Archive of Our Own

“NO YOU’RE TRASH!” Regect screamed into his mic. “ISN’T IT YOUR BEDTIME? YOU SOUND LEGIT 8 YEARS OLD DUDE.”

He snarled as the player on the other team clumsily threw a grenade at his character and missed. Stupid fuckin’ kid. Little did he know Regect was the melee boss of this arena. Regect maneuvered his character forward and furiously spammed the punch button on his keyboard. The kid’s character exploded in confetti as he rammed his shotgun against it.

“Yeah, yeah, that’s what you fuckin’ get,” Regect muttered to himself, moving up to a vantage point on a hill. “Where’d that other little twerp go…”

HONK.

Regect jumped in his chair. It caused his character to accidentally fire a shot at one of his teammates. Shit, what did Moe need?

Honk, honk ho-honk!

“Oh man, you’re right! Sorry Moe, I completely forgot,” Regect apologized. He was supposed to be preheating the oven for dinner.

Honk, Moe responded, unbothered. Honki-honk honk!

“Yeah, me too,” Regect nodded. “I think it’ll be real good.” He clicked out of the game with a small huff of disappointment. He’d been so close to getting the highest KD ratio of the round… but dinner was more important or whatever.

Regect followed Moe’s bouncy steps to the kitchen as she settled on a stool by the counter, folding one leg beneath her. She fiddled with a strand of pigtail between her fingers. Honk? she inquired.

“Ze? Dunno,” Regect mused. “Should be back soon, though. Can’t cook dinner without him.” 

Ze had gone out hunting earlier that afternoon saying he’d bring home something to eat. Whatever that was, Regect could hardly guess. Ze was always bringing home weird shit. Last week, he’d gone out and dropped some strange deer with way too many eyes on their living room floor. Regect shrugged at the memory. At least it had tasted good. And Ze had been proud of his catch. Regect smiled briefly before shaking himself, warding off the warmth in his chest. That had been the day after… the very important night.

Regect had been antsy and jumpy the whole week afterwards and only just began to feel like normal. And that was because… well, it was because Ze didn’t really change much. In fact, he acted frustratingly the same as he always did. Aside from lugging big game home every few nights, Regect supposed. But that wasn’t necessarily related. It was the realization that Ze wasn’t making a big fuss of it that made Regect chill out.

If he didn’t, then Ze would probably point it out anyway and he didn’t want to lose aura like that.

So, Regect willed his heart to stop pounding as he let the oven start preheating, turning to Moe. “Sooooooo, uh,” Regect began. “Wanna do anything while we wait?”

Moe propped her chin on one hand and honked thoughtfully.

“Board game?” Regect asked. “You, uh, sure?”

Moe nodded, suddenly excited and honked as she ran into the living room. Regect trailed after her, stopping when she turned around, a box clutched in her hands.

“...Chess?” Regect confirmed, a little puzzled. He had expected something fun, like, uh, Shoots and Ladders maybe?

Ho-honk honk! Honk honk. Moe returned, already opening the box and setting up on the carpeted floor.

“I didn’t know you had a chess dot com account,” Regect admitted. “That’s actually pretty cool, Moe.”

Honk honk! Moe cheered, patting the floor at Regect expectantly.

“Alright, alright, yeah I’ll play with you,” Regect relented, playfully. He lowered himself to sit as cross-legged as he could with a little over one leg. “Oh, uh, you want me to go first?”

The white pieces faced Regect. Moe nodded vigorously with a mischievous little smile. Yeah, she’d definitely learned a new trick and Regect was her test subject.

Regect studied the board with a hand posed in front of where he didn’t have a chin.

Honk… Moe drawled.

“I know nobody’s moved yet!” Regect stressed. “I just need to think about my, uh, my opening.”

Honk honk ho-honk! Moe shouted indignantly.

“Ur– Fine! Fine, there!” Regect moved a random pawn forward two spaces.

Honk, Moe remarked, unimpressed.

“You don’t know that!” Regect defended himself. “It’s a cool opening you’ve probably never seen before,” he sniffed, puffing out his chest and crossing his arms.

Moe responded by moving one of her own pawns and glancing at Regect with raised eyebrows.

“Shouldn’t have done that…” Regect bluffed, bringing a knight out. He hoped Moe’s thoughtful look was because he’d made a good move.

Honk honk, Moe stated. Her knight also moved out onto the board.

“And that’s where you’ve made your big mistake, Moe,” Regect boasted, moving a pawn forward to threaten the knight. 

Honk honk honk! Moe grinned with crescent eyes.

“Wha–” Regect started, taken aback, but suddenly his pawn was by itself and his knight was being pressured.

It only took eight more turns for Moe to checkmate him.

Honk! Honk honk! Moe cheered in triumph.

“How… How did you do that?” Regect muttered, peering at the board. Most of his pieces were still in their starting positions, surely there was something he could do. But the black and white shapes blurred together and danced before his eyes. Chess didn’t make sense. Video games were way easier.

Moe pointed at a few pieces in succession. Honk, honk, honk-honk honk, she explained.

Regect nodded. “Uh, okay, yeah I kind of get it.” He sighed. His stomach rumbled.

Moe sat back, clearing the board and replacing the pieces.

“Don’t you think Ze should be back soon?” Regect wondered out loud.

Moe nodded, glancing out the dark window. Honk… she replied, apprehensively.

Regect scratched at the carpet slightly with his claws. Since Ze had started this strange routine last week, bringing home the largest and most disturbing creatures Regect had ever seen come out of the woods, he’d at least been timely about it. Ze always returned just as the sun was setting, if not a few minutes later. But it was completely dark out there. The clouds even covered the stars, making the sky look like a foggy, black blanket.

Regect’s tail curled around his leg with worry. Ze was taking too long. Anything could be happening and Regect was just sitting around with an empty oven running in the other room. What if Ze had gotten lost? Regect stiffened. No, that couldn’t happen again.

Regect felt anxiety burning a hole in what remained of his chest. He glared out the window attempting to bring out any Ze-shaped silhouette from the patchy dusk. The darkness fucking sucked. He’d be able to see better if he went out and looked for Ze himself.

Honk. A soft questioning noise came from Moe and interrupted Regect’s thoughts. He realized he was standing.

“Moe…” Regect began, shifting to leave the room. “I’m gonna… I’m just gonna go check outside.”

…Honk, Moe answered, bringing her legs up under herself and watching Regect carefully.

Regect quietly made his way to the door. He’d circle the house first and then go into the woods. Ze couldn’t be that far. Regect’s fingers twitched. But maybe he was.

Urgency flooded his mind as he crossed the last few paces to the front door, grasping the handle. Regect yanked the door open to a cold draught of night air. The longer he waited, the longer Ze would be–

“FUCK!” Regect reeled backwards.

Ze stood on the other side of the threshold, hunched figure framed in the doorway and illuminated harshly by the lights from inside. Regect’s vision refocused.

“What the FUCK have you been doing??” Regect screamed, heart racing. “Why are you standing there like a fucking creep?!”

Ze’s expression was hard and drained of energy. Regect swallowed as Ze’s eyes slowly swept upwards to meet Regect’s gaze. That’s when Regect noticed it.

Clenched in Ze’s grip was an ankle. A thick ankle that was connected to a leg that stretched out into the darkness behind Ze. The leg was hefted over Ze’s shoulder and very obviously belonged to an animal at least twice his size. Regect felt his throat go dry.

“Dinner’s here,” Ze finally spoke up, his tone holding tension weakly disguised as sarcasm. He looked incredibly tired.

Regect could only watch with rapt attention as Ze stepped unceremoniously to the side, revealing the heaping body he’d been dragging with him. Oily dark fur and feathers tangled together and stuck up at odd angles. Regect’s breath was coming short. Bullet holes littered the body of this beast, more than any of Ze’s previous catches had ever had. It looked almost like a bear but… off. 

“Ze…” Regect found his voice. “Where did you… find this?” 

Ze stared at the beast with a blank gaze and shrugged. “Bastard attacked me while I was hunting. I, uh, figured we might be able to cook it instead.”

“Ze,” Regect called sternly. Ze’s face turned to look at him with a challenging spark in his eyes. Regect stumbled to collect his thoughts. “Ze, you could’ve, I don’t know, hurt yourself? Real badly. This thing is huge! Like, way too huge.”

Ze frowned slightly. “You don’t like it?”

“Wha– huh??” Regect faltered. Like it? He stared at Ze incredulously, stomach starting to do strange little somersaults. Did Ze– No. No, Ze brought this creature home for dinner, not for him. Although, it was considerate of him to ask.

Ze had tilted his head, waiting on an answer.

Regect shook himself. “Ze, you know I’ll eat pretty much anything, dude.”

Ze’s eyebrows pinched together a little, but he nodded slowly. “Mhm,” he muttered. “Okay, well I’m gonna bring this inside then.” Ze adjusted himself and started to heave the body forward.

Regect lurched as he zeroed in on the fresh limp in Ze’s gait. “ZE YOU FUCKI– Ze you’re fucking hurt, you idiot!’’ Regect fussed. “And how are you gonna fit a huge-ass, giant-ass bear through the door like that?”

“Make the doorway bigger,” Ze mumbled, without stopping.

Regect could feel his brain boiling. “Fuck you, you’re too fucking stubborn!” he fumed. With an aggravated flick of his tail, both Ze and the bear monster appeared in the house leaving the door unharmed. Ze blinked stupidly. Because he was stupid.

“You know, sometimes I forget you can even do that,” Ze stated, shucking the beast’s leg off his shoulder and dusting his hands. Regect noticed the wince, though. 

Ze had gotten himself hurt somehow and it made Regect angry. How hard was it to avoid stuff that would injure you? Maybe if Ze stopped going after weird-ass creatures and started hunting normal animals, like deer or rabbit. Regect scoffed. Probably an ego thing, or maybe Ze had something to prove. As if he wasn’t already strong enough. 

“What’s wrong?” Ze asked, now gazing at Regect with concern that was hella misdirected in Regect’s opinion. Regardless, Regect frustratingly felt himself soften.

Frustration was definitely still winning, though, so all Regect could do was compromise, replying, “Go clean up while I skin this. You stink.”

Ze wrinkled his nose. “Shut up.” But he complied and limped away to the bathroom.

Regect rolled his shoulders. With precise cuts and speed that could only come with being the type of thing that Regect was, the beast was skinned and quartered in just a few minutes.

Regect walked into the kitchen, where he heard Moe honking, and dumped most of the meat chunks into the freezer. “Here ya go, Moe,” he announced, setting the remaining cut on the counter.

Moe turned to look and jumped off her stool, rushing over and honking excitedly to herself. She’d wanted a turn cooking tonight since Ze usually did.

Said man was leaning against the countertop with an elbow propped up and slightly damp hair from the shower, already watching Regect by the time he noticed him. Regect’s chest felt warm. What was that dumbass thinking about? And could he do it without looking at Regect?

It’s not that he… hated it, though.

“Enjoying the view?” Regect spat out, needing to do something to regulate himself.

Ze’s expression froze and he glared at Regect. “Was. ‘Til your fatass walked in.”

“Yeah, right, bitch,” Regect scoffed. “My body is tea and we both know it.”

“Ew,” Ze cringed. “Don’t fucking say that, dude, where’d you even learn that?”

Regect hummed, glad to see Ze annoyed. “Oh, just somewhere called Nunya.”

“Nunya?” Ze asked. Then his expression flattened. “Oh fuck no, that’s so stupid.”

“Nunya BUSINESS,” Regect boomed. “Fuckin’ suck on that, sucker.”

“That wasn’t good,” Ze grumbled, holding his head with a hand.

Honk, Moe supplied, shaking her head while working on garnishing her dish.

“Whatever,” Regect sighed, weird heat finally dying down. “L plus ratio plus get got plus I have a fat ass and you don’t.”

Ze shot up straight in his stool with a mortified expression. Regect startled. Oh, his face was pink.

“I did not fucking call your ass fat,” Ze seethed, pointing a finger at Regect. “I called you a fatass, there’s a difference.”

To hell with everything, the weird heat was here to stay, curling giddily at the sight of a flustered Ze. He wanted him mad, Regect decided with smug interest.

“Is there?” Regect wondered, bringing a finger to where his chin might’ve been. “Sounds like you just wanna call my ass fat.”

“No!” Ze barked, reddening and tensing. “You’re as skinny as a fucking stick, dude.”

“So I’m not a fatass,” Regect concluded, watching Ze squirm.

“That’s not what I meant–”

“And I’m snatched, is what you’re saying,” Regect followed, with an overconfident tone he knew drove Ze insane.

“THAT’S NOT WHAT–” Ze took a deep breath, burying his face in his hands. “Never fucking mind. You’re actually impossible.”

“Sounds like I win,” Regect chirped, circling around to sit next to Ze.

Ze shoved him off the stool before he could even make contact with it, face still covered.

“Hey, what the hell?” Regect protested, scrambling to get back on the stool. Ze resorted to physical violence when he was losing an argument, though, so Regect counted himself a few extra points.

“You deserved it,” Ze retorted without looking up.

“No, I–” Regect got cut off by Ze’s hand shoving him away from the stool again. “Dude can you–” 

Another swipe. 

“Can you–” 

Ze swatted at Regect blindly. 

“Sto–Stop that, wh–” 

Regect felt Ze whack his arm. 

“I’m jus–” 

Thwack. 

“I’m tryi–” 

Thwack. 

“You know what, fuck y–” 

Thwack. 

Regect recoiled from trying to sit down, watching Ze swing his arm around in the air without lifting his face from his hand. “Zeeeeeee,” he groaned. “Let me sit down, Ze, you asshole.”

Ze finally looked up at Regect, shaking his head with a sharp movement. “I don’t sit next to dense, idiot losers.”

Regect was shaken out of the high he had been getting from embarrassing Ze. That… was just uncalled for. “I’m not dense,” he managed, lashing his tail about.

Ze actually snorted at that. That was probably the first time Ze had smiled since coming home, not like Regect was keeping track.

“What?” Regect snapped, refocusing on the conversation. “I’m– I’m not.”

“Yeah you are,” Ze replied, still smiling a little. “You don’t really pick up on things, like, uh,” Ze contemplated. “I don’t know, someone trying to suffocate you?”

Regect flustered at the memory. Ze shouldn’t be bringing that up now. Especially with what… happened. “That was actually your fault,” Regect tried to recover. “You seriously didn’t know I didn’t have a head? Who’s fucking dense, now?”

“Yeah, well, you’re dense about more things than me!” Ze shot back.

“Fuckin’ what things??” Regect demanded.

HONK!

Regect froze and shriveled into himself with shame. “Sorry, Moe,” he murmured.

“Oh man, yeah, our bad,” Ze apologized immediately. “I know you don’t really like too much noise.”

Honk, honk honk, Moe replied, stationed by the oven door. It seemed like dinner had already started cooking.

“Yeah, yeah, of course,” Ze nodded. “We’ll, uh, save it for later.” Ze levelled Regect with a pointed look.

“Yeah, totally,” Regect agreed. He was still a little bothered about what Ze had said, but Moe was right.

So, reluctantly, Regect spent the next forty minutes resisting the urge to instigate anything with Ze and resigned himself to strained (but most importantly, quiet) conversation. Moe joined in every once in a while with amused honks in between checking on her dish. But eventually, she pulled it out with a proud grin, depositing it in the middle of the counter.

“Oh, that smells so good,” Ze commented, getting up from his stool to start carving the roast.

Regect sniffed the air. The aroma of all the oils and spices that Moe had prepared the meat with wafted towards him invitingly. However, there was an almost off-putting undertone of… something sour? Bitter? Regect tried to concentrate and pick it out, but it once again got covered up by the other scents. Maybe he was smelling something else, like the trash.

Regect watched Ze cut a piece for Moe, as she pointed to indicate how much she wanted. He handed it over and Moe grabbed it, shuffling around in a drawer for utensils. 

Regect swished his tail lazily. Ze had thrown on a tank top after his shower, a huge contrast from the baggy jacket he usually goes for during the day. Regect could see a few freckles here and there dotting Ze’s arms as Ze sawed through the next slice. They were nice, he supposed. Regect wished he had more texture like that, something other than the smokey, black abyss that coated him like fur. 

Skin was interesting to Regect. It was so smooth and squishy and… weird. It felt like it should pop with just the slightest press of a claw, but Regect knew it wouldn’t. It was apparent in the way Regect could track the flexing and tugging of Ze’s muscles in his arms by the shadows rippling through his skin.

“Regect.”

Regect looked up, startled. “Wha– What do you want?”

Ze was examining him with his brows pinched together. “I asked how much you want,” he said after a moment.

Regect took a breath and peered at the roast. “Uhhh,” he mumbled. “Maybe, like, this much?” Regect gestured above the meat with a claw.

Ze set the hand that was holding the carving knife against the counter. “Are you sure? That’s not really… a lot of food.”

Regect paused to glance at Ze’s face again. He was still wearing that scrutinizing expression. Regect suddenly felt restless. “Uh, well, I’m just not that hungry,” Regect answered. The odd bitter smell returned and Regect tensed uncomfortably.

Ze was silent for a second, but shrugged. “If you say so.”

Moe was already halfway through her slice by the time Ze had served himself. Regect had only taken two bites of the food.

There was definitely something off with this dish. It wasn’t Moe’s cooking that was the issue, but something in the meat itself. The bitterness flooded Regect’s senses, leaving his throat tight and his stomach uneasy.

Regect looked up at Ze and Moe chewing away. “I, uh, I think I’m full,” he spoke up, breaking the silence.

Ze put his fork down and straightened up. “Really?” he asked, eyeing Regect’s plate.

“Uh huh, yeah, it just didn’t…” Regect trailed off. “There was something up with the taste, I think.”

Honk…? Moe asked, concern in her face.

“No, no, I don’t think it was you,” Regect explained. “It’s definitely the… animal,” he finished, skeptically. Was that beast still technically an animal?

“So, the meat wasn’t good?” Ze confirmed, leaning back in his seat, ignoring his own meal.

“Nah, it was messing with me,” Regect supplied. “Like, weirdly bitter and shit.”

Ze nodded slowly. “Okay, I’ll keep that in mind.” He grabbed his fork again and started shoveling food into his face. Weirdo.

Wait. As Regect brought his plate to the sink to clean it, he whipped around to face Ze again. “Wait, what do you mean ‘keep it in mind’?” he questioned. “You can’t even taste it.”

“No,” Ze remarked around a large mouthful. Stabbing the last piece with his fork, he continued, “But tomorrow I’ll go catch something better for you.”

Regect’s stomach fluttered a little pathetically. Anxiety, probably. “You, uh, what?” he responded, eloquently. For… him? Uh, no, wait, the more important thing was that Ze still had a limp that put him at risk.

“You need your ears checked, dumbass?” Ze quipped, shoving his final bite into his mouth.

“No ears…” Regect muttered, but Ze interrupted while chewing.

“I knew you didn’t like this one,” he cursed, maybe to himself. “Nah, but that’s fine. Gonna get something else tomorrow, so don’t worry.”

And because Regect didn’t know what to do with himself and his stupid nerves, he snarked, “With that limp?”

Ze forced himself to swallow and glowered at Regect from his stool. “Yes.”

“Yeah, sure, you can try bud,” Regect countered. He internally cringed. Ze realized he was worried, right?

Ze stood up with his plate shaking his head. “Shut up, I’m doing you a favor. I don’t see you going out hunting for m– for us.” Ze elbowed Regect out of the way of the sink.

Regect crossed his arms. “Yeah, well you never help out with the farm, so we’re even.”

Ze’s shoulders flexed and relaxed slightly. “That’s not even the same,” he retorted. “Your crops don’t attack you.”

“That wouldn’t be a problem for you if you hunted normal shit,” Regect snorted. Ze probably wouldn’t have gotten that limp if he’d gone after a regular bear.

Ze, who’d turned around and had started walking away from the sink, stuttered in his movements. “I’m… not gonna do that,” Ze stated simply.

Regect felt annoyance simmering in his chest. “Do you fucking enjoy putting yourself in danger?” Regect called as Ze tried to sneak away into another room. 

Honk!

“Thank you, Moe,” Regect huffed appreciatively. Moe nodded and took her turn at the sink. “Ze, get back here, you shit!” Regect shouted, hearing loud thumping up the stairs.

Regect dashed into the next room, pounding up the stairs after Ze. The fuck was he running from??

Ze’s door shut in Regect’s face just as he caught up. Regect growled, banging his fist against the door. “Fuck you, Ze! You can’t just ignore my questions!”

“Watch me, asshole!” came Ze’s muffled voice from the other side.

“GOD, you’re infuriating!” Regect barked. “I’m gonna start thinking you do enjoy being in danger! FREAK!”

“What was that?” Ze shouted back. “I can’t understand IDIOT talk!”

“NEVERMIND THEN!” Regect roared, giving up on kicking in the door that wouldn’t budge. This wasn’t worth it. “Go fucking get yourself killed by a dumbass moose entity next! I don’t fucking care!”

Stupid, stubborn-ass, fuckin’ bull-headed Ze. Regect stomped into his room and slammed the door behind him when Ze didn’t offer any kind of response. He didn’t understand what the fuss was about. Why couldn’t Ze have a single sliver of common sense? Regect threw himself onto his bed and kicked his useless pillow across the room. He didn’t even need it.

Ze was going to get hurt even worse one day and Regect would just let him. He had to learn somehow.

When Regect woke up the next day, it was already noon. As he wandered downstairs, he noticed Ze already seemed to be gone. Figured. Regect huffed as he shuffled into the kitchen and grabbed some random brand of sugary cereal.

“G’morning Moe,” he greeted, as Moe looked up from the video she was watching on the computer.

Honk honk, she replied with a smirk.

“Yeah, okay, good afternoon then,” Regect sighed. “Did you see Ze go?”

Honk, honk honk, Moe nodded.

“The forest near the mountain?” Regect confirmed. “Well, at least he told you where he was going.” Regect doubted Ze would stay in one place, though. He was a wanderer. Regect crunched on his cereal grouchily.

When he finished his breakfast (lunch), Regect decided to check on the crops. Might as well pass the time productively rather than wait for Ze to come home like a loser.

Regect dragged the hose over to the carrot bed and let the water shower over all the little sprouts. Birds flitted and twittered around above Regect’s head as he watched the soil darken. He could feel the sun’s rays sinking into the smoggy complexion against his back, like a heat lamp. This was boring as fuck.

Regect finished up with the farm, relaxing into the couch in a crumpled mess of overheated entity to complete a few more runs of Harvester. By the seventh, though, the sun was beginning to hang lower in the sky. Regect buzzed with restlessness. If Ze were here, maybe they could build something together or the three of them could play a game or literally anything else that wasn’t sitting on a couch staring out the window.

But no. Regect crossed his arms and stared a little more maliciously at the sky. Ze had insisted on going out again and getting something that was “better” than a giant bear monster. Likely out of spite. Regect kicked at the armrest of the couch absently. If Ze came home hurt again, Regect would beat him up even worse so he wouldn’t be able to go out hunting tomorrow.

Moe came into the room to settle on the other side of the couch with a book. Regect tried to dampen his bitter train of thoughts. Moe was usually perceptive and he didn’t want her to be uncomfortable.

She remained focused on her book, however, and Regect watched the fiery sky flood with orange and red. He was tired. Time always passed too slowly when Ze wasn’t around.

Regect tried to reflect on this sort of obsession Ze had suddenly picked up with hunting. Yeah, Ze did go hunting often enough, but he’d usually just bring home mutton or wild turkeys or something normal. Every so often, the animal would have an extra few eyes or two heads or bleach-white fur or something off-putting like that.

It hadn’t been until last week that Ze had started going every day, dragging home the corpses of creatures that looked like animals, but they… they weren’t. And Regect could see it in their hulking masses, the horns and claws, the fluorescent coats of fur, and the thirty or so blank eyes that had covered the body of the deer that first day.

Right, the first day.

Regect had fallen asleep with Ze resting on his chest, nothing less than elated. And he’d woken up much the same, due to Ze’s heavy footsteps heading to his own room in the morning. 

Regect hadn’t thought much of it, when Ze had announced he was going hunting that afternoon, with an uncharacteristic vigor to his tone. Regect flushed at the memory. He’d been much too busy in his head about everything that happened the evening before to really scrutinize the situation.

The strange deer Ze brought home that night had been hauled into the living room and dropped in front of Regect’s shooter game with an exhausted grunt. Regect had started to yell at Ze for interrupting his game, before noticing the size of the animal and Ze’s blank stare.

“Is this, uh, for dinner?” Regect remembered saying timidly.

Ze had frowned slightly and then looked away. “Uh, sure, I guess so.”

“Why is it in the living room, then?”

Regect had watched Ze avoid looking at him as his eyes traced the baseboards of the room. “I… I thought it looked weird and maybe you’d– you’d know something. About it.”

Regect had dismissed the weird behavior and adamantly denied knowing anything about fucked up deer monsters from the woods, because who did Ze think he was? 

And besides, Ze hadn’t looked like he was really listening to Regect’s answer anyway. That asshole.

Each day onwards, Ze had killed and brought home a new beast and displayed it before Regect, probably letting Regect check if it was edible or not. There’d been a big radioactive-looking green pheasant thing that Regect had been doubtful of, but it had actually tasted surprisingly good. Regect would assume Ze was getting bored of hunting regular animals, but every time Regect would affirm the edibility of the creature, Ze looked oddly… unsatisfied.

Was Regect reacting in the wrong way? Was there some kind of dumb hunter etiquette he was supposed to know about? If he was reading the situation wrong, Ze was doing nothing to indicate what Regect was supposed to be doing. Besides, what other way was there to interpret this as?

A soft honking and a gentle shake to his shoulder brought Regect out of his thoughts. He blearily looked around to the dark window and Moe’s concerned face.

Honk, she spoke up, glancing out into the night through the glass. Honk honk honk.

“Still isn’t back?” Regect mumbled. That was odd. It was already later than the time Ze’d come home last night. 

Honk, ho-honk, Moe nodded, clutching nervously at Regect’s arm. She turned to face him once more, pointing outside. Honk? Honk honk.

“You want me to check around for him?” Regect asked. “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.”

Regect swore, if his prediction was true, he’d never let Ze out of the house again. Maybe he was just late like last time, trying to carry a corpse four times his size, but maybe things had gone wrong and he was alone and lost and–

Regect felt his tail twitch and he shoved himself to a standing position, beelining for the front door. “Don’t worry, Moe, I’ll be fine,” he called backwards, hearing a few stressed honks follow. “I’ll be back in an hour at the latest.”

Moe honked in affirmation, but Regect was trained on the door, shutting it a little too aggressively behind him. A flood of cold air washed over him as he stepped fully into the night.

Regect slumped just a little at the silence surrounding the house. He’d held out a tiny bit of hope that Ze’d be standing a few paces away, creepily loitering with a new monster like last night, but there was nothing. Not even cricketsong.

Regect took in a breath, the crisp air invigorating him, and plunged into the woods. He wasn’t too worried about anything that could be lurking around him. He could see fairly well in the dark and, well, being an ominous, dark entity with missing limbs had its perks at night. Things tended to stay away.

Regect raced along the shortest route to the mountain foothills, where Moe had mentioned Ze planned to go. He knew he should’ve been taking his time to search the woods more thoroughly, but his heart was starting to pound and the lack of forest ambience became more and more oppressive as Regect continued. He wanted to deny it, but something was wrong.

Regect burst through the trees into a clearing near the mountain, hovering a few feet over the ground. He hadn’t realized when he’d started flying. Not wanting to take it for granted, Regect elevated himself so he could look down through the treetops and get a lay of the land.

Nothing looked too out of place, which worried Regect, until, out of the corner of his vision, he noticed something. There was a tree missing a few branches. It looked like it had been torn through and the snaps looked fresh and jagged. Regect’s throat felt tight. That had to be in the direction of Ze, but if it was, it wasn’t looking good for him.

Regect shook himself and flew down to land next to the destroyed tree. There were gashes in its trunk and the forest floor was messy and disturbed. Regect followed a trail of broken bushes and stomped down weeds, feeling his movements get more and more desperate. Ze hadn’t wandered that far right?

Regect hurriedly continued down the path, letting the passing dirt and foliage blur. All these marks, they– they were recent. Right? Regect swallowed, blundering on when suddenly, he tripped and fell hard onto a cold, hard surface.

Taking a forced moment to collect his breath, Regect looked around at the uneven slope of rocks he found himself in. The pointed, looming shapes were outlined against the muted green of the hill above him. Everything was so still.

Regect’s gaze swept back and forth across the rocks frantically. The trail he was following led here. To be sure, he turned around, vision darting from tree to tree, but nothing indicated that whatever had been clawing its way through here had decided to move on. A few busted bullet holes in the treetrunks caught Regect’s attention. A wobbly and uncertain feeling rose tentatively in Regect’s chest. Ze had been here. At least Regect was going in the right direction.

Regect whirled around to inspect the rocky slope again and that’s when he saw it. A dark splatter of something (pleasepleaseplease) leading around the edge of the hill. Regect was turning the corner in less than a second.

More dark splotches. More bullet marks burned against several boulders. It almost looked like… no, no, Regect couldn’t be thinking like that. Ze had to have held out. And Regect would find him.

Regect’s breathing grew slightly erratic as he made his way across the sharp rocks. There was a shadow in the darkness before him, slotted between boulders. A… cave? Regect scrabbled his way over and peered into it.

Even with his enhanced vision, the depths of the cave were hard to make out. Whatever. It didn’t matter. He–

A small shifting sound echoed out from the cavern.

Ze. It had to be Ze. Ze was in there.

Regect’s senses zeroed in on the corner the sound had emerged from. He could hear dripping in a different direction, the hollow noises of stagnant cave air, and the gentle press of his own feet against the stone. And he could hear breathing.

Regect silently walked through the cave in a straight line. Directly for the breathing. His footsteps were precise and his heart pounded a steady rhythm. The breathing. The soft exhales that practically engulfed him. It was Ze. A step forward. It was Ze. Another step forward.

The several tens of yards Regect traversed felt like miles. The breathing was getting louder, he knew it. He could feel it.

A hunched figure took shape from the shadows. Regect’s heart stuttered.

Bounding across the remaining distance, Regect descended upon Ze’s slumped body. He shook Ze’s shoulders and grabbed his face with both palms.

“ZE! Ze, Ze, wake up, wake up, Ze it’s me, c’mon,” Regect babbled, the sound of his own voice drowned out by his pulse. He gripped Ze’s head and turned it side to side.

Ze’s face was clammy and lax. His arms were limp, except for a rifle clutched in his right hand, knuckles white. Unresponsive. Unresponsive.

Regect’s mind swelled with panic and he slapped Ze’s cheek jerkily. “ZE! ZE STOP THAT! WAKE UP, IT’S NOT FUNNY,” he shouted against the man’s ear, listening to the taunting echoes. Regect shook Ze again. He felt a knot lock into place between his lungs. Breath… he had to breathe.

A flicker of composure came with the next inhale and Regect slid one of his hands to the underside of Ze’s jaw. The pulse was there. It wasn’t as strong as it should be, but it was there. Regect leaned against Ze for a moment in relief.

A low grumble startled him. Regect shot backwards and stared at Ze in front of him. There was a twitch in Ze’s expression and his mouth pressed into a thin line.

“...Ze?” Regect called out, nervously.

Ze’s head turned and he winced. Regect drew in a sharp breath.

“Ze, it’s okay,” Regect soothed, reaching forward to hold Ze’s upper arm.

Ze blinked and shuddered. “Mm… hh… Re– Regect?” Ze questioned hoarsely.

“Yeah,” Regect responded immediately. “It’s me.”

“The… fuck are you doing here?” Ze groaned, sitting up and nearly toppling over.

“Ze, don’t get up yet,” Regect fussed, glancing around the cave. For what? He didn’t know. He hadn’t taken time to see where the thing that Ze was fighting had gone.

“Youuuu… why are you here?” Ze repeated, ignoring Regect’s instructions and bending a leg beneath him.

Regect huffed in frustration. Even half-awake and injured, Ze was still stubborn. Instead, Regect opted to support Ze’s body from the side as he attempted to stand, pulling Ze close against him by the waist. Regect was not going to risk Ze falling over in a dark cave.

Regect aimed them towards the mouth of the cave, but tensed as a pressure settled on his shoulder. Turning slowly, Regect saw the top of Ze’s head, where it was resting on him. The arm Regect had wrangled around his own shoulders in order to better hold Ze up tightened slightly. Regect suppressed the sudden warmth at his neck and carried on to the exit, tail curling and coiling in the air.

“You didn’t come home,” Regect finally explained, softly. “I was looking for you.”

“Huh…” Ze trailed off. “Why?”

Regect sputtered. “Wh– Why?? I was worried, fuck you mean ‘why’?”

“You– oh,” Ze mumbled.

“Yeah, oh, dumbass,” Regect griped. He clutched Ze a little tighter. “You need to learn how to take care of yourself. I don’t get your new obsession with monster hunting.”

“It’s not an obsession,” Ze replied, as they emerged from the cave into the marginally brighter night.

“Yeah? Well, then, what is it?” Regect probed. Inadvertently, he was keeping Ze awake with the banter, which was probably good.

Ze grumbled softly in lieu of an answer. His head rubbed slightly against Regect’s shoulder as he looked down at the ground.

“Can’t hear you, Ze,” Regect coaxed, although it came out a little gentler than he intended.

Regect led Ze around the edge of the woods, hoping to avoid the path of destruction he’d used to find Ze. The rough trail would be difficult to walk on and probably not very safe.

“Ze, c’mon, speak up.” Regect nudged Ze again, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

Ze cleared his throat raggedly. “I, uh,” Ze coughed. “I’m… you said that– I mean, I’m just kee–”

CRASH.

Regect stopped abruptly. Something had fallen through the tree branches to their left. He could feel it approaching. He couldn’t let that happen. He needed to–

“Regect?” Ze spoke up from beside him. “Wha–”

A cut-off squeal sliced sharply through the air as a dark, heavy limb thumped onto the ground from the bushes. Ze jumped a little, startled. Regect eyed the limb with hostility. It really wasn’t that big. Even if it wasn’t the thing that was after Ze, it was for the best that it was out of the way now.

Regect turned to continue helping Ze home, but he wouldn’t budge.

“What is it now?” Regect huffed. “We gotta… go…”

Ze was staring at Regect with an incredulous expression, eyes flickering around the empty space above his shoulders, somehow meeting Regect’s gaze. Regect was at a loss for words, swallowing and watching the subtle shifts in Ze’s features. It took a few moments too many for Ze to glance over to the body in the bushes, before seemingly making his mind up about something and tugging Regect along towards home. 

The walk home was relatively silent. Regect focused on supporting Ze when he stumbled over a root or slouched over with fatigue. At least Ze seemed to be putting more effort into staying alert, but Regect felt awkward with nothing to talk about.

As they swung open the front door to the house, Moe rushed over to them with bottles of water clutched in her hands.

Honk! Honk honk, honk h-honk honk! She fretted and flitted about Ze, shoving one of the bottles into his hands and the rest into Regect’s.

“I– Thank you, Moe,” Ze responded. He held the water bottle tightly.

Moe nodded and hustled the both of them to the staircase. Honk honk honk!

“I can get myself to bed,” Ze complained, turning around.

Honk! Honk honk! Moe admonished with a stubborn glare.

“Yeah, no you do need help,” Regect agreed. “It’s okay, I’ll just… I’ll just drop you off. And then you can do whatever.”

Ze rolled his eyes, but allowed Regect to assist him up the stairs and into his room. Moe busied herself downstairs as Regect helped Ze ease onto his bed.

As soon as Ze was comfortable, Regect withdrew himself and stood a few steps away. Ze needed to rest, but… he probably had a concussion or something and Regect didn’t quite trust him not to do something impulsive. Regect steeled himself against the potential incoming backlash as he broke the silence.

“I don’t… I don’t think you should go hunting for a while, Ze,” Regect blurted. He cringed a little, expecting a scathing remark in response.

Ze just posed him with a pensive look. His mouth remained a flat line.

“I-I mean, look at what happened!” Regect scrambled to justify himself. What the fuck did that look mean? “You got hurt! I knew, I knew it was coming and now– now it happened and you couldn’t protect yourself. I just, ugh, I wish you’d be more careful!”

Ze sighed.

Regect felt himself getting more heated. “You’ve been in a weird fucking mood since last week. Okay? Don’t think I don’t notice things. You’re going after huge ass monsters and entities on purpose aren’t you? Are you trying to– I don’t– I don’t know. What are you trying to do with all this, Ze? It’s fucking reckless!”

At that, Ze’s eyes widened. “Ah–” he cut himself off.

Regect huffed. He walked closer to crouch down by Ze’s bedside and waited for him to continue.

“You– I can’t believe you don’t get it,” Ze muttered.

“Get what?” Regect replied. 

“After last week and, um,” Ze went on, “our… talk…”

Regect felt himself flush slightly. So Ze was thinking about it, too? That… was fine. Whatever.

“The… animals and stuff, that was, uh, that was…” Ze rambled, glancing between Regect and the wall.

Regect caught himself subconsciously leaning forward.

“I– fuck,” Ze growled, scowling in Regect’s direction.

Huh?

“You fucker, stop sitting there like a rock!” Ze suddenly shouted. “I’m not fucking going out and killing monsters because I, I don’t know, have a thing for almost dying! I mean, is that what you really think of me?!” Ze heaved a breath, fire sparking in his eyes. “You idiot, you stupid fucking idiot!”

Regect had a notion he should feel insulted, but the heat in his chest was too overpowering. Ze looked so vividly alive compared to earlier.

“You’re actually so dumb sometimes,” Ze cursed. “It’s– It’s for you! Okay?! I-I killed all those monsters because of you. God damnit!”

Ze dropped his head into his hands and grumbled incoherently.

Regect’s mind was a disaster scene. What? What? His pulse hammered. “Z-Ze? Ze, what are you talking about?” he stammered.

Ze rotated his head without lifting it, eyes narrowed and red dusting his ears. “Don’t fucking act dumb with me,” he seethed.

“I-I AM DUMB!” Regect sputtered. “Explain it to me! I’m stupid!”

“Ohhh my god,” Ze exhaled shakily. “The promise, Regect!”

The… promise. Regect held his breath.

“I– You– You seemed to mean it, so I thought, like, why not? You know?” Ze explained, frantically. “I didn’t mean to start hunting monsters and entities and shit, but, like, I got lucky or something and it kinda kills two birds with one stone. I can, like, protect you, um – and Moe too – and I guess they’re edible, too, but that’s not really the point–”

“Ze.” Regect didn’t know if he could listen for much longer.

“– The point is that I’m…” Ze trailed off, chewing on his lip and looking at Regect.

And in that moment something clicked. The carcasses of monsters and entities being presented before him each night. The promise. Ze… Ze couldn’t kill Regect, but he could kill monsters. He could kill smaller, mindless entities and he could kill as many as it took. That– That was it, right?

“I–” Regect tried.

He watched Ze swallow. “I thought you knew. And that’s why you came to sav– to help me,” Ze offered, quietly.

“What? No, why would–” Regect started. “I didn’t come save you because of some promise! I came because I couldn’t– because you– fuck, Ze, I already told you, I was worried about you!”

“What?” Ze murmured. 

Regect’s arms dropped limply at his sides. Was Ze serious? “Are you serious, Ze? You know– I mean, you know the promise wouldn’t even exist if I didn’t–” Regect hummed, frustrated. He had to get it over with. “If I didn’t care about you already, right?”

Regect fidgeted nervously as Ze just stared, blinking slowly. Regect felt exposed under Ze’s gaze. But, what Ze said about the monsters – didn’t that mean Ze cared too? It had to. Regect didn’t know what he’d do if Ze didn’t share the sentiment and he didn’t know what he’d do if Ze did.

Ze sniffed slightly and set his jaw. Regect stiffened as Ze scooted closer to the edge of the bed, until he was right beside Regect.

“I didn’t know that,” Ze said, finally. Almost hesitantly, Ze reached out with a hand that settled over Regect’s shoulder. “I wish sometimes that you just said these things more often, like, straight up.”

Regect shivered as Ze’s hand smoothed over his shoulder soothingly. 

“I hate guessing,” Ze muttered, as an afterthought.

“Th-Then you should also do that,” Regect blurted, unsure of how to respond.

Ze narrowed his eyes at Regect. He looked like he was contemplating something. Regect felt his stomach flip and flutter.

Ze’s expression softened just the smallest amount. “Okay.”

Regect felt himself buffer, but suddenly Ze was leaning forward and the hand was moving to the back of his neck and–

There was a gentle press to the hollow of Regect’s collarbone, right below the golden cuff that hung around his neck. Regect’s heart pounded in his ears. Ze–

Ze kissed him. Ze kissed him.

Regect’s tail swished around uncontrollably behind him. Ze leaned back, face considerably more blushed and met Regect’s shocked stare (how did he keep doing that). 

“UH– I–” Regect fumbled.

“I– sorry, was that weird?” Ze’s eyebrows pinched together. “I… you don’t have a head.”

“Um, no, I don’t,” Regect breathed. What the hell.

Ze snorted.

Regect felt indignation rising in him. “STOP. Ze, you can’t just– DON’T LAUGH AT ME. You were the one that just kissed me!”

“Well, you said to be more straightforward,” Ze reasoned. As if that dismissed the issue entirely. Regect fumed at Ze’s flushed cheeks.

“Let me do it,” he stated, resolutely.

This caused Ze to falter. “How are you gonna pull that off? No mouth? Remember?” he questioned.

“I can fucking do it, asshole, stay still,” Regect retorted. If he could eat, he could give Ze a kiss. It had to be related… somehow.

Bringing his hands up slowly to cup Ze’s cheeks (and Ze stilled suddenly. It made Regect’s heart race more), Regect leaned closer to Ze’s face. He felt the end of his chain thump against Ze’s chest. Okay, how was he going to do this? Maybe if he just… treated Ze’s cheek like… food?

Closing the gap, Regect angled Ze’s head and pressed his “mouth” against Ze’s cheek. There was… warmth? He could feel it radiating against his throat and there was texture, too. He could taste the smoothness of Ze’s cheek, the thin layer of salty sweat over his skin.

Regect had never put something to his mouth without the intention to eat it. It almost felt unnatural to pull away, the warmth from Ze fading as Regect leaned back. 

“Did that… did it work?” Regect asked, searching Ze’s face for reassurance.

Ze let out a short huff, as if he’d been holding his breath. His face looked… more red? “Uh, it felt– soft? Kind of like pins and needles but, uh, not as painful,” Ze expressed.

Regect sighed. He didn’t know what he had expected. He knew that humans who… liked each other (was that him and Ze? He could hope) liked to kiss. And that involved lips and mouths. Regect couldn’t replicate that if he tried.

“Sorry,” Regect replied. Maybe Ze didn’t like it, but he had at least let Regect try.

Regect’s breath hitched as he was tugged forward by his neck. What?

“Regect,” Ze called, firmly. “Don’t apologize. I don’t care. I don’t care.”

“I– But–”

“Do it again,” Ze stated, thumbing the edge of Regect’s collar absently. Regect felt static gathering in his throat. 

Regect shakily leaned forward once more, cradling Ze’s face. His breath reflected back against him as it fanned over Ze’s cheek. He let his vision go dark to settle his nerves and–

“Not– Not there,” Ze spoke up, shifting slightly in Regect’s hold. “Um, on my…”

Regect looked down to Ze’s lips. They were parted ever so slightly, like Ze was waiting for– Wait, why would Ze want Regect to kiss him there? Regect paused, perplexed. On the mouth– that meant something.

Regect felt a hand against his back. “Regect, it’s okay, I– You know I can’t find your mouth. You gotta do it for me.”

Oh. Ze– Ze wanted this, didn’t he? Regect took in a calming breath. And he leaned forward.

He wasn’t expecting anything too different from Ze’s lips, but the texture. It was softer, somehow smoother, and– and they moved. Regect was helpless to do anything but feel and taste in the nonexistent space that was the manifest remnants of old sensations. Sensations that were once innate to his body, that were now overwhelmed with the flavor of Ze’s kiss.

Even though Regect didn’t have lips or a tongue or anything, still he tried to deepen the kiss in tandem with Ze, who had wrapped an arm around Regect’s back to pull him closer. Regect concentrated on the feeling of taste. He pulled Ze further into his “mouth”, as far as he could, bit by bit, without swallowing him whole.

Clawed fingers slid around to the back of Ze’s head, caressed his cheekbones. The warmth in Regect’s chest was complimented by the warmth spreading into him from Ze’s lips. The urge to– to eat, feast, devour, shocked Regect, as a rush of adrenaline cascaded through him.

Ze adjusted his angle, running his fingers around the seam of Regect’s cuff, digging into Regect’s feathery fluff, into his skin. Regect hummed, involuntarily. He liked the smoothness of Ze’s mouth. He pulled him in just a little more, just to be selfish.

Ze let out a choked gasp. Fingers tightened in Regect’s scruff. Regect’s heart skipped. He pulled away, before he accidentally ate Ze whole.

Gripping Ze by his shoulders, Regect peered at his face. “Ze–” Regect cleared his throat. Why did his voice sound so… weak? “Ze,” Regect tried again. “Are you okay? That– Was that too much?”

Ze blinked. He was breathing heavily. “I– No, Regect, no that was okay,” Ze clarified, sounding similarly faint. “It was… good.”

“Good?” Regect squeaked, embarrassingly.

The corners of Ze’s mouth twitched upwards. “Yeah, it was,” he reiterated. “It was like before, but more, hm, more tingly? Felt kind of numbing, but good.”

Regect regarded Ze’s small smile and smug expression. Ze… liked how it felt.

“What about you?” Ze asked.

The question caught Regect off-guard. “What do you– I mean, obviously it was good.” Did Ze even need to ask? Ze could give regular, normal kisses, of course they’d be nice.

Still, Ze appeared a little sheepish, as he glared slightly at a corner of the room. “Of course, yeah, obviously,” he muttered. “That’s… I’m glad.”

Regect was overwhelmed with a humiliatingly flowery, light sensation spreading over his whole being. He watched Ze’s face, feeling warmer and lighter and warmer and lighter. The kiss was nice, but being kissed was nicer.

Ze… for some reason, Ze wanted to kiss Regect. For some reason, Ze didn’t care that Regect didn’t have a face or a mouth or an attitude problem. Ze wanted to kiss Regect – Ze liked kissing Regect – anyways.

It felt like a giant hug. More than that, it felt like being held entirely and gently. Regect knew Ze didn’t care about how he looked or what he was, but now– Regect was floating in affection. Now, Ze wanted Regect here, as he was. It was a sensation beyond feeling. Maybe Regect should’ve devoured Ze when he had the chance.

He wanted to be with Ze like this more. Maybe forever.

Ze glanced back at Regect, dark eyes examining him once again. “Relax, dude,” Ze prodded. “Come– Come here.” Ze beckoned Regect closer with an arm wrapped around his waist.

Regect followed, sinking halfway into Ze’s embrace. Where did he put his hands? Regect settled for resting them around Ze’s shoulders. He flinched as he felt a warm press against his collarbone again.

Ze deposited another kiss in the same spot, one at Regect’s shoulder, and another at the side of his cuff. Regect shuddered.

“Why are you doing this?” he piped up. Ze wanted to for some reason, but underlying the blissful warmth it induced in Regect, there was still lingering confusion.

Ze paused, running a hand up and down across Regect’s back, slowly, as if he wasn’t even aware he was doing it. “Why? I mean…” he trailed off, thoughtfully. “I want to. Is that not enough?”

Regect’s tail flicked nervously and he stayed silent.

Sighing, Ze leaned his forehead onto Regect’s shoulder. “I… I’ve had a lot of time, out hunting, you know, to think about things. The truth is, I uh, I’ve figured out that I actually like the idea of, um, of taking care of you. And Moe, obviously, but, like. You know, being someone you can rely on. I feel… safe around you,” Ze paused, turning his head to nudge at Regect’s neck scruff. “You’re not annoying all the time, you know. I, um, I…” Ze inhaled a breath. “I like being around you. I don’t know how to kill you, like you wanted, but I, uh, I’ll keep trying. You make it kind of easy to stay, uh, motivated.”

Regect stared dumbly at Ze as he rambled. Something like fury flared up at the final remark, but it was flushed away by the thrumming affection that had been building up in Regect the whole night. He hated Ze for this. God, he was supposed to be an entity, not a sack of emotions.

But the way Ze held him, like he was holding Regect down, securing him like he’d float away if he let go – it contrasted pleasingly against the subtle bite of Ze’s words. Regect found himself feeling not combative like in any usual verbal exchange they had, but content. He slowly snaked an arm up to hold the back of Ze’s head, leeching his heat and drawing him closer.

“I– I like being around you, too,” Regect confessed. He didn’t know what else to say.

Ze nodded against his neck. “Thank you,” he replied simply, offering another kiss to the cold metal of his cuff. “For… for getting me from the woods,” he added.

Regect felt like he was going to melt. He recalled something Ze had said about preferring to just “go for the visible parts”. He leaned down to press his ghost of a mouth against the top of Ze’s head, tasting the rough spikes of his hair. Ze seemed to relax.

“Static-y,” Ze murmured. He nuzzled into the crook of Regect’s neck minutely.

Regect was still kneeling on the floor, Ze slumped almost halfway off the bed onto Regect’s shoulder. He was getting a little sore, but the warmth and fluttery feelings emanating from Ze kept him there.

He just… Ze… How did it turn out like this? Ze could probably do anything and Regect would like him. He could argue with Regect, beat him up, risk himself to kill dangerous beasts for him, try to kill him… Even if it stung initially, Regect reluctantly knew he’d still be latched onto Ze like an obnoxious parasite.

And Ze… Ze liked him, too. Somehow. 

Regect’s tail curled and uncurled restlessly. Ze wanted Regect close. Ze wanted to honor their promise. He wanted to hold Regect like he was doing right now, arms locked around his waist. He wanted Regect’s fuzzy, prickly non-kisses, if they could even be called that. Regect… His heart was beating so rapidly he felt like it would burst. 

There was nothing he could do. Ze wanted him as he was so there was nothing he could do.

Regect, on fire, briefly considered crushing the man in his grasp until there was nothing left but a pile of bones and guts. But then, he wouldn’t be able to talk to Ze or get kissed, and that was worse. And who would threaten his eternal life if Ze wasn’t around?

Regect hoped Ze would stay around for forever, or at least as long as he could. He leaned down to see Ze’s eyes had slid closed.

Oh shit, the concussion.

“Ze! Ze are you awake??” Regect shouted, shaking Ze aggressively.

There was a discontented grumble from below him. “Ffffuck, yeah, dude,” Ze growled. “Just, I don’t know, enjoying the moment? Thanks a lot for ruining it.”

Regect’s heart stuttered in his chest. “Uh– Y– Sorry?” he replied. He felt shame wash over him. What a pathetic reaction.

Ze blinked blearily at Regect, before shaking his head. “You’re kind of hopeless,” he muttered, pulling Regect towards him again and dragging him partly onto his bed. “Wait here with me.”

Regect dumbly forced out, “Uh huh,” and clutched around Ze’s arms helplessly. 

He distantly heard clattering and bustling from down the stairs. That must have been Moe gathering first aid supplies and stuff. How long had she been doing that for? How long had they been up here alone?

Regect didn’t want to think too hard about that. His brain already hurt. He absently let his hand wander around across Ze’s shoulders and onto his chest, trying to gather his thoughts.

“Now you’re just being a pervert,” Ze remarked from beside him. “Sit still and relax, dude. Stop trying to feel me up.”

“Wha– NO!!” Regect felt even hotter and humiliated. “I was– I was NOT–”

“What did I say,” Ze admonished, clicking his tongue. “Relax. I’m joking.” And then, as if Regect wasn’t already overwhelmed enough, Ze grabbed his clawed hand in his own and brought it up to his mouth, kissing his knuckles tenderly.

Regect was embarrassed at how well that worked, sinking into the bed with an exhale. Ze had a glint in his eyes like he’d done it on purpose. Asshole.

Regect thought about doing something stupid like trying to lick Ze’s arm or something, but the sound of soft footsteps coming up the stairs stopped him. His gut reaction was to wiggle away from Ze, but a strong arm kept him from going far.

“Regect. It’s literally just Moe, she doesn’t care,” Ze murmured. The shaky breath he let out afterwards caused a sliver of doubt to fester, but Regect swallowed it down.

Honk honk ho– Moe made her entrance, arms laden with various ointments, bandages, and ice packs, before stopping suddenly in the door frame. She paused only a moment, before continuing to rush over to Ze, picking up where she left off. Honk honk! Honk.

Regect sniffed. Okay. So Ze was right.

Ze sat up more fully and allowed Moe to inspect his head and any other injuries that might be hiding from sight. Regect finally leaned back to give her more space to operate, observing her confident, precise movements. 

He was glad Moe was around to do this. He wasn’t sure he’d know where to start if it was just him and Ze. Neither of them were well known for being able to clean up after themselves. 

Regect bristled as he felt a soft touch against the side of his hand. He looked down in time to see Ze snake his fingers in between Regect’s and squeeze.

Honk honk? Moe inquired, still probing Ze for health-related information.

“Yeah, that’s right,” Ze confirmed.

Moe nodded and got back to work disinfecting a scrape on Ze’s leg.

Regect observed Ze’s expression shift from winces to grimaces, to thoughtful gazes. Ze took in a deep breath. Regect felt his hand get squeezed again. “I– T-Thanks,” Ze uttered, almost a whisper. “Thank you, guys. I… I appreciate your help.”

Honk honk! Moe responded, delightedly. She smoothed a patch over Ze’s scrape and moved onto the next wound.

Regect’s throat felt tight. Ze’s words caught him off guard. He wasn’t used to hearing that, much less from Ze’s mouth. It was odd, but… sweet? Maybe the right word would come to him later.

Instead, he continued to watch Moe work in silence, clutching Ze’s hand a little tighter.