Vanilla Dusk

E and S are two Soul Collectors working for the Underworld, tasked with the daily mission of collecting human souls and guiding them through a series of trials. One day, E is enticed by a demon and decides to defy the protocol which forbids him to harbour any sentiments towards humans. S, refusing to let E fall alone, fails to retrieve two human souls and the two are subsequently subject to retribution. They are exiled from the Underworld and forced to go through four agonising reincarnations. In their first trial, Erik and Shayne are two teenage boys caught in an infinite, tormenting time loop caused by two enchanted pocket watches that distort the dimensions while feasting on their lifespan, soul and memories. Can love save them from the recurring ordeals? In their second trial, Emir is a young, traumatised painter struggling with the loss of his spouse and Shane 2.0 is an android magically delivered to his porch one day, vowing to help him overcome his depression and anorexia while recollecting fragments of his bittersweet memories. Can a heart revive after love has once died? In their third trial, Elis is a MUTANT – a bloodthirsty, flesh-craving creature infected with an unknown virus years ago but is miraculously able to retain human intelligence and conscience. During one of his outings, he bumps into Shann, a surviving human boy who is scavenging a house with his family. Can love blossom in the midst of a zombie apocalypse? In their last trial, Elli and Shane dwell in a rotten world blighted by another calamity – WWIII. They are two teenage pacifists struggling to survive on the battlefield, seeking to rediscover the remaining trace of humanity, their forgotten identities and the value of bonding. What will remain of love when the entire world is decimated? Warning: angst, tragedy, major character's death A boy x boy romance [yaoi fiction]