Warrior's Tears.

ETERNO POV.

The quiet of my apartment, a sort of holy hush, always drew me in. I loved that silence. It was a sanctuary, a place where the world's noise faded, and I could just... breathe. Even if that breathing often involved thinking about him. That blue... well, you know.
It was a weird thing, this peace. Because while the quiet soothed me, it couldn't stop the blue flash of thought, that face, the stupid grin. Sometimes I wondered if he were here, barging in, cracking jokes – would it be awful? Of course. Mostly. But... sometimes? No. Sometimes, I wouldn't mind.
I sipped tea from my Hello Kitty mug, which I'd normally hide from the world. If Nyx saw it, I'd never live it down. The irony wasn't lost on me.

And, of course, the quiet was broken.
A knock rattled the door, a sound I knew well. It was always one of two things: the mail, which these days meant mostly bills, or... the others. Liane, Nyx, Bomb (who'd just revealed his real name was Bunny, which was hilarious.), and Trixie.

"Oi, Edge lord! Get your butt out here!" Liane's voice, loud and impatient, blasted through the door.
"We know you're in there! Don't make us break the door down!" Nyx yelled, a threat laced with amusement.

"Dude, they're serious," Bomb chimed in, a new note of worry in his voice. "They wrecked my door, and I was with Chizil. Apartments are rentals, you know. I'm screwed."
I opened the door, sighing, and faced the three. Their faces were lit up with excitement. Besides Bomb, who looked resigned.
"WE'RE GOING SHOPPING!" they chorused.
. . .
"No," I said, and slammed the door.
I turned, and, of course, he was lounging on my couch. Velocity.

"Surprised to see me?" he grinned, stretching out, looking far too comfortable. "Aww, that's a cute mug! Is it Scarlet's?... or..." He chuckled. "Is it yours?"
"Get. Out," I growled, feeling my cheeks heat up, already preparing to shove him towards the door.
"Make me," he drawled, one leg crossed over the other, his shirt tightens as a hint of his tanned stomach visible beneath his shirt.
Then, just as they had planned, the others burst in.

"Yep! Just a diversion," Velocity said, popping a lollipop into his mouth. "How else to get you out?"
"You are leavin'," Liane said, her tone making it clear there was no room for argument.
"He ain't stayin' with Blue freak, is he?" Bomb asked, looking at me. "Right?"
"Rather die," I muttered.
Velocity's smile flickered, ever so slightly. "Okay, okay. I'm out. You guys have fun!" He pulled the lollipop from his mouth, and instead of keeping it, he stuck it... into my mouth.
He grinned, we shared a look, and he ran off.

How I hated him.

The trio let out a long "Ooooooooh" in unison.

"Don't make me punch you all," I warned, but I kept the lollipop.


LATER, STATION SQUARE - HIGH STREET: CROWDED AND NOISY.

The rush of the city hit me as soon as we stepped onto the sidewalk. Nyx took a deep breath like she was breathing in the energy of the city. Me? I just wanted to get somewhere quieter. The smell of the cars was choking me.

"So... what are we actually doing?" I asked, crossing my arms. "Make this worth my time."
They share a look, I knew what that meant.

" Do you guys seriously have no idea. " I groan.

" Cmon Ternoo..No need to be such a mood. " Liane shrugs.

Nyx chimed in, gesturing to the bustling crowd. "The crowds are their own kind of quiet, you know? And the city... it's the reason we're all here, you know? To not be alone. So we're not."

Bomb just shrugged and said, "Shops, dude. Shops. You're the one who's gonna be in charge, so... don't screw that up."

I sighed. More shops. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

" How about something to eat? I was going to eat with Chizil, but SOMEONE. " Bomb glared to Nyx, " Interrupted that. "

I look to Nyx, who hadn't replied. She looked..worried." I ate before I got you guys, heh. " She chuckles, an awkward grin. We all share a look, I can see those two are thinking something along the line of what I am.

" Lets go to the mall. "

I fill the silence, " There's a new one on ..Sonic Rd. " I had forgotten they named a road after.. him. The two look at me, and Nyx raises her head, I hear a sigh of relief.

The walk there was a bit of a disaster, the sheer number of people pressing around us did not calm my nerves at all, I hated it. The city seemed to shrink into a crowd of people, and the silence was deafening.

TIMESKIP -> THEY WALK OUT OF THE MALL,  ALL HOLDING A FEW BAGS, BESIDES ETERNO. CUS HE IS /THE/ MAN.

" Come on, let's go." I said, eager to be away from the sounds.
Liane sighed, "Okay, okay. But we have to eat somewhere; I'm starving. Let's hit up Velocity Street, I saw a cool restaurant there. "

Nyx went quiet once more, but honestly, I think it was time to confront it.

"Velocity Street? Seriously?" I asked, already knowing the answer. "Of all the places..."

They all give me a look.

"It's just... you know," I said, trying to downplay it. Velocity. I never hated him, but I would never love him, if I had the choice, he would be in an empty void with no air. He'd be the man I'd shoot If I were to choose between him, and a War crime committer.
The name was just... awkward. Like naming a street after your ex. 

It was a constant reminder. A reminder of her.

We walked to that restaurant, relentless of Nyx's stress- She needed to eat.
The building was there, its sign lit up bright. As we approached the restaurant's entrance, I suddenly felt incredibly anxious. Everything about it felt wrong. the name, the building, it was too much.
"Come on, come on, Edge lord. " Liane said, dragging us inside before I could overthink it.

"Alright, this place is actually kind of cool," Bomb uttered, looking around.                                         We got a table, and after that, it was chaos.

"Let's eat!" Liane said, scanning the menu. "What are you getting, Nyx?"

I looked around. Nyx seemed a bit... off. She was unusually quiet, picking at the menu.

"I'll have a salad, I guess," she mumbled, her voice barely audible.
"Fine, Salad is good. " I shrugged, waiting for the rest of her order, " ..."

" Is- Is that it..? " Bomb clears his throat, seems I wasn't the only one thinking that.
Nyx nodded,                                                                                                                                                                              " Ill get us a pizza to share, then. "  Liane decided.

" Sure. " I said, " Pizza is good. Though, Ill pass, I'm getting something else, you guys can have more to yourselves. "
We started ordering the food. Nyx had ordered a salad. She would be back to order, surely.

" The menu looks like outer space. " I randomly point out, breaking the silence once more.

Liane snorted. "Always with the space, Edge lord. Still think that Blue freak is a galaxy, huh?"
I rolled my eyes. "I didn't say that, and it's just a cool topic, not everything has to be about... him."
"True," Liane muttered, "It's just... kinda nostalgic. Remember when we used to..."
She trailed off, glancing at the empty space where Nyx had been. I followed her gaze.
Where was she?
"Think she's alright?" Liane asked.
"Eh, she is going to eat eventually," Bomb said.
I frowned. "Alright. "
And just like that, the waiter came and we started eating.