(AU in which Liy+Stapy aren't eliminated)

  Liy collapsed to the ground and laid there. She wasn't unconscious or anything, just immensely sore from everything she had done today. First, it was Pillow who shook her awake at three in the morning to tell her about her crazy conspiracy theories. It was five when she was done, so Liy had an early start to her day. 

  Then on her wake up walk, she had to save Firey from accidentally falling into water. Everything after that was just a mess of preventing death after death. It was a very death-prone day, apparently. And Liy had just completed an excruciating rescue mission. Gelatin and Naily had somehow gotten themselves stuck on a cliff doing shenanigans, and Liy's arms burned from climbing.

  'And it's only four p.m.!'

  She just wanted to go to sleep. A little outdoor nap couldn't hurt. Liy breathed in deeply, and the short grass scratched at her face.

  A familiar 'click-thump' approached her, louder and louder each time. Liy sighed irritability. 

  "Go. Away."

  "Oh, guess you're not dead," Stapy shrugged, "shame."

  Liy didn't bother flipping over to face him. "Four would just bring me back, idiot. What are you doing here, anyway?"

  "I saw you lying on the ground like you were dead and wanted to see."

  "I'm flattered," Liy groaned. "Now go away. I'm sleeping."

  "But it's four in the afternoon? You're kidding, right?" Stapy hopped around Liy to face her, and cringed at her tired face and baggy eyes. "Oh. Yikes. You look like a disaster."

  Liy looked up at Stapy and squinted her eyes. His eyes were scrunched up and his mouth pulled into a grimace. The metal pusher glinted in the light. He looked...concerned? Or maybe disturbed. Possibly both.

  "I've been running around all week. Barely any sleep. Super tired. Now shoo."

  Stapy frowned. "At least don't sleep on the ground? I know you don't have standards, but this is just really low."

  "I'm literally too tired to move," Liy deadpanned. "Besides, why do you care? Thought you hated me or something."

  "Well-" Stapy hesitated, "Obviously, yeah, but have you seen yourself? Even I'd feel bad just leaving you here."

  "It's not your business." Liy closed her eyes. "Now go away, 'kay? Let me sleep if you care about me."

  Stapy sighed. There wasn't any use arguing with a tired- and possibly delirious- person. Especially Liy. Fighting with her was basically arguing in circles. He'd get her team to carry her to bed.

  With that, he went off to find a member of Death P.A.C.T..

~☆~

  'Are you okay?'

  'Yeah.'

  'Hang on to me.'

  A lion crept around the corner. It had a lovely woven carpet hanging from its back, with simple purple and red patterns, outlined with bright gold. And it felt safe. Liy climbed up and hugged the lion's neck, and her partner climbed up after her. With a graceful leap, they were soaring, and climbed higher into the sky. Above the trees and buildings, and cars, and lights. They flew all the way to the endless ocean, with the sky and clouds above them.

  Liy was weightless. It was almost like she was holding on to nothing. And she could only gaze as the air got colder, with her arms wrapped around the lion's fur.

  'I'll catch you if you fall. I'm here for you.'

  She leaned back into her companion. Her lifeline. He saved her. His thumb stroked her side, and Liy closed her eyes and smiled. Her head was empty, but he was warm. Warmer than anything she ever knew. She could see his warm smile and eyes, full of his love and concern. Those very same, soft eyes...

  Liy cracked her eyes open in the darkness. Where was she? Her bed? And why was she here? What time was it? She knew she had a clock somewhere, and her hand slid across her bedside table until she found it. Liy held it up in front of her face and squinted past the blue light.

  'Four o' three? Are you serious?'

  She put the clock back and turned over. She didn't want to get up just yet. Her questions would have to be answered later.

  But what was that weird dream? Did it mean anything, or was it just a dream?

  The first thing that came to her mind was Stapy...for some reason. Liy furrowed her eyebrows. The other person in the dream...couldn't be Stapy, right? There was just no way. Stapy didn't make her feel that way. No way. She didn't even like him.

  Liy turned to the ceiling. But there was something about that prospect that was...exciting? Comforting? To be held by him and looked at with soft eyes? To be cared about, and be able to show her vulnerabilities?

  Heat rushed to her face, and it was all too hot.

  'Oh, hell no.'

~☆~

  It wasn't even four a.m. the next day. It was four a.m. the day after that. Liy didn't remember getting up, but she apparently did, just to get something to eat, and then promptly returned to bed. She felt very well-rested, though. The rest of her team all said she was a disaster when she came in.

  And apparently Stapy had come in to check on her. Liy thought it would be courteous to tell him she was okay.

  'And maybe sort out these stupid feelings, too.'

  The thought of Stapy drove a mad blush to her face. Why these weird feelings all of a sudden? Her hands warmed up and she was uncomfortably hot. Was it a side effect of the delirium? Whatever the reason, she couldn't bear to think of it. Thinking of Stapy was a waste of time and energy.

  Liy eventually spotted him by Foldy's side. They talked and laughed as they always did. 

  "Stapy. I need to talk to you."

  "Uh-" Stapy's eyes flitted from Liy to Foldy. He couldn't even give an answer before Foldy protested.

  "What for? What's going on here?"

  Liy frowned. "None of your business. Stay out of it, Foldy."

  "Uh, no? Whatever business you have with Stapy, you have with me."

  "Wait, Foldy," Stapy put his hands up. "Liy's right for once. This is between me and her. Sorry."

  Foldy didn't look reassured, but her unsure eyes and tightened lips showed conflict. She eventually gave in. "Okay... but try not to take too long."

  Stapy nodded, and hopped away to catch up to Liy. They stopped once Liy was certain they were out of earshot.

  "So? What do you want?"

  She was with him. Alone. That feeling, deep within her stomach and chest, flared up again. Her gut felt heavy, twisted into knots, and she was certain she glowed with heat. It was like a fever. But she couldn't think about that now.

  Liy put her fists on her hips. "An explanation? What were you doing, 'checking on me'?"

  "A thank you would've been nice," Stapy grumbled. "Look, I just got worried. You seriously looked like you were dead."

  "Whatever. Just stay away from me and stay out of my business."

  Stapy glared at her. "What the fulcrum is your problem? I worry for your well-being, and I'm the bad guy?"

Liy flinched. "Well- But you hate me! I-Is this blackmail?"

  "What?! No! I really did get worried! And-" Stapy stopped himself, and somehow turned even redder. He glanced away. "I'm not... sure if I hate you anymore."

  "....what."

  "Don- Don't get the wrong idea or anything," Stapy pinched at his lip, "it's just seeing you vulnerable like that makes me... wait, no, that sounds wrong..." he mumbled. "I just, maybe realized you're not a bad person."

  Liy was speechless. Somehow she felt even hotter than before. And tense. Tense, and hot, and she fumbled over her words.

  "U-Um..." She struggled to find words. "Okay? Th-thanks?"

  Stapy's face changed. He had the same expression from the last time she saw him; the very last thing she saw before going to sleep. 

  Almost the same one from her dream.

  "You okay? Your face is really red..." Stapy reached out to Liy.

  "Don't touch me!" Liy turned and swiped his hand away. She wasn't usually so sensitive. Being around Stapy was incredibly bad for her.

  And she knew why. It was intuition. She just knew. 

  But she couldn't admit it. It wasn't possible. She had to be wrong, because if she wasn't...why? And how? There were too many questions, and for once, Liy didn't want answers to any of them.

  "Sorry. Jeez."

  But her curiosity pulled her like a magnet. Unknown territory excited her, and she couldn't ignore her instincts. Liy knew the questions, and a few answers. Where would it take her? What would happen if she just went for it?

  "...hey, Stapy?"

  "Wh- Yeah?"

  "I've been having weird feelings around you. I think I even dreamed about you. And hearing you say you were worried about me..." Liy paused. Her confidence fizzled at that point. She definitely couldn't say something cheesy like 'made my heart soar' or something. And she couldn't reveal her exact feelings. It made her nervous. "I want to make sure this feeling is real, y'know?"

  It was Stapy's turn to be speechless. Liy didn't sound like herself- not to mention the complete 180 in her demeanor. 

  "Are you- asking...me out on a date?"

  He cringed immediately. 

  "No! What the flip is wrong with you!?" Liy returned to her usual self instantly. "It's just an invitation to hang out, or something like that."

  "Well then don't word it like that! Don't say things like 'weird feelings', you're giving me the wrong idea!"

  "Okay- whatever! Just-" Liy turned away. "Talk. Later. Okay?"

  "Ohhhkay. See ya, I guess." Stapy turned and hopped away. 

  Liy turned to watch him go. The feeling, stronger than before, appeared out of nowhere and crawled its way up her arms and to her face. Goosebumps and red cheeks.

  She really hoped her intuition was right.