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Thought of a Zenless Zone Zero request. It’ll be with Nicole with a reader who was a childhood friend at orphanage. You know how Nicole came to love earning dennies? In the lore when trying to fundraise for dennies it’ll be changed to that you were with her throughout it all. The two of you would promise no matter what you two would always be with each other through thick and thin. Life had other ideas as Nicole was eventually adopted but left you with the first denny you two earned together. Timeskip to the current day and the reader became very successful but remembered their roots through that very same denny. The reader hires a team for some task in the hollows and it so happens to be the Cunning Hares. Of course you two recognize each other leading to a reconnection. You and Nicole would catch up and after many months of this you told her how you felt. You prove it by handing back the denny saying how you never forgot about her.

The Promise of a Denny

Summary: Years ago, you and Nicole made a promise—to stay together no matter what. But life had other plans, separating you when she was adopted, leaving you with the first denny you two ever earned. Now, as a successful individual, you unknowingly hire the Cunning Hares for a job, only to be reunited with Nicole. As old memories resurface and your bond rekindles, you finally confess your feelings, proving it by returning the denny that had kept your promise alive all these years.

Tags: Nicole x Reader, Reunion, Childhood Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff & Feels, Second Chances, Promise Kept.

Warnings: Mild Angst (Separation and past hardships), Mentions of Orphanage Life, Brief Financial Struggles Mentioned, Emotional Reunion.

[Header credits]

The sound of laughter echoed through the dimly lit orphanage halls as two children huddled in a corner, a single gleaming coin sitting between them.

"We did it!" Nicole cheered, holding up the shiny denny like it was the most precious thing in the world. "Our first ever earnings!"

You grinned beside her, wiping the sweat from your brow. "Took a lot of convincing to get the old man to pay us for cleaning up his shop. But we pulled it off."

Nicole beamed, gripping your hands. "Promise me something, [Name]. No matter what, we'll stick together through thick and thin. We'll make something of ourselves."

"I promise," you swore, sealing the vow with a shake.

But fate had different plans. Not long after, Nicole was adopted by a wealthy family, leaving you behind. The last thing she gave you was that very same denny—the first of many you had planned to earn together.

Years passed. Life carried you forward, success followed, but no matter how much you gained, you never let go of that small, worn-out denny. It was a reminder of where you started, and of the girl who had once been your closest friend.

When the time came to hire a team for a high-risk Hollow commission in New Eridu, you left the details to your assistants. The last thing you expected was to come face to face with the past.

"Cunning Hares, reporting for duty!" A familiar, confident voice rang out, and there she was—Nicole Demara, standing at the forefront of her ragtag team, still as bold and mischievous as you remembered.

Your breath caught. "Nicole?"

Her eyes widened in recognition before a smirk curled on her lips. "Well, well, well. If it isn't [Name]. Fancy seeing you in a place like this."

The reunion was a blur. You hired her team for the job, but every moment spent together felt like slipping back into old times. Jokes exchanged, memories resurfaced, and soon, what started as mere business turned into something more.

Weeks passed. Then months. And as the days bled into one another, one truth became undeniable—you never forgot Nicole. And more than that, you never stopped caring.

One evening, under the neon glow of New Eridu’s skyline, you found yourself standing before her once more, heart pounding.

"I need to show you something," you said, pulling a small, timeworn coin from your pocket. The same denny she had left with you all those years ago. "I never forgot our promise. And I never forgot you."

Nicole's playful bravado faltered as she stared at the coin in your palm, realization dawning in her eyes. Slowly, she reached for it, her fingers trembling slightly as they brushed against yours.

"You kept it… all this time?" Her voice was uncharacteristically soft.

You took a step closer, swallowing your nerves. "Because I meant what I said back then. I still do. No matter what, I want to be with you, Nicole. Through thick and thin."

For the first time in a long while, Nicole was speechless. Then, after what felt like an eternity, she let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head.

"You really are something else, [Name]." A slow, genuine smile spread across her lips. "I spent my whole life chasing wealth, but somehow, you’re the one thing money could never buy back."

She flipped the coin between her fingers before pressing it back into your palm.

"Let's start fresh," she said, her eyes glinting with something deeper than mischief. "Together this time. No debts, no deals. Just us."

And with that, the promise made in childhood was rekindled—not as a distant memory, but as the beginning of something real.