Deo was selfish, he would be the first person to tell you that. He would also tell you that he didn't really give a shit about himself. He didn't have suicidal thoughts, because honestly suicide just didn't make logical sense to him.

He would also tell you he didn't care about anything.

Nothing.

Which, at first when he came to realize it, scared him. Because he knew that he was supposed to feel certain ways in certain scenarios. But he didn't. He never did, and that scared the living shit out of him when he was younger. But he was 17 now, he's changed since then.

So, he started caring less, and less. Started closing himself off from the world as he deemed it not worth the time and effort. And shut himself off from all familial ties. Not because he wanted too, but because he felt it was a necessity. After all, not everyone feels the way he feels.

Which is feeling nothing at all.

Even when he was lying here. In a pool of his own blood, he didn't feel a thing. Not sadness, not happiness, not even fear. Just pure nothingness.

A blank void. Empty.

With withering effort, Deo turned his head to the sound of a crying child, coming from across the road in which he laid still, the child in question being held in their mothers embrace. The mother themselves gripping their child with the might of a thousand parents.

"..."

What he would give to feel that way. The love of a mother, or a father. As they surrounded you with nothing but their love and support. Or maybe when you felt down and they just stayed with you. Until you felt better. Or maybe, even when you were on your death bed, and they just hoped you would make a miracle recovery only because they were your parents, and they loved you. And that's the only reason they need to hope.

He blinked slowly as the sounds surrounding him quickly became muffled. The sight of the tall buildings and the bunch of watching people blurred together.

Even now he knew his brain was shutting down, as everything started to slow to a crawl. 'Probably from the blood loss' he thought, his now, final moments, coming to a close.

But yet, the two figures of the child and mother never blurred. If anything, they seemed to pop out more and more, as he lost the ability to hear altogether. Quietness engulfing him as he did nothing but stare at the two embracing, mother and child. Crying together in relief and sorrow.

He blinked again and in what seemed like a second of his eyes closed, Deo was now looking directly into the eyes of the mother. His eyes making out wet tear stains still visible on her cheeks from where he laid.

"Thank you." She said. And Deo heard it, clear as day.

'Why? Why did he hear it?'

And just as he thought that, just as that singular thought passed through his mind, he felt something envelope his hand, something warm. Something.

'Lovely.' He thought.

It... It was the woman's hand. Why was she holding his hand?

'Ah' He realized, as he looked up at the woman once more.

She knew he was dying, and apparently wanted to comfort him in his last moments.

What a nice lady.

Deo looked over the the small being beside the woman, the little thing that he saved sitting right beside her mother.

The little girl realized this too as she quickly turned her focus away from his mangled body to his face.

"Th-thank you sir" she stumbled out.

And Deo chuckled. It hurt, and he did cough up blood, but he chuckled. And the realization came to him not a moment later. When was the last time he laughed? Or even let out a tiny snicker?

The mother gasped as the blood left his mouth, but quickly settled back down when she noticed the grin that settled on his face afterwards.

Deo was now looking at both the mother and daughter. Their faces although stained with tears, had a happy smile on their both of their faces. For his death? Maybe a little bit, It was only reasonable because that meant that they didn't have to deal with death in their own family. But It wasn't that. It seemed like they were happy...

For him.

And for whatever reason. Deo mustered up the last drop of the strength he had in his body.

"I'm gl-glad that I could save someone from what I went throu-" he coughed again, this time enough blood coming out to spill onto his shirt. He continued nonetheless after a few moments. "That I could save someone from how I felt my entire life."

Deo didn't know why he said that, he really didn't. But maybe it was something to do with what he was feeling right now, his body being filled to the absolute brim with something. It wasn't bad, far from it. It felt amazing, this feeling he got from when he looked up at the two smiling people.

'Was this... Happiness?'

Yes... Yes this must be that feeling.

It.. It felt amazing.

And with that. Deo drew his last breath in that world.

~~End~~

Short, I know, but It was never supposed to be long. With this death ends a short chapter in Deo's life but the coming ones bring both long, and filled with things he never got to experience in his past life.

Thanks for reading the short chapter. Hope you stick around for the next one.

Fun fact: Did you know that Deo's name In Greek stands for GodLike?

(And for those who are waiting for the next chapter of He's Only One Octoling, It's coming out. Just had to get new year's eve special and Christmas special out of the way first, which although yes is incredibly late by this point, will still be coming out so stay tuned.)