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It wasn’t the first time Red had considered betraying. In fact, it happened quite frequently. At least once a week Red found himself watching the sunset through his office window contemplating his loyalties. Wordlessly, he got up, moving to stand in front of the window, crossing his arms as he leaned on the sandstone windowsill. He watched as the sky grew faintly darker, just as it did every time this happened.
Tonight, however, the door opened before he could lose himself to his thoughts. He didn’t bother looking, only two people would enter without knocking, and Clown would blow up his casino before even considering wearing the clunky boots Ash did.
Red felt Ash wrap his arms around his waist and rest his chin on his head, never missing an opportunity to remind him of the height difference. After a moment, Ash lifted his head and moved to his side, keeping one arm around Red’s waist.
“What are you doing this fine night,” he asked, as if he wasn’t the first person Red had talked to all day.
“Thinking,” Red hoarsely responded, wrapping his arm around Ash’s waist and leaning into him slightly. Ash hummed as they both watched the bottom of the sun pass disappear behind the treeline. Reaching his free hand into his pocket, Ash pulled out a pack of cigarettes, offering one to Red.
He took one, holding it as Ash pulled out a lighter, lighting it before ringing it to his lips. They smoked in silence, passing the cigarette between the two of them while the sun sunk out of sight, making the last of the daylight with it. By the time it was completely dark, they had finished the cigarette.
“Clown wants us for a meeting,” Ash said, breaking the silence.
“Alright,” Red replied, knowing it wouldn’t make much of a difference if he was there or not. “I’ll be there in a minute.” Ash nodded, putting out the cigarette in the windowsill and leaving the butt. He turned, heading towards the door, hesitating for a millisecond before turning the knob and leaving.
Red exhaled, feeling a chill in the air as he followed Ash’s path to the door. It wouldn’t be the last night thoughts of betrayal plagued his mind, but tonight was the first night he left his office without misery pooling in his gut.
When he turned to close the door, he noticed the cigarette butt had rolled to the corner, resting just in front of the rosebud he had found so many years ago. As the door shut, Red could smell the faint smell of smoke that lingered in the hall.
-
The first time Ash questioned Red’s loyalties he brushed it off. He told himself he wasn’t responsible for Red’s actions. Of course he wouldn’t see Red much if everyone had their own assignment. He assumed Clown had told Red to keep an eye on spawn, considering he always seemed to return to the casino after dark.
He repeated it to himself the next day when he saw Red with Woogie as he walked to the nether portals. He pretended it didn’t bother him when Red overheard Red say more words to Pangi in a sentence than he had to all the members of Team Chaos combined in a week. It was what his mind chanted the first time Red didn’t spend the night at the casino in months.
The first time Ash had to accept his betrayal was the last time they kissed that season. It was Red’s goodbye, his assurance that he still loved him, and Judas’s kiss all wrapped up in one.
Red had approached him without any armor on, something that could get them killed with the Cleansers hunting them. He had messaged Ash to meet him in the entryway in the casino, arriving less than a minute after Ash. Before he could say anything, Red had pulled him down into a kiss in the open, stunning him. On a server like Lifesteal, you keep your relationships private or else they are guaranteed to be used against you, and they had worked very hard to keep their relationship a secret. In his shock, he could only watch as Red stepped back and threw down an invisibility potion, fleeing as quickly as he could.
That night when he checked Red’s office, all he found was a lighter, resting on the windowsill.
-
Red wasn’t sure how to feel. On one hand, it was freeing to be able to walk around spawn without fear of being killed, but it was also overwhelming to talk to so many people after being isolated for so long.
He hated to admit it, but he missed his time in the casino, at least some of it. There, he didn’t have to think about others motives, everyone steered clear of the building for fear of invoking Clown’s wrath. Now that Red had betrayed their team, Clown was sure to come after him sometime soon.
Red also missed Ash and the quiet nights they spent together, not having to make up an excuse for being around each other. He had enjoyed when it was just the two of them watching the sunset together. His favorite nights were those when Ash could stay the night and they would sleep in the next day, if only for a few minutes.
Red always awoke first, watching as the first rays of the rising sun softly lit his room, brightening it just enough to see a peaceful expression on Ash’s face. He knew it would be gone as soon as Ash regained consciousness and wouldn’t reappear until he felt completely safe.
He shook his head, snapping himself out of a daze. There were potions to brew and gear to enchant. It didn’t matter if he hadn’t gotten a full night’s sleep since he left Ash. He pushed down the urge to question if Ash felt the same way, he needed to focus on the task at hand.
-
The next time Ash saw Red was in the nether, on his way to the desert to gather sand for the tnt. If it had been anyone else that had betrayed their team Ash would have called Clown and attacked them on sight. Unfortunately, it was Red, the one person whose motivation Ash understood, who had seen the darkest parts of him and held him, never once belittling him. Red, who had struggled for months with being tossed to the side and forgotten by his own team.
Red, who followed Ash like a devoted disciple despite not believing in gods. But Ash was no god. If he was a god Red would never even have considered betraying. If Ash was a god he would have killed Red on as soon as he slid eyes on him. Instead, he looked away and continued to his portal, refusing to acknowledge Red and the emotions he brought.
If he had stayed any longer maybe he would have seen Red reach towards him, opening his mouth as if to say something and changing his mind. Maybe he would have noticed the doubt that filled Red’s mind as he lowered his hand, wondering why he had let him walk away. Instead, it was Branzy who saw this, tucked away behind a tree hiding from the sound of footsteps.
-
Now, Branzy wasn’t usually one to meddle, however, he couldn’t help feeling the slightest bit bad for Ash and Red after seeing them interact. It was quite honestly pathetic in his opinion. Sure Red had betrayed their team, but he had spent the majority of his time on the server trying to trap Rek, and they were currently teamed.
The only reasonable solution, follow Red to his base while he was stuck in his head and confirm him. So Branzy did just that, being extra careful not to stay hidden just in case they would run into another player. Fortunately they didn’t, and Branzy watched Red step into the portal, following as soon as he was out of sight. Thankfully, Red had been too lost in thought to get too far away from the portal quickly, his head snapping up as he heard someone else step through the portal.
“Branzy,” Red said, reaching for his sword.
“Woah, woah, woah, I come in peace,” Branzy quickly raised his hands in surrender. Red eyed him suspiciously.
“Explain yourself,” he demanded, keeping his sword pointed at him.
“I saw you Ash ignore you,” he blurted, because of course he had no tact as soon as there was a sword pointed at him. Red tensed, caught off guard. “You should really talk to him, he’s been feeling down ever since you left.”
“Oh,” was all Red could say, looking unsure how to react.
“At least think about it,” he pushed, “it's Ash after all.”
“It’s Ash after all,” Red repeated, looking as if he was actually considering taking his advice.
“I do wonder though,” Branzy mused, “how far you’d be willing to go for him.”
“Oh Branzy,” Red said, meeting his eye for the first time, “I’d do so many things for Ash.”