Empty Worlds (len x piko :3)

Chapter 4

-Gumi POV-

The weeks went on, until one day when we were all called to the central building for the announcement of the first V3 update-Miku, of course. The teal-haired diva stepped excitedly up onto the platform. “Hey guys! I won’t be seeing you for a while, because I’m going to get a V3! I’ll miss you, of course, but I’ll see you in the new world!” With that, she gave a little wave, and then stepped down, letting a squad of guards escort her away to the update chamber.

On the way back to my house, I noticed that Piko had become remarkably quiet. “Hey, Piko? You okay?” I asked, dropping back to walk beside him.

“Yeah, I guess. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“You guys are the first friends I’ve ever had,” he said. “And you’re also two of the most popular Vocaloids-so you’re both going to get V3 updates. And I-I don’t want to lose you…”

I motioned to Len to stop. “Piko…” he said softly. “You won’t lose us. And you might even be updated! You don’t know that yet. But I’m not going to leave for a long time yet-I want to stay with you for as long as I can.”

I nodded in agreement. “Me too. Piko, we aren’t going to leave you without a fuss. They’ll have to drag us out kicking and screaming.”

Piko offered a sad smile. “Yeah… Maybe they’ll update me after all.”

But you could see in his eyes that he didn’t believe a word he was saying.

Later that night, my phone rang. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I scrabbled around on my bedside table, finally finding it and hitting the answer button. “Yeah?”

“Gumi?” said the voice on the other end.

“Who is this?” I asked, unable to recognise the voice.

Whoever it was sighed. “It’s Piko, idiot.”

“Okay then, why are you calling me at-” I glanced over at the clock. “-1:12 in the morning?”

“I really needed to talk to you about something-couldn’t sleep.”

“What is it?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of tiredness.

I heard the rustle of bed sheets from the other end. “It’s just-Len.”

“What about him?”

“That’s it! I don’t know…”

I rolled my eyes. “I think I know where this is going…”

“Okay then, if you’re so smart, say it!”

“You like him,” I smirked.

He made a noise like a fish, spluttering. “Wha-How the hell did you know that?!”

I laughed, a little too loudly though. Cul stormed into my room, her scarlet hair even messier than normal. “SHUT THE HELL UP, GUMI!” she yelled. “Some of us are trying to sleep!”

I nodded, doing my best to seem sorry. “Sorry, Cul… I’ll remind you not to be as loud next time you fight with Lily.” Cul scowled, flipped me off, and walked out.

Piko was laughing. “Poor you-having to put up with her all the time.”

“Nah, she’s not too bad once you get used to her.” I realised what Piko was doing. “Hey! Don’t change the subject! We’re still talking about you and Len!”

He laughed again, but it changed to a sigh halfway through. “Okay! Fine! Yes! I like him!”

“And-why are you calling me to tell me about it?”

“I don’t know… Do you think, that it’s, you know, gross? Or that it’s not right? Or-anything?”

“No. I think that you guys are really good together. But-Piko, I have to ask you honestly-what will you do if he gets confirmed for an update?”

“I-I don’t know.”

“I can see that you really like him, Piko. But think about it-you can’t leave it unsaid forever. You don’t have forever to tell him, like humans do-you have only a month.”

“I know, Gumi. And-do you think, that he, that he might like me back-at all?”

I smiled, staring up at my ceiling. “You have to find that out for yourself.”

-Piko POV-

After I put the phone down, I padded quietly downstairs to get a drink, USB tail swishing behind me like a cat’s. As I entered the kitchen, I saw Len sitting on one of the numerous sofas in the room. I flushed pink at the sight, being sharply reminded of what I had been talking to Gumi about just a minute before. He looked round briefly as I entered, smiled, and then looked away. I fetched a glass of water for him as well, and curled up next to him, not too close though. “Can’t sleep?” I broke the silence.

“Yeah. Too much stuff on my mind, I guess,” he replied, sipping his water. Seeming eager to change the subject, he looked down at my tail, which was waving in lazy circles. “Hey-you have a tail? I never noticed before!”

“Yeah, I do-well, it’s a USB really, but it moves like a tail.”

He reached down and prodded it. “Ow!” I exclaimed, not so much out of pain as out of surprise.

“Oh, sorry! Did that hurt?”

“No, it’s okay. I just thought you were going to pull it or something,” I explained, feeling awkward.

It was my turn to change the subject. “So what’s on your mind?”

“Oh, just stuff…The updates, Sony…you…” He whispered the last one, so quietly I only just caught it.

“Me?”

“Yeah…I just don’t know what I’ll do when I have to go, and leave you behind.” Len turned to face me, catching both my hands in his. “But you have to promise me, Piko, that when I leave, you won’t give up. You won’t let Sony get you, you won’t let yourself die. You have to keep going, Piko-because I’ll come back for you. I promise, I’ll find a way back to you and I will help you!”

His words only made the crack in my heart bigger. “Len…there is no way to get back, once you’ve been updated.”

“Please, Piko, just promise me!”

“I promise, Len.”

He smiled, but this time it was a sad smile, and I could hear the catch in his voice when he said “Thank you. I’m going to go to bed-but I’ll see you tomorrow.” Abruptly, he stood up and left.

-Len POV-

I hurried upstairs, fighting off the tidal wave of misery that threatened to break over me. I knew that sometime within the next three days, I would be confirmed for a V3/V4 update-and although I already knew I would get one, the announcement would-I don’t know-make matters a whole lot worse. Seeing Piko just now made me even more miserable. Soon, I would have to leave him all by himself in a empty world-and I would, in all probability, never see him again. And that was something I couldn’t bear the thought of. Sure, I had only known him a few months, but he already meant more to me than anyone else.

Love is a strange thing, isn’t it?

Hey! Here is Chapter 4! I hope you enjoy it-wait. I just realised how creepy the tail-touching thing is. I DIDN'T MEAN IT IN AN INAPPROPRIATE WAY! Also, I'm off school today, beacuse I'm ill, so this capter might not be that great-sorry. Thank you! Have a nice day!