Honkai: Star Rail One-shots

GN!Reader┆ ✦ What's Left Of You?

╰┈➤ You have been Aventurine's best friend since he was an underdog of the IPC. You desperately wanted to save him, but eventually, his spark died out. Now, you grieve a person you did not lose.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

"Aventurine, hey!"

Your voice back then was so much more lively. You recall sitting on the floor to chat with him for hours, where both would childishly laugh and giggle at one another's antics and creative language. Your tiring days as an IPC punching bag always ended with you excitedly rushing back to Aventurine to chat. Some days he'd be tied down to a pool table somewhere. Other days, he'd be amidst the crowd of gamblers at an IPC gathering while drunken idiots place bets on his life and dignity.
Either way, you always found your way back to him. You love nothing more than talking with him. His hypnotizing eyes would often light up when you mentioned something that instilled wonder in him.
Your life was awful. His life couldn't get any worse. You and him took care of each other, living for their other half and them alone.

But one day, Aventurine was tattooed with the mark of the IPC. Part of him died after that. With the embellishment on his neck, a piece of his soul was taken. That part of him that you loved so dearly was gutted, left to rot and die. You watched your soulmate leaving you. Everything that made him beautiful slipped through your fingers, leaving you screaming and crying in pain like an injured animal. Your love had been scraped raw until its very core had been exposed. The air burned like salt upon your wound. You almost couldn't tolerate looking at Aventurine. Though the mark on his neck meant nothing to you, it absolutely destroyed what you loved most. The person that you always looked forward to seeing was nothing but a shell of his former self. The light in his eyes died out, flickering out and leaving nothing but a glassy mirror that could only reflect your foolishness. A mirror that lies. A mirror that once showed the person you loved most.

Aventurine was later given the opportunity to gamble on his freedom. If he were to win this chance bet, he'd be accepted into the ranks of the IPC. If he lost, he'd be publicly humiliated and left to rot in the basement of the IPC warehouse.
Of course he accepted the bet. And he won. But that victory didn't restore what once was. Instead, it only buried him worse. You watched your soulmate be replaced by a greedy monster with no feelings. You watched as his soul was replaced. Your soulmate no longer exists. All that is left is what he looked and sounded like. But you know better than that. This thing isn't him— the Aventurine you fell in love with. You fell in love with the way he laughed, even when his life hit the ground. You fell in love with the way he would spew words of endearment to you while leaning on your shoulder, paying the shackle attached to his ankle no mind. You fell in love with him.

You followed what is left. Through Golden Hour, you trekked behind Aventurine. He occasionally glanced over his shoulder to ensure that his favorite pawn was still following him. He grinned at you, but not in the way he used to. This time, it was like he was mocking you and your stupidity. Now, you're below him. You obey him and follow him around like a lost puppy, whining for love but receiving none. All you receive is hollow words that your love would never speak. His lips would never be tainted with what this monster has done.

"Aventurine." You called out to him as you halted in place. Near the fountain of golden water, Aventurine turned to face you.
"Yes?" He questioned. The amber hues of Golden Hour complimented his ethereal eyes so wonderfully. You adored seeing it and imagining that wonderful smile from the past. It brought tears to your eyes.
With a pained expression, you eyed him and mourned what once was. "I'm sorry. Never mind." You murmured.
Aventurine folded his arms over his chest. "If it's nothing, then we shouldn't be wasting our time on it. My time is very valuable, you know." He reminded you.
You nodded meekly. "Aventurine," you began once more. "What's left of you, my love?" You asked.
He blinked thrice, staring at you with an expression that was mildly surprised. "Well, that's a surprising question." His smug expression returned. "I'm the same as when we met, am I not?" He tilted his head a bit.
"No." You confidently replied. "You're just a shell of him."
"That hurts to hear you say, friend." Aventurine spat the title 'friend' like it was poison on his tongue.
You felt your heart shatter. You only follow him because he looks and sounds like the Aventurine that you fell in love with. But at the end of the day, all they share is a name and a pretty face. That's it.

You lowered your head in shame. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I must be out of it." You replied.
"I thought I told you to never accept any form of SoulGlad." Said Aventurine.
"Right. I'm sorry, My Love." You still used your old nicknames for him. At the end of the line, you will always love him, even when the 'he' that meant most no longer exists in this present that you're forced to endure living in.
Aventurine showed you a gentler smile. It made you question whether it was genuine or not. "It's all right, really. We're friends, are we not?" He reminded you.
Your face screwed up as tears gathered in your eyes. "Sorry— I'm sorry." You began to dry your eyes before your tears could even escape your eyes.
"Oh, is something bothering you?" Asked Aventurine, drawing false concern on his expression. You knew this was simply manipulation. This was not real. It couldn't be.

You forced yourself back together, showing Aventurine a gentle smile to reassure him. "All good. Sorry about that, I shouldn't have accepted that SoulGlad." You casually lied to him. You never accepted any SoulGlad. You never even tried it.
Aventurine rolled his eyes. "I told you not to. It's dangerous." He then gestured with his hand for you to follow him. He peered over his shoulder, smiling back at you. "Come on, let's go."
You nodded a bit. "Yeah. I'm with you." You replied.

At the end, this was it. You're doomed to grieve for an eternity over a love that could only last in your dreams with a person that has since been forgotten.