The barbell clattered as you re-racked the weights. Your muscles burned, but it was exactly what you needed right now. You sat up from the bench press, drew out a deep sigh, and wiped your forehead with a towel. It had barely been five hours since your talk with Amias. After the not-so-fun attempt at using Amias' loyalty to ensure he didn't use the reset button and doom you to become an NPC, you two talked about lighter topics for a little while. When Amias excused himself, he was hesitant about leaving you. Anxious, even.

Did sleep come to you after? Hah. No. Thanks to stress and overthinking, you tossed and turned in bed. At some point, you noticed it was five in the morning and remembered that Lyle's diligent ass would be working out soon. The intent was to drop by and annoy him to take your mind off things, but you ended up getting in a really good workout.

"Did someone break your heart?" Lyle asked from behind. He was acting as your spotter so you didn't drop the weights on yourself and make the gym your personal graveyard.

"Why'd you ask that?"

"You hit a new PR on your deadlift, squat, and now the bench press as well." Lyle began adding additional plates on the barbell. "I mean, good on you for that."

"Must be that new pre workout."

Since it was Lyle's turn to do his set, you got off the bench press and acted as his spotter. Yes. Lyle trusted you to spot him now, which was a huge privilege. It took blood, sweat and tears for him to finally accept your help. During the earlier stages of your training, the guy trusted air more than you.

Your training session with Lyle wrapped up smoothly.

"We've finished our workout." Lyle threw you a cool water bottle. "Talk to me."

"About?"

"Anything that's on your mind."

"...?" You slowly opened the bottle of water, confused. "Uh. I'm really fucking hungry right now––"

"Not about that. I know you've been stressed lately."

"Uh huh..."

Lyle groaned. "I'm saying you can vent to me."

Ohhhh––oh damn. You didn't expect Lyle to be willing to play therapist with you.

Lyle sat on a bench press seat and motioned for you to sit on the one across from him. There was an instinctive hesitation at the prospect of being vulnerable. Normally, you'd respond to his gesture by sprinkling some playful comments, but you were more sleep deprived and stressed than usual.

Oh, there was also the fact that Lyle was glaring at you and you feared what might happen if you didn't sit down and listen to him.

When you sat, a thought came to mind: when was the last time since you have fully opened up to someone? Sure, you've had heart to heart talks with Caleb and had your moments with Amias; however, you had never actively sought someone and just vented.

"(Y/n), Look up."

If it wasn't for Lyle's voice, you wouldn't have realised that your gaze was fixed onto the ground. You looked up, a little sheepish for spacing out so quickly.

"Look straight into my eyes," he continued.

Woah, damn. Okay. His steady and demanding voice was really something. Without a clue as to why Lyle asked you to make eye contact, you did so with an inquisitive furrow of your eyebrows.

Deep crimson eyes focused on you. These were the same eyes that always seemed to narrow in annoyance, accompanied by a glare sharper than the blade of a knife. Yet, you've also seen this pair of eyes soften around your friends, crinkle in amusement on rare occasions, and display an unwavering sense of determination whenever he focused on his tasks.

Lyle didn't say anything for a few seconds. With the tension that was building up, you almost blurted out 'what are we.'

"You're not taking care of yourself," Lyle finally said. "Trust me, I know what that looks like. Take it from someone who was always sick as a child."

Your eyebrows raised. Was it a marriage proposal? No, but it still caught you off guard. It wasn't like Lyle didn't care about his friends, but he'd rarely express it so directly. He was blunt in every aspect except when it came to showing his softer side.

"Okay, look," you began. "Given the whole thing with the chairman's unorthodox method of creating weapons being exposed along with the incident with Finn, I don't think I'm the only one who is stressed."

Lyle didn't look happy with your response. Whoops. Could you get a redo on that?

"You're worrying about literally everyone else other than yourself. It's annoying."

"You could just say that you're worried about me, you know."

Lyle frowned. "Annoying."

You laughed. Despite his stern attitude, experiencing Lyle's concern was already effective in helping you feel better. Who would've thought the guy who was aiming for your throat at the SF trial would be sitting here trying to help you?

Lyle sighed, the frustrated sound seemed directed at himself.

"I'm doing a shitty job at this," he mumbled.

"I dunno, I feel pretty comfortable. I'd be scared if you were all smiles and spoke to me gently. Utterly terrified."

"Very funny." Despite Lyle's sarcasm, his expression did soften a little. "You know, you have a weird way of making people feel comfortable around you."

"I wanted to take it as a compliment, but you called it weird."

"It's the best you'll get from me."

"Yeah, I'm savouring this moment."

You grinned and Lyle rolled his eyes.

"Sure, whatever," he said, averting this gaze.

Oh my, was he getting a little flustered? You wanted to tilt your head to get a better look at his expression, but you exercised self-control. Next time, there would be no mercy.

"(Y/n)."

"Yeah?"

"Look, I know it's useless telling you to stop putting yourself in danger. You clearly have a bigger goal that you're working towards." Lyle's voice was quieter, more gentle when he continued, "... But, could you at least take care of yourself when you can?"

Your grip on the water bottle tightened, and you nearly blurted out "yes" because of Lyle's change in demeanour. It wasn't like you were trying to worry others. You wanted to promise that you'll take care of yourself, prioritise your happiness; however, that promise felt hollow on your tongue.

Lyle continued. "And it won't kill you to ask others for help, you know?"

Well, technically, you've been indirectly making sure others helped you. Cecil and Kein played a huge role during the weapon announcement arc, Amias had gotten you out of a pinch on several occasions, and so forth. However, you understood what Lyle was saying. He wanted you to reach out for help. Unfortunately, that was very complicated.

Lyle noticed your conflicted expression and sighed.

"You know, I talked to this support member."

The support member, that the game briefly mentioned, who was part of Lyle's past?

"Of course you'll be interested," Lyle said.

Oops. Did your curiosity show that clearly on your face? Cecil knew how to hold a good poker face thanks to playing cards on a few occasions when he worked at the bar. You should ask for advice.

"I mean, it's normal for friends to be interested in each other."

"Friends... Yeah, sure. Whatever." Lyle moved on. "That support member, you could say we were friends. He had an attitude similar to yours; wanted to help people and cared about others."

"Aw, you think I'm caring?"

"He was also obnoxious and reckless."

You gasped, offended, and Lyle folded his arms in triumph.

"The guy got himself into danger often, but he managed. Though, it was only a matter of time when it finally caught up to him. He bit off more he could chew and my parents had to save him."

Lyle looked thoughtful, his gaze growing distant at the mention of his parents. There was a moment of silence and you patiently waited.

"They both didn't make it. Not my parents, not the support member. For the longest time I blamed him, hated that stupid mindset that got him and my family killed. I directed that anger onto anyone that had a resemblance to him. It was shitty of me. An apology won't cut it and I know we've moved past it, but I really am sorry about what I did to you."

Lyle paused for a moment, gauging your expression. You offered a soft and appreciative smile, but didn't say anything. Lyle knew you held no ill feelings, so there was no need to console him on the matter.

"I never thought about why he acted the way he did. Maybe if I had been a little more empathic to his situation, things could've turned out differently. Maybe. You made me realise that. I'm not going to be that nice to everyone. Way too much work. But, I will for the people I care about. You're included in that category."

Lyle directly mentioned he cared about you?? Oh my god?? You tried to suppress your happiness, but you were already grinning from ear to ear. Lyle rolled his eyes at that. Despite his attempts to look annoyed, there was a small smile on his lips.

"I know you care a lot about others, but you need to spare some of that for yourself as well. I know you want to see the best in people, find the best outcome for everyone––but how much can your heart handle until you burn out?"

Your chest tightened. Lyle's words reminded you how your whole plan was to literally sacrifice yourself so you could save this city and all the people you care about.

How much can my heart handle? I don't know. I don't want to think about it.

"U-uhm, well." You chuckled weakly. "I just... I just want everyone to be happy."

"And your own happiness plays a key role in that."

A ping came from Lyle's device. He glanced at it and cursed under his breath, his fingers hurriedly tapping on the touchscreen.

"Emergency operation. There's been a lot of those recently. Apparitions have been a lot stronger."

Another reminder of the fate this city would soon face. Apparitions would evolve and it'd become increasingly difficult to protect it. Even if you weren't entirely sure how you would save it, the fact that you alone had the means to prevent the city from collapsing was a good reason to go through with it.

Lyle stood up. "My fridge has some meal prep. I didn't lock the door, so just take whatever you want. Get some food in your stomach, hydrate, stretch, and get some rest. I can cover for your operations if I'm free. Just text me."

He then raised his hand to pat your shoulder. You weren't going to lie, a part of you was expecting (hoping) for him to ruffle your hair.

"Got it?" Lyle asked.

You were slow in responding, still shocked at how––well, caring Lyle was being. Again. Not to say he wasn't in his own way, but he was never this straight forward.

You nodded. "Got it."

"Good."

When Lyle left, you decided to marinate in your thoughts by running on your treadmill. Well, marinate was a bit of an overstatement. You ran for like five minutes before you realised how ravenous you were, so you stopped your workout.

Alright, Lyle's cooking here I come!

Lyle's cooking was simple, healthy, and tasted good. Well, they used to only be just healthy and simple. Thank god Caleb introduced the guy to spices. Anyways, Lyle's room was past yours. The plan was to stop by your room, shower, get changed, then grab food. You were just a few metres from your room when one of your apparition companions, specially Sam, stopped you. The little girl spread her arms wide, taking a defensive stance with a cute, determined expression displayed on her face.

"Stop! I'm here as a distraction!"

You blinked. "You're here as a what?"

Her twin brother dashed out of your room and hurried to catch up with Sam.

With an exaggerated hush, he whisper-shouted, "We weren't supposed to tell her that!"

"...!"

Sam and Alec exchanged panic glances. Meanwhile, you were just really confused. Nonetheless, their adorable antics placed an amused smile on your face.

Sam turned to you. "Okay, big sis, you leave us with no choice."

"Huh––"

Alec pointed at you and yelled, "QUICK, MOCHI. ATTACK!"

HUH––

A large and fluffy weight abruptly attacked your back. It caused you to stumble forward for a few steps, and you chuckled at the sight of your adorable wolf companion. Mochi had a happy grin, his tongue lolling out and his canine teeth gleaming. The wolf had no idea what was going on. He was simply blissfully happy to see you.

"Yes! She's distracted," Sam hushed.

Alec responded with a series of nods. "The plan worked!"

You pretended not to hear them.

"How's my favourite boy doing?" you cooed at Mochi, petting him. The wolf nuzzled into your palm, but you drew your hand back before he could lick it. "Not right now. After I shower."

Mochi whined, but listened to you. What a good boy. If Mochi wasn't an apparition, you would've showered him with treats. You were so busy playing with the wolf that you almost missed Alastor coming out of your room.

"It's fine, she can come in now," he said. "You two did great, I guess."

Alastor's sarcasm flew over the siblings' heads as they beamed happily. Sam grabbed your left hand whilst Alec grabbed your right; the twins then hurried you into your room. Mochi (his tail was furiously wagging at this point) followed from behind.

"You're going to be surprised at what we prepared for you!" Alec exclaimed.

Sam nodded. "Blown away! Try not to faint!"

It was impossible to not become swept up in the bubbly atmosphere. You laughed as the twins clumsily led you into your room. The moment you entered and smelt the tantalising aroma of food, your laughter was no longer the loudest sound you were making. It was now your stomach.

"We made you breakfast!" Sam exclaimed. "Since you were exercising super hard, we made it an extra big one."

Alec added, "It was Copper's idea."

It was then you saw a small head of white hair near the kitchen door. Copper scoffed and looked away. "So what?"

The twins gasped, looked at each other, and said in unison, "He didn't deny it."

"Hey." Copper narrowed his eyes. "What's with that look?"

In typical fashion, Alec and Sam began to banter with Copper. Mochi was there just being Mochi, looking back and forth between the children with his tail wagging. You liked to think he was the mediator of the conversation.

"Go shower," Alastor said. "By the time you're done, food will be ready."

You thanked Alastor and the apparition kids before heading off to the bathroom. Following your usual routine, you reached for the faucet but paused.

Is the bathroom cleaner than usual?

Look, you weren't a messy person. But unlike, let's say Jade, your bathroom wasn't sparkling clean. And unlike Sara, your shampoos and other nicknacks weren't stored in the most aesthetically pleasing manner. Did the apparitions also clean your space?

Oh my god? They're so sweet?

You could totally imagine it being 90% Alastor trying to make sure the twins didn't break stuff and 10% of actual cleaning up. However, no matter how much trouble they were, Alastor would never lose his patience with them.

You turned on the shower. As the warm water poured down, you took a deep breath and relaxed your muscles. A post-workout shower never failed to disappoint. Plus! You had food cooked and ready for you. Lyle's meal prep could be saved for another time. Probably, lunch––wait, nevermind. Caleb usually made you lunch. Okay, dinner.

Even if my salary could easily afford food, free food always tastes better.

You wondered what was for breakfast. Sam and Alec loved visually bright and colourful things, so you bet breakfast would be filled with a variety of vibrant fruits. Alastor would probably be a mum and make sure you got all your nutrients. Copper liked decorating and making food look like ones you would find on Pinterest, so you're sure the food would be social media worthy.

They're so sweet. You hummed. My apparition family is the best.

However, your happy mood was swiftly ruined when your brain thought 'hey! This is a great opportunity to remind (Y/n) that she has to leave this world!'. You paused. Where would your apparition friends go? Would they disappear? After all, they were tied to you. Those annoyingly pessimistic thoughts lingered, refusing to be brushed off, even after you finished your shower and got dressed. Just as your hand was on the door knob, about to exit the bathroom, the holographic screen appeared.

[ They won't disappear ]

[ I'll do my best to arrange something with them ]

The idea of the system knowing what your thoughts were twenty four seven was a little unnerving. However, its words did ease your anxiety a little. It balanced out, you supposed.

"You can arrange something for everyone but me, huh?"

[ Unfortunately, yes ]

There goes that naive hope. You expected it, but you were still disappointed.

Without saying anything more to the system, you exited the bathroom. When you entered the kitchen, your hunger kicked into overdrive at the large spread of food.

Sam's eyes lit up when she saw you. "Yay! You're here! Quick, eat. The food will get cold."

"I made the orange juice myself," Alec said, an adorably proud smile on his lips as he presented you with a glass. "Ah... Uhm. Just don't ask how many times I tried."

You thanked him and took a sip. Half of the tall glass disappeared in your first gulp, and a content sigh escaped your lips.

"Refreshing." You gave him a thumbs up. "Good job, Alec."

The boy beamed happily while his sister congratulated him.

When you sat down on the table, you commented, "I didn't even know I had half of these items in my fridge."

"We took some stuff from Caleb's fridge," Copper replied.

"He was super happy to give us some stuff we were missing!" Sam eagerly pushed a plate of colourful fruit to you, which were cut up in all sorts of fun ways. "He wanted to cook too, but he was busy doing other stuff."

Alastor added, "The guy almost skipped his operation for you."

Typical Caleb.

"We had to come back and borrow a few spices while he was gone," Copper said. "We left a note so he shouldn't be mad."

"I doubt Caleb would be mad even without the note," you replied. "That's more of a Lyle thing. Well, not mad. Annoyed would be a better word."

"He's kinda grumpy like Copper, but I like him." Alec smiled. "I like Copper too. I like grumpy people."

You laughed and couldn't resist pinching Alec's cheeks. He giggled at your touch, then quickly urged you to finish the rest of your food. Meanwhile, Copper sat quietly, his gaze flickering back and forth between you and the pancakes. Taking the hint, you brought the plate closer to you and took a bite.

Your eyebrows raised in approval. Oh, woah. This is good.

Warm and fluffy oat pancakes with just the perfect balance of sweetness, you were already taking a second bite before finishing your first. At your reaction, Copper glanced away, hiding a proud smile. You giggled to yourself. Aw, cute.

The rest of breakfast went by smoothly. Alastor was reading the newspaper. You made a comment on how he looked like an old man with three kids and he gave you his usual attitude (which didn't help his case). Copper and the twins were playing a game on your laptop, and Mochi was relaxing by your leg.

The twins' chaotic energy and bright smiles, Alastor's indifferent yet snarky remarks, Copper's blend of stubbornness and bashfulness, and Mochi's existence being better than therapy itself—all of it helped you push aside your pessimistic thoughts. The scene felt normal, but the fact that your apparition companions couldn't share your meals was a stark reminder of their non-human nature. They couldn't experience warmth, food, and, most importantly, freedom. Sure, they could come out of the book, but they were still tied to you.

"You stopped eating all of a sudden," Alastor said. "I know I made that omelette exactly how you like it, so it can't be the food. What's got you thinking?"

"Oh, uh––well. I just––let me know if this is a sensitive topic but... Do you ever wish you were human again?"

Alastor's expression didn't change, so you couldn't tell if he was caught off guard. He took a moment to contemplate your question. Meanwhile, Sam spoke up.

"What?! That'll be terrible!"

You blinked owlishly. "Terrible?"

"We won't always be with you," Alec said. "That'll suck. Sam and I always brag to Caleb that we are always the first to see you in the morning."

The thought of Alec and Sam boasting to Caleb about spending more time with you was both a hilarious and sweet image.

"I'm flattered," you replied. "But I just... I feel bad that you guys can't grow up or experience a normal childhood, you know?"

"I'm really happy with what I have now!" Sam said. "So please don't feel bad, big sis."

"But––"

"It's a lot better than what we used to have," Copper said.

The twins nodded.

"Yeah!" Sam made a face. "Where we grew up was so icky. The people in white clothes were also really mean and boring. At least I had Alec with me. I think I would've cried two times more if I didn't."

Your eyes instinctively fell on Copper at that. You only knew the apparition kids had to undergo experiments back at the old research lab; however, details were never specified in the game. You could only imagine how painful and traumatic the experience was.

"It was dark. I couldn't see anything. And..." Copper trailed off. "Very quiet. I hated it."

Your heart twisted at the sight of Copper's vulnerable expression. Now that you thought about it, no matter how loud the twins were or how much they bantered with him, though he expressed annoyance, he never once told them to stop. Copper also occasionally joined your gaming sessions, listening to your comments and rants, even if he didn't understand half of what you were saying.

You ruffled Copper's hair and smiled gently. "It's not so dark and quiet anymore, right?"

He pouted, but didn't move away from your touch. "Yeah, I guess..."

"I don't remember much about that place," Alec said. "But I don't wanna."

Sam nodded. "I agree."

At least their memories were vague. Hopefully, the positive ones they make as your companions will forever bury those darker memories.

And the chairman was the one who owned the lab they were experimented on. Ah, your anger for the old man was returning.

You looked over to Alastor, curious of what he had to say. Unlike the kids, Alastor had a longer and proper life as a human before becoming an apparition.

"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't an easy adjustment. I do miss being a human from time to time. But..." Alastor briefly glanced over to the apparition children and his expression became gentle. "What I have here is better compared to my old life."

The twins smiled brightly at Alastor's response. Even Copper had a faint (albeit, it looked a little smug) smile. Sam and Alec rushed to hug Alastor with such enthusiasm that the force would have knocked him over if he weren't an apparition. Mochi joined in after and licked Alastor's face, to which he groaned at. However, despite Alastor's annoyed expression, he pulled them in closer.

You were SO tempted to take out your phone and take a photo of such a wholesome sight. Holding your hand out to Copper, you said, "Come on, let's go join them."

Alastor sighed. "More of you?"

"Oh, come on." You grinned. "You love us."

The twins eagerly pulled Copper in, and Mochi's tail wagged with equal enthusiasm. He nuzzeled his nose into your neck. You laughed; finally, your heart was light and free of worries, even if it was just for this moment.

"I really love you all," you mumbled. "Really. Thanks for keeping me company."

Sam gave you a little kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for letting us stay with you! I've had so much fun."

"I get to smile and laugh everyday," Alec said.

Copper mumbled, "It's been less lonely."

Alastor smiled—a full, content smile. It wasn't followed by a sarcastic roll of his eyes or a smug expression. Instead, it was genuine, heartfelt, and softened his red eyes.

"We are the only apparitions who have an opportunity for some normalcy," he said. "I'm grateful."

Your eyes went glossy for a little moment and you laughed in hopes of hiding any tears that threatened to spill. Even if this moment was temporary, and you wouldn't be here in the future, you'd accept it with a heavy heart and enjoy your time.

And... You would treasure this memory until the system erased it.



===



Afterwards, you knocked out hard. In your defence, after enough time had passed for your food to digest, the siblings dragged you to play Just Dance with them. Alastor and Copper brought out glow sticks and cheered you three on, albeit quite unenthusiastically. You managed to force the both of them to play at least one round.

When you woke up, it was already afternoon. Alastor informed you that Lyle had covered your scheduled operations. You made a mental note to thank him, then ate both Caleb's and Lyle's food for lunch before hanging out with your support team in the library.

It was night now. You were walking through the city of Anomalous. Well, not through the busy streets since you'd be recognised. You took a page from Caleb's book and parkoured up above instead.

A city that I want to protect...

It was easy to become frustrated with the city at times; mob mentality was a huge thing. However, as much as there were people who hated you, there were many who supported and counted on you to protect them. You sat on the edge of the building, contemplating.

I wonder...

The reason why you were so forgiving... was it because there was an instinctive part of you that had not fully inserted yourself as a part of this city? That you still saw yourself as a 'player'? After all, it was easier to show empathy for characters as opposed to people.

Maybe that was what set you apart from everyone, and why you might never fully fit into this world.

You sighed. Ah, pessimistic thoughts again. But who could blame you?

...

Oh. You just realised. If you left this world, that promise you made to Shen...

"And in this battle, I am determined to win." You smiled. "However, when this all ends, I still want you to be part of my world––the world I intend to create."

You laughed to yourself. I wanted to experience a bit of normalcy with him, but I guess it's impossible. How bittersweet.

Alright, you needed to distract yourself before your mood plummeted any further. Standing up, you hummed a lively tune from your recent dance session with the apparitions. There was a bounce in your step as you recalled the moves. It felt silly, but it helped lighten your mood, even if it was just a little.

In the midst of a playful spin, a pale hand suddenly took hold of yours. You gasped in surprise as your arm was lifted, twirling you around with grace. A lab coat fluttered in the wind and you heard a chuckle. You glanced up, meeting a pair of gorgeous silver eyes framed by long, white lashes.

Your eyes widened. "Shen...?"

The last time you saw Shen, he was in terrible shape. Half of his lower face was missing and his gaze was tired. Now? Shen looked well, healthy. A soft smile played on his lips, some hair falling over his eyes, eyes that were filled with adoration as he gently raised the hand he held. Then, unexpectedly, Shen pressed a tender kiss upon the back of your hand.

"(Y/n)," he whispered. "May I join this dance?"

A/n: SHEN I MISSED WRITING YOU

Anyways, apparition found family solos.