Chapter 147: Clearing the Haze
Bullet laid there in a daze, he couldn't even comfort her. He tried to hold her but his nubs weren't enough to even do that. He trembled and cried, he didn't know what to do anymore…
He shivered and got out of the bath, his arms returning, seemingly made of blood, dripping to the ground. He shook his head and cried, Mei looked at him and saw intense fear in his eyes as he looked at his nubs. The rings in his eyes seemingly swirling.
She jumped out and tackled him to the ground, shouting "Bullet?! Come on, baby. Come back!" Bullet shook his head and swallowed, completely terrified as his blood arms stained her skin.
He shouted "Get off! I'm out of control! I'll hurt you!" Mei smiled at him, saying gently, "It's okay. You can beat this. Just like before! You're a hero!" Bullet shivered as he looked at her skin melting to bones, he screamed and struggled wildly.
Hazy black arms wrapped around him and an exaggerated grin appeared on a face behind him, whispering "I'm a monster… I'll destroy everything…"
Bullet repeated these words and shouted in fear as Mei held him down firmly, shouting "You're better than this! WAKE UP!"
The Hazy figure chuckled and said "Look, poor girl, she doesn't know. She's just sad that her favorite toy broke. Just like everyone else, full of pity for poor poor Bullet. 'He's hurting. He needs our help~' HAHAHAHA! What a joke… We don't need anyone else, I don't need anyone else. You only need me, Bullet. We'll be together forever."
Bullet craned his neck and looked at Mei, crying as he whispered "H-Help me… Mei…" Mei froze and cried, holding him, saying "I'm trying! I-I don't know what to do! I just want you back! I'm not a her-"
Bullet writhed and she firmed her expression, grabbing him and saying loudly with hope, "Bullet! Look at me." he struggled to turn his head as she smiled happily, "Do you remember when we first met? You bumped into me and I dropped one of my babies."
Bullet said sadly, "Ramen bowl." Mei's eyes lit up and she nodded, "Yeah! Then I noticed how cool your eyes were! You remember?! I knew at that time you were Quirkless, I didn't care! I never did! I thought you were funny, the way you stared blankly not understanding a thing. It was funny!"
Bullet twisted his neck and she went on, "Then we bumped into each other at lunch! You went back to get me food and came back beat up, remember? I thought it was a bit weird, but I didn't mind. No! I really thought I could use you to be a big time Support Company at that time!"
Bullet stopped and stared at her in disbelief. She laughed sadly, "That's all I wanted for a long time. You don't know! When you stepped up for me, I didn't really care. Even winning the Festival against all odds was nothing for me. No, I fell in love with you right after that."
She hung her head as the Hazy figured laughed, "See?! What did I tell you?!" Bullet didn't say anything and stared at her in a daze, she laughed and said softly "I'm really a bad person, aren't I? I only ever wanted to use you at the start. I didn't care about anything else. I'm constantly dying and I want to make my life meaningful, not really caring who I trample on the way there…"
She looked up at him and smiled, "But then you said something incredible! Something I never even dreamed of hearing. You said that because of the way you were born, your parents tossed you away in the trash to fend for yourself… but the last part… You hoped that they were still doing well. I…"
She gripped his nubs, crying, "Do you know? I fell in love with you in an instant. Right at that moment. I was born to die early but I stepped on everyone else to get on top, here you were, crawling from the bottom without anything, on by yourself but you didn't step on anyone. You had this unbelievable kindness to even the trash that tossed you away!"
She rested her head on his chest, tears dripping down, "It wasn't the beating up bullies, or the overcoming of the odds that were stacked against you, nor was it your determination and sacrificial spirit. No… It was that unshakable kindness that you had. You turned from a dog to a shining light in my life in that moment. Just like that. I wanted to stay with that warm light for the rest of my life from that point on, I didn't care about anything else."
She looked up at him and smiled with teary eyes, "You saved me without even realizing it and I fell in love with my hero. I hate your sacrificial spirit. I hate your determination to save people at the cost of your own limbs and life. I hate how you step forward in front of everyone to light up the way, braving through all the traps and attacks to keep everyone else safe…"
She cried, "Because I know that you don't take your life seriously! Maybe you had a dream a long time ago, and maybe you say that you have dreams now, but I can tell you won't let yourself dream! You haven't since I've met you. I don't know about before then, but you're not trying to be a hero. You're looking for a meaningful way to die! You think I can't tell…? All these injuries… Heroes live on to continue saving people!"
She pounded her fists on his chest, "You idiot… I know you better that your tiny brain can comprehend! You think your life is meaningless so you're looking for a meaningful way to die! That's all you are! Not a murderer, Not a hero! Just a suicidal maniac! And I hate that! I hate that you hate yourself! I hate that you think nobody cares about you! I hate that you think everyone can just smile over and over again, watching you sacrifice yourself for us!"
She cried and smiled, "I hate so many things about you, but those are the reasons why I love you. I don't get it. You've caused me more pain than I've ever felt before. You make me worry constantly! But at the same time, my heart fills with pride when you save someone. I-I have conflicting thoughts too! We're both crazy, I think. But I can't help wanting to fix you up every time you get hurt. Even though I know you'll just go out and hurt yourself again. It hurts to watch but I'm so proud of you every time you do it. I always think, this time he's going to be a hero or this time he's not going to come back."
She laughed sadly, "You're confused and scared, you're not the only one! I can only sleep holding you because I can feel you in my hands. I don't have to worry about you disappearing from my life. I can rest at ease! When you're like this it really breaks my heart. The words to describe it haven't even been invented yet… I don't need you to speak full sentences, I don't need you to protect me, I don't even need you to live!"
She mustered up a tearful smile, "I just need you to smile again, okay? That's all I want. You don't know who you are? I'll tell you, you're Bullet. You're the idiot that doesn't understand anything. You're the guy who smiles kindly even in the worst situations. You're the moron who gets beat up by bullies and forgives them. You're Bullet who saved me. So come back, okay? Because I can't smile without you anymore…"
Bullet stared at her in a daze, her bright smile blew away the hallucinations in an instant. The dark haze scattered and disappeared like smoke as he looked at her face. His lips quivered and he raised a nub, struggling but succeeding in wiping her tears.
She looked at him and he genuinely smiled kindly for the first time in a long time, saying softly "No tears, happy Mei, okay?" Mei cried and laughed, wiping her eyes as she nodded, "Okay!" before hugging him tightly.
He squeezed her with his nubs, nuzzling against her cheek, "Sorry. Bullet gone for a long time." Mei replied softly, "It's okay, you're back now, that's all that matters." Bullet closed his eyes and said softly with a gentle smile, "Mei save Bullet, you real hero. Bullet don't know what give… Marriage?"
Mei laughed happily and kissed him, "I want everything." Bullet nodded and smiled, "Bullet give." Mei smiled sweetly and squeezed him hard, finally relieved.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone