(The image art for this mini short story scene thing is at the bottom of the page if you wanna skip the reading.)

Maiz felt like he was thrown right into concrete when he hit the water. Air was stripped from his lungs and his bones all broke from the impact. Even with how dark the water was, Maiz was able to see his own blood pluming like artistic clouds from his abdomen. Any ordinary person would have died on impact.

Maiz was no ordinary human.

Every time he ought to have died, he survived. His body magically mended back together within minutes of an injury, preventing him from ever dying. He was becoming more and more convinced he was actually immortal with each passing day. Perhaps the only way to kill him would be to cut off his head, though perhaps it would just grow back like a hydra.

Maiz realized he had been knocked out, and though he couldn't die, even by suffocation, the lack of oxygen was making his chest throb and burn. The problem came to be discovering which way was up and down. Everything was dark and hazed, even the bubbles escaping from his lips and through his thick grey plastered mask.

Seeing the cloud of blood rising in a particular direction, Maiz decided the trail would lead him to the surface of the lake water. So he followed it. Or at least, he tried to. He quickly realized his thick black cloak was much too heavy and tangled in his legs to allow him to do much swimming, or even minimal movement. He struggled against it, the feeling in his lungs being like ripping his ribcage from his chest and planting it into his back, driving into his lungs. It was sharp, hot, heavy, and bursting. A scream escaped his lips which really was just a bunch of muffled sound and bubbles, followed by him inhaling way too much lake water.

A faint glimmer of robotic joints twinkled above him. Before he knew it, a familiar someone was placing their hands on his shoulders and tugging him upward. Though he could not see her features, Maiz knew it was Avana, a cyborg girl and the only person he'd bothered talking to this past year or so. She too found his cloak to be much to heavy, and despite how much he ignorantly tried to resist it, she did not hesitate to remove the cloak from his frail body.

Maiz was terrified of being out of the cloak, for it brought a sense of security to him. And though she'd seen the state of his disgusting skin before, he didn't want her to look upon his grotesque body ever again. So stubbornly, he resisted her, as if preserving his security was better than saving his life. Then again, he couldn't die, so there was nothing at stake for him here other than his own dignity.

Free of the cloak, Maiz could move a lot better. Avana easily pulled him to the surface, likely aided by her super human strength of being a cyborg.

That first breath of air was riveting.

Maiz and Avana bobbed at the surface of the lake together, all the way at it's center. They were a long ways from the shores and cliffs. Niether of them had the energy to swim just yet, but even treading was difficult to do, especially when latched onto another person. Maiz held Avana, fearing her metaloid limbs would give out and she'd become paralyzed in the water, and Avana clutched onto him, fearing he would drown again.

This was the result of betrayal and sabotage. But Maiz didn't think of that right now. All he could think about was Avana and how close they were, and his fear of seeing his own deformed skin.

"Take the mask off, you're struggling to breathe," Avana finally said after regulating her own breathing. She could hold her breath much longer, which was easy since she had an artificial lung that worked like a machine.

Maiz shook his head. Never in a million years woukd he take his mask off in front of someone else, for if there was anything in the world more horrifying than his skin, it was his face.

"So stubborn," Avana exasperating, swimming on her back with one arm, keeping Maiz's body pressed to hers as she slowly paddled closer to the shore.

Niether of them said a single word. Avana was too focused on swimming, and Maiz generally never spoke at all anyways. He assisted in swimming which picked up the pace. After what seemed like ages, they came up on the shallow water.

Scan spat out some water, now able to stand in the water. Though, neither of them had the strength to get up at all, and rather sat in the water like ducks. Maiz dug his fists into the grainy sand and dirt at his fingers, sitting up in the water and coming face to face with Avana who was practically pinned over him.

He froze, as did she.

She'd never made eye contact with him before because, well, no one could see Maiz's eyes through the mask, but now she was up close, and he was sure that if the mask wasn't there, he would feel her breath on his lips.

Finally, she spoke. Her voice was soft, exhausted, and in awe.

"I never knew your eyes were purple."

These two are so traumatized lol sucks to suck losers

Bonus:

Fanart of Scra from the WEBTOON, The Croaking