Where despite having succesfully come out of the afterlife in one piece, guilt won't leave Geno alone for all that happened there, until he talks things out with Captain Reaper, coming to the common decision of what must be done next.

Geno's POV:
-

I don't see black anymore.

We're back at the office.

But I won't prevent to feel any relief just yet for managing to come back to the living in one piece, seeing Reaper falling backwards all while spasming aggressively.

"Crap!"

"Go... Alter... get him here..." He tells me as he rolls to his side and fighting back from groaning.

Right!

I stand up and attempt to make a run for the door.

Only to almost fall on my face.

Riiight, my ankle. I've been injured there. Now that I'm out of the afterlife too, I truly feel and acknowledge it. Limping I manage to make my way to the door and open it. Supporting myself on its right frame, I try to think of how am I gonna get all the way to wherever Alter is.

Until I realise I don't have to move. I remember one of the few tricks I discovered I could pull thanks to my siren nature. Might as well, since Reaper told me to not attract anybody else's attention.

"Alter, get to the office. Urgent." I whisper.

If the air message is fast, Alter will be here in about half a minute.

And thankfully indeed, soon enough I see him turning around the corner. He sees me supporting myself against the door frame and walks up to me, casually smiling gently.

"So you're finished with Reaper. What's goin' on son?" He asks. But then Reaper groans in pain a bit loudly and that smile vanishes.

"The help ain't for me. Or at least, I ain't the one in critical position." I sign him to get in the office. Not like he needed me to do that. He looks at Reaper suffering on the floor and momentarily he freezes.

But then he walks up to him, kneeling near and looks at him from closer. A few seconds later he stands up again as he streches out his arms. The very next moment Reaper's body is floating  in blue magic. Slowly and gently he's send to the couch, laying down.

"I'll ask later how he ended up like this." Alter says as he turns to look at me. "And I'll take care of you later. Thanks for callin' me, but I'll need to ask you to get out of the office." Wait, why? "Please, do it ŋow." His tone slightly changes. It... worries me. Why does he want me out so bad? Is there something he doesn't want me to see?

Ugh, what am I doing speculating? He was called, or well, Reaper asked me to bring him specifically. I just limp out, hearing the door closing behind me quietly. I turn around. Now what? Do I wait? Or do I go about my day?

No, better not move.

Most of the crew mind their business and don't care about me, but then there are others like Yalin and Adrian, who were the last ones I spoke with. They're ok monsters, but they will definitely first and better make a fuss seeing me. They will ask what was I doing with the Captain. They will wonder what happened and I'm limping.

And if they make a fuss, the doctor is gonna learn faster that I returned...

I don't wanna think of how he will react seeing me. Once he sees me, he's most likely gonna ask for his Captain too. And apparently, for Reaper not wanting him to come aid him, but instead asking for Alter, he probably doesn't want to see him... not see what exactly?

He just doesn't want to worry dogface? Doesn't seem that's the reason, or at least the only one...

Yeah. I'll just wait outside the office.

No one's POV:
-

20 minutes later...

The door of the office finally opened. Geno, who was sitting down on the floor, opposite to the door, looked up to Alter. He seemed... thoughtful and serious. Without saying any word, he walked close to the smaller.

He kneeled in front of him and gently picked him up bridal style. The siren held onto the taller, as he kept looking at him and trying to see through his expression. But only many seconds later he decided to say something.

"... Is he... okay?" He asked. Alter kept looking forward silently for many seconds.

"... The wounds and cracks were severe..." He looked at Geno with the same serious expression. "... I've done the best I could. He ain't in as much pain as before. Now I'm gonna ask. What in the world did you do and he ended up with so many cracked bones?!" He had asked that question managing to keep his voice low, but there was enough intensity and concern. Geno looked down clenching his teeth. Remembering what exactly had happened for Reaper to end up so badly injured.

How that could have never happened if he had chosen otherwise.

Save himself.

Leave the afterlife.

Leave him behind.

"... Idiot..."

"... I beg your pardon?" Alter asked slightly startled by the insult.

"Not you." Geno was quick to say as he shook head left and right while hissing. And as him and Alter were entering the hermitage, he quietly started revealing the kind of adventure him and Reaper had to the monster afterlife, but in quick words. A summary rather. The reason they went. What occured. How had Reaper...

At that point of the narration, having to remember the torture the necromancer had gone through caused Geno as he was sitting on the edge of the bed to wrap his arms around himself and shut his eyesocket. Frustrated. Angry. Confused.

Alter, being done inspecting the smaller skeleton's ankle, sat down to his right, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Son. It's ok. Deep breaths." He said calmly.

"I don't get it Al!" Geno said abruptly as he snapped head to look up to the taller. "... He had the chance to simply leave and save himself! Not have to face... all that pain! He gave up his freedom to let me escape!" He had started shaking lightly. "I know there's the fact that only I can prevent the world from completely ending, I've thought of the fact that if I died then, everything would be doomed for certain! But... But..."

"... You don't think Reaps saved you having in mind simply that you're the chosen one. The hero who will stop the mermaids from takin' over the world. That even so, he'd prefer to avoid as long as possible to suffer, even if it meant that it would be unavoidable because nobody would be able to stop the mermaids. Right?" Alter asked as he smiled gently. He looked forward. "... When threatened... do you remember him mentioning any other reason as to why he was so ready to give himself up?"

Geno looked down and thought.

"... No? I don't think... I don't remember-..."

"WHY?!"

"WHY DO YOU BOTHER SO MUCH?!"

"WHY ARE YOU TRYING SO HARD TO SAVE THIS LITTLE SH*T?!"

"WHAT IS HE TO YOU?!"

"There is no way you actually do all this just for him!"

"How do you even tolerate all that struggle for-... that thing?!"

The memories hit Geno, of that moment then...

"If I was toleratin', I'd have left by now. No, I ain't tolerating Geno..."

...

Geno groaned loudly and fell backwards on the bed covering his face.

"No no no! Try and convince me that necromancers are always truthful! Cause there ain't no way! No way no way no way!"

"Hmmm?" Alter did with slight mischief. "What did he say?"

"No!"

"Y'know I ain't judging. Just helpin'. Go on. What reason did he give to go so far as to help you survive?" Alter asked smiling.

"No! Cause then you're gonna establish that there ain't no way he meant otherwise and I'll feel like... like... whatever it is I'm feelin' everytime it comes to that idiot!"

"Ya want me to lie then?" The priest kept going, calmly smiling.

"Al, now ya ain't helpin'!" Geno grabbed the pillow and threw it at the taller, who let it hit him in the face. It did nothing to him, except cause him to laugh even more cheerfully.

"Make up your mind son." He said as he fluffed the pillow in his hands. A few seconds later Geno groaned again.

"AaaAaAaAAAH! Fine! He said that he cares! That's what he told the essences! I eventually believed him when he told me all those nice things 'bout me, am I supposed to really believe that too?!" He said quickly.

"Aaaw." The priest did. "Se isto não é amor jovem, então não sei o que é."

"What didja say?!" Geno yelped as he sat up sharply. He hadn't understood what was said. Alter let the pillow rest on his lap and cupped gently the smol's cheeks.

"It means that he doesn't wanna let anything happen to you. Not just as the world savior, but for who you are as a whole complete monster. When are you gonna understand just how special you are?" He asked cheerfully. Geno looked at Alter in disbelief and confused. Only to then lower his head as he removed the other's hands off his cheeks. Now he felt deep sadness. Disappointment.

"Then he's got the wrong monster. I am the kind of special that is disastrous." He mumbled. "I dunno what he's trying to accomplish stayin' by my side, helpin' me, savin' me from serious danger... It's because of me he got hurt. Because I wasn't careful enough to understand the trap, he was lead to almost die. For my mistakes. You've gotten hurt, because I didn't listen to you in time. Remember? The day we escaped Lisbon. Right before that."

"Son-."

"You almost dıəd Al!" Geno hugged himself. "He almost died. And all because of my actions..."

Silence befell the 2 friends for many seconds.

"... So you're feelin' guilty. For what happened in the afterlife and for what happened to me. Still to this day." Geno turned to look at Alter, still deeply sad and frustrated. "You let those events get to your skull. And they clearly make you feel bad."

"... Shouldn't I?" The smaller asked and then Alter smiled.

"... You take it upon yourself that you were at fault. But didja stay with the guilt, or you acted next?" He asked. Geno looked at him with a questioning look. "Did you just beat yourself down, or got back up and did somethin' about it? 'Cause I know. I was told about how while I was fighting for my life, you first and better went against the Portuguese. Maybe you think it was all you and just you that... caused me to almost end up to the other side and did unspeakable things in order to save you. But if it wasn't for you, who knows of what would befall us all if the Portuguese caught up to us. If you weren't the one to inspire the others to fight. And all that, mainly for my sake as you had stated. You didn't let the guilt of what happened to me to freeze you then, instead it gave you motive to do what you did." Alter smiled more tenderly. "... And despite you feel guilt for what happened back to the afterlife, you still did try to do somethin' that saved both you and Reaps. You stood up for him." The smaller skeleton looked away thoughtful and awkwardly.

"... It wasn't of much use. It just bought us some more time from gettin' killed."

"Yet you still stepped up. And that is so important." Alter nodded, grinning wider. Geno seemed to think about it for a few seconds, only to then cross his arms and look away slightly sulking.

"... Well... He gave up his freedom for me, I had to somehow return the favor. Plus, there was no way I returned back here and face the dogface's wrath once he realised his Captain wasn't with me." Alter hummed cheerfully and mischievously to this statement, causing Geno to turn and almost glare at him. He shook head left and right.

"Nonetheless, guilt ain't bad to feel. For what happened to me, feelin' guilty shows how you care for my well-being. It shows how you cared in that moment then for Reaper... Rather how you seem to actually start show your care too." Geno daggered his eyesocket more at Alter.

"Me?! Care?! You're sayin' nonse-."

"... He asked me to not hurt you before collapsing. You asked me the same in return. Both frantically... More or less you show to care for each other."

"... Geno?" Alter asked after a few seconds of the smaller skeleton not saying anything, seemingly having frozen.

"... Gimme the pillow Al." Geno said quietly. Raising brow, the priest handed him the pillow. Geno held it in his hands not doing anything for a few seconds.

"... Ge-?"

And just when Alter was about to speak, Geno suddenly shoved his face in the pillow and started yelling.

"AAAAAAAAAAH!"

The taller couldn't help but chuckle.

"What didja remember?" He asked.

"Can everyone STOP! Stop tellin' me I actually care for that-! ADEUIWHFOISCDJKCKRH!" Geno growled.

"By everyone ya mean?" Alter asked raising brow and forming a teasing smile.

"Adrian and Yalin won't stop dropping innuendos! You keep insisting I care for your Captain, tellin' me to trust him! Even his dad with whom they don't seem to get along very well said that, because I was the biggest idiot to express my concerns for his safety!"

"Ah, now that you mentioned... hιm..." All of Alter's mood to tease suddenly vanished as he stared at Geno more serious. "Reaper's father. Hades Acheron Renrink... How did you ɔross paths?" He asked. The small skeleton looked at him raising brow to his sudden mood change.

"You've spend so much time with your Captain trynna treat him, didn't he tell you?" He asked. Alter kept the serious stare, causing the smol to feel awkward. "... He... didn't?"

"Reaps was in a really bad mood. I didn't even need to ask what had gone wrong. Either way he confirmed to me that you and him came across Sir Hades. But just that. He didn't wanna elaborate, or else I was gonna get a frostbite from how badly the temperature had dropped. No details..." Aside seriousness, Alter's expression became also concerned as he stared at Geno. "Geno... Are the injuries I saw on Reaps just caused by those essences you fought, or-?"

"Woah!" Geno raised hands in the air. "No, not what you imply! But..." He then lowered his head and faced to his left. "... they had 2 bad arguements. On the first one... Sir Hades gripped him by the wrist. Tightly... Aside that, no other physical harm was caused between them." The priest huffed in slight frustration and crossed himself 3 times.

"... I can guess what caused them to lash out at each other. But I won't ask now for confirmation..." He almost glared at Geno, but the hand that went on the smaller's cheek was soft and gentle. "... I wanna hope that he didn't cause any more trouble and that it didn't affect you." He said. Geno looked away thoughtful.

"... Actually... aside whatever is goin' on between him and... Reaper, he has been more of a help to me than trouble. And for years apparently..." Alter's questioning expression was enough for Geno to talk about all he heard Sir Hades saying. About his old friendship with the half-siren's dad. How everytime he ended up in the afterlife he kept him company and made sure he was safe from other essences and the cold. "He knows everythin' about my destiny. What I did. What I must do. What must be done. He... had encountered my brothers in the past briefly. He established to me that they're alive. They're alive Al! They're out there! Error and Fresh!" Momentarily Geno smiled in delight. But once he was met with Alter's cold stare, he slowly dropped the smile and looked at him questionably. Then hesitant. Eventually, the priest rolled his eyesockets and huffed.

"... So long as he was helpful to you." He commented. "What is it he told ya? And after all, was the purpose you went to the monster afterlife succesful? Do please tell me everythin' from the beginning. Before you even took the trip, until the moment you came back."

And Geno did narrate everything in all details. The encounter with his fake dad, the fights with the essences, Salazier's interference... He avoided however saying his name, as that would lead to more conversation and in the moment he preffered not to. He also didn't mention that the essences were send by the same Lady who had taken almost all of his soul.

"Another time I'll... have to elaborate 'bout those."

He narrated Reaper's torture. How the essence of a little boy ultimately saved them both, avoiding once more to reveal name and appearance. How Hades had come up next and defeated the essences merged together. The point where he started talking about Geno's dad, the knowledge he shared about the Loners, their duel...

Oooh, Alter's stare towards the smaller was chilly and frightening then.

And in the end, what the Wraith had revealed about Error and Fresh. How questions that were eating up Geno had been answered and the riddle-like dreams he had seen had being figured out. Then the bigger arguement between the 2 deadly skeletons and how they parted ways harshly.

"And that's... almost all." Geno admitted. He waited for Alter's response, who was nothing like his 'chillful' self and still almost glaring.

"... He actually helped you." He eventually said as he rolled his eyesockets. He sounded calm.

"I... guess. He helped with more than I could ask for... I was warned that as a Wraith he would be unhinged, but he ended up being for the most part chill, I guess..." Geno said as he lowered his head slightly uncertain. But then he raised head again to look at Alter. "... Ya really don't seem to like him, huh?" He asked. Alter still didn't say anything, just opened eyesockets to look to his right.  "... What do you know about him?"

"... Depends what kind of things you really wanna know about him and Reaps hasn't told you." Alter finally spoke. Geno fiddled with his scarf for a few seconds as he thought.

"... When alive... what... was it you heard about him? Rumors? News? Generally, it had been implied how big of a negative reputation he had." Alter stared up to the ceiling thoughtful for a few seconds.

"... It was said often that he had his involvement in... questionable business. Dark. Due to him bein' a necromancer, he was abusing a lot of power in politics too, many times a decision taken was result of his involvement. But back to his alive days, his main job was that of the judge."

"Huh..."

"An extemely strict and unmoved one at it. Probably the only one which nobody could bribe him to lie, or to give false judgement. If you did somethin' wrong, there was simply no chance to escape him, or try to convince him through emotions..." Slowly Alter turned to look at Geno. "... But I think, what you're really waiting for to hear, concerns his relationship with Reaper. It's a fragile and sensitive topic, one which it is not my story to tell. Which you've certainly understood given the intensity they were arguing. If Reaps finds it in him to tell ya how the story of his past continues, it'll be the only way you'll learn." Geno nodded.

"... Understood."

The 2 didn't say anything after that, simply chilled out in silence. But Alter's mind couldn't calm down. Thinking about what he saw while trying to treat Reaper.

"The curse is still growing..."

He wasn't just suffering from his injuries caused by the essences. Coincidentally, he also had a seizure, result of the curse.

~

Not much time had passed to the living as long as Geno was in the monster afterlife with Reaper. About 2 hours or so. The rest of the day passed with the small skeleton hanging out in the hermitage.

Honestly, aside Alter he didn't want to interact with anybody else for now. Though a bunch of monsters had passed by the hermitage, they kept going about their day when hearing Alter saying that Geno needed his space.

"Isss he cold again?!"

"Is the little guy alright?"

Adrian and Yalin were a tiny bit more persuassive about wanting to see if Geno was okay, trying to peek inside the hermitage. Eventually they went away too only when the small skeleton spoke up, insisting he was okay.

Until night came.

One would think that after spending time in the monster afterlife, Geno would feel drained. Exhausted. Yet he was finding himself trying his best not to toss around on the bed and disturb Alter.

"What's troublin' ya son?" Nevermind, he had already woken up. Slowly and carefully Geno pushed himself away from the taller's embrace and got off the bed.

"... Thoughts." He proceeded to say first. "... I'll go for a walk around here... I'll come back eventually."

"Of course." Alter nodded. "Careful with your ankle though."

No need. Geno's ankle was much better. Rather it had healed way too quickly again. Thing he noticed the moment he started walking for the door. He exited the hermitage and closed the door behind him quietly. He stood still, listening to the sounds, the creaks of the ship, the faint conversation somewhere up to the deck from the pirates who were on night shift.

He started walking, not entirely thinking about where he was going. But the more he walked, the more he felt the air turning cold. He suddenly raised head and looked around. Then stopped. He was out of Captain Reaper's office. The siren looked at the door thoughtful, questioning himself if he really had any business being here.

He slowly walked towards the door, looking at it silent. His hand hesitantly approached towards it. Inches away he stopped his movement. Did he really have any business here?

...

There was... one thing.

Geno huffed and knocked on the door. On the first knock however he abruptly got his hand back, he almost jumped away. He started rubbing his hands together to restore a bit of heat on the hand he had used to knock on the door.

Stars it was freezing!

Geno raised head to look again at the door.

"Reaps was in a really bad mood. I didn't even need to ask what had gone wrong. Either way he confirmed to me that you and him came across Sir Hades. But just that. He didn't wanna elaborate, or else I was gonna get a frostbite from how badly the temperature had dropped."

Right. That was how the likes of him showed to be in a bad mood.

Geno debated for some more if he really had business being out of the Captain's office. But before he could answer that to himself, the door started slowly opening. A wave of cold escaped abruptly, reducing the temperature in the corridor by 3 degress more. The siren didn't know what to think of this.

Was that invitation to get in? Permission? Geno remembered again the reason he actually had to be where he was. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, braced himself and slowly entered the office. Despite the chandelier and the lamp were lit, the flames seemed ready at any second to vanish.

Also they were blue. There was almost complete darkness in the office. Geno looked at the desk. Then he looked to his right, where the big blue velvet couch was. There seemed to be a shadowy figure laying there. But after a few seconds of Geno staring at it, that shadow slowly vanished revealing Reaper to have been covered by it.

He was laying on his right side, hugging himself. His eyesockets were closed, but a few seconds after the darkness got off him, he opened them slowly. They were empty. Geno stared at him uncomfortable, being at a loss of words.

"... Hey..." He did first... "... I..."

The morning light would come out and he would be still standing like a statue trying to talk.

Reaper seemed completely vulnerable.

Unable to move much.

In pain.

Yes, way too vulnerable for his own good.

He had even opened the door for Geno to get in the office...

Maybe not everyone, but many could get a chance and...

In Geno's position maybe. He lowered his head and clenched his fists.

"... I... am sorry..."

These 3 words, despite barely heard, caused a change in the room. Suddenly it didn't feel as cold as before. A bit more light returned to the office and the flames seemed to grow a tiny bit bigger. Geno didn't notice it right away however, as he felt he was struggling to keep talking, say what he truly felt in his soul had to be said.

"... What is there you're sorry for?"

He raised head. The pupil in Reaper's right eyesocket had appeared, nailed at Geno. His eyesockets were perked up in confusion and curiosity. Geno looked at him fighting to not start shaking. Slowly, he raised his left hand to the necromancer's direction.

"I... caused this." He started. "... Had it not been for my stubborness to go to the afterlife, you-... wouldn't be like... this..." Geno looked away, annoyed and frustrated by the weight of emotions inside him, by admitting out loud he was sorry, to Reaper. Then again if he didn't do it, the guilt would still eat him up. "... I... wasn't careful enough and you just..." He scoffed. Why was it so difficult???

"... That moment was my choice."

Geno turned to look at Reaper.

"... Huh?"

"The moment the essences were blackmailing us... it was in my control about choosing myself over you or the other way around... Even in such moment, it was my choice then. That lil' bit of control given to me would determine the consequences of my decision... And sure, this decision hurt. I could have actually died. Be taken away by that Lady..." Reaper's gaze then became more intensive as he nailed it at Geno. "... But this one decision, I don't regret it one bit."

Geno stared at Reaper blinking a bit fast. He looked away confused.

"Are you... sure?" He asked.

"Sure as my name's Reaper Charon Renrink." For the first time from the moment Geno entered the office, the necormancer grinned softly as he stared at the smaller. Both confidently and... fondly (?).

*Ba-bum*

Geno fought very hard to keep a straight face (impossible boy, you're gay), before looking away and scoffing.

"... Why?" He heard Reaper huffing softly.

"... The one who send 'em get us... She's hurt you in the past. I felt your agony. I felt your fear... You didn't wanna go through her twice... And for that..." He then smiled. "... I'd like to think I completely meant it when I said that I care for you."

*Ba-bumBa-bumBa-bumBa-bumBa-bumBa-bumBa-bumBa-bum*

"Shut up!" Geno thought anxiously, his face apparently being kept very warm despite the cold inside the office.

"... Aside then, helpin' ya get to the afterlife and search for your father? I chose that too. And the moment I did that, I had your responsibility, to keep ya safe. All other, that those essences would attack us, that fατher would appear, τhατ he woυld end υρ beιn' τhe one wιτh τhe αnswers we orιgιnαllγ cαme for... we didn't know any of that would happen."

"And if I tell ya that I could have prevented that by learning to analyse my dreams better and understand if they were trynna trap me or help me, would your point still stand?" Geno asked as he clenched his fists, being in disbelief and bitterness suddenly.

"Could ya really know then? Didja even prevent to understand what you saw then? Or did the dream stay around longer for ya to learn more details?" Geno thought for a few seconds before shaking head left and right. "... Maybe we were led to an almost fatal trap. Perhaps one of us, or the both of us could have been goners. But here we are..." Reaper grinned slightly wider. "... Not only we survived, we also got answers. Useful ones. I would have never known any other way about facing the Loners if it wasn't for your request to find your father. And despite the way we were provided those answers..." His tone got colder then. The he shook head left and right. "... I think the idea of the ritual seems a lot more appealing to me than bloodshed."

Geno closed eyesocket, inhaled quietly and exhaled a bit louder.

"... I guess... yeah."

"But in the end... not only we got answers, you got benefited even more. You learned about your brothers. Which is somethin' that has been bugging you for long. That trip ended up being beneficial for ya in more than one ways."

"And how was it really beneficial for ya in any way?" Geno asked. Reaper thought for a few seconds before looking again at Geno smiling gently.

"... Despite all that happened and you witnessed, you're still alive. That's enough for me."

"This damn..." Geno looked around him feeling... something, like warmth especially located in his ribcage from these words. He pressed his teeth together feeling suddenly frustrated and annoyed. Why was he getting so worked up over his words?! He buried half his face behind his scarf as he thought. Then looked at Reaper intensively. "... How... much is it you think you care? About me..." He asked. Did he really want to hear the answer to that though? Reaper huffed cheerfully as he slowly was laying on his back and faced the ceiling for a few seconds.

"... Definitely a lot more τhαn τhατ mαle vιχen."

The temperature dropped abruptly once more.

"Brrr..." Geno did as he hugged himself. Reaper sighed and his smile dropped. "... What is it he did?" He asked after a few seconds. Reaper stared at Geno with empty eyesockets before closing them and hugging himself tighter. "... You described his relationship with him as calm... When still living together... What happened?"

Reaper clenched his teeth angrily. Slowly and carefully, he turned his back on Geno, facing the back of the couch.

"... Thιngs bαd enoυgh τo mακe me bιττer αboυτ mγ old mαn. I ain't in the mood to describe..." He sighed. "... And you shouldn't bother your skull with such problems. Go rest angelfish..." He said.

Geno didn't move from his position. He just stared at Reaper, little by little coming to a very sad realisation. He lowered head and placed his hand on his chest.

"... Whatever it is that happened between you 2 for your relationship to go that bad ain't the only unfair thing that has happened to you... I can only guess what it is you went through, all while... despite not much, your dad was takin' care of me. Until the moment I finally learned he was the one who was helpin' me withstand the afterlife, I hadn't think how unfair that was, I didn't know... And... I guess I'm sorry for that too..." He looked away hugging himself tighter. "... I don't... know how exactly to phrase this any further..."

"... I get what you're trynna say..." Reaper was heard replying. Geno stared at him. "... And though he's despicable to me, I can be glad knowing that he at least took care of somebody properly. Of you. Relieved that he didn't hurt you... No need to be sorry for somethin' you had no control and knowledge of then angel..." He sounded completely honest despite the sadness. Geno sighed quietly. "... Thanks, Geno."

"... Sorry?" The smaller asked, momentarily confused.

"... For whatever reasons you wanna believe ya did it, thanks for comin' back to save me. Didn't say it before."

"... O-Oh..." Geno stood still, bewildered and surprised. He rubbed the back of his neck. "... Still, I didn't-..."

"Don't beat yourself down believing you didn't do enough. You still acted. You tried. And I appreciate it..." Little by little Reaper turned to face again Geno. He was serious however. "... The old man said somethin', which all anger and aversion aside, he's right about. Since we survived and have knowledge of what to do and how to move next, we gotta prepare. Learn cooperating better if we wanna be victorious in the end..." He paused. "... Are you ready and willing to train together?" He asked, his gaze becoming more intensive and focused on Geno.

Who stayed quiet, surprised and thoughtful by the other's words at first. Little by little then, his expression changed. It became more serious. Militant. And determined. Yes, now that they knew further, they really had to prepare...

"... When you get better... Alright. Let's do this." Geno nodded.

5580 words. UGH, the gays, i can't!😫

hope you enjoyed and hope you vote.

and now, IT'S TIME

*inhales*

🎶happy birthday to 👉🏽me👈🏽🎶
🎶happy birthday to *points at* Holararitod🎶

🎶*kidnaps*🎶

🎶happy birthday dear us two🎶
🎶happy birthday to us!🎶

yaaay U-U👍🏽

anyways, goodbye *pet pet*