╒══════════════════╕

harehareya
—flower

1:34 ─────|──── 2:46

|◁ II ▷|

╘══════════════════╛
* ·　　　 　　　　　 ✧　　　 ⋆ 　　 · * . · . 　 　 · ·　 　　　　　.. ✷ 　 ✧ . . 　 　　　 · + 　　　 　 ·　 * ✫ 　　 * ✷ ⊹ * ˚ 　　　 　. . + 　　　 　　· 　 ⋆ 　　　　　　 * 　　 　 　
  『EXCHANGED PAST』
────CHRISTMAS SPECIAL ☼ #3
zeno x fem!reader
. 　　 　　 　　 * . 　 　 . ·　 . 　 · 　　　 . 　 　 　 　 　 *　 · 　　　 　 . · 　 · + 　. 　 　　　　 · ** ˚ 　　　 　. . + 　　　 　　· 　 ⋆ 　　　　　　 * 　　 　 　 . 　　 　　 　　
───── ◦'𖥸'◦ ─────
warning: angst
───── ◦'𖥸'◦ ─────

The cold-blooded man sat by his luxurious couch, facing the large windows that stared down the pile of snow below. White, everlasting, pure snow fell down unto the ground in a steady pace, accelerating as it indicates the blizzard slash storm coming by.

His demonic look, toning down into a calm and collected form, holding the book as he stared down and scanned his eyes, rereading the whole thing as it was his favorite. It was a gift given to him last year, something held dear to him. He enjoys reading it since it was one of the very first gift he was given in his whole life, especially in this event.

The iconic coat with its mantel grey fur and its spade logo was placed right beside him, a cup of coffee sitting by the table right beside his seat. He felt relieved and replenished. After all those work and dirty jobs he had to do just for a man that he looked up to, he felt nothing but exhaustion.

It has been a long year for sure.

Lighted candle were glazing his face, contorting and buffed his features, canning his jawline in a impressive way. Those bright, cold eyes that could bring death just by a glance trailed past the writings and text adorned over the paper. He leaned his face on his palm whilst it rested on the armrest beside him.

"Baby, it's cold outside..." He sung lowly, remembering the song that was stuck on his head after being sung nearly hundreds of time. His deep and polished voice velvet and reigned. He was enjoying his time off, for sure.

A sudden crackle from the outside was heard, the storm nearing by in this winter might as well be a dangerous scenario. Remembering a certain someone was outside, he snapped his eyes over to the now grey clouds. Fishing and finding her playing with the pile of snow.

This man with a few words could spluttered out paragraphs of words for her. She was his problem from the start and yet, he loved every single thing about her. She's special.

Watching her play with the snows, gathering up and throwing snow balls to the now broken snowman, like a child was quite a sight. Giving out a deep sigh as he realizes this child-adult won't return back inside unless he fetch her himself.

He snapped his book shut, taking the coat from his side as he held it into his arm. A portal then grew in front of him, he walked past through and reached his destination in mere seconds.

He stood behind her as the harsh winds blew his hair slightly, tainting them and dripping in cold swarm ice. He saw her back facing her and the shiver that moved her body, but yet she ignored.

He placed the coat on his arm over her shoulder, snapping her attention over to him. She turned and greeted him as if no chaotic storm was nearby around them. The smile stretching on her face that brought lights in this dark blizzard, the night shouting and greeting them.

"Zeno! Hello!" She greeted, thankful for him lending her his precious coat. Continuing to gather a bunch of snow to make another snowman to accompany the one she had.

"It's cold outside... Let's go back, now." He grumbled, taking her into his arms for her to follow him into his portal that still stood behind him.

She pouted and took herself away from his grip, going over and continuing what she had made so far. "But I want to make a snowman..."

With her being persistent and foolish, he frowns in displease. He stated, "You'll catch a cold at this rate. Come on, you can play after the storm resides."

Patting away the snow that blistered her fingers, it's red marks of the freezing temperatures, she went and walked over to the man who watches her every movement.

She enveloped him with her cold body into a hug, taking his heat. Her cold figure blending into his heated ones. "You're warmth is enough to set fire into this whole radius. Come on and join me!"

It was either leave her in this storm or stay and keep her safe. He knew very well that he'll keep her company because he loses every single cute-argument the two have made. He's gotten soft. "Alright, just this once."

It might seem embarrassing to be seen this hopeless and happy with a girl by others. But he doesn't mind. Her happiness is all that matters at this very moment, and he's willing to do anything to please her. She's his light and joy. The warmth and comfort within the storm. Vice versa.

Zeno rolled over the snow, gaining its size as well as the female by his side who followed in to make her own part. The two chattered along in the midst of the storm nearly starting. The winds bashing and waiting patiently for them to finish their moment.

"What were you doing zeno?" She started, minding her own part.

Replying in his usual tone, minding his own part. "Nothing, just sitting around."

She pouted in respond, stopping beside him which he followed in return. Facing him as the mantel fur swished around and decorated her face, something he's captivated of. "You could've joined me from the start! The snowman I made was freezing!

"It's the snow. It won't be surprising if it's cold. Did you bump your head again?" He replied bluntly, not taking things serious and complying to her words.

"What? No!" She pouted in return of his words. "It was just colder than the others I've made before. It might be a sign for our love to freeze for eternity! Yeah, yeah?"

"Right. Whatever you say, love." He sighs with a small smile, pushing and continuing to gather the snow.

"Zenoo~ don't do that to me! I'm not that stupid!"

Appearing behind her, startling her. He wrapped his warm and yet cool arms around her waist. Adding the warmth given by the coat. "Whatever you say. Just you know that I'll love you forever and I'll gladly sacrifice myself to be swallowed by a demon just for you. Now, lets hurry and head back after this. A storm is nearing by, we should most definitely head back before that."

"Uwoh! You talked as much as a paragraph!" She jokingly responded as he chuckles attractively. The man went and finished what was gathered by the two.

"There, we're done." He sighs.

The female just grinned in response, "It looks wonderful! It's huge alright!"

"Hm." He hummed, standing by her side as the two watched what they've made together. Wrapping his arm over her waist, pulling her into a side hug as she leaned into his shoulder.

She pointed by the snowman with a satisfied smile, "I'm that freezing snowman and you'll be that large snowman!"

"Whatever you say." He pressed his thin lips unto her forehead, tarnishing it into heated bliss from his body. She pushed herself into his cuddle-bear mode and taking in his warmth from the coat and his body.

"Ne, Zeno."

"What is it?" Pulling away to face her as he trapped himself into the warmth they shared together.

"Don't drown yourself into that darkness! I beg you. If anything goes wrong, just know that I love you!"

"Nothing will happen to you. I'll marry you soon after all."

—

Watching from afar, through the large windows of his own office, Dante stood and observed their chatters and amiable conversations. Watching how the two has gotten closer and playing by the snow like no crime has been committed around them. Disgusting, he thought.

"He's gotten soft. Is it wise to keep her here?" He asked, still looking over to the two where they built their own childish plays.

"Ara, ara~ I really like her, dante!" A woman replied, knowing very well that this man envied many things to begin with. "Besides, she's been here for quite a while, now. She may be childish, or might as well weakening zeno, but she got potential and I'll make sure that it'll grow!"

Vanica, the only Zogratis female of the siblings, spoke out. "After all, what fun will it be without another woman in the squad~?"

Dante sighs, extremely uncomfortable at the fact his two siblings aren't by his side and agreeing his opinions. As a king, he knows what was right and wrong, and to him, this woman is trouble to their purpose.

"That woman is messing his responsibilities."

"Ah. you're just jealous that your younger brother got the girl, hmm~ 'Dante couldn't catch her before his younger brother does!', quite a drama, huh. Feisty, I like it." Vanica giggled, her crown mirroring her movements by tipping.

"She has got to you too, Vanica. How sad of you being my own sister as she slowly hypnotized the both of you." Dante frowns, facing the window, seeing how his fatuous brother was playing with mere snow.

"Ah, ah~ It has nothing to do with hypnosis! She's amiable!" Vanica responded, picking her nails before she stood up from her fancy chair.

Eyes shifting into something demonic, crazed for power and where greed comes by, sins towered up. Her wicked smile as deadly as her playful magics. "But any who, what is right will be done. We are The Dark Triad, aren't we?"

"I'm going out. I need to check up on my pets." She left, leaving the overzealous man by the window to continue back and stare how they conversed and hug. Something he truly wanted and craved. A demon desires for love.

"Huh, If I can't have her, no one else can. Either way, when she dies, he'll grow stronger thats for sure."

"And that will benefit this kingdom." He smirks, a plan coming by his mind..

—

A year has past by like winds blowing past in extreme weather. Those hardships and cruel wraths those petrifying siblings has done. Fallen mens' crimson distaste that pooled by each of their body. Zenon has faced a lot, and he lost himself along the way.

There he sat, once again. The seat where he enjoyed incredible moments in. His eyes bland and lazy, empty and hollow inside as the book he held once has sprawled over the carpeted floor.

The emptiness within him was filled with nothing but anger and sadness. It felt disturbing at the fact that this place was once a joyous place to him. Now, all he could think of was destruction and power for this mind-wrecking kingdom.

As he sat in his typical place, the seat cold and messy. The leather couch that screams expensive is now all beaten up and scratched, fueled by his tantrum and pain. The room felt cold, no more warmth from the past.

He sighs, with those dark bags under his eyes. Looking over to the window along with his menacing eyes that held the winter storm. Snapping wide eyes as he realized the sense of nostalgia waving over him.

"Zeno, not now!" He held his head in pain, the hallucinations coming by. Her ultimatum voice killing him inside, softly and dangerously.

There he saw her in front of him, the hand opened and ready to be grasped at any moment. Her eagerness as bright as the Christmas tree that they made once. "Zeno, let's play!"

He was ready to take her into his arms, fooling himself as it was an imagination that played him like a dog. "(y-y/n)—"

"Zeno, let's make a snowman like we always do!" She appeared behind him, causing him to stand up in surprise. Frustration picking his wrath and anger.

"Let's hangout outside!" He felt her hand holding his and pulling him towards the door, but then dissipating into a cloud of smoke. He's played, once again.

"Enough of this." He sternly spoke to no one. He felt like a mere toy being thrown and manipulated. His sanity at the brink of razing.

"Snow Angels, Zeno!" She appeared by his shoulders, wrapping that nothingness around his neck.

Taking shaky breaths, panic overcoming himself as if anger itself consumed him. His demon soaring within his mind.

Touches of laughter and cackling appeared behind him, heaving his shoulders as they stacked into nothingness. Their evil and venomous voice as a leach sucking his blood of disaster. He lost his mind.

"Zeno. Zeno. Zeno!"

"Shut up!" He kicked the book away. Pushing himself away from the 'crowd' and letting the reminisce book trashed and sprawled by the royal walls of his chamber. A thud as it hits and landed on the floor.

"The weakest link must die. Your death is nothing but a nuisance. You belonged to the streets." He spoke to no one, looking up to the painting within his room.

Near the fallen book stood a large painting of the girl that haunted him till now, along with him by her side. The typical and lovable face that he completely adores and ravishes, which now that he despises.

"Rats are rotten and filthy. Low lives must perish, that human includes..." He spoke out to himself, hurting himself through his very core, poisoning and lying with toxic venoms.

Speaking to no one but himself, thinking as if the person he once adores was within the painting. Lying as flashes from the past of the sanguinolency memories where she laid lifelessly. Taking no interest yet disgust of his old self.

"But why is it that I like you in the first place?" He started, clenching his fist. "These feelings are stupid. I couldn't believe that I nearly took you as my wife."

A ring stood by the fireplace, a picture of her in thoughts of felicity hearts and passions. The love interest he
once cared for and shared wishes together with.

",,but it hurts. Everything hurts. It all reminded me of you." He croaks out, his pain relishing and surfacing once again. All those nights he shared by himself, waiting for her to come back and tell him that she was joking and hiding all along.

All of those painful nightmares and emptiness as he was slowly consumed and eaten by his own demon. Himself being claimed no more like a human. All those times where he looks outside and thought of her being outside and enjoying her time in the snowy winter palace.

His phosphenes and melancholic hallucinations driving his sanity and emotions to fall apart.

Taking the ring into his palm, glazing her most favourable gem and luminous band. His hopes and dreams have come into a stop. He's a villain after all. Bad guys are meant to fall for the sake of equality and yet, he and his siblings still fought for what they wanted.

The war is nearing, the outcome is yet unknown. He just wished for himself to be defeated so he could escape from those chains placed by his two siblings.

Taking in her smiling features along with her eye-capturing eyes. He wanted more than ever to have her by his side— no, he wanted to be by her side. Lying to himself seems to be the best solution to hide his own feelings. Those feelings of being truly in love with a human.

The (colour) band of his wishes were played along as he glazed his eyes over the heart-swelling painting, fathom hidden and missing.

Snapping his eyes over to the other way, not wanting to be broken apart even more. "Tsk. I might as well burn this place."

Stepping away from the painting and the fireplace, he saw the book sprawled opened with a small note dangling by its bookmark. The pain and regrets he faced, unbearable. The undying emotions of the truth where he suffers in a terrible year without her.

He went silent. The tantrum he threw all dissipates just by a look from the note given. Hearing her voice speaking out just like how she would.

'Merry Christmas! I love you!'

The room's only source of the sound was the crackling fires that shouted out his eternal pain. A tear slipped past his cheeks, trickling slowly and yet gently down his face. Fueling the anger within him.

By a mere second, a large dent was left beside him. The thick royal walls pushing in distress by his knuckles, bleeding in result. He took a shaky breath, leaning his fist by the dented wall. Resting in distress.

"Stop, you're doing all of this to me. I'm catching feelings all over again for you." He stated to no one. The true truth pooling out from his inner self.

"It's not your fault. It's mine. No, it's those people that ambushed you for no reason." He pulled away from the large dent, walking slowly by his special gift given by his two siblings, the wondrous painting he was facing. Given last year, it was one of the few moments the four

"I destroyed them but all I still can feel is pain." He clenched his fist, remembering those imbeciles crushed and bloodied as they splattered around and danced by his demonic prowess.

"I don't know what to do, love... I'm stuck in between."

"You changed me for the good. I wish we could play the snow like how we used to."

"I love you." He smiled, caressing the painted beauty, gentle and lovingly.

"Merry Christmas."

It was then he realized how foolish he sounded. Talking to the dead, speaking as if no crime had happened, especially how useless it is to speak to such low lives to begin with. Him as a demon shouldn't be with humans.

His soul has killed dozens and even thousands of innocent beings. Yet he didn't have the sell his soul to kill his loved one. The eternity freezing love that they shared was bound to melt in any moments, their fates have made it that way.

"Who am I kidding? A demon as me can't celebrate Christmas nor gain love. I'm just a maniac." He laughed to himself, pulling away from his cherished gift.

"But you changed me for the better, (y/n). I hope that you'll love a demon like me after doing all those crazy things."

"It's because I love you. You taught me well, love." He played the ring with his unharmed fist. It gently shines through the crackling fires that tensed up by his presence. The underworld was ready to accept him any time.

His smile seized into emptiness, pushing past those feelings were his promise and pride to complete this kingdom. To fight the war against the other major kingdoms to rule this whole place. His heart swelled in pain, not wanting to let go his undying love for her.

"Though I apologize. I need to forget you for the sake of this kingdom."

Heavy-heartedly, he grabbed the gifted book. Throwing it and turning away to not face his past, heading over to the door. The burnt book and note screaming for help as the fire feasted them and leaving ashes and nothingness.

The title of the book shining in a gold embroidery, 'The Truth is I Love You!'

As the man slowly neared the large door, the gifted painting of the two of them shedded a tear. The two dimensional art given by the two Zogratis siblings as a gift. Zenon didn't notice nor hear the sobs of tears produced by the saddened painting. She is dead after all.

"No, Zeno, don't drown yourself into that darkness!" The paint shouted silently. No one was able to hear their pained tone and despair.

The saved ring fell with a clang, rolling by the ground and latching into the fire place, burning itself together with the fallen gift. It was then where he drowned himself into the empty darkness.

"Zeno..." The painting released its tears, unheard words were spoken. "I thought you'll love me forever..."

"Either way, I will to you, always... Merry Christmas, Zeno..."

The non-living sounded out to nobody. "Even demons needs love and I'll gladly take that as my last wish."

The tear followed by after hearing his depressing words, carrying the heavy burdened by dying in a way, leaving him with his demon consuming. "I wish you the happiest Christmas that you'll ever had. Happy birthday, Zeno..."

.

.

.

Zenon walked by the snow, the winds blowing harshly, hoping to throw away his heavy mind and fill it with coldness of a killer that he usually possesses.

There he saw in a midst of the piling snow, fighting for its structure to stand tall and living happily. "A snowman...?"

The familiar coldness and stupidity of those reminiscent memories of the past, her warmth and smiles picturing his mind. It has been a year since he saw those pile of snows that was created by himself and her. A new one has been made, "A freezing snowman, huh?"

.         °         · 　　　　 ·　.           •                °
.              　 ⋆  　　　 ˚  　✧         *               .
.     ˚               ✧　       * 　　 . 　　°       .          .
.        　  .              °          .                  .
❝ simply waiting for your return while i soak my sleeves❞
—harehareya, flower

28/12/20 ☁︎ exchanged past
.         °         · 　　　　 ·　.           •                °
.              　 ⋆  　　　 ˚  　✧         *               .
.     ˚               ✧　       * 　　 . 　　°       .          .
.        　  .              °          .                  .

i just thought that an angst might be nice :)
i started this a few days ago lmao

happy birthday zeno <3

sry i cant update much >~<
fr family meetings are trouble st
have fun with your holidays!

its going to be 2021 soon. bc
gon start a new arc, finally!

well i might be inactive for awhile so i apologize :(
thank u for 28k bros. it rlly means alot ;-;
right gbyeee

update: heres a drawing that i drew last month yet was too shy to share 💀

i blurred iy im still EMBARRASSED