Subaru sat down as he clutched his head in frustration.
Subaru: [Damn it. How could I forget to post a Halloween picture?]
Subaru thought back to the night before. He had been to preoccupied having sex with Emilia.
Subaru: (Well that's what I get for thinking with my dick.)
Subaru sighed.
Subaru: (But with NNN starting just the next day could anyone blame me?)
Subaru sweated in determination.
Subaru: [I still have a chance to post a gallery but there isn't enough time to consider all the measurements for Emilia's dress and we don't have enough face paint for the bones.]
Subaru walked over to the cupboard opening it and taking out a dress.
Subaru: [This dress doesn't suit Mili at all but it'll have to do.]
Subaru sweated.
Subaru: [Time for my fashion final resort.]
Subaru made a determined face.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Katsuki ate his lunch as he scrolled through the Pleiades website.
Katsuki: [Damn it Subaru. Did you seriously forget to post a Halloween pic?]
Katsuki refreshed the page when he saw a gallery featuring a girl with black hair, vampire fangs and blood dripping from her lip on his screen as his face went red and he almost choked on his sandwich.
Katsuki: [Holy shit! Who's this chick? She's even hotter than Emilia!]
Katsuki slammed his fist on the table.
Katsuki: [Damn you Subaru. Where do you keep finding all these hot chicks?]
Katsuki pressed on the pic.
Katsuki: [The name of the model is... Nakime Schwartz?]
Katsuki sighed.
Katsuki: [You need to teach me how to replicate your pull game Subaru.]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Subaru took off the costume.
Subaru: [Did it turn out alright?]
Emilia: [Yep it turned out reaaally good.]
Subaru sighed in relief.
Subaru: [Thank goodness.]
Emilia: [You looked reaaally good.]
Subaru: [Well it's late but maybe it'll generate some more customers. It's been a pain having to fulfill all the orders with just 50 people and no factory but we almost have enough money to buy an actual factory and pay employees properly.]
Emilia: [We've reaaally made a lot of progress!]
Subaru smiled.
Subaru: [Once we get a factory we'll actually make our place on the map.]
Emilia nodded enthusiastically.
Subaru: [Hey Mili. One thing that you need to know.]
Emilia: [What is it?]
Subaru: [Well you see for this entire month we can't... you know?]
Emilia: [What?]
Subaru: [What we did last night.]
Emilia: [Eh? But why?]
Subaru: [It's a tradition passed down among men that teaches discipline and self-control.]
Emilia: [It sounds reaaally dumb.]
Subaru: [...]
Emilia: [Subaru... are you only saying this because you didn't actually like doing it?]
Subaru: [What? No! Check online. NNN is real! And I happen to have a 4 year streak. I'm going to make it 5 this year.]
Subaru smirked proudly.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Subaru and Katsuki sat together on a park bench.
Katsuki: [I really don't get how you keep meeting such beauties.]
Subaru laughed awkwardly.
Subaru: (That was literally me though.)
Katsuki: [Hey are you doing NNN this year?]
Subaru: [Yep. Gotta keep my streak strong. You?]
Subaru said this as he drank his soda.
Katsuki: [I would but I've already lost. To this pic.]
Katsuki showed Subaru a gallery image of Nakime Schwartz as Subaru spat out his soda.
Subaru: (No way...)
Katsuki: [What?]
Subaru sweated.
Subaru: [Um that's one of our models. You shouldn't do that.]
Katsuki: [Come on. It's not like she knows. I ain't ever gonna act on it either.]
Subaru looked away and cried a little.
Subaru: (God no. Please don't nut to me. That's so gross man.)
Subaru got up.
Subaru: [Well um... gotta go. My family is going to... the zoo.]
Katsuki: [Huh? Well alright.]
Subaru left.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Subaru arrived back home as everyone was waiting for him.
Emilia: [Welcome home Subaru.]
Subaru smiled.
Subaru: (It's like we're married already.)
Beatrice walked over.
Beatrice: [Welcome home.]
Kenichi: [Hey son. Welcome back.]
Naoko: [Welcome home Subaru.]
Subaru: [Yeah I'm home.]
Subaru walked over to them.
Subaru: [Hey um. What do you guys think of going to the zoo?]
Kenichi: [Sure.]
Naoko: [I think that's a great idea.]
Emilia: [That sounds great.]
After a few minutes everyone got in the car as Subaru put in the keys and texted to Katsuki "Nakime Schwartz is me cross-dressing" and then put his phone on silent.
Subaru: (That's a problem for future me.)
Subaru pulled out of the driveway and began driving to the zoo.
Subaru: (Pretty big problem though.)
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
The car drove as Emilia, Naoko, Beatrice and Natsumi were asleep in the backseat. (Seven-Seater Car)
Subaru: [Is that a field?]
Kenichi: [Let's stop there. We gotta eat some food after all.]
Subaru: [Sure.]
Subaru drove towards a parking spot when he saw a sign that read "Caution: Rabbits are wild and may bite if handled. Please do not touch." In response to this Subaru changed the car into reverse and began backing away from the field.
Kenichi: [Huh? Subaru?]
Subaru: [We can stop somewhere else.]
Subaru leaned in as he drove.
Kenichi: [But Subaru. That's a perfect spot.]
Subaru: [We can stop... somewhere else.]
Kenichi: [But...]
Subaru: [No.]
Kenichi sighed.
Kenichi: [Fine.]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
They arrived at the zoo as Subaru parked the car and opened the doors waking everyone up.
Emilia: [We're here?]
Subaru: [Yup. Let's go.]
They got out of the car as Kenichi got out the stroller and put Natsumi in it. They walked around the zoo as they came across the Panda exhibit.
Emilia: [Od Laguna they're so cute!!!]
Subaru: [Aren't they?]
They watched as the Panda chewed on bamboo and Natsumi's eyes lit up as she began clapping happily.
Emilia: [She reaaally likes them huh?]
Naoko: [Maybe we should get her something from the gift shop?]
Kenichi: [Sure. Let me just...]
Subaru: [I got it. Anything for my little sis.]
Kenichi sighed as Subaru walked over to the gift shop and bought a Panda plushie bringing it back and giving it to his sister. Natsumi hugged it tightly with a bright smile on her face that Subaru could have sworn was drawn by an angel.
Subaru: [You're just too cute. My heart is going to burst!]
Subaru began tickling her nose when Natsumi started crying.
Subaru: [Huh?]
Naoko moved but Emilia was already there scooping up Natsumi and rocking her in her arms.
Emilia: [There there.]
Naoko: (She's... quite good with children...)
Naoko felt a bit irked that she hadn't gotten to Natsumi first but that feeling washed away upon seeing her daughter being treated with such love. Naoko patted her son's back.
Naoko: [Natsumi doesn't like people touching her nose anymore. She even cries when I do it.]
Kenichi: [Yeah she started doing that cause you pretended to steal her nose that one time last month.]
Naoko sweat-dropped.
Naoko: [But it's normal for parents to do that!]
Kenichi: [Yeah Natsumi's a strange one. Must be cause she's Subaru's little sister.]
Subaru: [Hey!]
They moved on to the Gorilla exhibit.
Emilia: [So in this world humans evolved from these animals?]
Beatrice: [That is a misconception, I suppose. Apes like these and Humans have a common ancestor. Humans did not evolve from these animals, in fact.]
Emilia: [Eh? Um?]
Subaru: [Think of it like Apes and Humans are really far apart cousins.]
Emilia nodded her head understanding. The Gorilla easily moved a log as it walked over to the food dispenser, sitting down and eating peacefully.
Emilia: [From what I saw on the internet I thought they'd be...]
Subaru: [More aggressive? They're only like that when they feel territorial, are fighting rival males or predators.]
Emilia: [Hm... it seems reaaally mean to make them look like meanies.]
Beatrice: [The people who do are usually misinformed, in fact. A trade off of having easy access to posting on the internet, I suppose.]
One of the Gorillas walked up to the glass as Emilia put her hand on the glass.
Emilia: [I know you're actually reaaally good boys.]
The Gorilla placed it's hand on the glass as well and then it turned around and walked to the food dispenser. The family moved on to the tiger exhibit as they saw it playing with a ball.
Emilia: [It's just a reaaally big cat.]
Beatrice: [A really big cat that can bite through bone and tear flesh with just its tongue.]
Emilia flinched at this.
Subaru: [They're pretty rare nowadays, not much room left for them to call home.]
Emilia: [Eh? Why?]
Subaru: [Humans are cutting down the forests they live in for resources.]
Emilia: [Subaru... are the people in charge of your world actually reaaally big meanies?]
Subaru: [Well... I guess you could say that.]
Emilia: [That's no good!]
Subaru: [Well... I can't really do much about it Mili.]
Emilia sighed.
Subaru: [Let's go see the Penguins.]
Emilia: [Penguins?]
Subaru: [Don't tell me you haven't ever seen a picture of one.]
Emilia: [I don't know what you're talking about?]
They reached the Penguin exhibit as Emilia's eyes lit up.
Emilia: [It's like they're all wearing suits! So cute!!!]
Beatrice: [They are a species of flightless bird, I suppose.]
Emilia: [How do they survive without...]
Then she saw one dive into the water as it swam around,
Emilia: [Amazing...]
Emilia looked at Subaru.
Emilia: [Where do they live.]
Subaru: [Well mostly in icy places like Antarctica.]
Emilia: [They live in icy places? What do they eat?]
Subaru: [Fish.]
Emilia: [Wait but... how do they stay warm?]
Subaru: [Basically they hug each other in large groups.]
Emilia looked stunned for a second before making a serious face.
Emilia: [Subaru.]
Subaru: [Um yes?]
Emilia: [I've decided that if I ever turn into an animal I want it to be a penguin.]
Subaru imagined that.
Subaru: [Oh my god. That would be so cute! I'll be a penguin with you Mili!]
Emilia: [Yes!]
As these two lived out a ridiculous fantasy in their heads Beatrice shook her's in expectant exasperation.
Beatrice: (Honestly. What kind of conversation is this even, I suppose?)
Naoko and Kenichi sighed.
Naoko: (Young love...)
Kenichi: [Do you want to be a penguin with me too dear?]
Naoko: [We can be a penguin family.]
Subaru hears this.
Subaru: (Wait this is cringe?)
AN: Always was.
They then head towards the next part of the zoo. It was a petting zoo and stepped inside.
Subaru: [I wonder what kind of animals...]
A bunch of Rabbits hopped over.
Subaru: [...]
Subaru began sweating. They began hopping towards him. He stood there petrified.
Beatrice: [Subaru?]
Emilia: [Are you okay?]
Naoko: [Subaru? What's wrong?]
Kenichi: [Hey are you okay son?]
Subaru: [Haha... ah...]
The rabbits rubbed their faces on him, nuzzling against his legs.
Subaru: [Haha... ah... cute...]
Subaru's eyes were dead as they dulled from fear.
Subaru: (They're just rabbits. Besides Beako is holding my... wait... she's not...)
Subaru began to sweat more.
Subaru: (I'm on my own but... but they're still just rabbits... they aren't...)
Subaru looked down at the rabbits that were nuzzling against him. They pulled away as their mouths were stained red. They weren't normal rabbits anymore. The great rabbit. They were eating him.
Emilia: [Subaru!]
Subaru: [Help me...]
Emilia: [Subaru. Snap out of it.]
Subaru felt two hands gripping his hands. He took a proper look at the rabbits. They weren't eating him. They were just nuzzling against his legs as they had been before. He looked to his hand and saw Beatrice holding it.
Subaru: (I'm not alone. Beako is here...)
He looked to his other hand. Emilia was holding it.
Subaru: (Emilia is here too. I don't have to worry.)
He took a deep breath as he calmed down, feeling the fear melt away.
Subaru: [Haha... sorry about that. It must have been pretty strange, right?]
Subaru stepped away from the rabbits and out of the petting area.
Emilia: [Are you really okay?]
Subaru: [Yeah. I am. Sorry about that.]
Kenichi: [Just in case, I'll drive us home. Come on.]
The family got into the car as Kenichi drove them home.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Emilia and Beatrice sat with Subaru.
Emilia: [Subaru? You wanted to talk?]
Emilia: (I want to talk with him as well. About back then.)
Beatrice: (What in the name of Od Laguna happened to him?)
Subaru: [I... I'm not okay.]
Emilia looked surprised.
Emilia: (He... admitted it. I didn't need to poke and prod him for the truth.)
Emilia felt a warmth in her chest as she readied herself.
Emilia: [Subaru. What happened back there?]
Subaru: [I... I'm not ready to tell Mom or Dad about this. I... omitted some stuff from my loops.]
Emilia's eyes widened.
Emilia: [Subaru, you...]
Beatrice: [You... you lied to us?]
Subaru: [I... didn't want you to suffer, but now... I can't take it anymore.]
Emilia: [I want you to tell me everything.]
Subaru: [My looping ability was given to me by a witch.]
They looked shocked.
Emilia: [A... witch?]
Subaru nodded.
Subaru: [Can you cover your ears for a second. I want to check something.]
Emilia: [Why?]
Subaru: [I want to see how much I can reveal without getting a penalty.]
Emilia: [Penalty?]
Subaru: [It's to make sure I don't put myself in harm's way.]
Emilia: [What?]
Beatrice sensed her contractor's emotions and caught on.
Beatrice: [The Witch likely keeps the trigger to his ability under lock and key to prevent others from using it against him, I suppose.]
Emilia: [Then the witch is... protecting Subaru?]
Beatrice: [Why else would you bestow the power to redo time to someone?]
Emilia: [But punishing Subaru? Why?]
Beatrice: [Because Betty's contractor is far too reckless. Imagine if he had told Roswaal about it, in fact. The clown would have used it against him to get what he wanted, I suppose.]
Emilia grimaced at the thought, and they covered their ears.
Subaru: [I can Return By...]
Subaru felt the gentle caress of a hand on his heart.
Satella: [You mustn't, my beloved. No one can know. Not even them.]
Subaru: (Well, at least she seems to trust them now.)
Subaru clutched his heart for a second, scaring the two girls as he took a breath and they uncovered their ears.
Emilia: [Subaru!]
Beatrice: [You don't need to be so reckless, in fact!]
Subaru told them everything he had omitted, except that death was the trigger for his loops. This didn't seem to affect their reaction as they were still understandably horrified at his recount.
Emilia: [You... you spent 2 years... trying to help a woman that... that tried to kill you and... tortured you. You... told me you loved her...]
Beatrice: [Betty can not believe the bullshit she is hearing, I suppose. How can you defend that vile maid, in fact!]
Emilia: [The sanctuary...]
Emilia thought about the rabbits, imagining them biting him as he desperately tried to activate his looping ability, as she held her mouth trying not to puke.
Emilia: (I'm glad Roswaal is dead.)
Then her mind shifted to Puck.
Emilia: [You were trying to help me bring back Puck, who... who...]
Emilia's voice got caught in her throat as she couldn't finish her words.
Beatrice: (Betty can't forgive you, Bubby. Please... never return.)
Emilia: [The Witch Of Envy gave you this ability and... she loves you?]
Emilia looked down.
Emilia: [I understand now... why you never told us you could loop. Because we're the reason you loop so much. Why would you ever trust us when we're the reason for your pain?]
Subaru: [That's not right. I...]
Emilia stood up.
Emilia: [We are incompetent, Subaru! Why else would you have to loop so many times?!! The amount of times you could have died... I...]
Tears fell from her eyes as she began to cry. She felt like a failure. She felt like every smile he had shown her was just a lie for her own sake. She couldn't stand the thought of her knight being that miserable while she was oblivious to it all.
Subaru: [That doesn't change how I feel about you all. I know you're all good people and you've all... given me so much too.]
Subaru wiped Emilia's tears.
Subaru: [Emilia, you are my first love. Beatrice, you're the girl who chose me to be your special person. Rem is the one who convinced me that I could be worth something. Garfiel is the one who looked up to me as his captain. Otto is my first friend. Ram is my Nee-sama as much as she is Rem's. I chose you all, and you chose me right back. I don't regret anything.]
Emilia: [I... I'm glad that... that we're not there anymore. You're... safer here.]
Beatrice was completely speechless.
Beatrice: [That ability allows you to see the worst parts of the world. Incomprehensible and unjustly cruel things. Why do you keep looping?]
Subaru: [Because... I love... everyone.]
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:
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