“....i do believe that’s not to be something that sensei would agree on.” they stated, brushing their bang slightly to the side as yellow put the box down infront of them on the table. opening it rutile looked into find a green gem shard, as big as their finger albeit a bit thicker in width.

“i...want this.” they stated, pulling out the shard and putting it between the two. “in me.”

their eyes widened, moving back to work on the resin. “absolutely not.” they stated firmly. “rutiiii-”

“no.” there was a feeling of concern in their voice. “not only would sensei not allow that unless you lost a piece of yourself, but that can drastically change your memories and skills, do you want that?” they asked, cracking at the end as if it nearly hurt to ask.

“...i...please i just.” they rambled lightly, holding the shard closer as they watched cracks form under their eyes location. “i...want to be close to them...again.” they crackled out. the doctor sighed as they slowed their progress on the resin. taking out a chizzler they looked to their cloaked arm. “i’ll put it there. is that close?” they nodded, taking it off as the only thing left was the sounds of chizzling stone.

-----------------------------

it’s been like that ever since. next partner to go they’d come to them with whatever shard they had left of them. as they gently glued the small triangular piece of ruby into their wrist rutile hummed. “so, still up for for cards tonight?”

“...sure.”

that night they walked into the blonde’s room, finding it not luminated and said elder sleeping in peace. they gripped their fist tightly. it was...just one accidental forgetting. that’s what it was. one...forgetful moment. they were getting older, it happens...it happens.

------------------------------

putting the yellow shard in the small box on the shelf rutile sighed. picking up the blue sapphire they moved to put glue on it. “...yellow.” they started, watching the half weary gem look at them. “won’t...when your partners come back, won’t they want these back?”

“oh...i’ll give em back.” they replied, weakly smiling as rutile raised a brow. “if you remember that is.” they mumbled, getting a raised brow from the elder in response. “what’s that mean?”

they firmly placed the shard into vacant part of their shoulder. “nothing.” they responded almost coldly, ignoring the hiss and unnerving clink sound.

----------------------------------

picking up the powder brush, rutile glared at the pink topaz’s thin but larger length chunk in yellow’s palm. holding it almost delicately they haven’t felt this kind of rage in...quite a while. not towards topaz of course they were a nice gem, but their shard was pissing them off.

“...ruti?”

“why do you do this to yourself?” they looked at them, their glaring golds meeting tired old ones of almost matching colors. “do..what?”

“stop acting stupid.” they stated coldly, holding their hand firmly. “can’t believe it took me this long. you do this on purpose.” they gained a surprised but slowly growing angry look from them. “eh-xcuse me!?”

“you want me to put these in you so you’d forget on purpose. not even notice the ones who’re caring for you, or even forgetting them.” they replied, ignoring yellow thrashing their hand to get out of their unshakable grasp. “am not! i just want em close to me!”

“is visiting their shards THAT hard for the fastest gem here!?” they sneered at them, as if almost intimidating what gritting would look like. “you wouldn’t get it.” yellow stated, almost as coldly as rutile kept their head down. “your teammate is least here. in someway.”

“...you do this, wanting me to put these shards in you. had me thinking...” they steered off, looking up to them. “i wondered, do you just lose them on purpose?” a clash sound that reflected glass shattered echoed as yellow glared at the now one handed rutile, whose hand was busy on the floor with three of it’s fingers missing.

“...i think...i can powder myself.” yellow shakily replied as rutile picked it up nodding. “...good idea.”

--------------------------------------------------

the snow fell as rutile looked through the window. two-hundred and nineteen years, seventy-nine thousand nine hundred and thirty five days, and two hours. they crossed their arms letting the large sleeves cover them more as they looked at the clouded area where the moon would be. hibernation would be starting very soon.

looking over their shelves they took inventory, finding the resin was as low as usual, but thankfully the powder and glue were alright. moving to put the glue away they accidentally knocked something that was further into one of the shelves surprising them.

moving their hand further in they slowly pulled out a small squared box. opening it they looked inside, eyes widening to the yellow pieces inside. slowly taking them out was a thin but large length shard, a thin as a needle shard, a triangular shard and lastly one the size and length of a finger.

“i...want to be close to them...again.” ghosted their mind as they picked up the shards, their body trembling. with one hand they opened their drawer to pick out their chizzler. grabbing the glue and power quickly and taking a seat on the floor they put the shards gently on their side. they moved the chizzler to their cheek, letting the corridors fill with the sound of chizzling stone and heavy panting.

letting their pieces drop in their lap they moved to grab each piece once at a time, gluing them in as they chizzled them to accurately fill in each piece despite their semi-sloppy attempt earlier. gluing them all in, they smoothed whatever disorganized parts looked before powdering their cheek and under their eye.

___________________________

the trees rustling kept the hunter alert, piercing golden eyes looking side to side as they held their stake in hand. walking further they continued hearing the trees, bushes rustling, and a stick breaking behind them. keeping their eyes forward they moved their body to look behind, smirking once eye to eye with the sunset colored eyes of the surprised vampire, raising their stake-

*squish*

“FUCK!” it exclaimed, falling to the ground as rutile quirked a brow. “i thought vampires were supposed to burst into flames when they get staked.” they stated as rutile held the stake lightly, panting at it’s location under their chest lightly. “that’s...the SUN you idiot!”

“huh.” they replied, watching the vampire throw out blood from their mouth and panting. “there goes all your victims. least i took care of it.”

“so...just gonna...leave me here!?” they exclaimed as rutile turned away. “you’ll bleed out one way or another...or maybe you’ll live. either way, i’d love to have more smarter blood suckers like you around.”

“oh~? ya like me or somethin~?”

“i just like smarter battles.”