Author's note

This story is told from the perspective of future Zamasu, and he refers to Goku Black as "Zamasu". I know it's a bit confusing, but the plot takes place when both just arrived on Earth, and at that time Black wasn't yet known by that name (it was Bulma who called him that). Also, personally I think Zamasu always referred to Black as Zamasu. I hope it can be understood without problems.

Friendly reminder: I'm not a native English speaker, so it's most likely my translation doesn't follow the proper English narrative and resources, but I'm open for feedback to keep learning about it. Enjoy this short story.

None of the characters belong to me. All of them are property of Akira Toriyama.

The darkness of the night is tenuous, thanks to a crescent moon which reflected light intrudes through the translucent curtains of the window. The silence of the forest is only tormented by some soft and irregular sounds of insects outside, and by a not so soft sigh in the room. The atmosphere is slightly cool, but a very special warmth surrounds part of my body.

Zamasu rests peacefully beside me, brushing my cheek with his hair and encircling my chest with his arm. And once again I'm in this crevice between wakefulness and sleep, this kind of forced insomnia, which seems to have become a custom during the last days. But I do not get bored of thinking again and again about the circumstances that converged to conclude in this situation.

The day that Zamasu and I arrived at the Earth we were especially excited —from dawn to dusk, we exterminated thousands of humans. It was an exceptionally satisfying task; we had already finished with the mortal populations of most of the planets and now it was finally the turn of the Earth, the planet that housed the most execrable beings of the cosmos, those who dared to challenge the power of the gods. But before the sun set, the sky was covered by a thick gray cloak, and after a while a heavy rain began to fall. It wasn't an impediment to the achievement of our plans, it was certainly a luck that the rain in this world was simply water, but the new anatomy of my counterpart was sensitive to climate changes, so we agreed to end the crusade by that day. We were looking for a transitory refuge in which we could shelter from the rain, which had trapped us while we were still in the middle of a forest, but Zamasu soon spotted a cabin on the top of a valley, hidden among the thickets of trees. As expected, the cabin belonged to a couple of humans, who acted with great fear before our unexpected intrusion. Zamasu immobilized them, took them to the balcony and sent a power shot towards them; it was enough to kill them and at the same time take their bodies a few miles away, to some place away from our presence. Once inside, we sighed and smiled at each other, very satisfied with our achievements of the day. It was only the beginning of what would be a long mission, in which true justice would be imparted on that already condemned world.

The first thing we did was to check the place, to make sure there were no humans around. There were no signs of them for miles around, so we decided to settle down to stay that night there. The main room was nice, not very big but had room to spare for both, it had large windows on the sides and was connected directly to the kitchen by a breakfast nook. Zamasu immediately took off his gray gi, which had gotten a little wet from the rain, and hung it over the back of a chair to dry. I inspected the kitchen and searched to prepare something to drink; luckily, I still had some tea from the Kaioshin Palace, I wasn't prepared to try a human tea. When the infusion was ready, I brought the cups and some packages of what appeared to be snacks that were in the kitchen cupboard and arranged it on a tea table in the room, Zamasu had already settled on the adjacent sofa. He poured some tea and then went to open the packages with a bit of anxiety, looking for those curious foods to satiate his voracious appetite after a day of high activity. I sat on an individual chair in front of Zamasu and took my cup with ease, which contrasted enough with the attitude of my partner. I was always struck by the difference in our behaviors in some things.

I never hid the fact that Zamasu's decision generated me a certain… curiosity. To leave his divine body for that of an insignificant mortal, a despicable saiyan to be precise, was an idea that still seemed something outlandish to me. Of course I understood the justification of the ends, certainly the physiognomy of that mortal named Son Goku was something extraordinary, capable of fighting at levels similar to that of a God of Destruction, necessary for the success of our plan. But still, I think I wouldn't have been able to make such a sacrifice. My past self is more determined and tenacious than me. However, that body had very special needs that we Kais are not used to. Zamasu had become used to most of them during the short time that passed just before going for me, but for me they were still enigmatic, confusing,… unique. He was capable of generating immense amounts of power, but he required to consume all that energy in the form of large quantities of food, for which he showed a marked interest and seemed to satisfy him more than just at the organic level. He also needed to get rid of the consequent waste, and that sometimes made him uncomfortable on the battlefield. The activities caused him tiredness, fatigue in the case of the longest days, and he needed to sleep 8 to 10 hours a day to recompose himself. His body was resistant to extreme conditions compared to an ordinary human, but he was still vulnerable and even helpless before thousands of viruses and microorganisms, which could kill him silently. His temperature rose or fell easily. His perception was different from mine. Sometimes I felt there was an abyss of difference between this other me and my current self. I know that we are the same, that we share the same convictions with the same passion, that we think the same, that we feel the same, but when some of these circumstances arose, I couldn't help feeling a little distanced from this person.

And that's how I felt on that occasion. Zamasu ate most of the food I brought and then went to take a hot bath, he already knew that his body may weaken by getting wet in cold environments. Meanwhile, I went back to the kitchen and looked for the necessary utensils to prepare dinner; it had been a long day, so Zamasu would be hungry. With my creation powers, I made a variety of fruits and vegetables appear, but I had to invest a good time to cook them. Caring for a human body could be a strenuous task.

The rain didn't stop at the moment and could be heard crackling loudly on the roof in our heads. When we finished dinner, Zamasu approached me.

"There's a problem. There's only one bed and one room."

"You can use it. You know I don't need to sleep the same amount of hours as you."

"I know, but I don't want to deprive you of a place to rest just for me."

"If that is what worries you, we can share it. It is not a problem for me."

During the weeks we spent devastating other planets, we had always returned to the Sacred Planet of the Kai of universe 10 to rest at night. It was a familiar and safe place for both, and where each could count on a single room. Privacy is not a problem for 2 people who are the same, but we always respect each other's space. However, when we arrived on Earth we agreed that we would no longer return to the Planet of the Kai -our mission in this place would be extended for longer and we should find a suitable place for a prolonged stay, and thus be able to better plan our movements from that stage. When I saw that the cabin had only one bedroom, I knew this would not be the right place, we should look for a permanent one later. On the Planet of the Kai I slept very little, only what was necessary for me, and I used to read books most of the time that Zamasu spent sleeping. But in this place, I had no means to pass the time. I had to force myself to accompany my partner's circadian rhythms.

Zamasu retired to the room shortly after dinner. Since I didn't feel this need for sleep, I looked for something to kill the time. I took a look at that system that humans called television, but I ended up getting fed up after a few minutes of studying the medium, the images and speeches that they transmitted only managed to stoke my distrust for that infamous species. I looked through a few books and magazines that had been stored in one of the furniture but the result was similar, it wasn't a reading that I could enjoy under any term. I spent a few hours watching the rain, whose show was the only thing I could enjoy in those circumstances. The patter of drops on the ceiling and the floor of the balcony facilitated meditation, but after a while it ended up generating me a mixture of boredom and drowsiness, so I retired to the room to rest. I entered in silence so as not to wake Zamasu, I took off my suit and boots and approached the bed. He had occupied the right side and had lain with his naked torso and without covering himself, since the atmosphere was warm. He was deeply asleep, as evidenced by his heavy breathing. It was the first time I saw Zamasu sleeping, this state was an interesting contrast to his usual dynamic attitude, he looked so vulnerable. I sat carefully beside him, but he didn't seem to notice any of my movements. I was about to go to bed when I noticed that Zamasu moved a bit and muttered something unintelligible with a thin voice, was he telling me something? I approached him a little but after a few moments I realized that he was still asleep. After a while he moves again, as if adjusting himself to the place. I wasn't sleepy, so I sat there, watching closely his involuntary reactions; it was very curious how he behaved during sleep. He moved from one place to another, varied his breathing, scratched slightly, muttered a little. It was a pretty interesting show. That short night I didn't sleep, the dawn found me smiling before Zamasu who frowned intermittently between dreams.

The next day we continue with our mission. It was really comfortable to have a location on Earth, which allowed us to prepare near the places where we thought we would carry out our plans. We were able to leave early, devastate several cities and return to the night. Zamasu mentioned the need to find another hiding place where everyone had their own room, but I answered that there was no hurry for it. Actually, it had been interesting to sleep together.

It had rained a little during the day, and the night was slightly colder than the previous one. We went to the room together: Zamasu went to bed, now in his black shirt, but I remained seated just like the night before, waiting for his reactions. I didn't know if I would be able to perceive the moment when his consciousness would vanish, but I was curious so I waited for him . But after a while, Zamasu turned around, turning his back on me, so I aborted my idea and also went to bed; since I hadn't slept the night before, I should not have trouble falling asleep.

I'm not sure how long it took until I woke up to perceive something. I opened my eyes somewhat sleepily and saw that Zamasu had turned around again, standing in front of me, and had his hand over mine. I remained doubting a few minutes, I didn't know if I should move it or not, if that would disturb his sleep. I decided to leave it as it was, I didn't want to bother him. I went back to sleep after a few minutes. Later, I woke up again, already with a noticeable discomfort -Zamasu's calf on one of my legs. He was still asleep, obviously unaware of his muscular movements, but that limb weighed heavily on my anatomy. I moved a little closer to my side to get rid of the weight and I settled down to continue sleeping. When it was already dawn, I woke up and I was able to know what a night of bad sleep was. My space in the bed had been reduced to a small strip, since I was besieged by my partner, whose nocturnal movements prevented me from staying in my place and had cornered me to an edge of the bed. When Zamasu awoke, he immediately noticed the situation in which he had put myself, and apologized several times.

"I'm very sorry, Zamasu. I had no idea that sleeping with me was so problematic…"

"Do not worry, it's not like I need to sleep."

"When I move in this way, do not hesitate to make me return to my place. I wouldn't realize, I sleep deeply."

"Okay, I will consider it for tonight."

The situation had certainly not been comfortable, but since my required hours of sleep were insignificant compared to those of Zamasu, I had no reason to criticize him. It was simply one of those reactions of his new anatomy, which he couldn't control even if he wanted to. My immortality didn't need care for my body, his power did. The inconvenience was forgotten immediately, as soon as we got ready to go out again to continue with the Zero Humans plan.

That day passed as we expected, with the death of thousands of humans and the destruction of several buildings that had been erected to the detriment of the surrounding nature . We did not realize what time it was until we suddenly felt the wind that began to blow, accompanied by a noticeable drop in temperature. The nights on Earth seemed to be much cooler than the daytime; Zamasu didn't notice it immediately because the fervor of the moment seemed to fill his body with euphoric heat and passion. When we finished with the last group of mortals in that town we returned to the cabin, this time carrying a large supply of packaged food that we found in a human establishment. Zamasu and I prepared some of them for dinner and he enjoyed them joyfully, I also tried small proportions of the preparations and the taste was not bad, it seems that humans at least were able to produce food with good taste. After a bath and our usual talk about the achievements of the day, we went to bed. Zamasu remarked to me that I could get rid of him if he bothered me while asleep, to which I responded positively with calmness. The temperature of that night forced us to use a thicker sheet, which might make Zamasu's movements difficult under it. Again, I spent a long time lying down before I could sleep. My counterpart didn't have that problem, he had fallen asleep in a few minutes, even snoring softly. In the long run, that sound worked like a soporific for me too.

The night was somewhat cold, even my body that's not sensitive to light temperature changes could perceive it. I woke up before dawn, it was difficult for me to sleep the same amount of hours as my partner. I opened my eyes and got scared for a moment by seeing the face of Zamasu only inches away from me. He was still asleep, with his mouth open, but he had settled close to me like a puppy with his mother. He had not noticed any of his movements that night, probably had approached a while ago. He was very close to me, I didn't want to wake him up, so I stayed in the place until the time to get up. The image of Zamasu sleeping that way provoked some tenderness.

The morning was the same as the others: Zamasu noticed his invasion of my personal space and apologized very sorry, although I kept assuring him that it wasn't a problem for me while he was comfortable in his sleep. We had planned to continue with our project from the geographical point where we had left yesterday after breakfast, but there was a change of plans at the last moment -Zamasu told me that he preferred to go alone that day. My presence was not a nuisance, but he wanted to increase his power autonomously, without having to depend on me for his healing or protection; a saiyan with his power should be able to fend for himself. First I didn't agree with the idea, but then I understood that he was doing this as a kind of personal test, so I accepted it, so Zamasu left for his mission, and I stayed in the cabin. But I had already asserted that there was nothing to do to spend time in that place, so I decided to spend the day on my own while Zamasu carried out the plan. I spent some hours in the forest where the cabin is located, it's an exceptionally beautiful place, full of leafy trees and small animals whispering and running everywhere. At times I thought about how Zamasu would be doing out there without my help, I didn't doubt about his abilities but it was the first time that we separated for the battle and I couldn't help but worry a little about him. Humans were no match for his power, but still… I felt a little annoyance every time I thought about the unlikely possibilities. I tried not to think much about it, and later I transported myself to a nearby town where I looked for a library or some similar place where mortals could store books or writings; I will not forget the surprised looks of some humans who saw me walking between them naturally. I wasn't there because of the plan, so I didn't see the need to kill them yet, their time would come eventually. I found a public library, where I spent a long time selecting books that could get my attention, and after stacking dozens of them, I transported myself back to the cabin taking them with me. I made some tea and spent the afternoon inspecting human literature: some texts were extremely interesting, and others were nonsense of fictions and fantasy. However, several books kept me busy until nightfall and Zamasu finally returned. I worried a bit as soon as I saw his untidy clothes, and his gi and part of his face dirty with what seemed to be traces of gunpowder.

"What happened there?"

"Nothing serious, that group of mortals was better organized and had weapons to defend themselves, some of them took me by surprise. But I'm fine."

"It's the first time that human weapons manage to reach you…," I mentioned, worried.

"Tsk, it's nothing, I just got distracted for a moment. Really, don't worry."

Zamasu smiled at me, but I could sense that it was just a gesture to reassure me, that deep down his pride was somewhat hurt. I only responded by placing my hands on his chest and conjuring my healing power, so that immediately his clothes and skin were regenerated and cleaned.

"Thank you."

"Are you sure you want to go out alone again?"

"Yes, I can't depend on you all the time, Zamasu. I want to be able to become stronger by myself."

"If that is what you wish…"

I tried to hide my concern, I didn't doubt his abilities but we also didn't know what those dirty humans could be capable of in an extreme situation. Anyway I preferred not to discuss it if it wasn't necessary, I didn't want to distrust the virtues of my partner.

The night was still cold, like the previous one. We prepared a dinner with hot dishes, we discussed a while on the path to follow in the Zero Humans Plan and went to sleep. Since I knew it took me a lot longer than my counterpart to sleep, I took a few books with me to read until I was sleepy. The light of the night watch didn't seem to be an impediment for my companion, who got slept with the same speed as the previous nights, while I continued reading. When my eyesight began to hinder, I put the thin book on the bedside table and went to bed, turning around to the side of Zamasu. The warmth of the sheets made my dream easier.

I don't think it would be long before I woke up in the middle of the night; Zamasu was close to me, again with his hand over mine. I watched him for a few moments, he seemed very comfortable and at peace, but it bothered me to think that perhaps I was hindering his rest with my presence. In previous months, we had always slept each in his own bed, with enough room if we wanted or had to move, but if he kept coming to me every night and ra it wasbecause the physical space that I occupied was an intrusion, a barrier in his spatial delimitations. And I didn't want to be an obstacle in his sleep. Carefully, I moved my hand from under him and sat on the bed, ready to get out of it, but in a quick glance at Zamasu I noticed that his eyes were open.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" I asked, in a low voice.

"No, I was already awake. Something happens?"

"No, I was just about to leave the bed to you alone."

"What? Why?" Zamasu sat up on his elbows.

"It is clear that this space that I occupy is a setback for you . I know that it's not purposely, but if your human body needs more freedoms, it is not right for me to deny them to you."

"I'm fine, really, you don't need to leave."

"It does not bother me, I do not need the same rest as you, it is not a problem," I emphasized in a gentle tone as I uncovered myself, took my legs off the bed and prepared to put on my boots that were nearby.

"Don't go, Zamasu!"

Suddenly I felt a great weight on my back -Zamasu had thrown himself at me and wrapped me in his arms, like an improvised tactic to prevent my escape. None said anything for a second, it was a strange moment for both of us. I could feel Zamasu's heart beating fast against my back in the silence of the night.

"You do not need to leave…"

Zamasu freed me and sat on the bed; I turned to him, waiting for an explanation.

"I don't know well the things that this body does while I sleep. Sometimes I wake up in different positions to which I fell asleep, confused, disoriented. These last few nights it seems to have gotten used to staying by your side… But it's not a nuisance. It's not because I need more space, I have all of it I need."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes. In fact, that's what I was thinking about a few moments ago. I wasn't asleep when I had your hand."

I kept watching Zamasu for a few seconds, did he really had found an answer for that matter?

"So?" I asked, urging the continuation of his speech.

"I don't dislike sleeping with you, Zamasu, on the contrary. Until now, I have never shared my dream with someone else in my life, but I had never seen it as something negative. Loneliness was something natural of my existence that I never questioned, since it wasn't something that I had the possibility of changing. But these last days I realized… that company is not a bad thing. Having you by my side, both in battle and in routine, is something that comforts and encourages me. Thanks to that, I don't feel like I used to. You… didn't feel that way too?"

"How?"

"Alone."

"Yes. But not since you are here."

"Me neither. But… I don't want to feel that way again." Zamasu lowered his face, somewhat distressed. "Even sleeping, I feel more comfortable if you're with me. So please, don't go. I don't want to be alone like in those apprentice days…"

Zamasu's words were charged with a feeling that rarely managed to penetrate in their harsh expressions of their saiyan features. I went back to sit in my place, covering myself with the sheets.

"It's okay. I am not going to leave you alone."

Zamasu returned the smile. We both went back to bed and covered ourselves.

"Does that mean that on those occasions when you approached me, you did it voluntarily?"

"No, I had no idea about that. I don't know what my body does while I sleep."

"But you mentioned that you were awake a moment ago, when you took my hand."

"Ah, that," Zamasu snorted. "Actually, I woke up for no reason and I realized that I had my hand on you, so I kept thinking about what cause there could be to do that. Why my body always seeks your company."

"So that's how you concluded that it was because of an unconscious feeling of loneliness?"

"Not really. That idea came to me suddenly when I stopped you. Before I was thinking about something else."

"What is it?

"Your warmth."

Zamasu took my hand and lifted it a little above us, as if displaying it.

"I don't know why it could be, but the heat of my body feels attracted to yours. I feel the warmth of your skin and… something urges me to get closer."

"I think it's something biological. It's normal for a warm-blooded species to seek the warmth of others, especially during sleep."

"Makes sense. So it doesn't bother you to sleep with me, despite knowing that I'll be clogging you?"

"That is a curious word. You do not clog me. I feel calm if you say that my presence is not a nuisance, rather it benefits you. So there is no reason to bother me."

"You are the best."

"We are."

A mutual smile sealed the agreement. Zamasu settled down beside me, curling into a ball, with obvious satisfaction.

"So it doesn't bother you that I cling to you while I sleep?"

"You are me. Would you mind if I did the same?"

"Of course not.

"Well, then neither me."

Zamasu sighed with a smile and placed his arm over my chest. Despite his fears, it wasn't uncomfortable for me.

"Good night, Zamasu."

"Good night, Zamasu."

The previous words of Zamasu left me thinking. I had never contemplated the idea of getting away from him, of feeling alone again. That afternoon I had been on my own, but the idea of loneliness had been overwhelmed by the fear that something would happen to him, that Zamasu needed me on the battlefield and I wouldn't be there to help him. The concern for his well-being was stronger than the fear of being alone again. But now that I knew it, I could understand, being together had already become natural for us, a life without the other was inconceivable. Loneliness would no longer be accepted as easily as before. It seems that he had also considered it that way although from another perspective, perhaps it was his human nature that made him aware of other more physical aspects of closeness and companionship that were secondary to me. However, I understood their concerns, deep down I also shared them. My other self had become my companion, my best friend, my partner… My kindred spirit.

The chirping of a bird in the forest distracts me from my meditation; Zamasu has already fallen asleep next to me, sighing calmly. I can feel that warmth that he was referring to, that shared heat between our bodies. Observing him in that state of pure calm is particularly comforting. As if the happiness of my other self were, indeed, my own happiness.
I sit better by his side, take his hand and close my eyes, finally getting ready to sleep. My consciousness fades as I think that it would be difficult to sleep in another way from now on.

In the end, it won't be necessary to seek another refuge on Earth.