Zenless Zone Zero: Immortalized (Male Reader Fanfic)

The silence of the apartment was broken only by the soft glow of a laptop screen, reflecting in tired eyes. My fingers, calloused from countless hours of work and training, paused over the keyboard. "Still stuck?" A soft voice, my wife's, drifted from behind me. I glanced at the silenced news broadcast: "New Companion Hollow Erupted - 20 People Still Missing."

"People need hope," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I write these articles so they don't give up, but it feels like I'm just recycling the same words." My wife rested her head on my shoulder, her embrace a silent comfort. "Maybe you need a different point of view. Give them a story, not just a report."

Her suggestion sparked an idea. "Why don't you go tell Sonya a bedtime story and see how you feel?" she offered. A tired smile touched my lips. "Yeah, I can do that. Maybe it'll get me out of this rut." With a peck on her cheek, I headed for my daughter's room.

"Knock Knock, darling," I called, tapping lightly on the door. Giggles answered: "Come innnnn, Papa!" I pushed the door open to find Sonya coloring intently on the floor. "Bedtime, sweetie," I said gently. Her pleading gaze met mine. "Sorry, you can finish tomorrow. But I'm here to tell you a story."

A wide smile broke across her face. "Can it be about The Saint?!" she exclaimed. I couldn't help but chuckle. "Of course. But you need to get in bed first." She scrambled under her blankets, eyes wide with anticipation.

"Okay, last time we did Saint vs. The Corrupted Subway, didn't we?" I mused, settling onto her desk chair. She nodded, clutching her handmade Saint doll. "How about... Saint saves the day?"