Reborn into The Promised Neverland//RayxReader//

//Dreams//

Read this without crying, I dare you.

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"She's alive, isn't she?" Ray asked, leaning forward on the chair, propping his elbows against it.

Yuugo's eyes widened for a single fleeting moment before responding, looking to the ground beside him. "No. She's long gone, Ray."

The ravenette clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. "You're going with that one, then? I'm not an idiot. Spill."

Yuugo took in a long, shaky breath, and for a moment Ray thought that the man would come clean. "Ray." The man spoke darkly, turning back to face the 15-year-old-boy. "She's gone. You're in denial."

"I'm not in denial-"

Yuugo pushed himself onto his feet with a sigh. "Idiot." He spoke, resting a hand on Ray's shoulder. "Accept it. There's nothing we can do."

Ray's jaw clenched and his face lay still, the only giveaway to his emotions besides the angry shine in his eye.

"-But I can still give you this." Yuugo turned back around and set the envelope down on Ray's shoulder. "Here. Open it when you will."

Ray grabbed the envelope with trembling fingers, holding it in front of him. He wasn't sure how long he stood there contemplating before stuffing it into his pocket.

-----

Pussy <3

——-

Yuugo walked into the large kitchen, swallowing drily. He stopped at the front and cleared his throat, waiting patiently while dozens of eyes turned towards him. As he scanned over the crowd, he grunted disapprovingly to see that Ray was absent.

The room was now dead quiet, and Yuugo could hear his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. He cleared his throat once more before speaking, reaching into his jacket pocket with trembling fingers. "Y/N-" he felt the atmosphere tense as soon as he spoke the name, for although it was not taboo, whenever the name was spoken it carried with it a turrent of conflicting emotions- of memories and regrets... regrets always filled with the question "why didn't-?", "what if...?" And "I should've."

The eyes were all focused on his hand as he pulled out the second envelope from his pocket. He didn't need to speak any more words for them to understand. Several of the children became teary eyed right away, but all of them wanted for him to continue, no matter the fear many felt, worrying over the words the envelope might contain.

He carefully opened the envelope, willing his hands to stop shaking. He opened up the folded sheet of paper, his eyes trailing over the familiar handwriting. He took in a breath to speak, to even read the first line, but found no voice to speak. "I can't-" he muttered, fingers squeezing into the paper. Guilt racked his whole body, and he found himself even unable to read the first line. 

He wondered how much of this letter was a lie. It wouldn't be right for him to read it, knowing the truth.

Lucas placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'll-"

"I'll read it." A calm voice rang out, and all the eyes in the room turned to Hayato, the quiet black-haired boy, who was never seen doing much but reading. "Considering how all I do is read, I'm probably the best for the job." He spoke, a hint of humour in his usually sarcastic voice.