Yo! First fic of the new year with some Shicca! This is based on a great angsty headcanon my amazing (best) friend, theweiszguy had on tumblr a while back that sparked some great inspiration and I had to write it. Also because angst is life. Love Edens Zero already so it was fun diving in and exploring Shiki and Rebecca a bit. Hope you all enjoy it!
Some slight manga spoilers if you haven't read up to the current 27th chapter!
Prompt: "Rebecca hurt in Shiki's (who is hysterically crying for his girlfriend) arms saying, "I told you I wasn't going anywhere."
The silence was defeating. High pitched ringing in his ears becoming louder and louder until a pulsing throb started forming in his head. The battle had finally ended, dust settling and clearing away with the swift breeze that ruffled his dark locks.
Shiki closed his eyes, inhaling a deep shuddering breath. Now painfully aware of all the aches and bruises that littered his body, shoulders sagging in exhaustion.
Unfortunately, he couldn't indulge in the feeling for long. Amber eyes snapping back open, heart clenching tightly. That's right, he had lost sight of Rebecca earlier in the chaos.
They had unexpectedly come across a group of rogue space pirates that were up to no good on the planet they were exploring. The bandits refused to let them pass peacefully. Cornering and separating them from Happy and the others, insisting they hand over whatever they had.
Forced to stand back to back when they had closed in to circle around them. Shiki and Rebecca turned their heads towards each other, gazes locked, sharing a smirk before sprinting off and tackling the pirates head on…
His breath hitched in his throat, pulse quickening under his skin as wide eyes flitted around the grounds in a panic. He hadn't been able to spot her close by. Only seeing some of the unconscious pirates that lay scattered around.
"Rebecca!" he shouted, voice hoarse and strained.
He wasn't aware when he had started running until he noticed the ache in his legs, but he didn't dwell on it and pushed forward.
"Rebecca, where are you? Say something!" he exclaimed again, starting to shift through some rubble and straining to see in small narrow alleyways he passed along the way.
"Anything, please…" A whisper on his lips.
Shiki was about to pass another pile of rubble when a flicker of light caught the corner of his eye. His body already turning towards it. Uneasy steps bringing him closer.
Only to still suddenly. Heart leaping in his throat when he came close enough to recognize what it was.
Rebecca's b-cube necklace laid amongst the rubble, light glinting off of the silver metal.
His body was shaking, wide eyes still locked on the sight in front of him, heart pounding, but he felt cold and numb to it all. As if a cold hand wrapped around his heart turning his blood cold.
If her necklace was here, then what if that meant…
He couldn't finish the thought. He didn't allow himself to.
Shiki didn't feel himself drop to his knees, even when he landed harshly against the ground. A quivering hand already reaching out for the necklace. He grasped and held it gently as if afraid it would break, feeling the cool metal resting in his rough palm.
The stinging behind his amber eyes was quickly turning into unshed tears, making his vision blur. He breathed out a shuddering breath, tongue thick and making it hard for him to try and swallow past the growing lump in his throat.
She couldn't be gone, he had almost lost her once already. He couldn't do it again. His heart wouldn't be able to take it.
Rebecca had become such a big part of his life since the day they first met back on Granbell, in what felt like just yesterday. His first true friend, best friend, who had introduced him to a whole new life. A life of countless adventures amongst the stars. What kind of life would that be without her to share it with?
Shiki had already been trying to come to terms with all of these new feelings that had been swirling through his heart lately. The tightening in his chest, the catch in his breath whenever he would glance over at her and lose himself in her endless blue eyes as she lit up the room with her bright smile. He longed to always be surrounded by the warmth she radiated. Shiki was unaware of how much he craved human contact until he met her. The amount of comfort a simple hug could bring to his heart had him wanting to pull her close and never let go.
What was this feeling exactly? He wasn't sure, but the thought of losing it and never being able to feel that again would break him.
More tears clouded his vision, and soon the dam broke as tears started flowing down his cheeks. Rough sobs escaping him as his body slumped forward. Sharp edges of the cube digging into his palm as he brought it close to his chest.
He was so absorbed in his thoughts, he was unaware of the shuffling footsteps across the ground getting closer. Until he heard a soft voice.
"Shiki?"
His body stilled, amber eyes snapping open.
He slowly turned his head towards her. Rebecca was really there in front of him. Bruised and battered, arm holding her side, favoring her right leg, her blue eyes tired but holding relief as she gazed down at him.
"Oh thanks for finding my necklace, I was making my way back here where I thought I dropped it," she said with a soft smile, when she saw the chain of the necklace hanging from his hand, not yet noticing the storm of emotion in his eyes.
Shiki's mind was still processing that she was really okay, and that he didn't lose her after all. He was never one to give up, especially on a friend, but the past incident on Guilst had shaken him deeply.
Everything had happened so quickly. One second things were calm back at the guild, the next they were racing to save her after being taken. He almost hadn't made it in time. Barely able to catch her as the building was crumbling. He didn't want to think about what could have happened if he was a few seconds late…
It left him with a lingering fear of something like that happening again, and even more that he wouldn't be strong enough to protect her. What if he would never be strong enough?
He still hadn't replied, causing Rebecca's smile to drop. She looked closer and noticed the trails of tears down his cheeks, her brows drawing in response.
"Shiki? What's wro-" Her voice cut off as she suddenly became unsteady. Eyes fluttering closed, knees buckling, and body quickly falling forward before she even had time to acknowledge it.
The action was enough the snap Shiki out of his daze.
"Rebecca!" He leaped forward just in time to catch her in his arms, holding her against his chest on the ground, her body sagging against his limply.
Panic struck through his chest. It had seemed like she was going to be okay a few moments ago. What if something worse happened?
"Rebecca?" Shiki rasped, a growing quiver in his voice as turned his head slightly to look down at her. His thoughts were racing, but his body was still numb and locked in place.
He raised a trembling hand to cradle to back of her head, the other wrapped around her tightly, burying his face in her silvery blonde hair.
"Please wake up, Bec. You have to be okay…" Tears quickly started to cloud his vision once more as he slowly started rocking them back and forth.
"I can't lose you again," he murmured before tears started flowing freely again, landing on the back of her tattered shirt.
His body trembled from the harsh sobs racking through his frame as he continued to hold her close, refusing to let go.
"Please don't leave me, I just found you…"
After several long moments, he flinched when he felt Rebecca shift against him.
She slowly wrapped her arms around his waist, grasping the back of his jacket and causing a stutter in his sobs.
"I told you I wasn't going anywhere," she whispered against the crook of his neck. The brush of her lips making his skin tingle.
His breath hitched in his throat, body stilling at the sound.
Rebecca slowly pulled herself back to look up at him, her body sluggish. Taking all her strength with even the slightest movements. Her heart ached at the lingering anguish swirling in his amber eyes.
Shiki was always so expressive. Never one to hide what he was feeling, but she preferred when he wore his wide toothy smile. The one that reached his eyes and made them shine brighter than the thousands of the burning stars they often gazed at. The one that had come to cause her heart to flutter strangely whenever she saw it.
It unsettled her to see such a pained expression on her best friend.
"Rebecca? You're okay…" Shiki's voice barely above a whisper, almost afraid she could disappear at any moment.
"Of course, Shiki," she started, expression softening as a soft smile returned, "that fight just took a lot out of me."
Relief poured through her when she found Shiki earlier, seeing that he looked to be in one piece after the battle. Of course he would, he could pull through just about anything. The last of her energy she had sapped from her as exhaustion hit suddenly causing her collapse.
Some of the tension fell from his shoulders as his arms dropped to his side.
"I couldn't find you, then I saw your necklace and I-" He trailed off, voice cracking slightly. He swallowed thickly, the lump in his throat making it hard to get the words out. Shiki's head fell forward, allowing messy dark locks to fall over his eyes. "I-I was just so scared of losing you again."
Rebecca's gaze softened. Raising a hand to place her palm against his cheek, allowing her to gently lift his face back up. Thumb softly brushing away the lingering tears there, but his eyes were still trained on the ground.
"Shiki… look at me, please," she breathed.
Slowly, glossy amber eyes came back up to meet hers, his brows still drawn tight.
"You're never going to lose me, 'cause like I said, I'm not going anywhere." Her crystal blue gaze held such strength. One of the many things he had come to admire about her. Even if her body was worn down, her spirit could never be lost. She just continued to amaze him and carve her way into his heart.
"But thank you, Shiki. For looking out for me and always being there."
Shiki's expression finally softened at her words. Face leaning into the warmth of her palm, reminding him she was right here by his side Where he wanted to stay. The strength in her words bringing him comfort and allowing some warmth to trickle back through him. His hand came up to squeeze hers at his cheek as a twitch of a soft smile pulled at his lips.
Shiki leaned back a bit, opening his other palm and pulling the necklace into his fingers to place it back around her neck gently. Tips of his fingers trailing over her collarbone faintly, his eyes softening as he admired the item, back where it belonged.
Rebecca breathed a quiet gasp through parted lips. Blue eyes widening slightly at the gentle action. Her skin tingled over where his fingers traced a burning path. A shiver ran up her spine, along with a soft blush that quickly spread over her cheeks.
Shiki's amber eyes locked back on hers and warmth instantly spread through her heart at the fond gaze reflecting back at her, with something deeper she couldn't quite place.
He placed a rough palm against her cheek and felt himself being drawn forward. Warm lips placed a soft kiss to Rebecca's forehead before resting his own against hers.
After the fear of losing her, then utter relieve she was still here, he couldn't help but follow his heart and act in the moment. Even if he still couldn't put a name or reason to how or why he was so strongly drawn to her, being by her side just felt right and he wasn't about to let that feeling go.
"I will always be here for you, Bec. Always."
Soft amber eyes were shining bright with emotion he as they bore into her wide blue ones. Her body still frozen from his kiss. She knew Shiki had grown to be more of a physical person since they met, used to his sudden hugs or arm thrown over her shoulders, casual pats to her back or top of her head, a ruffle to her hair. This was different, and it sparked something deep within her she couldn't quite put a finger on.
It was something that could be worth exploring if it allowed her to hang onto that warm feeling a little bit longer.
Thank you for reading!
Yes, I made Shiki's eyes amber. I saw it in a fan coloring and instantly loved it! So I just went with it. Also just cause I'm such a sucker for colored eyes. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Need something other than black lol
And with both Shiki and Rebecca not growing up without much human interaction, I feel like they know they have a friend connection but can't really place this deeper emotion that starts to form the closer they become, and would take them a while to figure out it could be something more than friendship.
Will make for some great mutual pining down the road ;D
Oh and I also love the thought of Shiki nicknaming her Becca, but then thought Bec just sounded a bit sweeter!