Factory Reset: Divine Corruption

Chapter Eighty-One

Chapter Eighty-One: One Chance

The ship was silent.

Not a single sound or word produced, nothing. The quietness of space infecting the residents of The Divine Intervention. The cold sting of the death of a comrade staining the walls. Silence lay steadily, that was what was known amongst the entire crew. The cold light of the bulbs stinging the already bright walls.

"What time is it?" Mason's exhausted voice asked from the bed, his eyes drained of color. His gaze was met with the dark figure of his love, Ja'Kle, silhouetted in the meager glow of the lamp beside Mason's bed. The Mosomarian's wings rustled, agitated a tad by trying to sort through the clothes for Mason.

"It's... about three in the morning." Ja'Kle responded, glancing at the clock that was placed within their room by his command. The clock was attuned to their sleep schedule, so it was technically their three in the morning. He was exhausted, by all means, but that didn't stop him from trying to help him.

"I'm so sorry..." Mason told him, scrunching up his legs until his paws were level with his backside. Mason cuddled his legs close, his fingers nipping at the fabric of the blanket draped over them. Mason felt a bit nauseous. He should sleep, by all means. But he didn't want to, and Ja'Kle took the initiative - just doing some menial chores for him as they talked.

Ja'Kle shook his head, his wings rustling as a fair bit of dust softly fell upon the floor, "Don't be. I don't want to really say anything, but your room is a mess. And besides, for you, I'd do anything." Ja'Kle told him bluntly, pausing for a moment to smile and blink at Mason, before returning to the clothes.

"Do you really like me?" Mason asked his partner, his amethyst eyes gazing up at the moth. Ja'Kle chuckled, but it had no humor - it felt sad. Ja'Kle pressed the clothes together. He patted the small pile of clothes before turning to Mason.

"Of course, I do. I love you, that's that, Mason." Ja'Kle told him, kneeling down on the floor with a quick sigh, "First and foremost, can you get out of those clothes? You've had them on for a long time, and.... Well, I need to wash them, heh..." Ja'Kle looked to the side abashedly.

Mason quickly complied, "I know you do, but..." Mason continued, handing off his clothes, bringing his legs closer to his chest, even more so than before, "I just... I don't know what to do. I know I've had to have said that so many times. I don't get how you can. I know it sounds so, so stupid to say that, but-"

Ja'Kle sighed, gripping Mason's clothes and standing up. Ja'Kle brought his hand up, softly petting the rabbit's cheek for a moment before leaving towards the other side of the room to put the clothes into the basket, "Mason... you're fine. It's not stupid to ask, not at all. I love you, and nothing will change that. No action you take, no singular thing you could do, will prevent me from loving you, hun."

Mason leaned back against the pillows, placing his hands against his toned fluffy stomach. He really needed a shower, he thought absent-mindedly. Mason shook that thought off for now, "Why do you lik- love me?" He asked the Mosomarian, unsure of any reason. Especially after his poor leadership, his decisions and everything, everything, got his comrades and subordinates killed.

The Mosomarian sighed once more. There wasn't any discernible emotion within that short sigh, no annoyance or sadness, "I love you. That's because you're amazing. You've taken on literally hordes of.... What, Pattern-Screamers? You shouted at a God, you've given hope to civilizations. How can I not love you?"

Mason turned his head to the side, his breathing shaky. He did do that, but he wasn't sure what made him so fantastic to the Mosomarian. Mason was beyond happy that Ja'Kle saw him in that light, even if the rabbit himself didn't know why. But, even still, he couldn't see what Ja'Kle saw. And that worried him.