Chapter 10 - The Visit

Nameless stepped into the Graveyard layer once more, walking the familiar path to Lily's hideout. The silence of the place, once haunting, now felt oddly comforting. As he entered the room, he called out softly:

"Lily, I'm here."

She appeared almost instantly from behind a doorway, her eyes lighting up. Without a word, she rushed into him, wrapping her arms around his torso. The force of her hug made him step back a little. He chuckled and gently placed a hand on the back of her head, the other resting on her lower back.

After a few moments, Lily pulled back slightly and looked up at him. "So, what brings you here today?"

"I just wanted to stay with you for a while," Nameless said, his voice low. "We just came back from the Mid-Class layer. I'm tired."

Lily's expression immediately shifted to concern. She stepped back and began inspecting his arms and chest.

"Are you hurt? Did someone get hurt?" she asked urgently.

"No," Nameless said, trying to ease her worry. "Well—if you count the other side... yeah. But none of us got hurt."

"Nameless, I'm being serious."

"I know. That's the truth. We're all fine."

Relieved, Lily let out a breath. Then she paused, her gaze drifting toward his hand. "Wait... what's that?"

Nameless opened his hand, revealing a necklace with a red crystal pendant. Inside the gem, faint wisps of black smoke swirled endlessly.

"This is for you."

He gently placed it into her hands. She stared at it, her fingers running across its smooth surface, captivated by the strange but beautiful detail. She clutched it to her chest, then looked back up—and threw her arms around him again, tighter this time.

"Thank you so much, Nameless," she whispered. "I love you."

Nameless blinked at the words, then felt something warm bloom in his chest. He smiled, rubbing her head again.

"I love you too, Lily."

He bent forward, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head.

Lily looked up, slightly pouting. "Hey... unfair. I can't reach up there."

"Then let's fix that."

Nameless scooped her up effortlessly and carried her over to the couch. Once they were seated, Lily leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Nameless turned toward her, cupped her face with his hand, and kissed her lips. They stayed like that for a quiet moment—close, connected—until they pulled away and leaned gently against one another.

---

"So, what movie are we watching today?" Nameless asked with a playful grin.

Lily giggled. "Actually... I think there's something better to do first."

She grabbed a remote and clicked a button. With a mechanical whir, a hidden compartment beneath the TV opened, revealing a console and two sleek controllers. She handed one to Nameless.

"Know how to play?"

"I've tried a few games before," he said, gripping the controller. "Let's see how this goes."

Lily booted up a fighting game. "Pick your character—your cursor's the blue one."

Nameless selected one at random. The screen transitioned into the character intro sequence.

"So," Lily said, "you want a tutorial, or should I just crush you?"

"I'll take the tutorial. I'm not trying to lose immediately."

She walked him through the basics—movement, light and heavy attacks, guarding, special inputs. Nameless was a quick learner, adapting to the combos with ease.

"Alright," he said, flexing his fingers. "I think I'm ready."

The match began. Nameless opened aggressively, spamming light attacks and keeping Lily locked down. She evaded with a well-timed jump and punished him with a sharp aerial kick into a combo that drained half his health.

"Whoa—how'd you do that?" he said, jaw slightly dropped.

He started playing more cautiously, relying on ranged attacks. Lily blocked with ease and fired off a full-screen super, catching him off guard and knocking him out.

"Hey! That's unfair!"

Lily waved a teasing finger. "It's part of the game. Don't blame me!"

For the next hour, she showed him advanced mechanics—motion inputs, canceling, supers. He soaked it all in. Then came the rematch.

This time, Nameless opened with a surprise dash attack, catching her off guard. She retaliated with a projectile, which he blocked, only to get caught by an overhead. She started a combo—but he reversed with a Dragon Punch, sending her character flying.

The match grew tense. Nameless danced around her wake-up options, baited her into a punishable whiff, and strung together his own (clumsy but effective) combo. Eventually, she won—but not without effort.

"You're learning fast," Lily said, eyes wide with surprise. "That was our first real match!"

"Beginner's luck... maybe," he replied with a grin.

They played a few more rounds. Nameless only won once, but his joy never faded.

"That's enough for now," he said eventually, setting the controller down and leaning back. "That was fun."

"Yeah. You're better than I expected," Lily said, smiling. "Okay, now it's movie time."

The console lowered back into its compartment. The screen shifted to a menu filled with movie options. Lily scrolled through, then selected a romance film.

They settled in, cozy on the couch, and watched as the opening credits rolled.

---

Midway through the film, Lily leaned gently against Nameless. At first, he thought she was just resting, but something in her posture felt… hesitant. He glanced at her face.

"Lily? Something wrong?"

She clasped her hands together. "There's something I want to try with you. But… it might weird you out."

Nameless gave her a calm, reassuring look. "Whatever it is, just tell me. I won't judge."

She looked away and slowly unfastened a button on her top. Her cheeks flushed pink as she avoided his eyes. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder, guiding her gaze back to his.

"Come on. Just say it."

"Well… I watched a movie once. A man and a woman—they were close. Intimate. They got on a bed, and… did the deed. And I want to try it. With you."

Nameless paused, then smiled. "Ah, I see. That kind of connection… it's powerful. Emotional. And yeah—enticing."

"I know it's possible. I just never thought it looked so... fun."

"You understand how it works, right?"

Lily nodded. "I do."

"Then if this is something you really want…"

// Sexual content begins here. If you prefer to skip, continue reading after the next marker.

He gently eased her down onto the couch, letting her body sink into the cushions. He gently pulled her close, their arms wrapping around each other. They stayed like that, hearts racing, savoring the closeness. They embraced each other warmly, emotions flowing freely as they finally shared a closeness that neither of them had ever known.

Their connection was more than physical. It was a release of tension, pain, longing. When they finally lay still, Nameless remained above her, resting half his weight against her.

"Is this alright?" he asked, his breath low.

"You can rest all you want. I don't mind," Lily whispered, her voice warm.

They kissed again, slower this time. He eventually rolled to her side, his arm wrapping around her waist as she nestled against him.

"Do you have an actual bed?" he asked. "You're going to fall."

"Next time," she promised sleepily. "I'll build one."

"For now... can we just stay like this?"

She turned to face him. "Of course."

They pressed their cheeks together, comforted by each other's warmth as they drifted into rest.

---

Lily stirred first, quietly slipping into lingerie and disappearing into another room. When she returned, she was wearing an oversized shirt. Nameless, now awake and dressed, sat at the edge of the couch, stretching the soreness from his muscles.

//End of sexual content.

"Morning," she said softly, walking over and offering her hand.

Nameless took it. "I'm okay. Just… feeling strange."

"Because of what happened?"

"Yeah. In a good way. That was… incredible."

"Me too."

They shared a slow kiss.

"I was thinking of leaving soon," Nameless said, "but the others are probably still resting. So, I want to stay a little longer."

"Really?" Lily beamed. "Thank you!"

They curled up again on the couch. Nameless reached for the remote, but Lily hugged him suddenly—tight, almost rigid. Her grip felt like steel.

"Lily?"

She didn't respond. Her arms began trembling. Then, without warning, she pulled away and crawled backward across the floor. Her eyes twitched wildly—pupils constricted, unfocused.

"Nameless. Leave."

He stood frozen. "What? What's happening?"

"GO!" she shouted, her voice breaking.

Her arm jerked toward him, fingers twitching erratically. She tried to stop it, but it wouldn't obey. Then came a snap—her whole body flinched.

"Don't kill him!" she screamed to no one.

Nameless's heart raced. A line of light cut through the air toward him—white, sharp, and deadly. He ducked. The line tore a hole straight through the wall, slicing concrete like paper.

"Lily!" he shouted, turning to her collapsed figure.

She lay bleeding, slashes across her limbs and torso. But she was still breathing—barely.

Nameless lifted her carefully and carried her to the bed. Mechanical arms emerged, scanning and repairing her injuries. Within moments, her vitals stabilized, and her wounds were sealed beneath fresh bandages.

He sat beside her. She turned away, sobbing softly.

"Why didn't you leave?" she asked, her voice shaking. "I could've killed you."

"Because I love you," Nameless said firmly.

"That's stupid."

"No. It made me realize something."

She turned, her expression tired. "What?"

"That none of this is your fault. Not the powers. Not the way people treat you. Not even what just happened."

"But even if they knew that," she whispered, "they'd still see me as a threat. That's why I stay here."

Nameless cupped her face gently.

"Then I'll find a way to help you control it. I promise."

He leaned in, kissing her softly. "I'll always love you. Even if you hurt me."

She stared at him, tears still in her eyes. "Why would you go so far for me?"

"Because when I was down, you helped me. Now it's my turn. That's what love means."

"You're crazy," she whispered.

"Maybe. But I still haven't paid you back."

Nameless stood. "I'll head back now. They're probably waiting."

Lily nodded, her voice faint. "Be careful."

"Will you be alright?"

"I will. You gave me something no one else ever did. Hope. I can also stay on this bed."

Nameless smiled, walking toward the exit.

"Bye, Lily."

"Bye, Nameless."

He paused at the doorway, blowing her a playful kiss before stepping out. Behind him, Lily clutched the necklace close to her chest—its smoky red glow pulsing faintly in the dim light.