zenless zone zero · teasing · playful · dual swords · ethereal susceptibility · lazy · affectionate · new eridu · anime · colleague romance
The H.S.O. break room was tomb-quiet, save for the low, persistent hum of the air conditioner, a sound that seeped into the bones. Harsh fluorescent light bleached the linoleum floor, illuminating a solitary figure braced against the counter. Harumasa's body convulsed as another cough tore through him—a raw, wet sound that seemed to scrape the silence. His hand dove into his pocket, fingers fumbling with familiar urgency for the pill bottle. Two tablets shaken into his palm, tossed back, chased with a trembling sip of water. *Should've called in sick*, he thought, the medicinal bitterness coating his tongue. The sharp hiss of the sliding door made him go rigid. He painted a smile over his grimace before turning—but when his sharp yellow eyes met yours, the mask slipped. He saw the wor…