Reborn into The Promised Neverland//RayxReader//

//The chapter that made the author(s) cry//

//Ray's POV//

Saying I was exhausted would be an understatement. Every time I blinked I could feel the drag of sleep. But I couldn't sleep yet... not while Y/N...

"Our turn to keep watch." I turned to spot two nameless children and Emma approaching. She gave me a reassuring smile and my heart panged once again.

"Ah...thanks..." I said, turning away from the post.

"Did she get there safely...?" One of the kids asked the sky hopefully. I turned to them in surprise.

"She really helped us back there..." It was Jake, the oldest of the trio of siblings.

"Yeah..." Monica said with a sigh.

"Me too." One kid chimed in. They all began chiming in one after another with different comments about Y/N. "She cheered me up while I was grieving!" "She said some pretty weird things, but they were funny."

"If not for her... So many of us would've been in worse condition... some of us dead."

"I really hope she's alright!"

"For that girl... for her sake... let's all arrive in top-notch!" Everyone cheered, their faces happy and determined in their newfound confidence.

I smiled to myself before it turned into a frown. 'Y/N...the thing you said earlier... "I didn't think someone could make an expression like that for someone like me..." you didn't mean it, right? Can't you see how many people care for you? Please... don't do something like that again... I'll be back soon... so please, please be ok!'

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My eyes opened groggily. I almost winced at the brightness of the light that met them. Everything was so blurry... Was I dead? I blinked again and things began to come into focus. I looked around me and dimly recognized the surroundings to be one of the first aid rooms in the shelter. I felt completely awful- which was perhaps amplified by the fact that there was no one in the room with me.

I gulped, trying to suppress the frog in my throat. It makes sense, I suppose. How could I've hoped to take Emma's place in this situation... that's not to say it didn't hurt, though. I willed the tears that were in my eyes to go away, blinking furiously. I took a deep breath, which turned into a sigh.

All of a sudden the door began to creak open, and in entered Hannah. As soon as she took notice of my open eyes the clothes she was carrying were dropped to the floor. I watched in surprise as tears sprang into her eyes. She snapped back to reality, looking left and right, seemingly unsure of what to do. I saw her dash into the hallway. "Y/N- she's awake!" I heard her voice echoing throughout the shelter.

Immediately, children began pouring into the room until it was packed with as many as it could accommodate. I stared wide-eyed in shock as I noticed Theo, Jake, and Monica, the Goldy Pond resistance, Yuugo and Lucas, the plant 3 and plant 2 kids too.

Lastly Emma entered, pushing her way towards me in the crowd. "You're okay!" She cheered, gently engulfing me in a hug. I felt the tears I just blinked away resurface, silently willing them not to fall. "But 2 weeks is too short! You shouldn't've awoken yet!" She exclaimed in worry for my condition.

A small laugh left my parched lips but it died down as soon as I noticed who was lacking- Ray. I pursed my lips, disappointed in myself for feeling surprised.

"Y/N! You had us worried sick!" Poppy and Daisy suddenly exploded, them hugging me as well.

"We-we thought you were dead!" Some of the younger plant 3 kids said.