Chapter Text
His head throbbed as if it had already reached its limit. It was like someone was crushing his brain with bare hands, kneading it into pulp. Seven clutched both temples with trembling hands and curled up on the floor. Only shallow, broken breaths escaped his lips.
The cold, unfamiliar air stabbed at his lungs, but it did nothing to ease the pain. No matter how hard he tried to steady his breathing, his mind was already drowning in waves of chaos.
Then—warmth seeped gently into his back. A familiar heat, a soft breath. Arms wrapping carefully around him.
“Seven… it’s okay. I’m here. You’re not alone.”
That voice, warm and tender, resonated like something half-remembered yet desperately needed. It was Noli.
Seven flinched, but his body soon leaned into the embrace without thinking. His ragged breathing shook against that chest, then gradually softened. The pain hadn’t vanished, not completely. But the moment those arms held him, it was as if the dark fog lifted for just an instant. A fleeting peace.
Unconsciously, a faint smile tugged at his lips. “…Mm… okay…”
Noli’s fingertips brushed through his hair. A gentle touch, the steady motion of a hand soothing his back. With every stroke, Seven’s vision blurred further, and the last fragments of resistance inside him flickered like dying sparks. ‘It’s fine… fine… when I’m here, the pain… fades…’
But then—
“Hey!! What the hell are you doing?!”
The sharp cry split the air. Seven slowly turned his head. Blonde hair, an apron—Elliot.
Noli’s face twisted, first in surprise, then in sudden rage. From his fingertips, a shard of hollow starlight shot across the space, grazing Elliot’s leg. A dull thud, a pained grunt.
“Don’t interfere.” His voice rumbled low, dangerous.
Seven stared blankly at the scene. His mind was too fogged to grasp meaning. The pain surged again, and instinctively he turned back toward the one place he felt relief. His unfocused gaze locked onto Noli, who bent down until their eyes met.
“Seven, look at me.”
Noli’s hands cupped his face, holding his cheeks in a firm, tender grip. In this hazy world, Noli’s figure alone was sharp, undeniable.
“The others— they only hurt you, said you weren’t needed. But not me. Remember the moments you smiled? That was when I was with you. Seven, you can only be happy when I’m here.”
His voice dripped like honey, and with each word his hand stroked Seven’s hair. Every touch sank deeper, pulling Seven’s mind further into the mist. His heartbeat pounded, not from fear but from a strange, heavy relief.
“…Yeah… I need… to be with you… Noli…”
Seven’s voice trembled, yet it carried a conviction close to certainty.
Noli’s lips curved in quiet satisfaction as he pulled him into a tighter embrace. His palm traced slowly down Seven’s back.
“Good. You only need to stay with me. Nothing else matters. No one else understands you. But I do. Only I can protect you.”
Seven’s eyes grew faintly wet. Yet he didn’t notice the tears gathering. If anything, they felt like proof of the comfort pouring in.
“…I’m… yours… Noli…”
Noli’s fingers threaded once more through his hair, soft and deliberate.
“Yes, Seven. You’re mine. Mine alone. And now—you can’t live without me.”
Seven slowly nodded within the blur of his vision. A single tear traced down his cheek, but he didn’t know it was there. All that remained real was Noli’s voice, his hands, his warmth.
At the edge of his sight—blue hair, yellow light, the brim of a fedora, the glow of a safety helmet. Shapes frozen, struck dumb. Yet Seven’s eyes no longer registered them. He had already sunk too far, and it was already far too late.
Round Over.
⸻
When he blinked again, he was inside the dark cabin. His breathing was rough, the ache in his skull still crushing, clawing.
From beyond the wall came the sound of footsteps. Slow, approaching.
Seven clutched his head tighter, trembling. His vision smeared into static, and the pain sharpened like a blade.
‘No… it’s coming again… please… Noli… I need you… only you… come back…’
His lips quivered, his sight crumbling into shadow.
And then—
Round Start.