Coding Error [OFF x Reader]

7.5. While You Rest

Batter crosses his arms as he keeps his eyes glued to your bedroom door, paranoid that another one of those rodent enemies would barge in an interrupt his player's sleep.

Speaking of which.

He spared the door for a second to glance at your direction. Your peaceful figure sleeping safe in sound on the comfort of your plush bed. Batter looked away, returning his broad stare at the door.

"What would it take you to relax? This is a safe zone after all Batter." Zacharie pokes fun at the athlete, unlike Batter, Zacharie was right beside your bed. Making himself comfortable on the floor rug while he re-organizes the contents in his backpack.

"I won't relax until I help (y/n) carry out their mission." Batter said in a stoic way.

"You're quite something, aren't you?" Zacharie chuckles at the other man's behavior. Making sure he didn't disturb you with the volume of his voice. "I believe the player wouldn't want you being tensed up 24/7."

Batter narrowed his eyes at the masked man. "And what makes you think you know more about (y/n) than me?"

"I just do, we get along quite well." Zacharie says with a dry chuckle. "What about it?" he asks, intrigued by the Batter's sudden attachment towards you. When the athlete stayed quiet, Zacharie raised an eyebrow from underneath his mask, lowering the items in his backpack to fully focus on the topic at hand.

"Sure you two have similar interests, but I'm the one who spent the most time with them." Batter reminds Zach, almost proudly. "I've been with them when we fought together, i know them more than anyone."

"But that was back in our previous lives my friend. The player now can make chooses of their own. How do you know (y/n) still likes you after revealing the truth behind your sacred quest?" the ex-merchant points a finger to the bat in Batter's hands. "They could kick you out of the party if they so choose to, have you ever thought about that?"

The mere suggestion that his puppeteer no longer believed in his actions inexplicably caused Batter's blood to boil. He is almost offended that Zach would say such a thing.

Batter knew his player would never do that.

Right?

"Because in the end, they choose me. They choose to fight by my side. That's all the proof I need." Batter reaffirmed with the same unwavering loyalty.

Zacharie didn't reply at first.

Instead his eyes landed on your sleeping form with a sense of melancholic longing.

"I know." Zacharie sighs, his hands unconsciously touching the frog mask on his face. Remembering the one he wore to mourn Pablo. Zach could only hope his friend didn't suffer too much before dying. "If player didn't help, the world wouldn't have ended in the first place." he added as if stating the obvious.

"You saw how miserable everyone was under his rule. It had to be done." Batter states firmly without regret, still believing he did the right thing.

"...It's all in the past." the ex-merchant shook his head lightly. Zacharie didn't seem to hold a grudge against you two for practically killing everyone and even a few of his loved ones, he isn't that kind of man, instead opting to try to move forward.

But he would admit, there were times when he questioned what it would've been like if you had chosen Zacharie as your puppet instead of the Batter. The adventures you two would've had, the silly situations you would've shared. Would you have made the same decision if you saw things through his perspective?

Zacharie had no way of actually knowing back then, he was just a npc who wasn't coded to fight, he simply considered himself lucky to even be able to see you. But now, he has a chance. A chance to help you, a chance to create new memories and have fun... a chance to...

His hand went to the heart on his shirt, unconsciously providing him with a sense of comfort. "All that matters now is the present and helping the player."