Archive of Our Own

It was quiet and it was careful. That was the impression Regect got as he stared up into relative darkness at Ze’s face. The dim slivers of light that stretched from the windowsill across Ze’s expression barely highlighted pinched brows, fiery eyes, and a clenched jaw. Regect lay there in wonder, attempting to decipher what was going on. 

Regect’s fingers twitched against the mattress minutely. He held his breath. The entity had climbed into bed after a successful evening of provoking his closest housemate to the point of near self-implosion. It didn’t always go like this, but Regect was proud to say he was on his a-game tonight. Sliding in a casual mention of Ze’s aggressive attitude didn’t hurt. Especially, when Regect had made the absolute masterful connection to Ze’s attachment to his guns. That had really pissed Ze off. Wow. Regect had to refocus back on the moment to calm himself.

He’d honestly been expecting some dramatic shootout, featuring himself as the target, but was pleasantly surprised when Ze had remained uncharacteristically quiet and allowed Regect to retire to his bedroom without conflict. Even more surprised when half an hour later, Ze had silently padded into Regect’s room with a soft pillow, climbed on top of Regect, and leaned over him, pressing the pillow into Regect’s mattress, and bore holes into his (theoretical) skull with his incessant staring. Regect waited patiently, and had been for the last forty minutes, but Ze remained silent. It was almost maddening.

Regect’s mind started to slip away. Ze’s breathing was patient and steady, like the restrained rhythm of a concert pianist who’d never truly loved their craft. Regect felt the puffs of air brushing against phantom nerves and each inhale pressed heat into his torso. Ze was heavy.

Regect’s tail was trapped beneath the distracting weight. He felt a river of static welling up through his limbs as Ze shifted on his waist, legs bracketing Regect’s own. It was an overwhelming combination of warmth and strain, a presence that made Regect desperate to squirm and kick away, and yet one that held him down regardless. Fuck, this was frustrating.

But he couldn’t let anything show. Not when he was at a disadvantage like this.

Yes, if he let out even a peep, Regect was certain it would break whatever trance Ze was in and then he’d never figure out what was going on. And he would lose the opportunity to get the upper hand.

Because as much as this… situation… was weirdly not as violent and upsetting as Regect had expected – and damn had Ze even blinked yet? – Regect’s pulse still thumped in anticipation. When would Ze snap? Oh, it had to be soon. Regect knew Ze and he knew that Ze had the patience of a dog at dinnertime. This weird… spell would be over and finally Regect could watch that dam burst. Regect couldn’t wait.

He almost jolted out of his own skin when he heard Ze let out a small huff. Yes, yes, yes yes yesyesyesyes YES it would happen any second now and Regect would watch as Ze lost it, he’d wait until he could bite back. And then Ze would get angrier and bite back just as hard. It was exciting enough just imagining it and–

Regect’s nerves stilled. Nothing.

Nothing… happened. Like, actually nothing.

Regect peered up at Ze’s stoic face, those dark eyes reflecting none of the light filtering in through the blinds. Ze had remained… composed?

Regect felt insane. Didn’t he know Ze? Didn’t he know what pissed him off and every iteration of pissed-off Ze that had ever existed? Regect might as well have kept a goddamn directory on the various kinds of pissed-off Zes in the world. Nothing was ever as passionate, nothing gave Regect more of a thrill.

But this was entirely new. Was Ze pissed at all? Maybe a little? Regect was at a loss, as his claws gripped against his sheets restlessly.

He wanted to make a sound. Yeah. Maybe if he startled Ze, he could get him back to his usual self. This was making Regect concerned. No, that was too…hm… no Regect definitely wasn’t worried. He was just uneasy. Ze was acting hella creepy.

He just had to make a noise. Anything to break Ze out of this mood. Regect swallowed. God, this was all Ze’s fault. He was totally throwing Regect off his game on purpose.

The mild but familiar buzz of agitation flared up slightly, but just as Regect made up his mind to stop pussying out and make a sound already, Ze’s arms gave out just slightly, causing him to collapse partially onto Regect’s chest.

Hoooooollly shit holy shit. Regect did not move a muscle. What the actual fuck?

That was it. This was a scheme Ze had planned out in silence to mentally torture Regect, all while Regect had been getting ready for bed and blissfully unaware. Because what else could explain his spiking heartrate? Ze’s calculated attack had probably triggered whatever Regect had left of a fight or flight response.

Regect’s gaze flicked between Ze’s painfully bent arms still clutching the pillow, the place where their chests now met, and Ze’s face. Always back to Ze’s face. Because… he never knew what Ze could be planning, so yeah, keeping an eye on Ze’s expression was just a smart precaution.

And so Regect studied that expression. Ze’s eyes were still locked on where Regect’s head was supposed to be, and he was sure they’d be making eye contact if Regect had any sort of physical set of eyes. But the planes framing Ze’s were, if Regect had to put it into words, tired. It made the entity falter. Ze looked… sick. Sick of everything. The only hint of the determination Regect knew him for was found in the begrudging set Ze had to his jaw. As if he had some kind of obligation in his actions.

Regect felt warm and cold and sour and perplexed. 

He wished Ze would do anything different; he even wished Ze would get up and leave the room. At the very least, it would save Regect from having to figure out this confusing display. And Regect didn’t want to have to do that.

With trembling arms, Ze seemed to slowly push himself back to his original position, propped above the pillow, holding Regect down by his patchwork midsection. Regect was rapt (with fear, probably) as he watched Ze blink, for what had to be the first time since he’d come into the room. Thank fuck he remembered how, Regect mentally chided. But he startled when Ze’s eyes reappeared.

Regect felt the urge to squirm again. There was something – tired, yeah, but there was more – and Regect could not place it. He didn’t think he had ever seen such a look in someone’s eyes, much less a look directed at him. It wasn’t softness, it wasn’t fondness, that would be way too corny.

It was… resignation, perhaps.

Regect considered that maybe that was far too simple of a word to describe the way Ze was looking at him. There was less tension in his brow, for one, but there was also a curious shine nested in his dark irises. Regect found himself enraptured by the way it trembled and flickered. It was unsteady, but it was alight with something akin to recognition.

Regect’s mind reeled. What did Ze see? What did he know? It was tempting to just blurt out his questions. Secrecy did not suit Ze, not when it was itching at Regect so furiously. It was unfair. He was so close and yet Regect could not read him.

Regect broke his own train of thought when he suddenly felt a rough warmth against his palm. Glancing down, he watched his own hand slide up the side of Ze’s leg as if possessed, to rest just above his knee. Fuck, no, stop that! Goddamn it.

But it was too late. Ze sat back, jostling Regect’s hand that had unwittingly betrayed him, and sighed out loud. Regect gulped.

“I should’ve known it wouldn’t work,” Ze broke the silence with his monotone. “You’re awake, right?”

Regect let out an embarrassingly muted hum, before clearing his throat awkwardly. “Uh, yep, yeah. You, uh, figured me out, haha.”

“Fuck,” Ze breathed, holding his head in one hand.

Regect stared. This was not the reaction he expected, once again. Why was Ze acting so out of character tonight?

“So, uh, what?” Ze gestured down at Regect. “Do you, just like, not have any head or what?”

“Not… really,” Regect managed. Ze had sat up more fully, causing his weight to press even harder into Regect’s stomach. He felt muscles clench and unclench at his sides. “I can see stuff, uh, and yeah. But no head.”

Ze scoffed. “Yeah, figures. God, this was pointless.”

Regect’s hands twitched nervously, trying to dispel any heat clinging to him. Why was Ze still watching him? It was starting to feel intrusive… devout? No, no. Persistent. “Well, uh, everything you do is pointless. I mean, most of the time. So,” he floundered, “not surprised. Um. Loser.”

Ze’s eyes narrowed. “Shut up.”

Regect’s pulse kicked back in. This was returning to familiar territory, thank god. “Ooh, let me think. How about… make me.”

Ze glared. “I was just trying to,” he seethed.

Just as quickly as it had picked up, Regect’s heart dropped. “What the fuck does that mean?”

“Why do you think I was in here, Regect?” Ze annunciated, each word holding deadly weight to it. “Did you think I just wanted to get a good look at you while you slept?”

Regect felt a wave of heat flood his body. Yes. “No!” he retorted. “No, that’d be, uh, stupid thinking. And I’m not stupid. I’m smart.”

“Sure,” Ze muttered. “That’s what you fixate on.”

“Huh?”

“Can it,” Ze growled, making Regect shrink into himself a little. “Just my luck that the bitch who grates on me to no end, pissing me off just to get a laugh, pushing my boundaries until they fucking shatter, cannot fucking suffocate.”

Regect’s brain struggled to catch up. “What?”

“Use your ears for once, dumbass,” Ze snapped.

“I– you–” Regect stuttered. And slowly, agonizingly, a rush of ecstatic mania flooded his brain. “I– I– YOU THOUGHT– HAH– you really–” Regect shook. “YOU WANTED ME DEAD THAT BADLY?!”

Ze continued to glower from where he’s perched on Regect’s torso, arms crossed. Meanwhile, Regect was quaking. He couldn’t believe it. Ze wanted him dead. Him! Dead! Gone forever, like Ze had the ability to make it happen, just because he wanted to. Regect could melt with the amount of electricity running through his bones.

To think that he had gotten under Ze’s skin like that. Ze had to be– he had to be obsessed or something! This was– this was better than Regect had expected. He almost wished for a faltering moment that he could die. He almost wished that Ze had succeeded in suffocating him, just for the relief of it all. Regect’s heart was too loud. Yes, what a treat it would be to see that kind of relief wash over Ze’s face, to smooth out all those ugly wrinkles he got from glaring too much. In this state, Regect would absolutely let himself be suffocated by Ze. So fucking cool!

Ze shifted against him. “Are you…” he started, raising an eyebrow. “Regect. You’re… twitching.”

Regect grinned and grinned. He felt something blooming in his chest. He gripped Ze’s back with his claws, digging into the firm flesh. “Ze, holy fuck. Holy fuck.”

“What…” Ze spoke, warily. “What’s wrong with you, dude? Can you ease up?”

Regect shuddered gleefully. It’s not like this was the first time Ze had threatened to kill him, far from it. But it was preemptive. It wasn’t impulsive. It was especially for Regect. He let out an obnoxiously loud giggle.

“Regect!” Ze was leaning down into Regect’s vision now. So close. “Fucking– stop it, dude! You’re – ugh – you’re scaring me, okay? Fucking SNAP OUT OF IT!”

And then Ze punched Regect square in the gut, as Regect wheezed, all but curling up around where Ze was settled. 

“Fuuuuuuckk,” Regect groaned. “God, you always ruin it.” But then again, Ze only punched him to help him refocus. Regect smiled slightly. Because Ze was scared.

“What in the actual fuck was that?” Ze demanded. He planted two hands on Regect’s shoulders and shoved him out of his attempted fetal position.

Regect grunted slightly. “I, uh,” he pondered. Shit, how was he supposed to approach this. The giddiness in his gut had dimmed, but had not let up. “I was laughing because you can’t kill me. Like physically you can’t and you never will be able to.”

Ze’s hard expression soured at that. “Fuck, I– man, why do you always have to be such an asshole about it?” Ze almost looked hurt. “So what if I can’t kill you?”

Regect strained to thrash his tail, but it was still pinned to the bed underneath himself and Ze. “...I wish… I.” Stupid fucking ego. “I want– No, it should– it should be your fault.”

“Excuse me? You little fucker!” Ze shouted. “I’m not even trying to start a fight here!”

“GOD, this is so dumb!” Regect couldn’t take it. “Ze I want you to kill me!”

Silence. Uncomfortable silence. Regect chanced a look at Ze’s face.

Bad mistake. Ze’s eyes were wide and his eyebrows were low. His mouth hung open at an odd angle. Quite frankly, he looked constipated, which was a horrible look for him. Regect’s stomach twinged.

“I… don’t think I heard that right,” Ze breathed.

Regect desperately wanted to steamroll himself. “I. Want.” He swallowed. “You. To kill me, Ze.”

Ze blinked. And blinked again. “Regect… are you saying…”

Regect flushed hotter.

“...Are you saying you don’t want to live?”

Wait, no that was wrong. “Ah, uh, no? NO. I’m not… like that? Ugh, ahhhhh, I just thought that, like, if I were to die, uh,” Regect stumbled. “If that were even possible, hah, cause you know, entity bullshit and whatever–”

“Spit it out, shithead,” Ze cursed, setting his jaw.

“UH, FINE I JUST THOUGHT IT’D BE AWESOME IF I DIED TO YOU,” Regect vomited out in one breath. Let Ze deal with that shit, not him.

Ze covered his lower face with one hand, wedging it below his nose and gripping his chin. “You are one fucked-up dude, you know that?” he murmured. Regect watched him with bated breath.

Ze was watching him too. His eyes were tracking every nervous twitch of Regect’s claws. His restless shifting against the mattress. Regect was a specimen being dissected by Ze’s critical gaze. It was terrifying and exposing and thrilling. Regect waited.

“As much as it weirds me out,” Ze began. “I understand that you– that you’re offering something.”

Regect inhaled.

“Do you…” Ze trailed off. “Do you know what you’re offering me?”

Regect halted sharply. He was… offering something, wasn’t he? But it wasn’t just another kill for Ze to collect like a trophy. That rubbed Regect the wrong way. He wouldn’t be lumped into a group like that. It was… personal? Yeah, it was definitely personal. Regect’s gut turned at the thought of anyone else being able to kill him. 

It was… having your life in someone else’s hands. Being at their mercy, but more than that, it was finally, finally, maybe having someone to sort of rely on. Regect wanted to explode at the thought. Pathetic. But looking at Ze, exciting. Kind of.

Who knew what Ze would do with Regect’s life? He could be super unpredictable sometimes. He was easy to trigger, easy to bother, easy to anger. By all standards, possibly the last person Regect, of all people, should be offering this to. But here he was, anyway. 

Because beneath it all, Ze was reliable. He was stable and – goddamnit, did he really have to say it? – strong. He was protective of Moe and of their house and he was loyal. Regect… Regect wanted that for himself. He wanted to believe that Ze would take care of his life the way he’d imagined.

Maybe he did know what he was offering, after all. All his missing limbs, blank holes that shouldn’t have been there, and all the ones that remained, however mangled and ugly they were. Regect was offering it all, even the lifespan that he did not possess. His throat felt tight.

Regect grimaced slightly. Was it too far? The look on Ze’s face told Regect what he already knew.

Regect’s quivering hands reached up and took a hold of Ze’s arms. He slid down the length of them and slowly began to tug at them. Ze watched with a somewhat sad expression.

Regect placed one hand below his blown-open chest cavity, nestled right in between torn tissue and phased-out bones. He tentatively placed the other hand over the edge of the metal collar around his neck, at the seam where a chin should have been. Could Ze feel it?

Ze did nothing to resist.

Slowly, hesitantly, Regect reached around Ze’s torso and grasped at his back. And then he pulled. He pulled Ze in as close to his chest as he could fit him. He felt Ze’s weight spread across his own body, like a heavy blanket, slotting into all his empty places. Regect burned with humiliation, but Ze seemed calm. God, he’d better not be messing with him. It was beginning to feel way too real.

As Ze’s head finally settled on Regect’s shoulder, he drew in a breath. He really hated this mysterious bit Ze had going on tonight. It was much easier when Ze was angry – everything he was thinking was displayed clearly in his scowl and the tension in his fists. 

Now, as their bodies settled together, fitting comfortably into each other’s gaps (a little too comfortably), Regect felt a little helpless. He clutched at the back of Ze’s shirt absently. Entirely at the mercy of Ze’s judgement. It was scary. Regect had never felt so monstrous.

There was a faint tickle at the edge of Regect’s spine. He stiffened as he felt Ze tracing the ripped seam of his flesh. It was awkward, jarring even, but… it didn’t have to stop, Regect decided. If he really wanted to die by Ze, he’d fake it ‘til he made it. 

There was a mumble pressed against his collarbone. “You really don’t have anything here, do you?” Ze thought out loud.

“You, uh, really didn’t know?” Regect blurted.

He felt rustling against him. “No,” Ze shook his head. “When I beat you up, I don’t go for the parts I can’t see.”

Regect huffed a weak laugh. He couldn’t decide if it was thoughtful or ignorant. But, considering it was Ze, it was probably just convenient. Regect eased, feeling Ze’s slow breathing under his palms. 

Ze suddenly turned slightly. “Did you… have anything before? Uh, I mean, where your head and leg and stuff should be,” he clarified. His voice was strangely meek.

Regect’s nerves buzzed beneath his skin. “Uh, I… don’t remember,” he answered. It was a lie. But not one he shared only with Ze. Something rotten and sharp lashed out in Regect’s chest. They could both believe it together. 

Ze hesitated for a moment, before nodding simply. “Bummer,” he muttered. Then, he practically nuzzled his face back into Regect’s shoulder.

Regect’s heart rate spiked again. Fucker. It shouldn’t count if he killed Regect with heart attacks.

“I like it when you shut up,” Ze mentioned, voice muffled by Regect’s body.

That… UGH that…. that total fucker. Regect would come up with a different word, but none really fit. “Well, I– I like it when you shut up,” Regect responded. “Your voice is annoying and I hate it,” he added impulsively, wincing a little.

“Yeah, okay,” Ze mused. “I like it when you don’t put up a fuss. Like now.”

Regect’s gut curled with heat. He wished Ze wouldn’t provoke him like that when he was clearly trying to have a moment. This jerk was making it really hard to be vulnerable.

Regect stayed quiet in protest. Anything he said could probably be used against him.

Until he felt Ze’s cheek press into him with a sly grin. Fuck, he’d just did exactly what Ze wanted. Regect growled with frustration. He wanted to fight back but then he wouldn’t be making good on his offer. There was still an anxious, excited flutter in his stomach that demanded to know how Ze felt about it. Did Ze even want to be responsible for Regect? Having any kind of power over Regect, even if it was merely a notion to something impossible, was basically as good as a blood pact, in Regect’s eyes. He would be unable to stray far from the one who held everything in his hands.

There was a soft nudge at Regect’s throat. He resisted the reflex to choke slightly.

“Oh, wow,” Ze hummed, mildly surprised. “Huh.”

“Wh–WHat are yOU–” Regect’s voice came out fractured and stunted. He felt like he had swallowed something way too large to go down.

“It’s kinda… humid in here,” Ze said, shuffling his fingers around the edge of Regect’s collar. The inside edge Regect realized, drawing in ragged breaths. “Do you leave the inside of your neck exposed like this all the time? Isn’t that dangerous?”

“Eugh– n-no,” Regect squeaked. “N-no– bodyfucking– gah– r-EACHes. In th-there! FrEAk!”

“Hm.” Asshole. Fucker. Regect’s chest suddenly lurched. There was a trickle of boiling hot something radiating from his nape.

“HHH whatthefuck,” Regect sputtered in one breath.

“There’s like, mist down there,” Ze supplied. “Weird.”

This was insane. Regect’s throat and chest were burning and tight and struggling for space. He would lunge at Ze if his limbs weren’t twitching jerkily at the sensation. 

“Get y– FINGERS– fuc– oUT!” Regect coughed out.

He felt the alien mass withdraw, as his body literally drooped, simmering in the leftover heat.

“What did that feel like?” Ze had the audacity to ask.

“BAD,” Regect roared. “Fucking shit, Ze, alright? What is wrong with you?”

“Geez, okay,” Ze sighed. He raised a brow curiously. “I didn’t realize touching that smoggy stuff would hurt so bad. I almost wonder what it would–” Ze cut himself off abruptly.

Regect paused to examine his face. Ze’s lower face was smothered in his hand, but his cheeks… was that– was that pink? Regect blinked and it was gone.

“I, uh, I have a question,” Ze stated, removing his hand from his chin.

“Ugh, ask it then,” Regect scoffed, pressing his claws against Ze’s back lightly. It had a weird grounding effect.

“Do you– so, you have no mouth,” Ze started. “How… do you taste stuff?”

“I, um, have phantom pain?” Regect offered.

“Actually?” Ze deadpanned, pressing back against Regect’s nails slightly as he took a better look at Regect.

“It’s just, hm, hard to explain,” Regect continued. “There’s nothing there, but like, the sensation stayed. Like how I don’t have eyes but I can see stuff.”

Ze nodded. “Could you taste my fingers, then?”

“THE FU– EXCUSE ME??” Regect sputtered. “NO?? I’d have to fucking, I don’t know, eat them?? Dumbass!” His chest burned alongside the pace of his pulse.

“Really?” Ze watched Regect squirm with a terrifyingly serious gaze.

“Ze, if I stuck my fingers in your neck, would you be able to taste them?!” Regect countered.

Ze’s stare faltered and he looked away. “I, uh,” he muttered, “see your point.” He breathed a huff of air out his nose.

“Yeah, good,” Regect responded. But his stomach was unsettled and flipping around anxiously. He realized he was gripping Ze’s sides a little too tightly. He reluctantly released them, but Ze had already slid back down from his propped up position.

“You’re weird, man,” Regect said, remembering the flush he must’ve hallucinated on Ze’s face. “Why are you so curious about my insides?”

Ze stiffened. “You–you’re–” he stuttered. “You’re, uh, really gross. That’s all.”

“That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

Regect fiddled with the edge of Ze’s shirt, the shirt of the asshole currently draped over him who also just called him gross. “Does that mean… you don’t…”

“Huh?” Ze called.

“Does that mean you don’t want m–” Me. “Uh, my… offer?” Smooth recovery. Regect mentally patted himself on the back.

“Your… offer,” Ze considered.

Regect held his breath. Fuck, did he actually care what Ze thought? About… all of… him?

Yeah, he kinda did.

“Even though I can’t actually kill you?” Ze asked, softly. Regect felt a hand smoothing down his spine and suppressed a shudder.

“Maybe you aren’t trying hard enough,” he uttered. Regect, in turn, wrapped an arm further around Ze’s shoulders. 

“Okay, idiot. And I take it you’re putting your all into trying to kill me?” Ze whispered. There was now a second hand, drawing small circles into the back of Regect’s neck. Ze was raising the stakes too fast.

“Yeah, s–” Regect swallowed, freeing his tail just enough to lay across Ze’s leg. “Ssskill issue.”

“Yours or mine?” Ze retorted smugly.

Regect would have responded, but he was too busy focusing on the way Ze’s forearm curved perfectly below his gaping chest cavity. Some corny analogy attempted to worm its way into his mind, something to do with puzzle pieces. Embarrassing.

Silence descended once again, as Regect left Ze’s question unanswered. After all, he was leaving Regect’s unanswered, too.

Regect was reminded of the beginning of their encounter. They sat in the heavy quiet, refusing to address the muted tension, just like before. Regect didn’t know what to do besides wait, following the movements of Ze’s thumb as it brushed below his shoulder blade. 

Ze suddenly hummed. “I guess.”

Regect froze in confusion. “You guess what?” he questioned, agitation lacing his tone.

“Dude, your… question,” Ze emphasized. “Sure, yes. I’ll do my best to kill you, I guess. Is that what you wanted?”

Regect lay there for a moment, stunned. He hadn’t expected Ze to seriously consider it.

At Regect’s non-answer, Ze continued with a sigh. “And… I’ll, uh, make sure no one else beats me to it. Since it’s so important to you.”

Regect’s heart picked up and he felt the need to squeeze the life out of Ze then and there. He was thrumming with it. Ze, Ze, Ze. Why did he have to pose such a risk to Regect’s theoretical cardiovascular health? Regect needed to die or kill Ze this instant.

But he didn’t. Ze just settled back down and didn’t say another word and Regect let him, clinging to him tighter. Shit.

“You know, I, uh,” Regect stammered.

“Hm?” Ze mumbled without looking up.

“I would do the same,” Regect finished. “I mean, uh, I will. Keep anything from, uh, killing you. So you can focus on killing me instead.”

Ze snorted. “How sweet.”

Regect flushed with heat. Sweet? Uh, wait. No, that was weird. Gross. And if it was sweet, it’d probably be the sickly kind that was overprocessed and loaded with so much sugar it’d cause a stomach ache afterwards. 

Ze’s hand had finally stopped its ministrations and firmly wrapped behind Regect’s neck. It felt… heavy and secure. Maybe even possessive. But Regect reminded himself that he technically had just handed over everything he was (and wasn’t) to Ze. Yeah, he had. Oh god.

Overcome with sudden giddiness, Regect couldn’t stop himself from curling around Ze further. Who fucking cared if it was gross? Ze chose this, so he’d deal with it. Regect nearly laughed with relief. The choice was out of his hands! There was a kind of freedom in that and a kind of acceptance. 

Ze had agreed, Ze was on board with… whatever this was. Ze had acknowledged Regect’s offer. Regect was special. To Ze. It was… astounding. Even though Regect was bad at his job and loved to provoke him, Ze would keep talking to him. Even though he was missing body parts, Ze’s arm would still slot perfectly into the gap in his abdomen. And if Ze didn’t mind, then it wasn’t worth thinking too hard about.

“Stop ffffucking wiggling,” Ze grumbled. “Or I’ll leave.”

Regect was ashamed at how quickly he stilled his thumping tail and relaxed his grip on Ze. But something still kept the spark alight in his chest. Ze’s default used to be leaving, but now it was the exception? Regect’s fingers twitched one last time. 

He’d keep his promise to Ze to protect him. Regect stared at the top of Ze’s head. And Ze would keep his promise to Regect.