Chapter Text
All Zack could do was stared at the lifeless body of the man whom he always hung around, whether it be the anakt garden, or anywhere possible. There, laid Vin. In all of his glory, unconscious, not breathing.. and most importantly, shot. The kiss would have made his heart flutter and face turn red, if it wasn't for the turn of the situation. Now, all Zack could do was stand in the rain, and stare as Vin's dead body slowly bled and stopped functioning. His life long rival, friend, his crush..even if he never realised it until yet, his everything, now laid upon the stage. Eyes closed, not breathing, and bleeding.
Zack wondered.. what if he had confessed? At least showed him affection? Or perhaps had escaped when they were both kids—would both of them be standing alive, somewhere far away from this heinous stage? Without being entertainment for those aliens?
Perhaps, in another life Zack and Vin would have been normal high school kids, still bickering and fighting.. but most importantly, still together.
"ack— fuck! What are you doing here!?" Zack exclaimed, suddenly feeling the undeniable weight of a specific dude on his right shoulder. All he could do was spit out words at him, cause why would Zack want to fight in front of Mira anyways?
"All three of you are huddled up together, makes me want to be here as well, no? Or do you just want to be around—"
A single glare from Zack shut Vin up, not that he was scared or anything, no. He just wanted to make fun of him and his one sided crush on Mira. Vin grinned, although his heart ached knowing Zack would probably never even look at anyone else except for a specific brown haired girl.
"Oh, Vin! You are finally back from the photoshoots! How was it?? Was it nice??" Mira exclaimed the moment she noticed Vin, her face brightening up as she made her way towards him. Although her hand never left the blond girl. Following up behind her, was Mary. Vin felt chills down his spine. He didn't need to even look at Mary to know she was glaring and silently hoping for his death every time Mira approached him.. vice versa, even worse.
"It was okay I guess. Those stupid aliens didn't like the fact i kept covering my.. eye, so they made me wear some stupid looking hairband! It sucked! First of all—it was itchy, second of all, it was just ugly as fuck! Third of all.. It was those stupid— fluffy ones! That didn't even match the vibes of the photoshoot! Why would I even wear a hairban—"
"Pfftt!—"
All eyes turned to Zack, who was trying not to laugh at the thought of Vin wearing a hairband, especially one which went way out of his usual style than needed. Vin felt his heart flutter more than needed. Was his face okay? Were his cheeks red— no. He couldn't possibly show his emotions here of all places.
"Hey! Why are you laughing you dick head! Huh!? At my misery!?—" Vin exclaimed, standing up abruptly as he tackled Zack, who was still laughing but inevitably fighting back.
Mary and Mira stared at the scene, Mira looking as concerned as ever, whereas all Mary did was scoff. Although a bit relieved that now she could have Mira all to herself.
"C'mon. Let's go catch the fishes again.. if you want?" Mary spoke, tugging on Mira's hand as she turned to leave. Mira, one second she was concerned at the sight of her best friend and friend fighting.. and the other, she was red faced as she stared at Mary. Her beloved Mary.
"Err— yes! Fishes! Let's go!" Mira exclaimed, basically dragging Mary away and to the so called river where the 'fishes' resided.
" . . . . "
Silence, absolute silence. The three stared at the sight of their friend, previously so loud and nerve racking, now completely silent as he glared at them as if they were the reasons as to why this happened.
"You—..what the hell happened to your hair!?" Zack was the first one to break the silence, his eyes comically wide as he stared at Vin's clearly new haircut, a buzz cut. Where'd all the fuss about how his hair needed extra care or how his long hair made him look badass!?
"..you look hella—"
"Nice! You look nice, Vin! It's just that.. we are surprised you cut your hair off so abruptly?.." Mira cut Mary off, she felt guilty immediately the second she did, since she would never do that to her god, her universe.. but alas, she had to, she didn't want the situation to become even more awkward than needed.
Zack stared at Vin. His eyes still large but not comically large to the point it looked like his eyes were gonna pop out of the sockets. Nice.. That's how Mira described Vin's new appearance. Probably just a way to cheer the grumpy dude in front of him—it usually made his heart ache whenever Mira complimented others and not him, but right now?.. his chest ached, in a different way as he stared at the man in front.
"The damned aliens cut it off, not me."
..
That definitely took Zack out of his bubble. Mira, and Zack both stared at Vin, they would have been puzzled if they wouldn't have known the reason.. but c'mon, cutting Vin's hair off? That was one of the main things that made him gain more popularity.
"They cut your hair off? Your stupid hair was the one which even made you look okay in the photoshoots, why'd they even do that?" Mary spoke, an eyebrow raised as she played with Mira's hair, the brown locks curling around her fingers as if even they knew whom their owner liked the most.
"The aliens don't give a fuck if I look good or not, all they want to see are my eyes on full display." Vin replied, cursing the aliens under his breath as he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. He isn't used to not having long hair, it's been as long as he can remember since he had his hair cut, and even then, he had only gotten a trim.. he feels anxious without his hair protecting his eye. Sure, the aliens look at him with curiosity when his eye is exposed, but that's when he's on stage. When he's still in the anakt garden? All the other humans stare at him as if he's one of the aliens himself. Except for maybe the 3 he hangs out around.
"I mean, if you need it.. you don't look that bad with a buzz cut.. I think you look good no matter what?.." Zack grumbled out, cheeks a bit red as he finally gathered the courage up to spit the words out. All Vin did was stare back, eyes wide. Holy shit—
"A compliment to Vin from Zack? That's a whole new topic." Mary spoke the words which were itching through Vin's mind, although, Vin would have never explicitly said it like Mary did due to the fact he was malfunctioning at the compliment.
"Ahem—that's— of course I look good.. that's just— ahem. A—anyways." Vin murmured out, looking away, staring at everything except for Zack. Mira stared at the two, a soft smile on her face. Does Zack like Vin? That's nice.. perhaps he would finally.. stop liking her.
Meanwhile Mary was staring at the two with a bored expression, "tch— young stupid love." She spoke, a scowl on her face. As if she doesn't fit in the same category with Mira.
Zack gripped the pencil in his hand, the sound of graphite against paper was irritating but also soothing in one way. He stared at the sight in front. Mira, the girl of his dreams, smiling and grinning as she played with Mary. Zack felt his cheeks flush, truly.. she was beautiful. He mindlessly sketched her out, her soft features, the way her eyes crinkled so beautifully when she smiled, the way her glasses hung on her nose, threatening to fall yet never did. Her brown hair, flowing with each step and jump.
"Ooh, damn you have a talent, huh?"
The voice made him jump, fuck! No one—and he means, no one was supposed to see his art and stupid fantasies of Mira! His face flushed red as he turned to the person who scared him, Vin. Of course it's stupid Vin. It's as if he's always where Zack is!
"Fuck! Stop scaring the shit out of me!" Zack spoke, gripping the sketchbook to his chest, making sure Vin doesn't even get a single glance at his art. He was never one to share it if it was personal.
"Yeah yeah~ just let me nap for a second, the aliens nagged me too much~" Vin spoke, plopping down beside Zack and slowly down the tree trunk where they resided. Zack didn't miss the way Vin glanced at his face for a second too long before finally closing his eyes.
...
....
.....
"Hey— are you actually asleep?" Zack asked, nudging Vin's cheek. His head was inevitably now on Zack's shoulder, as if he belonged there.. and let's be real, he absolutely did. Not that Zack would ever agree on that. He was absolutely asleep, soft snoring very much heard from Vin. Just how much did they work him that he fell asleep the second he laid down? It irked him.
A few minutes passed as Zack and Vin sat next to each other, one wide awake, sketchbook in his lap and pencil gripped in his hand. As the other, very much asleep nudged against Zack's shoulder, making Zack very much aware of his surroundings. He should have shoved Vin off, but he never did. He never would, he never could.
Zack glanced at his face, one thing that Zack could never deny was how Vin was indeed handsome, Him and Mary were the ones who were always made to go to photoshoots, exhausted as ever when they returned but somehow recharging the moment they saw their loved ones. Although Zack never realised, but Mira sure did.
Both the duo had different styles, Mary had a more calmer but fierce image, yet still as ethereal as ever when she needed, her blonde hair and calm yet sharp eyes giving out lioness energy, her beauty was always admired by many, although it made Zack a bit uncomfortable whenever he was alone with her.
Vin, on the other hand had a more chaotic yet still a soothing image. Soothing never was supposed to fit Vin, it's just what the aliens wanted for him. He used to look much more softer when he was first brought after all. Yet somehow, on stage, he managed to pull it off. Zack always wondered how.
In his thoughts, Zack never realised he wasn't sketching out Mira or himself with her anymore, it was all Vin. His Polycoria eye, his face, his nose, his lips, his neck, his hair—everything. A small detail, many would miss, even Zack himself.. was how his strokes were lighter and more relaxed than needed, as if he was more comfortable with sketching Vin.. more into it than needed.
But alas, Zack wasn't one to notice his own feelings, until something inevitable happened.
The reason to Vin's popularity wasn't entirely due to his singing, although it still played a role in it.. it wasn't entirely that. At first when Vin was brought by his owners, he was simply used for phot shoots, the aliens, specifically his owners were first curious of his eyes.. but more wary than needed. So they let his hair grow out for his eye to be covered.
At first, he was given a mysterious image, his Polycoria eye covered all the time. It's not like the aliens completely ignored him. But he wasn't that much needed. Up until his owners finally decided to have a photoshoot with his eyes exposed. At first, Vin was reluctant, he was scared of the backlash, not that he usually cared about it—but he was always uncertain about his looks, especially his eye.
There was no one at that time who actually looked at him without disgust, the humans thought he was another of the aliens, how could a human possibly have two pupils in one eye anyways?.. well, maybe except one.
"Stop moving, kid. You'll get in trouble." A deep and soothing voice rang out as Vin groaned, the feeling of a hand tangled in his hair as his hair was soothed away from his forehead. The familiar feeling of 6 fingers on each hand entangled in his hair as the older man tied his long hair up.
"Uggghh.. i hate having my hair tied! It's so uncomfortable.." Vin grumbled, arms crossed as he unconsciously pouted, glaring at the floor as if it was the reason as to why he was here.
"I know.. those assholes don't give us better hair ties anyways." The man spoke, his voice rough but strangely soothing. Vin felt comfortable around this man, he didn't look at him with disgust or just stupid curiousity, as if he was an entertainment sight.
Perhaps it was cause the man himself had a strange anomaly? 6 fingers and toes on each hand and feet weren't normal after all.. he was handsome, but was discarded in the dark after Vin was brought in by the owners, yet the man didn't seem to harbour bad feelings towards Vin, no, not at all.
"..Hey, Seongji." Vin finally spoke up after a few seconds of silence, playing with the hem of his sleeves.
"What is it? It's not usual that you are this silent." The man, now identified as Seongji spoke, his hair messy, yet still looking good, a wolf cut, was it called that? Vin remembers seeing some file with different hair cut names anyways..
"..Why do you not..think I'm weird..?" Vin mumbled, voice more quiet than usual as he turned a bit to stare at the older man behind him, Seongji stared back, as if surprised from the sudden question before laughing abruptly. It was deep, calming and definitely soothing.
"Why would I think that, kid? Is it cause you still think your eye is weird?.. or perhaps that you think I would hate you cause you basically replaced me? Get it out of your mind, kiddo. I would never, ever hate someone like you." Seongji spoke, ruffling Vin's hair up as Vin's face turned red.
"Ack! Stop messing it up! You'll have to make it again!—" Vin groaned, slapping Seongji's hand away as Seongji grinned. Vin took a second to stare at Seongji.. perhaps, was this what some people called a 'father' figure? Or maybe a mother figure?.. he's heard mother's are always loving to their own.. Vin never had one himself, even if he did.. he doesn't remember them.. yeah. Maybe, Seongji was a mother figure.. father figure, whatever.. he was everything to Vin, an older brother, a mother figure, a father figure.. everything. The only person who felt like home to Vin.
Honestly, did his owners just enjoy taking in humans with strange anomalies? Vin would always think, i mean—Seongji had 6 fingers and toes instead of 5, and Vin had 2 pupils instead of one in one of his eyes. Surely?
Vin hoped, he wished, he even prayed, even if he was an atheist, even if he was on earth where humanity was abandoned and no one even thought of God anymore.. that Seongji would always remain in his life, always.
Vin gained multiple of his personality traits from Seongji, the way Seongji talked, the way he cursed sometimes.. although made sure to not curse much around Vin, he even styled his long hair like Seongji's.. although it wasn't identical cause he used his hair to cover one eye.. while Seongji's hair covered none of his eyes.
He's forgetting his face now. It's been so long. So long since he returned from a stupid photoshoot one day at the age of 14 and was never greeted with Seongji's smiling face or his stupid 6 fingered hands again.
" It's a nuisance to have 2 humans instead of just one. "
Was what the aliens had said, well—not really. Vin never understood what the aliens said, it was another language, but just by the tone of their voice, he could figure it out. And at the end, the aliens took the man he thought of as his parent figure, away. Forever.
.
.
.
.
The aliens viewed Vin's unusual eyes as entertainment, a thing in the circus, performing for them, and them solely. Vin's eyes were the main thing which even made him get into Anakt, he never wanted to, he never would. What would Seongji think? Would he be happy? Or disappointed? Of course, not at Vin, but at the aliens.
But at the end, Vin was grateful. Anakt, wasn't anything special. It felt like a bigger cage than anything. Multiple of the humans thought of him as handsome, was this what a crush was? Though of course, on their side. And even then, the second they noticed his eye, they stopped.
"It's like an alien's.."
"Do you think he's an alien who just looks like us?.."
"I don't feel safe around him.."
Was all the shit they said, it hurt Vin at first, irked him, annoying him, everything. But he was still grateful, cause that place, this heinous place is where he met someone, a someone who made his heart flutter when the person didn't look at his eyes without disgust or hatred. Zack.
So he was definitely.. disappointed in one way when he learned Zack already had someone in his mind, even as time went on.. he never once noticed Zack's eyes subtly shifting to him instead of that girl. Never. Not even when the girl herself noticed, way too quickly.
" ...Hey? " Zack's voice rang out, waking Vin up immediately from his thoughts, was he crying? He didn't notice, or even felt the warm tears, even as Zack stared at him with concern.
"Are you oka—"
"Don't leave me." Vin cut Zack off, suddenly gripping his sleeves as Zack was clearly caught off guard, his face turning an interesting shade of crimson red.
"I— why would i— what are you on!?—" Zack spoke, his face red as he slapped the hands off. Vin only stared back, a faint smile appearing on his face before he grinned, yeah. Maybe this anakt garden wasn't bad after all.