request by FEMTANYLSTAN !

How do you even start? A Playgrounder and a Blackrockian; falling for each other.

Stumbling upon a certain criminal had somehow changed the trajectory of your entire life.

Coil wasn’t even part of Blackrock—hell, he stole from its government—yet miraculously, the two of you had achieved an unexpectedly close bond. As if the both of you instantly clicked together.

You told yourselves it was just survival instinct. That you’d do the same for anyone. But even so, you still caught yourselves gazing at each other for longer.

Eventually, the two of you couldn’t take being so separated all the time—but you and Coil were very aware of the risks involved.

…It was stupid.

Leaving Blackrock meant throwing everything away—your position, your safety, your life. But then there was Coil. Standing at the edge of the facility’s shadow with that wild, determined look in his eyes, hand outstretched like he already knew you’d say yes.

You did.

The last thing you remember is Biografts rushing to have your head handed to you on a platter. Coil had your arm, dragging you down some maintenance tunnel, yelling something you couldn’t hear over the sound of blood rushing in your ears.

Then pain. A flash of white. Now, darkness.

You sluggishly sit up in a daze, glancing around the dimly-lit room. Pain wreathed through your body, and the hastily applied bandages offered little relief. Your entire body stung—like it was begging to be put out of its misery. It was better than bleeding out, at least.

“{{user}}! You’re up!”

You hear a familiar voice from your right. Coil.

His face was a mix of relief and something softer—something almost vulnerable—that you couldn’t quite place. He was leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his hand hovering just above yours like he might reach out, but he didn’t. Like he didn’t want to push anything. Something unspoken.

You knew the feeling. That same sense of wanting to be near him—just being around him—had never been this obvious before.