silence lured out a pair of cautious hollow eyes. It only took a glance for him to retreat back into hiding.
"Why are you here?" Zote's gruff voice spat out. "Adding insult to injury, or will you just sit and stare like a maggot?"
The knight crouched down in front of the hiding bug. Their hollow eyes seemed emotionless and yet so alive. They reached out and pulled a piece of tattered cape away; scanning the other bugs' face. His shell hid swelled, red eyes, that were soft compared to their usual scowl. He quickly yanked the cape back down, and swallowed the swelling lump forming in his throat.
Zote could barely make out the little bug's face through a coat of tears. He could feel his heart beat, and a piercing swell grew in his throat. The whole thing was humiliating, and the last bug he wanted to see him like this was the same one sitting just a foot away.
"Can you hear me lowly worm?" He felt the lump inch higher, "I am Zote the mi-" He exploded into a sea of sobs he tried so hard to keep down.
He pulled the cloak down and over his face to muffle his pathetic whines. The Knight kept their stoic expression locked on Zote, and reached out for his tense shoulder. Zote flinched on contact; letting go of his cape, and hiding his face in profile. He choked out inaudible insults being drowned in tears. The Knight lifted a hesitant hand up to Zote's tear-streaked face. He tried to shove the smaller bug off him in protest but they turned his head toward their own. Zote continued to croak out curses, ones he couldn't tell were for the little bug or himself.
"Pfah, you're so useless," he bawled, squeezing his eyes shut and gripping his horns.
Zote sunk into the Knights hands, and pulled his knees as close to his chest as he could. The small bug was pulled in, and lay inches from Zote's forehead. They clunked their hollow mask against Zote's, but this time he didn't flinch. He leaned into their forehead; tears were still streaming, but he could breathe again. The Knight pushed Zote's legs to the side, and wrapped their arms around his waist.
"What are you - hic - doing?" Zote demanded, wiping away the constant flow of tears.
But, the little bug just squeezed tighter. Zote, hesitantly, wrapped his arms fully around them. He worried about other bugs seeing him, but the two were hidden under crates and unlit candles. Zote returned his attention to the kind Knight; he could feel their steady breathing and soft patting heart. He slumped his head over theirs, and questioned what they were thinking about.
"Hey wor- erm... Little bug?" He drifted his eyes down to the Knights perfect horns.
The little bug only took in rhythmic breaths, and kept slumped on Zote. He debated waking them up, but his eyes drifted to the many deep scratches all over their body and kept quiet. The stream of tears was now dry, and he could feel his eyes begin to flutter. The pull of sleep embraced him quietly, he didn't wake up from nightmares, or sit and question his choices for hours, he didn't even feel sleep's gentle hands reach out for him only to never embrace it, he slept.