Her breath was heavy and strained, as always but this time a little more forceful, more choppy, more wavering in between.

Due to the poisoning.

Her touch was smooth-her palms warm on his scaly skin, like a relaxing massage before he reached his deathbed.

The poisonous essence was destroying his insides.

Her movement was still smooth easily about to deliver herself an extravagant Gungi victory. But from time to time, her brain seemed to falter losing thought.

For that reason the king began to get a tad bit pissed off, however he suppressed a deep throated growl to not scare his opponent away. Still his purple eyes gazed up at her, burning ultimately enraged that he was spreading his toxins and doing this to her.

Why?

Why was she still here?

Gritting his teeth roughly he spoke almost in a grim deadbeat fashion, "Didn't you hear me the first time? I'm poisoned. If you don't leave… Komugi, you're gonna die, right here with me."

The girl was rather slow and dim-witted in a matter of fact manner, so naturally the King assumed it was a natural blunder on her part once more. Still he felt, for once in his life almost guilty in a sense that he didn't wanna hurt her, nor ever allow her to be hurt or touched. She was his very special guest of honor.

"Ah, Meruem-sama. I already said before, I am so happy playing Gungi with you. I could do this forever." She spoke lowly as she moved her piece on the board game the piece clicking as it landed on the square and blankly looked up at him.

The ant King might have at one point been unphased by those dull lifeless eyes, unable to see, or witness the true monster she was over her playing Gungi with. That's right a monster, who most people saw and ran away screaming or started pleading for their life to be spared. Yet Meruem never sensed any hostility that emitted from Komugi. Her calm silent nature, mixed with her clumsy bursts and sparks of energy.

Was it possible that she didn't know he wasn't human?

The girl couldn't see him so how would she know?

"Hey, Komugi?" Meruem uttered lowly moving his piece across the board his rough scaly four fingers brushing over hers in the darkness once more. "How can you be happy with a monster?"

"Supreme ru-Meruem-sama! You're not a monster! Don't ever say that...You and your subordinates saved my life!" Komugi said a small smile gracing her face. "For that, I'm forever thankful."

"No. I mean in a literal sense." Meruem pressured, not quite understanding why he felt the need to make this clear all of a sudden but it was like confession time since his internal clock was winding down. He felt a sudden urgency to tell her everything, pour his heart out into her own before both their final breaths. "I'm not human."

He didn't know what reaction he was expecting maybe a gasp in the slightest or maybe a change of face, but her eyes remained the same as well as her rhythm as she almost scanned the board even though she couldn't see, clearly her slowly fading thoughts were still on how to win the game. Never batting an eyebrow to the king's confessions. For some reason that made Meruem nervous especially when her answers came.

"I figured, the real king sounded different and your skin doesn't feel human, more reptile. I knew you weren't human, soon as I arrived. Plus a human could never rip his own arm off from pure strength." Komugi only response was that and a merry nod at his words.

"Yes, but, I killed people. I almost wiped out humanity completely."

"That's fine."

"W..whaaa… What?" Meruem stammered out his eyes going wide as his tail started to swing anxiously for some reason his heartbeat started to increase as an uneasy feeling came over him. At maybe the stunning realization that Komugi didn't fear him.

She wouldn't ever fear him.

Just like Komugi wanted to stay with Meruem since she didn't fear death either. She would never fear death because if she died doing, Gungi, the game that she lived and dedicated her life to, then she had nothing to fear. Since she assumed herself to be a waste of life and space anyway.

"I don't care what you tired to do. The point is you didn't." Komugi said finally moving her piece to the side and placing it down. "Everything is like a game of Gungi. Constantly changing."

"I did change….I'm not the same as I was before." Meruem repeated the words silently to himself almost not being able to comprehend how humans work, how they could keep such an open mind in any situation even when the odds were against them. The rebels who turned against him, the enemies who invaded his home to save their fellow humans, even the girl right before him-constantly finding ways to counter moves he once assumed to be invincible. Humans and Chima ants were one in the same when it came to changing and adapting, along with their never ending spirit to keep going.

Maybe Komugi shared his thoughts they had been together for so long.

She said exactly what he was thinking as she scooped up his hand, the cold scales on her warm soft skin. "We are not that different. I judge people from the content of their heart. You have a good heart, Meruem. So please, never call yourself a monster."

That was the first time that Meruem was praised for being kind, and he didn't know how to take it. As an insult for being soft and weak? Or a relief for treating Komugi So sweetly? No, he didn't want to take it anyway. He didn't need emotions to go to his head, aside for the fact that he did care for Komugi greatly those were undeniable no matter how hard he tried.

"You can still go. You can live a happy life on the outside. I'm sure they have a cure for this poison by now." Meruem said his mind still trying to remain firm and focus on finding a way to get her out of here. Maybe even save her life. There was no reason for her to die, not a special human like her, with so much potential to do great things.

Shaking her head, Komugi squeezed Meruem's hand weakly, both their strength steadily fading even though neither of them dared to admit it. They seemed almost drunk off the poison between them. But the word Komugi spoke were purely from her heart right now, "I couldn't ever leave you again. Playing Gungi with you, makes me so happy. If I left now, I'd never get to play you again. I couldn't live my life knowing that. I don't want our games to ever end."

Suddenly it felt like the world must have been coming to an end…. All walls of statues quo being shattered like they were made of nothing but glass. Life as Meruem new it was crumbling faster than a earth quake did a building-and yet… Oh what a terrible statement, 'and yet' so dreadful knowing that there was still more to come after this terrible predicament. Mercy was gone and reason for shame engulfed the air, so maybe he should rephrase the thoughts in his mind.

It felt like HIS world was coming to an end.

All the walls HE had built were tumbling down.

By HER.

The game had maybe been a little, too quiet tonight? The moves they made might have been a little, too good? The atmosphere maybe been a little, too tense? Maybe… maybe he should have noticed the signs.

Is this death?

Komugi was not showing him any pity or no longer providing him the answers he craved to hear. There were no power hungry answers that fed his ego.

Unexpecting the next few words that fell out his mouth would ruin their friendship and tear the world he knew all apart forever. If he did know, he would have halted time even freezing it forever to prevent the following change of events. Or maybe even build a time machine wishing he could recall it all back.

But he didn't know.

In fact a warning or something would have been nice before he dropped a bomb on them all.

Simply even a slight sign.

But there was none just a screeching of his voice from cutting loose of emotions.

"Why….? Why, why..WHY ARE YOU SO NICE TO ME!?" Meruem snapped sharply raising his voice for the first time that night as his tail didn't reach her throat though, the stinger stopped even before it could reach that far into a line of action. Still the tensed up steamed resolved fumed in his expression he couldn't stop the words from falling out his mouth. "I AM A MONSTER! A KING SENT TO RULE THE WORLD AND BRING IT TO ITS KNEES! YOU SHOULD FEAR ME! BE RUNNING AND SCREAMING! Completely terrified!"

"I already told you, n-noot. Not to call yourself a monster, Meruem!" Komugi stuttered out feeling the change of mood with new hostility as she innocently threw her hands up. "But, do.. do you want me to treat you, l-like one?" Her voice flooded with confusion that made Meruem even more flabbergasted that he didn't have an answer for her.

He actually liked being treated nicely and unlike his royal guards, Komugi wasn't born with loyalty and undying commitment. This all was formed from herself, her own judgment on Meruem considering him to be good. No matter what, it seemed proved futile to proving her wrong. Unless….

He killed her.

But he couldn't bring himself to hurt such a frail innocent talented human like Komugi. She was one of the select few who would have lived on. Even though sure she was blind, clumsy, dazed and careless with no will or dignity once so ever in herself but-when it came to Gungi. That all changed in a second. The sweet dopey girl became a strong foe that could strike fear in even the greatest of pros.

Just the look in her eyes: gray, unamused, yet focused and enchanting.

Komugi never let her blindness hold her back, even her lacked sight she stayed aware of the game and mostly the world around her when she cared to. Meruem admired her undying spirit, admired how she was frail but determined nevertheless. How she would risk her life to play a game.

"You're not worthless. I don't care, what your parents say." Meruem concluded quickly changing the subject as the stuffed up nose girl sniffled a bit more. It took those congested sounds for him to see how actually calming they were to him. That he liked them actually. His ears twitched anxious to hear more, to make sure she was breathing because every last second they spent together was precious.

"T-thank you!" Komugi was about to back up and bow but Meruem stopped her wrapping his tail around her waist lightly to keep her in place saying, "No need now. I just wanna play with you, as equals."

"Bu-ut! You're, you're a k-king!"

"No, my real name is Meruem. I told you to call me that."

"Still, I…"

"What I say goes. Those rules still apply, understand?"

"Ah, Yes… Meruem."

A small smile crawled on his lips, he loved hearing her say his voice. The way it rang out and bouncing along the walls surrounding them was beautiful. He too, felt entertained and thoroughly happy at the moment. He'd be damned to admit such a thing out loud, or confess his feelings to a human. The tables had turned, as well as time. Easily Meruem moved his piece as always announcing where he placed it out loud.

Komugi's actions were getting slower just like his own, but even in the darkness-their hands were still clasped together tightly unwilling to let go of one another as they continued to play the game. It was mostly in silence for a while until,

"Hey, Meruem...What made you spare all of humanity?"

There it was, the a million dollar question that Komugi would end up regretting asking the second it left her mouth even though it didn't seem like it at the time. As result the answer would spark a flame that would ignite a fire to destroy and ruin their game.

For a few seconds Meruem couldn't talk, his lips opened and closed completely speechless almost mortified by that question. Even though the answer was clear and sitting right in front of him. He coddled her hand more, rubbing his four large fingers over hers desperately wanting to memorize the feel, wanting to memorize her look: the way her long silver hair feel sloppily and her dull grayish eyes craved victory. In fact Meruem swore for a few seconds his heart stopped long with his jaw that felt like it had collapsed to the floor. A empty space lingering where air should be in his lungs. Silence engulfed him and the rest of the room like an unspoken dust storm choking their words back down their throats. Komugi sensed something was wrong with what she asked and looked down almost shamefully now that the cat was fully out of the bag.

It was a stupid question, that both deep down in their hearts knew the answer to.

Meruem didn't think he could formulate the proper response even if he tried and his pride served as a restriction for him coming clean. Still at that moment he knew, Komugi's words held true: She really was born to be here today; and He was born for this moment. This blind helpless frail child, had changed his heart for the better.

Changed his life.

The irony that a blind girl showed him how blind he really was the whole time.

Or maybe deep down he knew he could never be happy ruling over mindless zombie subjects and Komugi had just taught him a way out to experience one of the greatest joys in life, such as friendship or no, more than that. Meruem saw Komugi as more than a friend more than just some girl or a formidable opponent.

Grabbing his heart he asked, "What is this feeling?"

"Hmm?" Komugi tilted her head to the side puzzled at his reaction.

"Why, do… I don't know what to call it."

"How do you feel?"

"I get a funny feeling around or about you."

"Oh no! It must be the poison!" Komugi panicked bit before recalling that there was no one around to help him. "That's not good!"

"No, no sometimes it happened before the poison." Meruem insisted trying to calm her.

"It… it hurts your heart? Is it heartburn?"

"No, I know what that is."

"Comes from a feeling? A friendly feeling?"

"Maybe.. but it feels like more…"

Those words automatically made Komugi blush deeply as he muttered out completely embarrassed at what she was saying, "Do you have a crush on me, Meruem?"

"Crush!?" Meruem said alarmed that he might be hurting Komugi especially knowing the full extent of his powers he looked at her nervously withdrawing his hand from over hers. "I'm! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to crush you!"

"Huh? Oh!" A goofy smile came on her face as she grabbed his hand again smoothing it out as she said softly, "A crush is when you like someone, like them a lot, a lot… like you love them."

Meruem relaxed as he uttered the word, "Love?" It sounded completely foreign on his tongue and unfamiliar to his knowledge. Looking up at her with his purple eyes beaming with curiosity he questioned, "What is love?"

The smile turned more warming as Komugi brought his hand to her cheek making sure he felt the burning sensation rattling her bones with pleasure. She slowly started to explain it as simple as possible, "Love is when two people share a very strong emotion connection with one another."

Confused Meruem traced the shape of her face almost memorizing her silhouette in the dark. The way human skin felt on his own was almost delightful to his extremely sensitive senses. Her touch light as air and delicate to match her small figure.

Was this love?

The long time lingering emotions they shared with each other?

The thumping of his heart was loud but it was increasingly slowing despite his alert nature to learn more. Slowly they both began slipping out and into consciousness asking each other like a game of telephone, "Are you still there?" Then there would be a hollow scared almost desperate answer of, "Yes."

Meruem felt thankful, extremely thankful for Komugi even though he had thanked her earlier already he felt like he couldn't do it enough. Still he knew his time was running out, had he done enough? Had he really made sure Komugi was happy? Were those tears really happiness? Or despair from trying to evade the truth?

Probably for one last time his purple orbs dilated sharply to look at the Gungi piece, a slim cheap game piece. That faded and started to become more blurry as the seconds ticked by. What if this is it? There was no beat, no melody, darkness all around so there was nothing to see. What if this Gungi piece was his legacy? What if all he left was a path of destruction? Would that truely be how everyone would remember him? No, a legacy was planting seeds in a garden you don't get to see. His existence would definitely be edged in the mind of everyone who encountered him and his supreme power forever. But one thing was clear as day to him, Komugi's tears that kept raining down from her face and landing on the board.

Yeah, Komugi was crying from happiness the only thing that upset her now was that soon it would all end. That was the only logical conclusion; the other one was something that Meruem found himself wanting to believe, that Komugi was crying because she loved him so much that she was waiting to willingly die with him.

"Love…" Meruem whispered lowly feeling a magnetic attraction to be cradle by Komugi right now a yearn to intertwine them together. "I am experiencing love, the power of it." His eyelids began to feel heavy as he dropped the Gungi piece he had once picked up back onto the same square it came.

History might obliterate him, but everything he did would live one and paint a picture that would affect the outcome of people's lives everyday-It would paint him, and all his ignorant stupid mistakes. He would live on, death would not be the end of the scar he made sure to burn in the earth. People would tell his story for generations. His legacy and true intent might get clouded, but at least one person would know the truth, the real side of him before he passed.

That person, was actually the one he felt most closest to trust and rely on. "Komugi, Are you still there?"

"Yes, I am here." Komugi said her voice laced with absolute concern all at once as she pushed the game to the side and felt around with her hands on the bare floor before finally being able to crawl over to him.

"I… I am starting to feel a little tired." Meruem murmurs softly, "I need to take a short nap." His muscles started to relax as his voice cracked he fell victim to her soft delicate touches asking, "Will you stay by my side? Until I wake…..Komugi?"

"I've never left your side." The girl hummed equally at low volume, now rocking the heavy male in her arms gently. "I'll always be here."

"Komugi…."

"Yes, yes."

"Thank you." Meruem uttered out weakly but their was nothing but sincerity in his heart when he said it.

He could almost see Komugi's sweet smile through the darkness as her nimble fingers kept caressing his skin. Her response almost sounding like angel's singing, "You're welcome."

"Komugi….Will you..."

"Yes."

Meruem didn't fear death but there was one last request he craved for, to hear his name grace the lips of a person he cared deeply for-Komugi his first Gungi playing friend as well as his board game loving enemy who he was never able to defeat.

The words whisked out his throat almost straining knowing they would be his last ones when still so many between them were left unspoken, "...Call me by my name, one last time?"

Holding his hand tightly, Komugi's unseeing orbs stared down at him. Meruem felt a strange new sensation come across his lips, his vision faded slightly but he still saw the faint sight of Komugi pressing a light kiss on his lips. Yet he didn't have the strength left to ask why she had kissed him. Instead after the brief taste of heaven when their lips met for a slight airy kiss, Komugi spoke sympathetically. "Goodnight, Meruem. I'll be joining you soon." Slowly afterwards his eyes finally closed shut forever.

Meruem's nose drowning happily in Komugi's delicious scent off her clothes and his senses satisfied with her warm touch, lips still tingling from meeting the others. His mind clouded fuming and fumbling around with his thoughts and memories disappearing. Still he was left with wishes: He wished that he had been a little kinder, He wished he could stay together with Komugi a little longer, He wish that they met before he was convinced life was war, He wished that he'd be going to the same place that Komugi was…..For part of him knew that he'd probably never be able to play her again.

Light could never go to the same place with darkness.

Not gonna lie, this is my favorite Hunter x Hunter ship. Some people say it's fucked up, but I honestly think these two are so cute together and Meruem has one of the best freaking character development I've ever seen. I recently started rewatching Hunter x Hunter and almost forgot how sad this part was, I'm still crying over this. I'll tell you, I never cried this hard for a bug's death in my life. Ahh, sorry I wrote this to spread my emotions. Basically a redo of the scene, that had been floating around in my mind.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hunter x Hunter. It belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi. He wrote this amazing Chimera arc, my favorite one with too many feels to count. He's so amazing!

Well, I am hopefully gonna get along to writing some more of these two together. Because honestly, Meruem x Komugi needs some more ship love guys. They're so fucking precious together, Gosh damn! Anyway, thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this...even if it's sad. Sorry and not sorry. Leave a review or favorite if you enjoyed this. Have a wonderful day, that showers you in success!~Mel