"MEEEIIII~!"

Mei lets out a small sigh as she glances at Kiana sprinting right at her, "Kiana, really?" She puts her hands on her waist with a stern expression, "Why are you here instead of helping with the others?"

Kiana flinches then skids to a stop, "Ahah… Funny story happened that I… I wasn't needed there! Yeah!" She innocently smiles and gives a thumbs up.

Mei deadpans then looks at Kiana's left hand, "Hachiman, she ran here after being told I was here without telling anybody else."

Kiana opens her mouth to refute, yet the hand quickly raises one finger, prompting Mei to sigh, "Let me guess, Himeko?"

The hand raises its thumb now while Kiana pouts, "Heeeeyy, why are you treating me like I'm invisible?!" She steps to the side to reveal a series of destruction to the walls and floor of the hallway she was in, "I even got rid of the thrash on my way here!" She spreads her arms out and proudly smiles while sticking out her chest.

Mei keeps her blank stare on Kiana, who slowly drops her arms while her face becomes awkward, then sighs, "Well, alright, nothing we can do now... Come on, Bronya is waiting for us." She doesn't bother to wait for a reply, as she quickly walks deeper into the ship.

"A-ah?! Wait up Mei!" Kiana cries out as she sees her quickly disappearing past a corner then runs after her, almost tripping on a random debris, "Ah! Why didn't you help me, Hachi?!"

The hand comes up to her face then wiggles the index finger side to side, prompting Kiana to deadpan while running, "...Hachi, I hate that I can practically see you laughing at me for that." She sees the hand gives a thumbs up at the end, almost causing her to trip again.

*KTPKTPKTP*

"Sister Mei." Bronya, standing in front of a computer panel embedded into a pillar, nods as she sees Mei approaching her from one of the walkways. She leans her head to the side and sees Kiana rapidly closing in on them, "...You are supposed to be helping Squad V.I, Idiotka."

"They can handle themselves, Midget!" Kiana roars as she skids to a stop, almost colliding with Mei had the latter not moved away, "Awwww, why the dodge, Mei?!"

"...Kiana, I would rather not be sexually harassed, especially during mission time."

"Wait, does that mean I can grope you when we're off duty?!"

"...Pink fog has invaded Idiotka's smooth brain and has taken over her cognitive function."

"...Midget, I swear that I will - ow! Bad Hachi! Bad! No slapping a person using their own hand!"

Mei blankly gazes at Kiana, who is in the process of trying to strangle her left hand while the hand is flailing around, then looks at Bronya, "...Bronya, just, just start the hacking process…" She rubs her eyes, a tired expression adorned, "Before I stab them."

"...Sister Mei, may I suggest usi -"

"Bronya."

"Yes sister Mei."

Bronya obediently nods as she places her hand on one of the floating screens in front of the pillar, with her eyes turning cloudy, "Firewall bypassed. Searching for the fastest available pathway to the control room… Found."

Bronya blinks, her eyes reverting back to its dark gray, "The Bronya has found two possible paths. Both are straight lines, but that door." She points to the door at the far end of her left side, "Is filled with hostile signatures while the other." She now points to the door right next to the first door, "Has major damages to the surrounding that will impede our progress but no hostiles."

Mei hums as she places her right finger on her chin, "Fight or avoid them… Hey, Hachiman, which way -" She stops, her gaze slowly turning cold as she sees Kiana, with her back turned to her, pointing her gun at her left arm high above the air.

"I dare ya, Hachi! I bloody dare ya tu slap me again! See what will… Happen… Oh god, death is behind me."

"Kiana~ Hachiman~"

"...Well, at least both of us are going to die. Dying at the hands of my girlfriend with my boyfriend accompanying me to the afterlife, how romantic."

"...Hachiman, switch to me. I don't want Kiana to find any relief in death." Mei innocently smiles and stretches her left hand at her while menacingly brandishing her katana in her other hand.

"E-eh? Now hold on Mei, I know I did say I wouldn't mind dying but I don't really -" Kiana accidentally relaxes her grip, prompting her left hand to break free of her hold then launch itself to Mei, "You damn traitor of a boyfriend!"

Kiana desperately tries to pull back her left hand, though it's too late as the hand briefly touches Mei's hand then it lifelessly falls back to the former's side.

Mei lightly shivers, "Ahh~ I still can't get used to the feeling of Hachiman coming into me…" She blinks as she feels something is wrong then looks around to see Kiana and Bronya staring at her, "What?"

"...Sister Mei is too lewd…"

"And you call me the sexual deviant, Mei."

Mei blushes, "Y-you are one Kiana!"

"I didn't say I'm not."

She lets out a loud cough, "A-anyway! We should get a move on!" Before the other 2 could say anything, she swiftly walks towards the gate without enemies, without even looking back.

Kiana and Bronya glance at each other, "...An advice for subject Idiotka is to forget about this moment." The former scoffs as she crosses her arms together.

"Like hell I would, you mid -"

"Come in Squad V, I repeat come in Squad V!" The sudden loud voice of Himeko cuts Kiana off, prompting the latter to glare at Bronya then tap on her ear piece.

"Yeah, what is it Himeko?"

"Squad V.I is engaging with a Chariot-class beast at the control room! Get a move on and assist them!"

Kiana nods, "Roger that, Squad V picking up the pace!" She turns off her ear piece then slightly tilts her head at the gate with enemies, "We're going through the one with enemies." She doesn't wait for a reply as she launches herself to the gate.

Bronya sighs then taps on her own ear piece, "Sister Mei, The Bronya and Idiotka are going through the gate with enemies."

Mei's voice sound out from the ear piece, "Got it, see you at the control room." Then only static remains.

Bronya turns off her ear piece then quickly makes her way over to Kiana, who is trying to find a way to open the gate by violently mashing the buttons of the door's control panel. She deadpans as she moves right next to her then presses a single button on the control panel.

The door slowly opens, prompting Kiana to blink then narrow her eyes, "...I hate you door." She glances at Bronya, "...Don't say it."

Bronya tilts her head, a small smile gracing her lips, "Idiotka Supreme Mode." She quickly goes through the door without looking back.

A vein emerges at Kiana's head as she glares at Bronya, "SCREW YOU DAMN MIDGET!" She violently unholsters her guns then launches herself to chase after her.

*KTPKTPKTP*

Mei POV

"...Hey, Hachiman - I mean Hachi… Can we talk for a bit?"

We are still a fair bit of distance away from the control panel and there isn't any other disturbance… This might be the only chance I can get to talk to Hachi alone.

My left hand rises up to my face, his only way to communicate to us when he comes into us, to give me a thumbs up, eliciting a small smile from me, "Thank you… Hachi… Did Kiana tell you anything?"

He, the hand, shakes left to right, as a way to say no. I let out a sigh, "She didn't tell you too… I'm worried, Hachi, that Kiana is suffering alone right now…"

He points to me then himself, well tries to at least since he looks a bit funny trying to point at himself, "You're worried about her too?" He gives me a thumbs up, eliciting another small smile from me, "That's… Good."

I stop talking, due to running out of things to talk about, and focus on running as fast as I can to the control room, in order to help out Squad V.I. My left hand drops back down to my side, telling me that he is back to partially controlling my body, so I guess I don't need to keep my mind on dodging the debris in the way.

…Controlling.

I used to hate being controlled, because of how strict and suffocating I felt when I was growing up in a house filled with old people that forced me to follow traditions. Of course, as I grew older, the feeling slowly diminished because I understood just how much my mother's death truly affected them…

Yet… The feeling still persists. Even now, I still hold some grievances at my father, butlers, and maids, for the loneliness and strictness imposed on me. I understand that I shouldn't because they're my family that I have grown up with, yet I can't help myself, since they're the source of the pain I had to endure in my childhood.

…I haven't told anybody of this, even him and Kiana, people who somehow wormed their way into my heart so suddenly and became an irreplaceable part, don't know…

…Maybe, this is why I feel an invisible barrier around us… Not being able to truly talk to each other or be fully honest with our words… Silently suffering in our own world…

I hate it.

Aren't we in a relationship? All 3 of us should be honest and support each other… Not silently enduring by yourself. Even if we try to help by being there, laughing with each other, anything, it is merely a band-aid, a facade that will be broken when the day is done. Back to dealing with the problem alone.

…Maybe -

An explosion sound coming from in front of me interrupts my thoughts, eliciting me to focus and see that the end of the corridor is in sight now. I see various flashes of lasers whizzing past the destroyed door and I feel my legs picking up speed.

Ah yes, I should say something to him as a morale booster, "...Let's come back alive, Hachi."

…Erm, that… Wasn't what I wanted to say… And if Kiana was here, she would scold me for… Raising a death flag, was it?

Luckily, she isn't here but… I can imagine Hachi scolding me right now, since my left arm is facing me… And now moving up and down.

…Hachi, have I ever told you I hate that you can read my mind? I know Hachi can only hear it if I say your name but still.

But… If it's you… I think I don't mind being controlled by you…

*KTPKTPKTP*

A/N

Got too stressed from dealing with RL shits and decided to just write to release steam before I blow up. Neck deep debt, parents becoming even more damning, brother... Fuck. Laptop died and I need to open it up to check the component and try to fix it since I can't send it to workshop but I don't have the tool to open it, so here I am writing this on my sister's laptop that has uncomfortable keyboard that makes it annoying to use, health declining, preparing for cf2023, and a few more minor problems.

Holy fucking shit I need money.

...Anyway, on to the comments!

aiman031122 - thx, and I will write more chapters... Once life stop throwing shits at me! Alright, I won't change it, and here a longer chapter, thx

Renashi-RE012 - hahaha... Yeah... Blame life for taking up my time. Yep, though it won't be that similar to canon. Lmao. Hmmm, lemons, well *REDACTED*

Wicked.A - thx

patiphat1998 - thx. Yep

AxialDirection - thank you. Here you go