Chapter Text
This was not where Ollie planned to be right now. If things had gone to plan, then she, Ame, and Mel would have been at the arcade by now. She would have been dragging them around to as many games as possible - dancing until their legs hurt and showing off her growing marksmanship in some shooters. (She could hardly defend her girlfriend on cases with only her swords.) The tickets would hardly have mattered as they laughed and had fun. And from that all, perhaps some proper kisses would finally be shared between them all!
...That was not how things panned out, though. Instead, she was still in the park. Instead, she had left the other two behind and was alone. Rather than smiles, she had a deep frown on her face, and she could still feel dried tears on her cheeks.
And right now... she was wishing she never bothered with the whole idea.
The zombie groaned, shifting where she sat on some grass. She was not sure how much time had passed since Ame had told her to clear her head - she had not bothered to check her phone. She had aimlessly followed the sidewalk, then later wandered onto the soil. Eventually, though, once she reached a certain place, her legs just... stopped carrying her. She sat down at some point, but she was not sure how long ago that was.
Others around her had noticed her state, but most left her alone. A few approached and ask if she was okay, and she had done her best to reassure them and send them off. One man had offered her some napkins to use as tissues, which sat in a used pile and unused pile next to her. One little girl had even given her a big Milky Way bar and run off before she could refuse it, so she had been munching away at it.
The taste helped calm her down some, admittedly... and so did the Fey Realm tree in front of her. She did not remember what it was called, but Pomu had apparently planted it and several others last year and Fauna helped them grow faster than normal. It was still small - it came up to about a child’s head - but its golden-colored wood shined brightly in the afternoon sunlight. Its branches were also covered in small blossoms with red and yellow petals. The beginnings of bronze-like leaves were sprinkled among them as some flittered off from a light breeze.
It’s a shame that Ame and Mel aren’t here to see it, the undead-girl thought sadly. She had planned for them to pass by it before they headed off for the next stage of their date. She knows her lover would have loved to get close and take some notes, along with potentially a sketch. She was sure her JP Senpai would have loved the sweet, strawberry-like scent that came from it as well. Plus... it seemed like a cute choice, since it had all of their colors. It had seemed like a good symbolic representation of their potential romance when she picked this route!
But now, the more she thought about it, the more it seemed like a mockery of her efforts. Maybe it was just her mood, but she swore now that there were less red petals than yellow ones. They seemed to come off far easier from the gentle push of nature - almost weak.
This idea deepened her frown, turning away from it as her eyes watered again. I guess Mel turned out to be right yesterday. I really wasn’t mature enough for this. They got along fine earlier! They could be proclaiming their love to one another right now as we speak! And yet here I am, crying because I was an idiot who didn’t know what she actually wanted and-
She took in a sharp breath, trying to shake that line of thought out of her head. Lord knows she would be slapping the detective on the back of the head for being so self-deprecating! She tried to take strength in that her girlfriend had not been angry about her sudden doubts, and told herself Mel would not, either - the vampire was far too kind for that. Neither of them would want her to feel down on herself like this.
So instead, Ollie took a deep breath, finishing off her candy. Setting the wrapper next to the napkins, she did her best to collect herself, rubbing her temples with both hands. She could not change how this outing had ended for them. What she could do, though, was focus and figure out why all of this was affecting her so badly.
This led to the first question: was she actually against polyamory for herself, or was it who she tried it with? This one had circled around in her head since she left. She had dreamed of being in a polycule for so long now - it was why she had done all of this! She had lots of affection to give, so surely it would be great to do it with more than one person, right? And she even had proof it was more than just a doujin concept, thanks to Ina, Fauna, and Sana entering one a few weeks back! If they could do it, then she had been confident she could as well!
...But that had not been a fair comparison, had it? The two Council members had deepened their bond slowly over hundreds of millions of years. The Speaker had also been a childhood friend to the priestess, who had felt her feelings evolve as she reached adulthood and wormed her way into the astro-girl’s heart, too. That left the former-human and kirin-girl to discover their feelings while the other was away for several months. And with how relaxed and comfy they were, and their mutual desire to make the former Hololive member happy... it was not hard to see how they managed to find love as well.
In truth, while the zombie had known polyamory required effort... she had perhaps had a tinted vision of what it would be like. She had not realized how stressful it would be to try and juggle two people’s different interests, especially when she was so used to the time-traveler’s. It was such a balancing act that she was not sure how those three, as well as Calli with Gura and Gawr, managed to do it so effectively. It felt like every little thing she was doing was somehow always a success for one of her dates, and a failure for the other.
She knew that was probably not how they saw it, but still, it demonstrated to her how she had gone into this with the wrong mindset. And that did nothing to cover how conflicted she was about Mel herself. She thought her Senpai was cute and sexy, and she enjoyed the banter they had today and in the past. It was not like she expected to feel love all at once after one day, but she had thought she could get the beginnings of embers of it inside her. It helped that they were not strangers, either - both of them were people they trusted!
Yet, throughout their outing, she had felt nothing of the same warmth that filled her when with Ame. She got embarrassed, sure, but the fluttering inside her was different. And every time she pictured them going for a kiss with the vampire, the more hesitant she became... and the more she wished it was the EN member instead.
The undead-girl sighed again, bringing her knees up to her front. She did not... Well, no, that was a lie - she knew exactly why she had tried so hard to get this. It was the same base motivation that spurred her to change her lifestyle after being revived. But had she really been able to lie to herself this whole time? Why, never once, did she stop to reflect on things? She was energetic and pretty impulsive, but this seemed ridiculous even for her!
Although... I did forget about my dreams for a while, she mused. Like she had said to Mel, when she first got with Ame, it took months for her to start trying to do this. Being able to kiss the blond, hold her close, see her blushing face... She had felt like she was in heaven. The untapped wells of love within the heart presented to her was almost overwhelming at times, and that was when the redhead knew she was holding back! With a bit more confidence...
And she did so desperately want the detective to be more confident. To never have to deal with a dissociative episode again, or at least be able to trust her friends more with her issues. (Though, the patchwork woman was not sure how most of EN would react to the truth, admittedly.) Her lover worked so hard for everyone’s benefit, which motivated her to shower her in as much affection as possible. It often did not feel like she ever gave enough, but perhaps-
Ollie’s thoughts suddenly stopped in their tracks, eyes widening. Did not feel like she ever gave enough... Her mind drifted back to what had spurred her back into action on this - their double date a few months ago with Calli and Gura. Her girlfriend had just gone through a mini-episode, this one about alternate versions of her and “common” pairings in the multiverse. The ID girl had asked about harems so casually then, and had said she was fine with them staying monogamous... but afterward, her mind had worked overtime. Her search had started in earnest again, but this time... she realized she had been focused on finding someone the time-traveler might like specifically.
And after that, she had sprung at the chance to get Mel involved... Someone who admitted to having a crush on Ame specifically. She even told her lover before she left to not worry about her feelings and to see if the JP member wanted to still try dating her.
Had... she started all of this again because she was worried... she could not give the detective all the love she felt she deserved? That she alone, no matter how affectionate or frisky she got, would never be enough? Or, if nothing else, the EN girl should not have to settle with just her?
...When no counterpoint came to mind, the zombie gave a whimpering groan, burying her face in her knees. Goddammit! Why... why are we both like this?! The others often seemed to think she was the main lead in their relationship, but in truth, both of them were insecure. No matter what either of them did, they always seemed to have this fear that it was insufficient - that the other always deserved more. She was always pulling the time-traveler away from that brink... but it seemed that she had fallen off that ledge without realizing it.
She had created such a mess because of it... and it fell on her to clean it up.
The undead-girl took a deep breath, uncurling herself some. Questions still floated in her mind, but she was... doing better (marginally). She focused on what she knew for sure. Regardless of the lingering questions she still had on polyamory... she did not love Mel. She enjoyed her friendship with her Senpai, but she wanted nothing more than that. She wished to find a way to be able to give her blood to her in case of an emergency, but beyond that, she was happy with how things were before.
And as for her and the time-traveler still potentially seeing each other after this... could she be okay with that? So long as she was not around, it probably would not hurt too much, if it would at all. She needed to get her self-doubt under control, but that did not necessarily mean getting in the way of them if they loved each other.
...Of course, perhaps it was better to confirm first if this was even the case, or if she was wasting time on that topic. Digging into her kimono’s hidden pockets, she pulled out her phone, quickly going to her contacts. Biting her lips, she carefully typed out her message to the JP member.
ZombieSimp: Hey, Mel! Are you doing alright? I’m sorry that I left you both so suddenly. It turns out that... I wasn’t as ready for all of this as I first thought. Are you still with Ame?
She clicked the send button before she could second-guess herself. What followed was several tense seconds as she waited to see what the reply would be. Her grip on her phone got tighter, and she got more annoyed at the petals from the tree that blew into her hair. She almost wanted to pace, but there were people around, and she did not want to unsettle them more than she likely had already.
It was a ridiculous reaction, honestly. Like, what was she expecting? Anger? From one of the sweetest members of Gen 1, and who showed so much maturity over this yesterday? But despite these thoughts, she found herself watching her screen with bated breath. She had not so much as said goodbye to the vampire before she ran off. Hell, the two had barely talked on this date! What was she going to do if her Senpai was upset with her over this? Could she run off and try to find her? Or she could text again and ask where-
Ollie’s phone started to ring, startling her. Managing to not crush or drop it, she looked at the screen, hope and fear filling her as she saw the bat picture she used for the JP member. Shaking off the latter feeling as best as she could, she pressed the answer button, figuring that talking directly would be more effective than messages. Putting the device next to her ear, she hesitantly spoke up. “H-hello?”
Her trepidation melted all the more at the concerned tone in Mel’s voice. “Ollie! Thank God! Are you okay? I saw your message, but I didn’t know if... Do you need anything? Are you okay where you are?”
For the first time in a while, a small, genuine smile came to the zombie’s lips, letting out a light laugh. “I’m fine, Mel! I... I’m a mess, but I’m fine. I’m still at the park at the moment. Are you doing okay? Where’s Ame?”
“I’m doing okay,” the vampire responded. “We left not too long ago, but we’ve gone our separate ways. We both figured the date was over, and she wanted to get some stuff for you, so...”
This revelation made the undead-girl’s heart twist up, her frown returning. She started to slump, biting her lips. “I... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”
“Don’t!” Mel said firmly, making her jolt and sit up straighter. A sigh was audible from the other end of the call. “Don’t be so hard on yourself over this. We all agreed that if someone was uncomfortable, we’d call things off, right? You have nothing to apologize for. I’m just glad you’re safe.”
Ollie took a moment to process this. Once she accepted the words, though, she still looked at the ground sadly. “You shouldn’t have needed to hear it from Ame... I should have...” She closed her eyes, not sure how to finish that. Would she have been able to say anything to her Senpai without breaking down and making her more worried?
The calm care was evident in the vampire’s response. “Don’t worry about that. Nobody is upset with you. Just take a few deep breaths for me, okay?”
The zombie sniffled, a few fresh tears forming in her eyes she wiped away immediately. But even so, she found herself smiling again as she complied with the request. She may have unintentionally rushed her decision to have her fellow undead involved in her plans, but in a way, she was still glad she picked her. Between her calming voice and helpful nature, the blond seemed very good at diffusing situations. The date might have fallen apart, but she did not allow any of her potential feelings to stop her from helping her friends.
The redhead had admired many members of Hololive before joining. But after today... she thinks she had a new appreciation for one in particular.
After several minutes of breathing, Mel’s voice came into her ear. “Doing better?”
Ollie nodded, despite the other woman being unable to see it. “Yeah. Thank... thank you.” She took in another breath, watching more petals blow off the tree as she spoke. (It seemed like more of the yellow ones were coming off now.) “Was... Ame okay when you left her?”
“Obviously worried about you, but otherwise she was fine,” the vampire answered. She could almost hear her smirk as she continued. “She was muttering to herself about some things to do with you later to cheer you up. I didn’t hear all of it, but she was blushing pretty hard about a few of them - like, more than when you hugged her. It didn’t look like she’d back down, though.”
The zombie giggled as her cheeks reddened. “Heh, I told you yesterday - she offers her heart to me very willingly! Especially in private.” That part made her blush more, wondering just what was in store for her when she went to the office later. If the detective was embarrassed simply thinking about it - more so than normal...
...Her reaction was not helped by Mel’s faux-innocent tone. “Oh, in what ways? Have you been ‘busy’ in one of you guys’ beds, or-?”
“NO!” The undead-girl exclaimed, cringing at the stares she got from people not far away as the heat in her face got worse. She quieted down to a whisper-shout. “We’ve not had sex yet - and don’t you dare pretend that wasn’t what you were implying! That’s not... Neither of us is ready for... We’ve not even seen each other fully naked!”
“...Meaning you’ve seen each other partially naked?” the vampire asked. Laughter was heard on the phone as the patchwork woman groaned. “Okay, I’ll stop! You guys are way too easy to do this to!”
“So glad we’ve been so entertaining to you,” Ollie drawled out sarcastically. She then paused, not wanting to bring the mood down, but knowing something had to be addressed. She swallowed, fighting to keep her voice even. “So... are you guys... you know... wanting to try and be together?”
Mel’s laughter immediately died down. She sighed, tone soothing. “No, we’re not together now. Neither of us is interested in being girlfriends. I’m over my crush.”
The zombie blinked at this, conflicted. A large part of her was relieved not to have to worry about that extra bit of complications, but even still... She cleared her throat, unable to hide her nervous guilt. “Do you mean that, or... is it because of how I reacted?”
The vampire sighed again. “I didn’t lose my feelings because of you. I came to my own conclusions and learned she was not my type. You did not influence this.” There was a short pause, before her voice became serious. “But even if I didn’t get over it, I was not going to date her if you were uncomfortable with it. Your own feelings matter in that decision, and I would have been a bad Senpai, let alone a friend, to not consider it no matter what you insisted.”
That made the undead-girl flinch, but she still let out a deep sigh as she slouched. “I... guess you have a point. I just did not want to cause a rift between any of us by limiting your options, if you understand what I mean.”
“And I appreciate the sentiment,” Mel said, voice still gentle. “But... you shouldn’t neglect your own feelings for my sake. I don’t know whether you’re still going to try for polyamory after this, and I wish you luck if you do. However, I doubt either of you want to sacrifice what you both have now to make that happen. This isn’t like a person being paranoid about if they’re being cheated on by their lover. This is about both of you actively accepting someone else into your relationship! It’s something that you and her need to agree on!”
A deep breath could be heard over the call, her voice becoming ever-softer. “And if you can’t find someone like that... then be happy with what you have. The devotion you have for one another was almost palpable throughout the day, even when you got a bit distant. Don’t sacrifice it because of some guilt that you stopped someone else’s chance to possibly be with her.”
That one struck a cord inside Ollie, gripping her kimono with her free hand. That was another reason she had been quick to invite the JP member to do this. She had just wanted to make her coworkers happy, but she should have known better than to let that emotion blind her. How many times had she scolded Ame for feeling similarly for her being there for her dissociations?
There was a moment of silence as she tried to take this all to heart. Ame trusts me too much to be brought down by this. I won’t make these mistakes again. Nodding to herself, she responded back to her Senpai. “Alright. I’ll do my best. Thank you for calling to check on me. I... needed to hear all of that. I hope you still had a good time, despite how everything ended.”
“How could I not?” Mel asked, smile evident in her voice. “I had some very caring ladies to watch out for me who I hope I can hang out with again sometime soon.”
The zombie smiled, the knots in her stomach already starting to loosen some. “Aren’t you a charmer? I...” She took in a breath, voice wistful. “I hope you find a nice girlfriend, too, one day. I’d be happy to help you find one, and so would Ame, I imagine.”
“Aw, aren’t you just the sweetest little Kouhai?” the vampire cooed at her, making them both chuckle before she continued. “Anything else you need before I go? I’ll probably see if Choco wants to hang out unless there’s something you want.”
“No, you don’t need to...” the undead-girl began, but then trailed off. Thinking about it more, she asked a question. “Actually, do you happen to know where Ame headed off to? We said we’d meet at her office later, but I might try to find her a little early.” She figured she might as well, in case any doubts tried to claw back into her mind again if she waited.
“Not sure where she is right now,” Mel said apologetically. “But - and I hope she forgives me for spoiling her surprise - she was going to get you some flowers like you did yesterday to help you feel better. I directed her to the shop I thought you might have gone to. That was a while ago, though, so who knows where she is now.”
...Ollie blinked slowly, before giving a heavy sigh, voice deadpanned. “No, she’s definitely still there. Talk to you later, Mel!”
Once she ended the call, she took a deep breath, bring herself to her feet while also gathering her trash. Looking around for a trash can, her eyes lingered again on the Fey tree. The wind picked up for a moment, a collection of yellow and red petals flittering off. They almost seemed to circle and chase one another, as if not wanting to be separated.
She smiled, starting to head on her way. She hoped she could still share that sight with Ame... but first, she had to do some chasing of her own.
-------
Getting to the flower shop again had been no problem. Despite it not having a real name or fancy signs on its storefront, it was still easily spottable from the painted flower pictures on the windows - red, blue, and purple. It also helped that she passed by it several times either going to Ame’s office or when out doing errands regardless. (It was how she knew where it was when she decided to get the bouquet.)
In total, Ollie thought her Uber took her ten minutes to drop her off in front of the place. That, on top of doing her best to judge based on the sun and when they finished lunch, made her think she had been in the park for over an hour and a half - possibly two. It also sounded like from Mel that they left there not too long after she broke away, so her girlfriend would have gotten here ages ago. That was ample time to have picked out flowers and left for most people.
...But she knew the detective, and unlike her, she doubts the blond was willing to take the old lady’s offer to put something together herself.
Sure enough, as she walked into the shop’s door, she saw the owner behind the counter, looking away from her and calling out. “Miss, you’re bouquet looks fine! I don’t think you need to add any more flowers!”
“Of course I do!” the familiar voice of the time-traveler called from behind some shelves. “She crowned the whole thing off with a sunflower! I need to find something like that to represent her! I can’t just give her roses!”
The old woman sighed with both exasperation and amusement, adjusting her hat as she finally turned to see the new arrival. “Ah, the young... Sorry about that, miss. Is there anything that I can-” She stopped as she noticed who it was, eyes widening as she smiled. “Oh, hello deary! Are you doing alright? Need a replacement bouquet?”
The zombie smiled back, walking up to the counter and speaking quietly, not wanting to give her presence away yet to her lover. “Everything’s fine, and I don’t need a replacement. I was just looking for my girlfriend is all.” She blushed lightly, glancing toward the aisles of flowers. “I... think you’ve gotten to know her for a while now.”
The shop owner chuckled, glancing over as well. “Yes, I had my suspicions, even before she mentioned sunflowers. I’ve had five other customers come in here and go while she’s been scrambling to put together a bundle. She’s quite good at wrapping them, I’ll grant, but I do wish she would accept some help from me. Poor girl seems stressed about making some perfect combo of flowers.” She smirked conspiratorially. “I even saw her looking up flower meanings on her phone. She must have gone to a dozen different forums to double-check them all.”
That made the undead-girl chuckle. “Yeah, that’s Ame. Stubborn at times, but dedicated.” She took a few steps and pointed over. “I’ll go calm her down and get her out of your hair.”
Shaking her head, the old woman started hobbling off with her cane. “Oh, take your time, dear. Spend as much time as you want here - my ‘rush’ is over. Just ring the bell and give me a shout when you’re ready to pay.” She then went through the cloth-covered entryway, disappearing into the back.
A lot of trust to leave a few strangers in her store alone, even if we are kind of famous, Ollie thought. Still, she was grateful for the privacy as she made her way deeper into the small shop. A quick glance around showed there were indeed no other people around, so it seemed like they could talk about more... personal topics if they wished to for the moment.
Looking down one aisle, she was quickly able to find the detective. Her Senpai was looking over an assortment of red tulips, inspecting each one as if there was some hidden message in them. A deep frown was on her face, eyes darting to other nearby flowers and glancing at the bouquet in her hand, seemingly trying to judge what would look good at its crown. Though, her grunts indicated she was not having much luck.
Though, in the zombie’s opinion... the bundle already looked beautiful. It was an assortment of roses, just like she got, only these were red, burgundy, and black, all arranged in patterned rings in a clear bundle, switching between each color every flower. She remembered the first two colors were for passion and devotion respectively. As for the black ones, while their meaning varied a lot, they did sometimes have a connection to death and rebirth, which she assumed her girlfriend was going for. (That, or she was trying to match her colors.) Like hers yesterday, there seemed to be two dozen of them, with a small spot on top left for some last few.
Doing her best to ignore her pounding heart, the undead-girl nonetheless had a soft grin as she stepped closer to the blond. “You’ve got a good eye for this. I don’t think you need to put anything special on top, though.”
The time-traveler jumped and looked over with wide eyes. She very quickly hid the bouquet behind her back, cheeks red as she looked around frantically. “Ollie! W-what are you doing here? I was... um...” After a few moments, she slumped in defeat, sighing. “Nope - I got nothing believable.”
Laughing at her expense, Ollie stepped closer and kissed her on the cheek. “I wanted to talk early, and Mel said you were out getting flowers. I could guess you would still be here. You’ve easily surpassed my time trying to pick some out!”
Ame’s blush deepened at that, clearing her throat as she looked around again. Her eyes widened as she spotted something, raising a finger at the redhead. “One second! I didn’t see them at first, but...”
A quick dash was made further down the shelves. Curious, the zombie followed close behind, watching as her lover picked out three white flowers she thought were a type of lily. With gentle ease, the EN member put them at the top of her bundle, smoothing out the petals. Once that was done, she gave a sheepish smile to the patchwork woman. “I... looked through a lot of flower meanings. Calla lilies are supposed to represent life and death in a lot of cultures, so, you know, in case the black roses don’t do it...” Taking a deep breath, she took a deep bow and held them out. “For you - for all of your hard work today.”
Despite expecting the gesture, the undead-girl was still blushing down to her neck as she gingerly took the bouquet. She held them close to her face, taking a deep whiff of their scent as she pouted. “I got you yours yesterday to thank you for the help backstage. You getting me some the next day defeats the whole purpose!”
The detective shook her head. “If I want to get you flowers, I’m getting you them. You deserve some to display at your house, too.” Her expression became more somber. “And... I thought they would do a lot to reassure you. That it’s okay that you were... confused.” She rubbed the back of her head, looking away. “I was going to come up with a speech for this, but... well...”
Ollie’s brief moment of flusteredness died and gave way to shame. She looked intently at the bouquet, unable to meet her girlfriend’s eye, and her voice a whisper. “I... I’m sorry.”
The time-traveler frowned, taking a step closer. “Ollie, I’m not upset with you. And neither is Mel. You don’t-”
“It’s not just that,” the zombie insisted, moving back some. She took a deep breath, holding back tears. “This... Today was supposed to be me thanking you for comforting me at 4th Fes.. To show you how special you made me feel, using your watch like that. You... you’re always doing stuff like that, then acting like it isn’t a big deal! Like you don’t deserve any reward more than a few kisses or me smiling. Well, today I wanted to make it clear that it was a big deal!”
She took a shuddering breath. “But instead... I got too ambitious and forced something I should have sat on for a few weeks. And yeah, I didn’t hurt Mel, but I could have for all the ‘grace’ I did this with! I thought I understood the difficulties that would come from the date, only to find out I was severely underprepared!” She sniffed, using her free arm to rub her nose. “Today was supposed to be about you, not me! And I thought it would make you happy, but instead, I caused you problems! I-”
Further words caught in her throat as a hand went on top of hers holding the flowers. She looked up, losing her breath as she stared at the blue eyes of her Senpai. They were intense, clearly displeased at some of what she was saying. But under that, there was that warm affection that had so thoroughly ensnared her. It rooted her in place, sound disappearing around her and replaced by the loud pounding of her heart.
Yet it did not prevent her from hearing Ame’s firm words. “Maybe there were better ways this all could have been handled - I won’t lie and deny this. But if anything worse had happened, I know you would have been able to make things right. You’d be back here getting me flowers and all the acerola juice Mel could ask for. You’d be hounding Kronii and Choco for ideas on how to make us feel better about as hard as I do with suspects when getting information. Just like when I need to fall back and get help for a case I underprepared for, you would do whatever it took to solve any problems you created.”
Her hand went into her Kouhai’s hair, playing idly with it as she continued to stare into her eyes. “And let’s be clear - I did have a good time today, and I felt how thankful you were for what I did. I may have not known if I wanted a polycule, but you made me feel special with how much you made sure I was okay with trying the date - that I wasn’t forcing myself.” She smiled softly. “You talk about how I don’t make a big deal out of what I do for you... but I could say the same for so many of the things you do for me. Letting me ramble, holding me when I dissociate... kissing me to feel more grounded.”
Face continuing to get hotter, the zombie coughed and tried to deflect. “I... did learn I shouldn’t have done that, when I looked online for tips afterward. Not without your permission first, anyway.” It was not that a kiss could not work to calm a person dissociating or having a panic attack, but it also had a good chance of making things worse. It was very much something to talk with a partner about and not something to do on impulse like she had.
The detective rolled her eyes, still smiling. “Well, I’m not complaining, and I wouldn’t have hated you if that went badly. My point, though, is that you may not be able to manipulate time, but from what I’ve seen, if you could... you’d be doing the same things I do to make you smile with me.” She leaned in and kissed her on the lips, eyes gaining a sparkle. “But honestly, a kiss is all the reward I need, just so we’re clear.”
Giggling bashfully, the undead-girl smiled back, putting her bouquet on the nearby shelf before properly clasping her lover’s hand. “That’s not going to stop me from doing big stuff to thank you for helping me in the future.”
“Oh no, you mean you’re going to cook me more meals?!” the time-traveler asked with fake horror, pretending to gasp with her free hand covering her grin. “Oh my, I don’t think my heart will be able to take it!”
That got the redhead to laugh harder, the EN girl joining in on it. She stepped closer, wrapping her girlfriend up in a hug which was immediately returned. The knots in her gut came undone within that embrace, making her sigh contently. Everything’s okay. I knew they were, but... hearing it from her...
They stayed like that for a while longer, both breathing in the pleasant aroma of the flowers around them. Ame’s hand continued to curl through Ollie’s hair, making her melt under the touch. She wished they could stay like that for hours, and leave the problems of that day behind her. However, besides not wanting to annoy the shop owner after how kind she had been, the ID member knew their discussion was not over.
Obviously knowing this as well, the detective eventually spoke up, not letting go of her yet. Her voice was awkward, but still trying to be light. “So... I’m guessing any further attempts to get a harem are on hold?... Maybe forever?”
The undead-girl sighed, but nodded while looking down at the blond’s head. “Yeah... I think the problem was us trying to actively pick someone out of our friends. Maybe it would be best for us to not choose that way. If we ever want to try again, it would probably be best for us to develop a crush on someone ourselves.”
The time-traveler hummed, pulling back some to meet her eyes. “It could be a long time for that to happen for one of us, let alone both. It might not even happen at all.”
Ollie nodded, glancing away and staring at nothing. “...That could also be for the best. I... I’m still not repulsed by polyamory, but... I really might have deceived myself.” She squirmed, expression morphing into a grimace. “I’ve flirted with a lot of pretty girls, but... It’s not like looking at fanart. You’re the only one I feel comfortable wanting to do my fantasies with, I’m realizing.”
The hand in her hair twirled some more locks as Ame nodded, blushing from her comment. “That’s fine. I’m just sorry you found this out this way.”
The zombie gave a half-genuine chuckle. “Well, who knows? I could have still ended up tricking myself up until the moment of the date, even with more time. Guess it doesn’t matter now, though.” She looked down at the blond, running her own hand through the other woman’s hair. “But still, if you ever develop feelings for someone else... you can talk to me. I’d do the same for you. I’m sure we could work something out.”
The detective nodded, one arm tracing down the redhead’s back. “I would... but I’ve had my own revelations today. It’s hard to picture anyone else I’d ever trust as much as you to share my love with. I’d... be fine with things staying as they are.” Her blush got darker, but her smile was as loving as ever.
The undead-girl’s cheeks burned at this, shyly pressing a kiss to the top of her lover’s head in response. Those earnest comments... How is she so unintentionally cute?! She accepted the fluttering in her heart, though, at the idea that only she would ever get such passionate kisses from her Senpai. That... maybe she was enough.
A few more moments of silence, before the time-traveler shifted a bit. She gave her a curious stare, opening her mouth a few times to ask something but hesitating. Then, taking a deep breath, she looked at her and found her voice. “But, if I can ask... what made you want to have a harem in the first place? It must have been something big if you believed in the idea for years.” She glanced away briefly. “Y-you don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to, though! Just... if you’re comfortable with sharing.”
The question made Ollie close her eyes, slowly letting out a breath. She expected the question, of course, but she had hoped that maybe it would be asked later that evening. Looking back on it now... she felt like a fool. A part of her was worried that the EN girl would laugh at her, or would think she was an idiot as well.
...But she knew that was mostly her nerves talking. And, frankly, laughing about it all would not be so bad after the day she had regardless. Besides, the other woman was already so honest with her about a lot of her past when she brought it up. She could show that same level of trust in her.
Slowly nodding, she stepped back, trying to collect her thoughts on where to begin with this. After a few seconds, she decided it would be best to start at the beginning... before she joined the undead. She caught her eye before asking a question. “Do you remember when Olivia first showed up here?”
Ame blinked, clearly confused about what that had to do with anything. But still, she nodded and gave a wry smile. “Of course. It’s kind of hard to forget two timelines lightly ‘rubbing against’ each other and displacing a few objects and people between them. Kronii and I were so relieved that it was a stable transfer and that all we had to do was put everything back in its right place. It was made a bit harder with the other timeline’s us being away then - not that I knew about other hers back then - but we managed.”
The zombie accepted this explanation with another short nod. She did not understand the particulars of what caused a “stable” transfer and one that altered events on a timeline, but... well, she does not think the time duo knew, either. It seemed to just be random chance for an already extremely rare phenomenon. (They would leave studying that stuff to the Paradox Division of the Network, since the two actually valued their sanity.)
Regardless, she continued asking her question. “Well, I was just asking because... Have you paid attention to what she is like?”
“Soft-spoken, pretty formal with everyone, and very shy,” the detective listed off, before smirking. “In other words, nothing like our loud, rambunctious zombie. Plus has far more luck than you in loot boxes those times she’s been over for a visit.”
Rolling her eyes, the undead-girl smiled back. “Well, you don’t need to rub it in. Thanks for doing that, by the way - the rest of ID love it when she pops in!” It was certainly nice to see her human counterpart look so elated at being accepted by everyone here, too. It may have started out as an accident, but a new friend had been made by everyone from it. I hope she’s been using those tips on making friends with her version of her Genmates we’ve been giving her. She shouldn’t have to come here for that kind of experience.
The time-traveler gave a small bow. “It’s no problem at all! It’s nice to see when friendship isn’t constrained by things like different universes.” As she rose, she tilted her head, confusion still present. “But... No offense, but what does she have to do with anything here?”
Realizing she had gotten off-topic, the undead-girl coughed, looking away for a moment. Wringing her hands nervously, she took a deep breath, finally getting to the point. “Well... the truth is that I... used to be a lot like her in my human life.”
Ame blinked, shock quickly spreading across her face. “Wait... really? I mean, I never thought to question it - you know as well as I do how different alternates can be to everyone. I just thought it was like that, since it was a fairly ‘distant’ timeline.”
“I don’t blame you - no one else in Hololive has thought to ask about it, either,” Ollie commented. She started to tap her index fingers together, blushing lightly. “But, aside from her being more interested in history than math, she was a lot like me. I stayed in my books, only had a handful of friends, and kept my head down all throughout school.”
She sighed, gaining a distant look. “I wasn’t unhappy or anything. I was focused on getting good grades and getting into a good university so I could get a great job and make my parents proud. I still talked with people, and I had some fun at an occasional birthday, but mostly, I stayed at home and studied. I’d have some laughs at some of my more rowdy classmates, but... I was fine where I was. I was set on taking things at a steady pace. I figured excitement in my life could come later.
“But still... by graduation, I was hoping to make some changes in my new environment. Maybe I could go to more parties between studying, I figured, or make some more friends. I was also looking at playing more video games - I discovered shooters at a graduation party a classmate hosted, and my love started there! Now that I had gotten through my main schooling, I felt ready to cut loose more! My siblings were certainly happy to hear that their ‘bookworm’ sister was finally ready to ‘have some fun.’” She giggled, remembering their excited faces the weeks after high school and wishing her luck. By all appearances, her life was about to take a turn for the better!
...Her smile vanished, though, as she recalled what happened next. “I never got the chance to do any of that, though.”
The detective frowned, speaking gently. “It was not long after that you... died, wasn’t it?”
The zombie nodded, more resigned than upset about that after the last few years. Her voice did not waver as she followed up with a shrug. “It could have been worse. Falling down a steep hill on my way home from visiting the nearby convenience store wasn’t nice... or cracking my head on a rock. But hey, I apparently hit the right spot on my skull so that I was numb during the whole thing. My thoughts were fuzzy while I was still conscious, but... it was a painless affair, at least.”
She shook her head, moving swiftly along for both of their sakes. “I don’t know much about what happened to my body after that. The next thing I knew, I was a spirit, and a reaper swiftly led me down to the underworld. I was put... somewhere, where spirits were meant to go.” Her eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t remember many specifics about that. Nazuna told me back when she was still Rushia that it’s pretty common - something to do with how souls interact with our brains. It’s a hazy few years that’s still only coming to me in pieces.
“The next clear thing I remember, however, was... breathing. Suddenly, I was no longer bodiless, and the moment I realized I had eyes, I opened them and bolted up in the middle of a basement filled with occult objects... and corpse parts.” She gave a dry chuckle. “I was actually too shocked to be scared then, so the necromancer - Hailie was her name - was able to explain I was her first successful attempt at making a high-faculty zombie. She did her tests on me for a few weeks afterward, checking my reasoning skills and my new regenerative body while I also got used to my patchwork skin and stuff. Then, she sent me home to my family... just like they requested.”
The time-traveler raised an eyebrow, realization entering her eyes. “Wait... your family hired her to bring you back?”
“My older brother, more so, but my parents helped contribute once they realized what he was doing,” the undead-girl elaborated. She smiled, eyes wet from memories of them all hugging her and crying the moment she came in the door. “They didn’t care how different I looked as a result. They were just happy that I was back... and that I’d get a chance to live a normal life. Not be some forgotten school girl who died suddenly.” She chuckled some more, wiping her eyes before tears could form.
After a moment of looking at her like this, Ame laughed along with her, giving a bewildered smile of her own. “Wow, that’s... a bit morbid, given the whole ‘corpse’ thing, but... still sweet. Your family must have had some good stuff to trade to pull that off.”
Ollie laughed lightly, rubbing her arm. “I’m still not sure what they gave Hailie for this. It’s hard to know how to pay them back for this without knowing.” A more determined glint entered her eyes. “Since then, though... I decided to change how I acted. I became a new me!” She sighed, remembering what she had said yesterday to Mel to reassure her. “I... won’t deny it was partly motivated by regrets I had - things I didn’t get to do. But I didn’t want to be moppy about it! Like, yeah, I died, but focusing on that wouldn’t help me! I wanted to face the world with a renewed smile, if that makes sense?”
The detective raised her hands placatingly, gazing at her sadly but with understanding. “Hey, I get it. Anyone who died that young would have had plenty they wanted to do with their life. I can imagine how that experience would motivate you to be more active.” She managed a genuine smile. “I think that was a good attitude to have, given how energetic you’ve ended up.”
The zombie smiled back, glad that her girlfriend understood. “Exactly! I really started to live up to the ‘Kureiji’ part of my name from then on! I stayed in contact with my family and still do, but I was on a mission to go out into the world! No longer was I going to stay in my room reading books all day! I vowed to myself to be more outgoing and make more friends, as well as support all the people who bring me joy in life. It was how I eventually met Reine and Anya, and made me dare to try joining Hololive with them! Being a Vtuber seemed so fun, and I was not going to waste my chance to at least try to become a part of something I loved!”
“And your whole branch, as well as the rest of the company, is brighter for it,” the time-traveler said, smiling warmly at her.
The undead-girl blushed, lightly punching her arm. “Aw, quiet you!” Her expression then dimmed some, though, looking at her bouquet. “But... today has made me realize that I maybe got a bit carried away with wanting to change my life. It came from the same place as wanting to make more friends. I wanted to make a good impact on people’s lives and enjoy their company in turn. So, I figured... romance shouldn’t be much different, right?”
Ame hummed at this, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “I see... I think I’m following. From what you said about your human life, I’m guessing you didn’t have any relationships in school. And the friends you had never asked, either.” She huffed, whispering under her breath. “Their loss, honestly...”
Ignoring the flutter that caused in her heart, Ollie nodded. “Yeah. I admired so many pretty girls back then, but I was always too shy to make a move on anyone. I just let my mind wander with some Yuri mangas I bought from the bookstore or read online. After I was revived, though, I did not want to let the real thing slip through my fingers again. I didn’t care how long it took - I had my eye out for someone who I could share my heart with! I certainly became more honest with how I admired others' beauty... and my desires, despite that always coming back to embarrass me.
“And so from there, I figured... why only have one girlfriend to shower with love? Surely, it would be a good thing to be so affectionate with more people - make them all feel special! Being on the receiving end in turn was also pretty tempting. I thought it could only be a good thing, opening myself up so much after being so reserved growing up!”
Frowning sympathetically, the detective placed a hand on her shoulder. “But it’s not as simple to do that as you thought, is it?”
The zombie sighed. “Not at all.” She stared down at the floor, crossing her arms. “It shouldn’t be this shocking to me, the more I consider it. If it were that simple, then surely I would have asked one of my Genmates with no hang-ups, or at least tried to! I probably also wouldn’t have basically forgotten about trying the moment I got with you. So many small things that could have warned me how today could have gone, but I ignored them.” She paused, then let out a slow breath as her voice got quieter. “And all because I didn’t think I could be enough for you.”
She saw the time-traveler tense up, her eyes blinking in shock. “W-what?”
The undead-girl grimaced, unable to raise her gaze to meet hers. She did not stop talking, though, believing her lover deserved the whole truth. “A harem would involve more than just me, and... I was extra focused on you. In hindsight... I think that’s why I didn’t let go of that fantasy. I wanted you to have all the love I thought you deserved for as hard as you work, and try to make me and your friends happy.” She took a deep breath. “And... if I could be a small part of that, then I told myself I would still be grateful to be with you...”
A long silence followed her words, making her squirm, but she dared not look up. She knew that last part could not have been easy to hear, but she hoped the EN girl would have said something to fill this hush. She swallowed, trying to dispel it. “I... I’m sorry. I’m not feeling as doubtful of myself anymore, but... I know you look at me like I know what I’m doing. I hate that I almost let that trust- Ah! ”
The exclamation came in response to her suddenly being grabbed and moved. In a second, she found her back against one of the shelves, not being pressed hard against it, but was still pinned thanks to a body at her front. Arms soon wrapped around her, one remaining on her back while the other went up to her cheek.
Ollie’s gaze was forced to meet Ame’s... and she nearly gasped at the intense look she was given. There was a smoldering quality to it that she had never seen from her Senpai before, making her shiver in fear and anticipation. Words caught in her throat as she found herself frozen looking into those piercing blue eyes.
When the blond spoke, her voice left no room for arguments. “Don’t. Ever. Say. You’re not enough for me. Again. You... you overwhelm me if anything. I can’t get enough of cuddling with you, or hearing your compliments. I feel like I’m going to go crazy every time we kiss. And just how... perfect you look.”
The detective’s cheeks got red as she said these things, but surprisingly, she remained composed. There was not a tremor in her hand as she used one finger to trace a path along her lover’s face. The ID member trembled under the touch, realizing she was carefully following the stitch lines of her skin. Her breath hitched as that finger kept going along that path, making her mind feel fuzzy. What... what’s happening right now?
She lost track of the disjointed thought as the time-traveler leaned closer in. Her warm tone remained unchanged as she continued. “But who am I to talk, right? I have a lot of doubts myself on some days. Yet every time my mind wanders down that path, you’re always there to remind me that you truly do love me. That no matter my own perceived shortcomings, you still love me.” A teasing smile came to her lips. “Am I doing a good job of doing that right now for you?”
The zombie had to swallow a few times, her throat feeling dry. Questions of where this sudden... boldness had come from faded into the background, only able to focus on the creeping heat of her face and the light touch over the seams of mismatched skin. Her body trembled, feeling weak in the best possible way. When she finally managed a word, her voice was hoarse. “Y... yes.”
Some breathy giggles left the time-traveler. “Good. You always do that so well for me.” She sighed, letting her other hand roam along the redhead’s back. “But still... no matter how overwhelmed I’ve gotten at times... I always find myself wanting more. I never realized what I was missing in life until we started dating. And now, even at my lowest, I want to work hard to fill you with joy and never lose you. And while what you tried today might not have been the best way to do it, it showed how much you want the same for me, too.”
She made eye contact with her, leaning her face even closer to hers. “So, how about this? No more thinking we’re not enough for each other. Easier said than done, I know, but... I’ll work harder to remember this. I’m not going to let this slip through my fingers out of fear or hesitation anymore.” The blue of her irises showed the depths of her affection. “Do you promise to do the same? No more thinking I’d be happier by having someone else?”
Ollie took several deep breaths, trying to clear her mind as her body tingled under the gentle touches across her body. The hand on her back seemed to know perfectly where her stitches were, tracing patterns there and making heat spread down her neck... and her lower regions. She lost track of where they were, leaning in closer herself so that their breaths tickled one another’s lips.
It made her next words easy as she gave a small smile, hands moving up to grip her girlfriend’s shoulders. “Yes... I think I can do that.” She gave a light chuckle. “Can’t say that would be the end of my insecurity, though.”
Ame gave a laugh of her own. “What, do you think I’ll be much better? Regardless of today, you still have a better idea of what we should be doing.” She paused... then she smiled, her gaze filled with desire. “But I can think of one way to shut those thoughts up.~”
Before the zombie could even think to question that, she found the blond’s lips against hers... and a moment later, she felt a prodding against hers. Her brain still fuzzy from her treatment, she did nothing to stop the tongue that entered her mouth, barely able to try to push back at all. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, pressing their bodies closer and stimulating the heat in her chest and lower lips. Groans escaped them both, both shivering as all of their emotions seemed to boil over.
No doubts or anxiety about how the other felt reached them as they deepened their kiss. Blind to the world around them, all the patchwork woman could feel was their passion for one another. Nothing will take her from me, she thought hazily, closing her eyes and losing herself further to these actions.
When they finally broke apart for air minutes later, the detective continued to pepper her cheeks, both hands moving down to roam her body. The ID member breathed heavily, murmuring unintelligible words of affirmation as they trailed down her neck, eyes fluttering closed. Soon, part of her kimono was pushed aside, and a lingering kiss was left on her collarbone. Teeth began grazing the area, and before she knew what was happening, there was a sudden pain as the skin there was bitten and sucked. A loud moan left her lips-
-and the sound seemed to snap them both out of their trances, each freezing in place. The undead-girl’s eyes flew open, only then remembering where they were, standing in the middle of a flower shop with the owner in the back and anyone capable of coming in. And the two of them had just been... not to mention that the EN girl had just left a... a...
Face feeling like a furnace, she squealed just as the time-traveler also let out a shriek. They immediately let go of one another, her girlfriend taking several steps away until her back was against the opposite shelf. The human’s face was entirely red, a hand over her mouth as she stared at the other woman with almost fearful eyes.
Ollie was not doing much better, her eyes feeling like pinpricks as she stared back. A shaking hand tentatively reached up and touched her neck, expecting it to be a trick... but sure enough, a jolt went through her as she found the bruised area. She gaped, mind racing too fast to form words properly. “I-I-I... Y-you just... Did you a-actually...?!”
Panic visibly increasing, Ame quickly waved her hands around, voice shrill. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t... I...! M-Mel suggested I be more c-confident, and you said you fantasized about having your neck bit, and... I-I planned to do it back at the office, b-but I got caught in the moment, and- Or, well, I mean that- That isn’t t-to say I was-” She buried her face in her hands, letting out a shaky groan. “Oh God, why did I do that?!”
The zombie had to take several deep, slow breaths to properly process this. She looked down as best as she could at her neck, managing to see the darkened edges of the sucked point. It seemed to throb in sync with her heartbeat, which did nothing to calm down how rapid it had become. She stared at the area, feeling like smoke was coming out of her ears, her entire body feeling far too warm despite her colder blood...
...But amid her whirlwind of reactions, she managed to speak with a trembling, meek voice. “I... I really enjoyed that.”
The detective froze, lowering her hands and looking at her with shock, face still crimson. “Wh... what?”
Despite her nerves, the undead-girl managed to meet her eyes, speaking honestly. “ I enjoyed how confident you were. It... reminds me of how you are on cases. You should try to be like that more often. You’re really good at it.”
The time-traveler did not seem to know how to respond to that... but a bit of pride entered her eyes. “I... that’s... I mean, I did also... Er...” Eyes darting around, they eventually settled on the bouquet, still sitting on the shelf. She quickly grabbed it, jerkily pointing in the direction of the counter. “I-I’m going to go pay for these!”
With that, she dashed off as fast as possible, still trying to use one hand to hide her expression. The zombie would probably tease her for that later... but currently, she was still trying to get her blush under control. She rubbed her own hand down her face, still only able to focus on her fresh hickey. She shakily shifted her clothing to hide it, knowing it would take her regeneration time to get rid of it. (A pang of sorrow went through her at this thought, followed swiftly by mortification.)
I can’t believe that just happened! she practically squeaked internally. That... there’s no way she beat me into doing that! I mean, I’m proud of her - I’ve wanted her to be more sure of herself for months! But... she wanted to so badly that she - the overthinker - forgot we were in public?! She looked down at the ground, their makeout session replaying over and over in her mind, able to vividly imagine the feeling of those lips making their mark on her.
...and the simultaneous both worst and best part of this was that, knowing her lover, there was a good chance she would get used to doing that more in private. Just like the redhead sitting in her lap. It might take her longer to start being casual about this than that - it had certainly taken time for her to initiate normal kisses on her own. But sooner or later, no matter how embarrassed she got... she would do it more. Especially since her lover just confirmed that she enjoyed it... and the blond loved to make her happy.
A small groan escaped the undead-girl, burying her fingers in her hair as she stared up at the ceiling. Yet despite how frazzled and aroused she was... she could not help but smile widely. She let out a breathy laugh as she heard the bell at the counter rapidly being tapped and her lover calling out to the old lady. God, we’re both hot messes when it comes to love... but I’m glad it’s with her. At least it lets us know we’re each doing a good job.
Who knew if they would ever find another partner to add to their relationship? For now, however... she had to admit, after that, she was more than happy to keep her lover’s affection to herself.