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"Scolding me is pointless. You'll be talking to deaf ears."

➳

— [ PRESENT DAY ] —

𝐕𝐎𝐗 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄 in the midst of Pentagram City, the only audible sounds being the light murmur of wandering sinners, and the faint clip-clop from the heels of Vox's shoes.

He was alone...

And the people were quiet. Too quiet, for his liking.

Vox knew he was feared and everything—and he most certainly didn't mind it—but they were unusually silent. Were they afraid?

It didn't seem as such...everyone glanced at him, as if they were expecting something to happen.

Vox rolled his eyes and kept walking ahead, his clip-clopping never coming to a ragged pause as his feet dragged across the paved street.

The Overlord froze in his tracks when, out of the corner of his eye, he was able to catch the flicker of a familiar-looking raincoat.

...No, it couldn't be her... Not HER, of all people.

Curiosity got the best of him, and Vox hesitantly glanced over his shoulder, seeing you, sitting peacefully on a park bench, just enjoying the sight of the smog-filled nighttime stars.

The hood of your raincoat was pulled over your head, but Vox knew it was you, even with your back turned.

The gentle sway of your feet, your boots, the way you tilted your head as you gazed up at the blood-red sky, as if you could find any beauty in it at all...

It was you, no doubt.

Vox recalled gifting you that raincoat for your birthday. He was walking through the shops, and stopped when he found the coat.

It wasn't too big, but large enough to last you a long period of time. The hem of the jacket sunk to your knees, and had hand-level pockets.

The way your eyes lit up with contentment and love while unwrapping your gift—he'd never forget it.
It was like a mental tattoo, inked into his brain to remember forever. A memory, treasured and held close to his heart.

What should he say? 'Hi'? 'How are you after dumping me'?

He should just leave you be... Who was he to ruin your night?

Yet the tech demon found himself being drawn towards you, walking up to the bench you were perched at with his breath hitched and held.

"Sunshine?" he breathes out, his voice involuntary quavering.

You turn around, your head tilting as you gaze up at him. "Vox."

Why did you say it like that? As if it has a bitter feeling on your tongue?

You sit up from the bench, tugging out the edge of your raincoat to face him. He was, of course, noticeably taller than you, but somehow he looked more childish—more afraid.

What does he start with? What does he say?

"How've you been?"

Your mouth is hung for a moment, unsure of how to answer the question.

"Just...fine," you decide. "But don't think I haven't forgotten our fight," you suddenly snap.

What?

Vox was taken aback. You had never been this rough, this cruel to him...had all this much occurred in just a few years?

What happened to you? Sunshine?

Vox felt a strange surge of anger rush over him. You had no right to be mad. Mad at him of all people! You broke him. Why were you playing the victim?

"Excuse me?" he snorts breathlessly.

You roll your eyes, looking to the side with your arms folded over the raincoat. Vox never thought you looked more bratty.

That one motion set him off, like you had just single-handedly ripped out a heartstring.

"You know, I genuinely loved you," he states grimly. "I would've done ANYTHING for you. Hell, I'd have even given up my entire career for you. And this is how you repay me."

You raise your eyebrow, unaffected by his words. "How did I repay you, exactly?"

"By breaking me like I'm fucking nothing."

You scoffed, still, yet STILL unaffected by his words. Why weren't they piercing through you like he wanted them to? Why were you rolling your eyes as he just poured his fucking heart out?

Why, just why, weren't you the (Y/N) he fell in love with all those years ago?

He wanted to fall to his knees, punch through the ground like he was three years old.

But Vox knew better. This was embarrassing enough.

He exhaled, still fuming with anger. "You won't even fucking listen."

"Scolding me is pointless," you note. "You'll be talking to deaf ears."

He looked up at you. In appearance, you were the same old (Y/N). The one that smiled at him when he woke up, or had a bad day. Laughed at his terrible jokes. Given him little notes in his briefcase when he was away. His sunshine. Where was she?

Vox holds his breath, knowing it would be dangerous to ask—be he wanted to know, he had to know.
"You...don't hate me...do you...?" the demon inquires.

"Why would you think otherwise?"

Vox's heart shatters into a million pieces, and his knees give out, as the ground swallows him whole.

➳

Vox wakes up in a pool of sweat, letting out a relieved breath.

It was just a dream... Another dream.

Until recently, Vox has been dreaming of you for weeks now. They all felt so real, and he couldn't help but think of how they reflected his desires.

Were they trying to warn him? Or tell him something?

He didn't know. Vox was never really insightful. Whenever he had random dreams, he'd just push them aside and ignore them, only to forget them in just the timespan of a few hours.

But these dreams he's had of you kept nagging at the back of his head.

While it had been years since the two of you split, he couldn't get your face, your beautiful, familiar face out of his head.

It was never easy for him to. There were moments when it was easy, and moments when it was...not as easy.

He found himself daydreaming, fantasizing, and thinking about you. It was like you were a plague, slowly but painfully bringing Vox to his death.

He wanted to forget, really. But how was he supposed to forget how you felt under his touch? Under his gaze?

He'd give anything to see you again.

Vox knows better. He knows that it's totally not a big deal that he hasn't dated anyone seriously ever since your breakup, and he doesn't see it as such a huge problem that he hadn't had sex in fifteen months!

Not that he was counting.

The point being...

Things could've been different.

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a/n: I made a c.ai bot based off of this chapter if you'd like a nice angst/fluff chat! (username is earth_angel17)

—Angie 🥂