(Netalai's POV)
Rytem feels like a hypocrite to me lately. He says he regrets killing Gini, but he doesn't show it, and only a day later he's acting like his old carefree self, clinging to me and bossing me around as usual. I don't mind when he tells me what to do, but I hate it when he lies to me and overlooks my feelings.
"I think she's avoiding me," Hyzi said, sulking on the bed. "I only flirted with her a little... and now she won't even talk to me." I pat his back,
"No offense but I don't care about your love life," I replied, Hyzi laughed and pretended to cry,
"You're so harsh Nelly. Oh, but I learned how to do a new trick with my powers." He announced. It's so much easier to talk to him because I shut off my Inhibitions for my vow, I stopped worrying about what others thought all the time, and thanks to that I have a friend.
"Cool, show me." He smiled widely.
"Lift your feet off the floor first." I sat cross-legged on the bed; as he stuck up his middle finger the floor transformed into rows of sharp black needles. There had to be over a thousand of them "It's a concentrated numbing agent, if I pierce any part of my opponent, that body part will go limp. I can change the walls and ceiling too... just showing you the floor for now." I gave him an impressed face and clapped.
"I'm proud of you, guess you're not just a slacker after all." He flicked me off again this time without activating the skill. "I've been practicing too; I can make 10 clones now." He raised his eyebrows and then said,
"I can make 500 hundred." I gasped,
"You're lying! There's no way!" He shrugged and said,
"It's a little tight in this room so I can't prove it right now... but maybe I'll show you one day," after he said that his clone phased into the room through a crack in the wall, and then it handed Hyzi a flower which it had condensed for travel.
"Is that for her?" I inquired.
"I thought you said you don't care." Hyzi retorted so I pouted and said,
"I don't."
"Then mind your business." After saying this he hid the flower under his bed. "I think 20 can fit in here, let's see." I started to scream for him to stop but it was too late, he filled the room with clones. It was so cramped I could barely move. "Do you want to count them?" He yelled; he must've been pushed across the room.
"No! Screw you!" After he made them dissipate, I left the room in a huff. He didn't need to show off so much, I'm trying hard too and what's the point of getting so strong if he's going to hide his abilities anyway?!... I feel a little frustrated, but I can't help but admire him, he's strong, doesn't need validation and he knows exactly how he feels. I wish I were more like him. I returned to my room, and it felt empty. This is my third night sleeping alone, I wonder if I'll ever get used to it.
"Nelly! I missed you; I learned a new card trick I want to show you." "Wow Nelly you got taller again, stop growing so much, you're already perfect as is." "I studied all the textbooks so if you have any questions you can ask me, you can rely on me, Nelly." Even though he's not around things he said keep floating into my head and pissing me off. I should punch him again.
The next day I went to Hyzi's room to play BS with him and a clone from the both of us.
"Ace, by the way, how did you sleep?"
"2, I slept fine," I replied.
"Bull sh*t." He stated so I gasped and said,
"I did!" This made him snicker,
"I meant your card." I pouted then flipped it over, revealing a 5. He laughed harder as I picked up the pile of cards into my hand. "I also knew you were lying about sleeping."
"How would you know?" I asked, not caring to hide my attitude.
"You always have a scowl on your face when you don't get enough rest." My body burns calories and carbs at an incredible rate so unlike the others I have to eat large meals, drink a lot of water, and sleep every night. Even so, I'm the skinniest out of everyone.
"Fine, I didn't sleep well. Are you happy?" I replied, the clone put down a card and said,
"3." Then Hyzi himself said,
"I'm not happy. I want you to be well rested, so you remember when I kick your ass." My clone put down a card for 4 and Hyzi said, "Bull Sh*t." I gasped,
"The heck?! Are you cheating?" He laughed and flipped over the card my clone placed down, revealing a 3,
"Looks like your clone has to draw this time," I grumbled. It looks like I won't win today, even though I taught him this game. "You should talk to him" He stated suddenly so I threw the cards in my hand down.
"Why the hell would I do that?!" Hyzi looked up at me, meeting my eyes.
"It's not just hurting him; you're affected too and you're my friend..." His words touched me, so I softened my tone before replying,
"Fine..." Hyzi grinned, pleased with himself so I launched a waterball at his face. It stunned him for a moment but then he summoned an orb of smoke and looked at me with a mischievous grin, "What does that do?" I asked cautiously.
"You're about to find out." He replied so I ran around and did my best to dodge him. I found out that it confuses your sense of direction when I ran face-first into a wall. I got laughed at so once the dizziness left me, I got up and we had a playful fight. I was laughing so much that for a few minutes, I blissfully forgot about Rytem... On my way back to my room I could feel the irritation returning, why do I have to care about him? So, what if he's been skipping meals... so what if he's not sleeping or crying? He deserves it. As the thoughts were swirling, I found myself outside his room. I must have walked here on instinct... the door was closed... and since I couldn't stop worrying anyway, I knocked. There was no answer, so I yelled,
"Are you dead?" That's when the door swung open. Rytem's eyes were dark and swollen, he looked malnourished. His cerulean hair was disheveled, and his clothes looked dirty. His hot pink eyes which usually shined so brightly were dull and lifeless looking and the room reeked as if he had been skipping showers and drinking liquor constantly.
"Nelly!" He didn't say anything else before hugging me. I pushed him away which seemed to destroy all the composure he had. "I'm sorry... I..." I felt his body convulsing and then he went limp, falling onto the floor, blood was spilling from his ears, eyes, mouth, and nose... this must have something to do with his vow! But what the hell did he decide on!?... If it was really just being sad, he would have died a long time ago. "Thank you for... seeing me... I wish... I was a better person for you... I know I'm awful." he stated weakly so I lifted him and took him to the bed. Should I call for help?! If I can't stop the side effects, it won't matter if he gets treated right away. "I should just die." After he said this, I kissed him. I felt his breathing return to normal.
"Don't die! Whatever you're thinking stop it now! You can't die on me, you have to atone for what you did, you piece of shit!" His eyes widened and I wiped his blood from my mouth. I saw the color returning to his face so I left to find a servant so they could call for the doctor. It was a full day before he became stable again and I skipped lessons to stay at his side the whole time. When he woke up, he smiled at me saying,
"You're still here... or am I dreaming?" I slapped him,
"Did you feel that?" He groaned in pain and nodded. "Then you must be awake then... I'm leaving." I stood to my feet, but he grabbed my hand and said,
"It was regret! I ... have never really regretted anything... so I thought it safe to get rid of it but then I made you hate me. I always knew I was an awful person inside. I don't know how to change, or how I should feel... but I know I love you... I am in love with you, I can't live without you Nelly. I don't want to live if you hate me." I sighed then squatted down at his bedside and squeezed his hand in return.
"You're awful... you killed someone who did nothing but care about you. You're obsessive, overbearing, controlling, and you never think about how anyone else feels but you! Even now you're so godd*mn selfish!... So... why can't I hate someone like you? I should hate you... but if you died on me... I don't think I could go on either." He jolted up out of bed, with wide eyes, that were locked on me. "Stop staring at me or I'll pluck your eyes out." He squeezed his eyes shut,
"Do you mean it?" He asked, while being sure not to look at me. I laughed lightly,
"... If you want me to stay with you, there will be rules from now on." He nodded rapidly, "Number one, you're not allowed to kill anyone who isn't trying to hurt you."
"Okay!"
"Number two, If I tell you I don't like something you're doing you better stop right away." He nodded again,
"Anything... I promise."
"Number 3... Never lie to me again, if I find out you lied it's over between us, you got it?!" He peeked out at me,
"I'll tell you everything." I felt a slight tremor in my heart, so I looked away.
"Also... I'm not gay." His shoulders drooped,
"Oh... I understand."
"But... if you can keep all my rules, I'll make an exception... and we can try... being more than friends," I felt his heart racing through his palm.
"You mean it?" He asked cheerfully,
"Rule Number 4! Don't starve yourself, no matter how pissed I get at you, you better take care of yourself." He gave me a serene and affectionate look as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
"Yeah... I understand." I sighed,
"Lastly... you're not allowed to penetrate me, don't even try it. If you're okay with being on the bottom permanently, I'll be your boyfriend..." His mouth dropped then his cheeks reddened and he looked away from me.
"I didn't think... you ... could say stuff like that... Oh... um... yeah... that's fine. You could ask me to cut off my arms and I'd do it for you." He answered, with tears in his eyes. I flicked his forehead, and as he flinched, I said,
"If you cheat on me, we're over and get a hobby or something, because you're suffocating me. Also, take a damn shower, you stink!" Then I kissed him again before leaving the room and going back to mine. I managed to fall asleep finally. It's annoying to admit but no matter how crazy he is or what deranged things he does, I can't stop caring for him... he's always been the exception for me, in all aspects of my mind.