This one-shot is dedicated to kazscircus. I miss ya. Hope you'll come back.

The title is based on Linkin Park's new band logo.

"Why?"

Her face was coated with tears, which was a rarity in itself. He had taken it upon himself to walk towards her and wipe her tears away.

"Now, sugar mama. Don't cry. How am I going to leave if I see you crying like this?"

Death X was struggling to keep up his façade. His smile was strained and his eyes were shining. He would have told anyone else, but Atalanta was the one he could have the most decent conversation with.

"Then don't. Please. We need you, DX," the voice manipulator said desparately.

It was obvious that DX was moments away from collapsing into tears right there. "Atalanta, please. I have been selfless for all my life. Can't I be selfish for once?!"

DX regretted raising his voice the moment he saw Atalanta flinch. He rubbed his face with his hands and turned his back on the female heroine as he tried to keep his tears at bay. A whispered question made him look back at her.

"How long? How long would it take?"

"I-I-I don't know," he whispered, his voice cracking. "I don't know if I'll eveb come back."

"Azrail..."

Azrail Alexopolous smiled through his tears. "Perhaps in the near future, I will. But not as Death X. But I'll try to come back. For you, for everyone."

"Promise me. Swear it on your status as the number one vigilante."

"You crack me up, sugar mama," DX chuckled, wiping his tears away. "But I swear it."

"That's all I ask." Atalanta regained the fierce aura that made villains hesitate upon attacking her. She removed her glasses and DX watched as the illusion dropped and she morphed into her half-alien features.

"I guess the heptagon becomes hexagon now," DX said.

"No, not really," Atalanta said. "The heptagon is still there, it'll just have a missing side."

DX looked sharply at her and she smiled. "One way or another, you're still a part of the team, DX. Nothing will change that."

"Thank you." Atalanta stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around his body. He returned the hug and rested his head on hers before pulling away.

DX started to walk away but paused, looking back at her. "Tell Nua'sol that I love her."

Atalanta chuckled. "The two of you weren't really fond your real names huh?"

"That's the one thing we had in common." With that, he smiled and disappeared into the darkness, looking every bit like an Angel of Death that his name meant.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Heya kaz. I know you won't get to read this but I'll still put this here, hoping that someday you'll have a chance to read this.

We weren't close. I know that. After all, we're only talking for nearly three months everything happened. But in those three months, you've managed to hold a special place in my life.

Thank you for everything. For talking me out of suicide, for helping me through my depression and anxiety, for being crazy with Scar and I, for being the mother in our Instagram group chat, for everything.

I'll be waiting as I promised. All of us. DX, and your legacy by extension, will never be forgotten.

Lovelots,
Glace.