ｓｅｖｅｎ

ｖｉｃｅ

The brothers met Lust in the hallways after his fight. Zero ran to Lust's open arms, and Lust swung him around a bit before putting him down on the ground.

"Are you alright?" Zero asked. Lust blew a raspberry.

"I barely even moved! Calm down, Zero. I'm fine." He ruffled Zero's hair and led him to everyone else. They all gave him their versions of compliments: Wrath gave him a thumbs-up and a smile, and Envy mimicked the gesture. Gluttony offered Lust a corndog, but Lust turned it down. Pride shook Lust's shoulders with joy and beat his chest. Sloth woke up (still sleeping on Envy's tendril) and gave him an 'okay' symbol. He then tossed Lust his phone back, before falling back to sleep.  

"I expected no less." Greed complimented. He folded his arms. "Let me guess, illusions or the obligatory mind control?"

"I went for something new and tried some illusions." Lust shrugged. "It would've been too easy if it was the latter."

"Did he try to control you?" Zero asked.

"Yeah, but he didn't get far. I used that to make him think like he was winning when he was losing." Lust shook his head. "The cheers for Shinso and the moderators talking about how he was going to win, really made me sick. I hate the thought of losing."

Greed patted Lust's shoulder. "Don't worry." Lust looked at Greed. "We can't lose even if we tried."

Lust nodded his head and smiled. "You're right." He looked at the time on his phone. "We might want to get a move on if we want to see the next fight."

*** 

Zero felt uneasy.

It felt like he was slowly sinking in a vat of tar.

He felt like someone was watching him, but who? When his brothers weren't watching him, he'd quickly look around before acting normal. Ever since he woke up at the Arena, he's had this feeling of dread. He feels like if he makes a wrong move somewhere, then it'll come for him.

Zero didn't want to test that theory.

Zero ignored the feeling. He sat (rather uncomfortably) in some seats next to his brothers, and some other classmates. Envy had an arm around Wrath, and they sat at the end. Sloth had his head on his shoulder and managed to stay asleep, while Greed was incinerating Gluttony's trash. Lust was happily typing away on his phone, and Pride was intently watching Todoroki and his opponent, Hanata Sero, walk onstage. Zero turned behind him to see Kaachan watching too, but with Kirishima talking excitedly.

After Present Mic riled up the players, Todoroki ended the match quickly and swiftly by creating an ice statue with Sero as the base. The crowd was astonished by the vastness of his power; the feeling of uneasiness left Zero at that moment.

It came crashing down on him suddenly, and it made him lurch forwards.

His brothers and classmates took notice.

"Zero? Are you alright?" Pride asked. A hand was on his back, as Zero tried to gain his bearings. A sharp twinge of pain shot towards his neck, and he instantly grabbed it. The only way that seemed to soothe the phantom pain was by squeezing his neck- so Zero did so.

Pride immediately removed Zero's hands and pulled him upwards. Zero could tell he wanted to say something, but his face changed.

"Zero, what's wrong? Your face looks flushed." Zero saw all of his brothers (even Sloth- who was wide awake at this point) peek out from behind Pride with concerned looks. Zero couldn't think of an answer that wouldn't give them any worry. If he told them how he really felt, then they'd go on a rampage trying to find who it was. He just didn't know what to say.