A gamble he didn't like

by Its_BlueBerryyy

Summary:

Chance took in the sight in front of him. Their stomach dropped at the amount of blood that surrounded the stiff body leaning against the wall. Elliot’s clothes were soaked with red and some splatters had even gone onto his hair, which had been messed up as if a rat tried to make a nest out of it. Beneath the hair his cheeks looked wet and there was blood dripping down the corner of his mouth. Seeing him in such a vulnerable state like this, it stripped Chance of any confidence they had left in them. For a moment, Chance stood there frozen, dread bubbling up in his chest and a hand hesitantly reaching out to empty air. Was he..?

Notes:

hi guys im so normal abt them
comments are very appreciated they motivate me a lot 🙏

sorry if i repeat some words a lot JSHDJ i dunno what else to put
CW: Violence & injury (ofc), mentions of vomiting

also keep in mind i wrote these before learning about forsaken lore regarding The Spectre, so in this specific work if they die they die and thats it. okay thank you

Chapter 1: Burning

Crickets chirped in the distance as Elliot held groups of wires in his hands, connecting and tucking them back in one by one as he was instructed to. He was no electrician but he had slowly gotten the hang of fixing up the generators (he cannot express the amount of times he got zapped through it), even if it took a painful amount of time. With a sigh he put back the last of the now connected wires and patted the generator, the machine whirring to life as a sign of confirmation he didn’t mess it up. Pride swelled in his chest momentarily at getting a task done, the sooner all generators get working the sooner they can go back and relax. Elliot joined the trips regularly to help anyone as best as he could. He tried to push back the memories of times he messed up badly. Like when he accidentally dropped the pizza he had been trying to hand to another person in the river, or right beneath the killer who’s hellbent on killing them for some reason, or- Wait, no, he’s doing it again. Stop it.

He hoped none of the other survivors had needed his help while he was busy with the generator. He figured he should probably go check on them around the corners and offer a pizza if needed, staying out of the killer’s sight. Elliot really wished he could somehow finish off all generators’ work at once and go back to the safety of the cabin already. The boy shook his head, stepping away from the working generator. His friends -did they also see a friend when they looked at him? He sure hoped so- may need his assistance at the moment. So, he began to walk out of his little corner he had hid in in order to work on the generator in peace. With the rumble of the generator drowning out noise and the gimmick of the one hunting them down being stealthiness, Elliot would have never heard the rushed footsteps approaching him, though it may have been his imagination but he thought he heard the echo of a muffled bang and a gasp that followed. What?-

A sharp pain shot through his back, making him whirl around with a yelp only to look up at the mask that haunted his dreams and watch with dreading eyes as the machete sliced through his cloth and chest too, splatters of blood dropping onto the grass below him. He had barely any time to try and back away before the buzz of a chainsaw rang in his ears, the weapon getting shoved into his torso with haste. A scream broke out while the teeth of the machine easily ripped through his work outfit more than the machete already had and started eating away at his flesh, the delivery employee stumbling backwards into a wall in an attempt to make it stop.  

But it only made matters worse as Elliot realized the masked serial killer in front of him could just jam the machine through him more easily now. The thought terrified him but he couldn’t dwell on it much longer as the pressure of the chainsaw returned to his chest and strengthened and it hurt so much make it stop- Elliot thought this may as well be the last few seconds he has before he’s skewered whilst his chest was slashed by the nose of the chainsaw. Even as adrenaline rode through him he felt as if he was being eaten both from the inside and outside, tears already streaming down his cheeks. Suddenly the machine sputtered, getting pulled away and allowing Elliot to slide down the wall although he tried not to. He briefly registered Jason hitting the machine expectantly (had it ran out of fuel or malfunctioned?), but quickly grabbed onto something else instead. Elliot hugged his chest with his arms, trying to get up but his strength betrayed him. The next thing he knew he was staring at the tip of the machete again, panic rising up more. 

He needed a way out but he was barely given any time to react nor think. He wished he was as durable and strong as Guest, he wished he at least had a decent self-defense method like Chance however unreliable it may be, he wished he had a strong stomach like Shedletsky and not vomit through pain and panic whenever he attempted to eat one of his own pizza slices, he wished he could hide away as easy as 007n7 could and get away instead of being chased for eternity and burden those who tried to protect him, god , he wished he wasn’t so helpless. He tried to kick and get up or at least shuffle away but his knees felt weak and his legs were wobbly, shaky hands curled up into fists but he had never been the one to have the strength to fight back. Fragile. That was what he was. Would his group be better off without him, an oblivious pizza deliverer that can’t even look out for himself? He turned his terrified yet tired gaze to the mask before him as if to seek just a little bit of mercy, only to find none, a sharp pang shooting through his abdomen before he knew it.

As his pupils dilated more than they already had, a loud bang! echoed across the area, hurting his ears as much as the chainsaw that had wounded his chest. He was dizzied and his ears started ringing, cancelling out any other noise and making his head ache. The sight of the killer before him being knocked off balance and putting his hand on a wall for support was enough of a sign for him to get going, adrenaline suddenly coming back to help him. He didn’t need to know what happened or why, he just knew he had to get out of there before it was too late. With wobbly legs and nausea growing in his stomach he shuffled away and leaned against a rock to hold onto it to get up, taking him a painful few seconds. Well, literally painful, Elliot stared at the machete still stabbed into him. It didn’t look deep enough to damage his organs but hell he wasn’t a doctor, maybe it was. It sure as hell was trouble though. And he couldn’t run with this. He knew normally you don’t pull out an object stabbed into you but if he didn’t do it now he would be dead in a few seconds anyways. His shaky hands felt cold and numb as he gripped the machete, deciding against giving himself time to mentally prepare for the pain and pulling the weapon out of himself in one swift, agonizing motion. He couldn’t hold back a pained gasp as his abdomen burnt like someone tossed in a pack of salt in it and more blood gushed out, Elliot tried to ignore the crimson pouring out of him and dropped the machete to force himself to get going. He had no issue leaving the weapon there, he was sure as hell Jason didn’t need metal weapons to kill. 

His nausea grew with each limping step he took, he clutched his chest and abdomen with his hands that he could barely feel anymore and used the last of the strength left in him to stumble through bushes and trees as fast as he could. Everything blurred past him and his ears were still ringing though beginning to quiet down. When he was gasping for breath and he couldn’t feel his feet anymore he allowed himself to stumble behind a wall that seemed to connect with another to make a corner. His stomach churned with nausea and he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. Elliot became more and more aware of the pain of his wounds as each moment passed, adrenaline washing away when he still needed it.

 

His vision began to blur and darken at the edges and he felt himself gag, whole torso flaring with pain much more than it already is in and coughing and wheezing, something wet dripping down his mouth. The sharp taste of iron felt like poison on his tongue and the smell of iron clogged his nose, he had trouble breathing between his gags. His back stung, his head throbbed, his legs ached, his hands and feet were numb and his torso burnt, it burnt, it burnt-

 

The deliverer shut his eyes tight, whining in pain and trying to apply as much pressure as he can manage to the stab wound in his abdomen. The way his entire body felt weak and the way he kept trying to pull his hands away from the wound unwillingly due to how much it hurt did not help his case at all. He peeked his eyes open to find crimson pooling around him, nausea and dizziness doubling at the sight of it. He’s gonna die, isn’t he? He’ll bleed out here with no way to patch himself up. He didn’t think he could call for help because he didn’t know if it’d attract allies or the enemy- he didn’t trust his voice right now anyways. He’ll never be able to go back home. He won’t get to decide if he’d take over the family business or fall into path after something else he enjoyed. He’ll never be back with his family again. He missed his sister… 

Everything got engulfed by black for a moment, the thoughts that swirled in his head seemed to fade in volume. It didn’t feel like it lasted long as he reopened his eyes drowsily, trying to focus on his surroundings but it was all blurry for a while. He felt sick.

Shakily, he reached for his inventory to take out a slice of pizza desperately. He stared at the food, nausea already growing just by looking at it. But he didn’t want to die. He had to try, at least, to eat it without vomiting. It wasn’t like it could make his state worse than it already was. With a gulp, Elliot forced himself to take a bite, gagging the moment his tongue met the cheese. He chewed the food, trying to ignore his nausea screaming at him to spit it back out and swallowed the piece. He prayed his stomach wouldn’t give up on him now, as he took another bite out of the slice. Gagging and choking several times, Elliot forcefully gulfed it down, taking in large breaths to try to calm the swiftly growing nausea while the ache of his wounds lessened, making them more bearable for him. Don’t throw it up. Please don’t throw it up.

A sound reached his ears but he couldn’t make out what it was. Had Jason caught up? The serial killer may as well puncture his heart this time instead of letting him bleed to his death slowly. Did he have that kind of mercy, at least? His eyes fell closed and he hung his head low, still trying to press onto his wounds but all strength he had was being exhausted fast. His torso still felt like it was being boiled and thrown into acid at the same time. It hurt so much, he wanted it to be over already, he wanted to curl up and sob but the movement of his muscles on the torso would only put him through more agony. Occasionally he felt the effects of the regenerative food fight back, but he didn’t dare look down at his wounds. Anything for his body to not reject the pizza that may be his lifeline at the moment- but only towards the bleeding, not the potential threat of being found by the killer again.

The same noise sounded again, Elliot gazed through half-lidded eyes to try to find the source of it. His hair had been messed up and it was partly blocking his vision now but he didn’t bother trying to push it back. He had bigger problems than that.

 

“-i–t?-” The pizza employee blinked, trying to make sense of the noise. It only made his head ache worse.

 

“E–io–?” Finally a sound he recognized came into play, but it made his stomach churn with dread. Footsteps, coming closer. He was definitely a goner. Elliot shut his eyes again, feeling the visor on his head slip down a little, more messed up hair hanging down. His nausea had calmed down a little but it was still so sickening.

“ Elliot!”  

Chance took in the sight in front of him. Their stomach dropped at the amount of blood that surrounded the stiff body leaning against the wall. Elliot’s clothes were soaked with red and some splatters had even gone onto his hair, which had been messed up as if a rat tried to make a nest out of it. Beneath the hair his cheeks looked wet and there was blood dripping down the corner of his mouth. Seeing him in such a vulnerable state like this, it stripped Chance of any confidence they had left in them. For a moment, Chance stood there frozen, dread bubbling up in their chest and a hand hesitantly reaching out to empty air. Was he..?

 

The gambler took a sharp breath as the head lifted up just enough for the employee to stare at the floor with teary eyes, then slowly up to Chance’s glasses while he seemingly slowly registered Chance in front of him. “..Hey,” Came the strained greeting, his voice sounding raspy and desperate.

 

“H.. Hey. Hi.” Chance humored him and forced himself to move, throwing themself on the floor next to Elliot and setting down the medkit he had been holding onto like his most prized possession with haste. They threw it open, trying to ignore how disturbing it was to feel the blood beneath him soak the knees of his trousers. Chance took hold of the dressings inside the kit, setting them on their lap to move to Elliot’s torso. He gently moved aside Elliot’s bloodied hands to quickly unbutton the torn up work outfit he had on and then pull up the black undershirt to see the full damage. He swallowed back nervously as he inspected the torso painted crimson, flesh visible there and there. He knew first aid from the amount of trouble he had gotten into ever since he found himself in this world, and also from other survivors- Guest especially. They could patch up Elliot but they honestly didn’t know if it’d be enough to keep him alive. The thought was suffocating. His usual cool had dissipated the moment his gaze fell on the still body. 

 

“It.. it hurts,” Elliot strained to speak again, Chance’s lips forming a thin line with concern. “I know.” They responded, hands moving back to his torn work clothes. “I.. need to get these off to patch you up properly.” He explained as he quickly yet carefully pulled the uniform to the sides, rolling it up at the shoulders to slide it off the arms. Elliot tried to collaborate with him as best as he could and Chance rolled up the bloodied undershirt and pulled it over Elliot’s head, messing with his hair more and knocking off his visor in the process. They tossed the torn clothing aside and grabbed the dressings on their lap, applying a thick amount of them onto the open stab wound still oozing with blood. Feeling the need to see properly during this, Chance took off his glasses in a swift motion, setting them on the ground away from the blood. Their stomach churned at the liquid that got more vibrant in color, the world’s black tint disappearing. Chance inspected the other’s expression for a moment, Elliot seeming surprised by the action. White eyes stared back at the worker and Chance put on a smug grin. “No one will believe you.” They quipped, catching a glint of amusement in the other pair of eyes.

 

 He held another layer of dressings to his chest. “I need you to hold that one, I unfortunately don’t have four arms,” Elliot had the audacity and the strength to perform an eyeroll, shakily taking hold of the dressings and trying to apply as much pressure as he could. Chance allowed themself to smile at his antics, pressing onto the dressings. Elliot hissed in pain and flinched slightly. “Sorry. We need to stop the bleed. Can’t have you turn into meat jerky, yeah?” Chance put up a small grin, trying to shake the heavy air of the situation away through humor but they couldn’t tell if Elliot found it funny or if the guy was planning on strangling him later. If there was a later. Chance frowned at himself slightly, adjusting to hold the dressing with one hand while he reached for bandages with his free hand. There will be a later. They have to make it so. It was like another gamble they were playing, but this time it wasn’t enjoyable at all.

Something about the thought squeezed his heart uncomfortably as Chance took a handful of bandages and lined them up with the dressing he was pressing onto. They noticed Elliot’s grip on the other patch of dressings had weakened and looked into his face that was half-covered by messy hair, a spike of fear shooting through him momentarily when he analyzed the tired eyes drooping close. Adjusting to hold both the bandages and dressings with one hand again, they poked the cheek of the deliverer. “Hey. I need you to stay awake.” Elliot’s eyelids lifted back up and he stared at Chance hazily. Chance kept the hand on his cheek for a bit, not exactly wanting to let go for some reason. “Uh,” The casino worker subconsciously brushed his thumb over Elliot’s wet cheek while he tilted his head with uncertainty. “How ‘bout this- Does it hurt to talk?” Chance asked and let go of the face, turning back to the bandages and giving Elliot’s pair of gloved hands a nudge to remind him to keep pressing onto the wound. “J’s a bit,” came the quiet reply, Chance started to wrap the bandages around the dressings. “Gotcha. How about this. Tell me about your work before you ended up here.” Chance leaned forward to put an arm against Elliot’s back, frowning at the feel of yet another injury. It wasn’t as worrying compared to the others but would still be annoying later. “..Well..” Elliot started to speak again and Chance lifted the man from where he was slumped against the wall and pulled him closer to themself, rounding the bandages around his back and looping them around his front again. “Uh.. I mos’ly worked delivery but, the place was always understaffed. S’ I kind of did a l’ttle bit of everything.” Elliot slurred over his words and it took Chance a couple extra seconds to understand what he was saying. Chance kept looping the bandages around his bare chest and back, slowly working the material upwards to cover the whole torso. “Some other employees were fine but some just.. Had n’ idea what they were even doin’.” He briefly leaned closer to check if the slash on his back was still bleeding to find it had mostly stopped, which worried and relieved him at the same time and they kept up the swift process of wrapping the bandages tight enough around Elliot. “The amount of times I prevented th’ place from burning down ‘s insane, honestly.. That fire extinguisher was my bes’ friend at that point.” 

 

Chance couldn’t help but chuckle warmly, Elliot removing his cold hands from the dressings when Chance pressed onto them to hold while he looped the bandages through there too. “..’s much as it was exhausting ‘t times, I still liked it. There’s just.. something ‘bout how someone smiles when th’y receive their order.” Not knowing what to do with his hands, Elliot placed them on his lap not wanting to touch the cold, blood-stained ground. “Food‘s important, ‘n not only for surviving. I realized how much ‘t can affect someone’s daily life through makin’ countless deliveries.” Chance looped the roll of bandage around a shoulder to be able to cover the wounds that reached above his chest and back, listening intently while they patched him up. “Someone may have been havin’ a bad day, ‘n they light up when they get their order. Some enjoy their orders with friends and family. Some are worried parents that have n’ time to cook or some simply order pizza ‘cause their child begged so. Some are stressed students that are relieved to be able to take a break. Some are elderly couples both too tired to make food and they’re glad to be able to share another hot meal with each other.” Elliot rambled on and on, a small smile not leaving his tired and dirty face. Chance kept listening with interest, surprised at how something so simple looking could also be so complex. They tucked the end of the bandage under a looser roll for extra security. “And.. yeah. I love the delivery job. Knowin’ I may have made someone’s day and saved them from worry, it makes me happy. Not t’ mention the surprise on their faces when I make quick deliveries,” Elliot snickered slightly, chest hurting from the motion but he didn’t mind it. Chance smiled back at him, white eyes making contact with his own before the gambler picked his glasses back up and put them back on. Elliot kind of missed the warm gaze already but he was too tired to make sense of the thought.

 

“I actually never thought of it like that.” Chance returned a hand to the most worrying wound and pressed on it again, blood visibly already soaking a part of the dressings beneath the bandages. Elliot flinched slightly again. “Who would have known such a simple seeming job as delivery could have that much depth to it?” Chance shot a grin at the worker again, trying to close up the medkit on his side with one hand. Elliot hummed, hands reaching back to his loosened ponytail and pulling off the red hair tie. Seeing the tremble still remained and the way Elliot was clearly exhausted, Chance was about to offer they tie it when footsteps approached their location. Both heads perked up, shoulders tensing as they watched the only open space amongst dusty white walls. To their relief the steps were light and swift, nothing like the heavy thump of killers that tended to chase them. As the sound came closer, a yellow head came into view, peeking into the space as if searching for something. And it seems what they were seeking was found, because the survivor stopped in their tracks with surprise.

 

“Oh! T-there you are!” Noob rested a hand on the wall while they inspected the other two, the hint of relief in their eyes swiftly being swallowed by worry. “Is.. Is he okay?” The other hand raised up to grip the fabric of their blue shirt to fidget with it. Chance looked back at Elliot momentarily before responding, sighing at Elliot holding up a shaky thumbs-up. “Ignore that he looks like a mummy right now, he’s better than earlier.” The gambler shrugged, turning their attention to put back extra material into the medkit and to close it to avoid awkwardness, realizing how weird it may look when Chance was done patching the guy up and still had their attention on him. He’s just keeping the guy from dying, that was basically it. “..Do I?” Elliot muttered, not seeming to expect a reply while he looked down at his torso.

 

“I-if you say so.. I came to tell we’re done with the generators. The team’s gonna go back in a bit.” Noob informed them, keeping fidgeting with the fabric in their hand and keeping their eyes off the blood on the ground for their stomach’s sake. “Do you need any help?” They tilted their head at the two, Chance giving him a smile.

 

“We’re good. You guys can go, we’ll catch up.” Chance replied with confidence. Elliot was tying his hair properly while they talked. “Oh, could you carry the medkit back to the cabin? There’s still supplies inside that may come in handy later.” They offered, holding out the kit for Noob to take. The timid robloxian took it with a nod, stepping back to walk out. “If you’re sure.. Be safe,” Chance and Elliot nodded at him with a smile, Elliot muttering a “you too” before Noob disappeared the way they had come from. Elliot glanced over at his torn work clothes on the ground, shuffling to reach them. Chance briefly wondered how he was still awake as the guy put his visor back on, hesitating on the bloody ones. Chance crouched next to him, shuffling with his jacket for a few seconds to roll it off his shoulders. “Y-you don’ have to-” Elliot tried to deny it but was interrupted by the jacket being draped over him. “..’Kay.” He accepted his fate instead, sliding his arms through the sleeves, Chance shooting him another smug grin. Elliot knew how stubborn and insistent this man could get. The deliverer lazily folded the torn clothes he once wore and held them to his chest with one arm.

 

Chance stood up from the dusty ground, frowning at the blood-soaked knees of his trousers for a moment. The pizza employee attempted to push himself off the ground using the wall for support, and he did succeed to stand but it didn’t last long after he took a step forward without giving himself time to stabilize his balance. He stumbled right into the other, almost knocking the gambler to the ground along with himself but Chance regained their balance quickly. They held Elliot from below his shoulders in a quick reflex to prevent him from falling face-first into the ground and he simply let the worker lean against him while Elliot tried standing on his wobbly feet again. His heart jumped at the proximity but Chance desperately tried not to think of it.

 

“You should give those noodle limbs a break,” Chance commented, Elliot giving him an unimpressed gaze. “They’re n’t noodles . I can walk just fi- huh?!- ” He didn’t get to finish his sentence when Chance swooped him up from where he was (not really) standing, an arm behind his back and an arm behind his knees, Chance trying to pay extra attention to not hurt his chest and back more as he held him bridal. Elliot didn’t have the strength to fight back and simply stated he’s not a toddler but Chance started walking away from the corner, his grin widening. Elliot huffed in his arms, having gotten used to the sting of his current injuries so movement didn’t bother him as much. But god it still burned. He adjusted the dirty clothes he held in his lap so they wouldn’t fall off. 

“D’d your gun blow up on you again?” Elliot asked, probably easily getting the smell of smoke amongst cologne on his shirt and jacket. “Dunno what you’re talking ‘bout.” Chance quipped again, the grin on their face displaying the fact they indeed knew what he was talking about. Elliot scoffed. They walked past several bushes and trees, and the hum of a nearby generator could be heard from time to time. Chance’s heart thumped against his chest, occasionally admiring Elliot from behind his sunglasses, thankful for them once more as they made him seem like he’s paying attention on the road and nothing else.

 

“ ..Sorry. ” Elliot murmured under his breath, so quiet that Chance wouldn’t have heard it if they weren’t so close to each other. The gambler tilted his head with curiosity, gaze turning back to his face for the umpteenth time. “What for?” They asked, holding back continuing with ‘ for being so pretty? ’ and waiting for an answer. The worker in his arms turned his head to the side as if in shame, lips pressing into a thin line. “For all the.. trouble.”

 

“I don’t remember you walking up to Jason and telling him to slice you so you can bleed all over the place.” Chance raised an eyebrow, finally coming across the path the group of survivors had come from to fix generators. They saw Elliot bite his cheek. “I shoul’ have been more careful.” Exhaustion still hadn’t left his voice and Elliot still kept struggling on words, Chance thought it was a miracle he hadn’t passed out once yet. “..I can’t even help properly s’ that’s the least I should be able t’ do.”

 

Chance frowned at that, turning his head fully to him. “And.. who gave you that idea?” They stepped into the path that led back to the cabin. The look on Elliot’s face made it clear he had a lot to say, but he looked so tired that Chance didn’t want him to waste any more breaths even if they loved to listen to the worker.

 

“Let’s talk about this when we’re back in the cabin, yeah?” He suggested, offering him another smile. Elliot simply shrugged, letting his head fall and lean against the chest of the other. The gambler prayed he’d be too tired to notice how their own heart was racing, keeping up the swift yet steady pace on the road. He could see the rest of the group ahead, they’d catch up rather easily. But Chance didn’t know what he’d do if anyone commented on the carry style or on his jacket that had been passed to the shorter one to wear. They’d honestly consider aiming the barrel of their flintlock to their own head. Despite Elliot being light, his arms were beginning to tire out but he held on. Guest would probably offer to carry him once they’re walking with the rest of the survivors but they couldn’t even lie to themself, they didn’t want to let go of the employee. But in favor of not making this any more suspicious, handing Elliot over and letting his arms take a break was the logical choice.

 

Glancing at the said person again, Chance found the worker’s eyes had closed shut, if it wasn’t for the steady rise and fall of his chest the casino worker would have panicked. 

 

Life or death scenarios like this had happened before with the others and Chance had never lingered on them this long or cared about them this much. What was with Elliot? Why did the guy make his heart race? What made Chance want to hold him close? Was it his kindness? His dedication? His eagerness to help? His courage? Was it the way he brightened up whenever he got a “thank you” in return for a pizza slice? The way he looked so proud of himself and of others whenever the generators were fixed without an issue? The way he watched over his group and worried for them when they were in danger? Was it the fear of not being able to see that smile again? Not getting scolded anymore for having his gun blow up on him for the third time on the trip along with a pizza handed to them? Having one less person that'd fuss over his dumb takes in a chat?

 

That sure was.. a list. Chance forced himself to not look at Elliot’s face again as their heart skipped a beat, realization hitting the casino worker like a truck. Oh no. This was really happening. Eyes wide behind sunglasses, he inhaled sharply after forgetting he needed to breathe. After a few seconds they gave in to the urge to look at the deliverer’s face again, Elliot still passed out in his arms, head leaning against where their heart would be. He let out a shaky sigh, turning his gaze back onto the path, the survivors ahead becoming more visible. This was a disaster. Maybe he was doomed. Maybe this would be the end of him.

..But maybe he was also fine with that, as he adjusted his grip on the carry and brought Elliot closer to their chest, where their heart raced.

If anyone commented on anything about this, they’re flipping their coin to see if he shoots himself or the person.

Chapter 2: Warm

Notes:

and it only took my motivation.. 12 days! Nice!

CW for mentions of nausea & vomiting again
uhh enjoy

Chance let themself fall backwards onto the couch behind them, propping up a leg on top of the other. He felt around for his flintlock to make sure it’s still tucked away safely, idly glancing around the space. It was almost like the wooden walls and dim, warm lights of the cabin promised the survivors a safe shelter. They didn’t show attention to light footsteps entering the area, 007n7 coming into his view hugging a few cut logs to his chest, seemingly struggling with them a little but the exploiter managed to drop them onto the fireplace without dropping any, shaking his arms for a moment as if it’ll take away the ache of his limbs. Whilst 7n7 picked up a lighter after a short search and kneeled in front of the fireplace again Chance reached his pocket for his coin, studying it for a moment before they flipped it in the air aimlessly. Tails. 7n7 had trouble getting the logs to light up for a minute or two while Chance kept flipping their coin, soon the crackle of a flame was heard followed by another, the fire spreading and dancing inside the fireplace. 007n7 sat there for an entire minute staring at the fire, Chance would have said something if this didn’t occur daily. The guy’s mind was always somewhere else. With the heat of the fire growing the single parent seemed to snap out of it and back away, wiping some sweat on his forehead and inspecting the gambler on the couch. Chance tilted his head with another flip of their coin. Heads.

 

“We’re going out to gather supplies in an hour or two, we’re running low on food.” The former hacker informed him, slowly walking back where he’d come from. “I.. assume you’re not coming?”

 

Chance didn’t enjoy supply trips as much, and probably everyone knew that by now. It was a rare occurrence if a killer chased after the group when gathering up items in less visited areas. In other words: Boring. They flipped their coin again, landing on tails. “Nah. You guys have fun.” The single father walked out with a nod of his head, leaving Chance alone with the crackles of the fire. There weren’t as many challenges as one would usually face here on trips like those, everyone but him very much preferred to seek supplies in peace rather than fix up machinery with the threat of death lurking behind their backs. At first, of course his allies found it odd but Chance assumed they’ve gotten used to his trouble-seeking antics rather fast.

 

Well, it wasn’t exactly trouble he sought. It was the thrill of it. It was the challenge. It was fun because it was risky. And if he can support his allies while taking chances, two birds in one stone. Of course they didn’t like to see their teammates hurt if they failed, but everyone always bounced back after a full recovery, so Chance never really thought about it for too long. That also applied to himself. (“How could you rely on such a dangerous weapon like that?” He remembers Elliot asking in Chance’s first months spent with the group of survivors, he sounded irritated but his eyes told Chance he was afraid. Of what, he hadn’t figured out at the time. “Don’t use it when you look like you’re about to fall over at any moment, at least. Please.”) Their grin faltered, coin landing on the tails side again. Elliot wouldn’t have gone through that agony if their flintlock just didn’t blow up on them the first time. He would have noticed Jason attempting to sneak up on him after Chance shot the serial killer and ran away unharmed. And he would have been a shish kebab if your gun didn’t work or if you couldn’t aim properly the second time, the other voice in his head reminded, Chance forced a smile back onto his face. They could be grateful for that, yeah.

 

Speaking of the employee, he.. hadn’t woken up since he passed out in their arms. He’d been unconscious for almost two days now and Chance wouldn’t admit to anyone the worry ate away at him despite Guest claiming the worker would be fine. Guest had carried him back to the cabin after taking him from Chance (Shedletsky had also given Chance a look. A smug look. They didn’t like it.) and stitched his wounds for them to heal back properly, then replaced bandages and also changed him into clean spare clothes they kept in the cabin. The war veteran would have probably lost more sleep trying to keep watch of the other survivor if he hadn’t been shooed to bed by Builderman. Guest always got like this whenever someone was hurt. It was somewhat amusing, seeing him treat the injured like they’re his kids he needs to take care of. Altruistic nature and fatherly instincts mixed into one, Chance supposed. They’d seen the veteran glancing at a photo of a woman and a small girl with brown hair from time to time. It was obvious he missed them.

 

Chance put his coin away, not really knowing what to do with himself. They briefly considered going with the others but decided against it quickly, deeming staring at the wall more fun than coming along to stand around with no use for his beloved flintlock and coin. He could offer a game of cards to whoever stayed behind. ..And wait for Elliot to wake up. Shit, he hadn’t eaten at all, had he? How would someone unconscious get food?? He genuinely had no idea. Had Guest thought of that? Did the parent assume Elliot would have woken up by now? Chance tapped his foot on the floor, only half paying attention to the majority of the survivor group already on their way out. He hadn’t been paying attention to time either. Did 007n7 exaggerate or had it already been at least an hour of sitting here? Chance shook his head with a smile when Builderman asked if they were coming along, who nodded with a grin of his own and followed after Two Time. They saw Guest cast an uncertain gaze back, and it landed onto him, a hint of confidence joining uncertainty. Of course, one could never be a hundred percent sure when it came to Chance.

 

The casino worker sat there a while longer, maybe half an hour, staring off into the fireplace with Noob accompanying him on the armchair to his right. The gambler had offered a game of cards to the withdrawn survivor but Noob declined politely, not really stating a reason but Chance wasn’t going to keep bothering them. He wasn’t sure but they thought Shedletsky also stayed behind, maybe he’d want to play. Noob usually liked supply trips and he wondered why they wanted to stay behind but they didn’t dwell on it for too long, thoughts wandering back to Elliot. Chance reached below their sunglasses to rub at their eyes, standing up with a small sigh. Noob tilted their head at him out of curiosity while he walked past the wide doorway to where the survivors had their makeshift beds. Several banquette doubles had been pushed together to provide a larger space to lay on, all having different kinds of pillows and blankets scattered around on top. On the top floor were four mattresses and on the ground floor four more makeshifts made up by restaurant seats occupied the space in front of the wall. He’d heard they had first settled on the floor upstairs but with more and more survivors being taken in they had run out of space on the small platform above. Builderman had told him it was just Noob and him that met first, then Shedletsky followed, 007n7 joined later, Guest after him, Elliot and Two Time back to back and later Chance himself- though there was only a gap of a month or two between the arrival of each members of the group. No one was expecting the group to grow this much, many victims fell into this place, it’s just that no one really made it. With Shedletsky and Builderman technically being the leaders and very much having a strong dedication to protect the other survivors, they slept on separate floors to watch over everyone better. Having joined the group later than others, it was him, Elliot, Two Time and Shedletsky on the ground floor. The platform above offered a connection between all survivors and nothing bad came of this aside from snoring complaints. Sometimes Chance would strike up a chat with the ones on the balcony if they happened to be bored or couldn’t fall asleep. (And often received requests to quiet down or shut up if he’d do it when everyone was trying to sleep, of course.)

 

Shedletsky was sitting on one of the combined double banquettes, his back against the wall. He didn’t seem to be doing anything particular, just admiring the steel of his sword at the moment. Chance looked over to the corner where extra pillows had been placed onto another pair of double banquettes, warm yellow poking out from underneath a red, soft blanket. Elliot’s visor was hung on the top of one of the seatings waiting to be picked up and worn. The constricting feeling on their chest returned and Chance made himself look away, adjusting their hat and turning to Shedletsky. The admin narrowed his eyes at them at the shift of attention. “Care for a game of cards?” The gambler offered, holding a hand open in the air. “Pool? Darts?” He tilted his head at the pool table and dart board stationed behind them to the left of the room, grinning confidently. Shedletsky looked like he was resisting an eye roll. No matter what game Chance played, the casino worker always had the best luck. The swordfighter was convinced he could win a game without even knowing how to play. While Chance was waiting for a response, the shuffle of fabric sounding from his left sent him in a momentary panic and his grin dropped, head snapping towards the source of the noise. In front of him, Shedletsky got up from his seat, lightly nudging Chance out of the way so he could walk. Chance adjusted their sunglasses and hat before trailing after the admin, lips curling back up into a smirk out of habit.

 

He was startled momentarily when he saw Elliot sit up at light speed from where he was put to slumber, the red blanket slipping down to his lap as Elliot hissed through gritted teeth and clutched his chest in pain. Well that's some.. timing. “Whoa- Chill out, man,” Shedletsky put a hand on the worker’s shoulder, sword now seemingly in his inventory, out of sight. “Don’t tear your stitches.” Elliot looked confused for a bit, eyeing both the admin and the gambler as if he didn’t recognize them.

 

“Rise and shine, pizza boy.” Chance flashed a grin at him, masking just how nervous they were at the moment- though very relieved at the same time. He was alive, he was okay , he’d be fine. The worry of not being fast enough to save him faded, another weight off their shoulders. For a split second Elliot looked unimpressed but it quickly faded away after his face scrunched up again, the deliverer letting himself slide back down the double seat just enough that he’d be somewhere between laying and sitting, his arms settling both on his chest and stomach. Right. Chance turned to his right to analyze the space near the dining table in the other corner of the room, and seeing no food whatsoever in the few crates on the floor he guessed all they have is upstairs. 007n7 wasn’t lying when he said they were low on food, the space on the corner of that table was usually always occupied with food that’d surely last them a couple weeks. There were only a few plastic bottles of water sitting there at the moment.

 

“Be right back,” Chance informed when he stepped away quickly, Shedletsky looking his way in a curious manner out of the corner of their eye before the swordfighter said something else to Elliot. He didn’t pay attention. Chance moved through the cabin once again, briefly looking at the fireplace to see Noob passed out on the armchair in a position that didn’t at all look comfortable, hand finding the railing of the staircase before he turned to climb up the wooden steps. They panted slightly when they reached the top floor (They’ll get used to running from killers that have it out for everyone but never stairs. Why were they so tiring?) and stepped into the platform, the blankets on the beds of the other survivors folded neatly and set on top of the mattress. Even if one of them didn’t care about the tidy look, Chance guessed the others folded their blankets too anyway. He stepped in the direction of the several crates and boxes that were stacked up against the wall next to the barely functioning TV and bean bags, crouching down and inspecting what they had at the moment. A couple dry pasta packets, several canned fruit, packets of chips and biscuits, yada yada. The casino worker grabbed a canned soup to read the label- tomato, and he smiled to himself, this may be the best he’d get. Recalling the times Chance themself and other people had gotten hurt, solid food wasn’t exactly something their stomachs welcomed with open arms. And Chance knew Elliot’s stomach would rather get rid of any food immediately upon discomfort rather than digest it for the deliverer’s survival. That was partly why the employee never really used his own pizzas for himself, as nausea and throwing up would just slow him down in a chase- but he’d mentioned to Chance he also just wants to save it for the others. “They’ll need it more than I do. I don’t want to sit while they’re getting hurt...” 

 

(“..You especially! Stop dying!” Chance had received a pizza thrown straight at his face after that convo, offering Elliot a sheepish thumbs-up.)

 

Chance grinned widely at the memory, standing back up to go down the stairs quickly, noting that Noob had awakened to shift into a more comfortable posture, rubbing at their eyes. He stepped to the right corner of the room that basically all of them used the most and kneeled down beside the long wooden table, grabbing a clean spoon and a bottle of water from one of the almost empty crates. As he walked over he heard the swordfighter chattering something else to Elliot- Chance thought he was probably summarizing the events that had occurred. As Shedletsky watched the gambler approach, he patted Elliot’s shoulder in a reassuring way and stood up from where he was leaning against. 

 

“I’ll go check in with Noob, you two have fun chatting. Feel better soon, buddy!” The admin briefly finger-gunned at Elliot with a bright smile then turned around to walk out the room, Chance casting a glance after him. Shedletsky had rotated his head just enough to give Chance the same gaze he had when the contest host had seen him carrying an injured Elliot wearing his jacket, holding him in almost a protective manner two days ago. Noob was an excuse, he knew what he was doing. They didn’t know how to react so Chance simply kept up their poker face and turned his attention back to Elliot. He could see more clearly now that the worker was now wearing a soft, light brown sweater that was designed to resemble a fawn’s coat. He.. looked even cuter in it, hair messed up for yet another time, yet Elliot didn’t seem to care yet because he already had his visor back on. They stared at each other awkwardly for a couple of seconds, a small smile forming on Elliot’s face, drowsy eyes filling with amusement (and affection?) for a fleeting moment.

 

“Hey,” Elliot greeted, Chance offering him the bottle, canned soup and spoon he had snatched with a genuine grin. “Hey.” Elliot accepted the items and sat up to shuffle slightly to the side when Chance joined to sit next to him on the other seating of the two that was merged, pushing away a part of the red blanket to not sit on it. “Hi. Good to see ya’ back on the land of the living.” Chance joked as he threw an arm over the chair's back, turning to their side to be able to maintain a conversation with the other. Elliot was already gulping down the water, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand once the bottle was finished in a matter of a few seconds. “Thanks,” the deliverer said while setting the empty bottle to the side to throw away later, a hand coming back to rest on his chest again. His voice sounded a bit hoarse but it was much better than how it was when he’d been bleeding out. “..Not only for the food, um,” Elliot looked away and held on to the canned soup, hand retrieving from torso to grab the tab and pull it in the opposite direction, opening up the metal tool with sluggish movements. “..Everything, I guess. Practically saving my life.. Twice. You uh, it was you that shot him right?” The pizza employee looked up to meet his gaze behind thick sunglasses, taking hold of the spoon he’d been given and dipping it inside the can. 

 

“None other than the luckiest man alive himself,” Chance theatrically pointed a thumbs-up to their chest and lifted their chin upwards, earning a chuckle from the other. Although Elliot forced himself to stop after another pang of pain from his stitches the deliverer still kept on a grin. “Sure, sure. Totally hasn’t almost killed himself at least fifteen times.” Elliot finally raised the spoon in his hand to take a sip of the tomato soup, eyes widening for a moment after probably realizing how hungry he was. Chance should have thought to bring another canned food and bottle of water in case. Oh well, no worries, they can just get it later.

 

“I’d say I owe you,” Elliot said after swallowing a couple of spoonfuls, “But I think you owe me like, maybe forty more times.” He grinned at the casino worker who was quirking up an eyebrow playfully. “I’ll be generous and count this as three.” Wow. Awakened just a few minutes ago and already choosing violence.

 

“Hey!” Chance laughed, they’d elbow the shorter if they weren’t worried about hurting him in his current weakened state. Elliot attempted to swallow another spoonful of soup through giggles but failed horribly, Chance getting more worried over him choking over it for a couple of seconds, still laughing. “Don’t tear your stitches from laughing now,” He quipped, something warm and welcome swirling inside himself. “That’d be a dumb way to go out, eh?”

 

The laughter from both of them died down soon enough and the atmosphere shifted into a comfortable silence, Chance simply accompanying the shorter survivor while he ate. Occasionally they’d hear Shedletsky talking about something from the other room, Noob seeming happy to simply listen without being expected to respond, elbows positioned on their crossed legs listening with interest and nodding their head once in a while, the fireplace crackling as background noise.

 

“..Soo,” Chance started again when Elliot was almost finished with his soup, the said person tilting his head at them with curiosity. “About what you said on the way back, y’wanna talk about it now?” Chance dropped his head to the side, keeping up a simple grin like they always did. Elliot seemed confused at first, then looked away as his face dropped, setting the emptied can down next to the also empty water bottle along with the spoon still in it on the floor, movements calculated to not bend his torso too much.

 

“I just..” The deliverer started explaining, hesitating and thinking over what words to use for a good while. Chance sat patiently, not letting his smile falter, hoping that’d be enough encouragement for him to keep going. “All of you can do some cool, useful things! Builderman has great knowledge in engineering that he can apply to various things to support us. A custom-built healing machine! How cool is that? Shedletsky’s experienced in swordfighting and he’s very versatile with it! Two Time is very agile and swoops in to tank a hit or two, and they always seem to have an item we may need and offer it to us.” Once the worker started talking, his speed didn’t falter, Chance listening to him with the same focus they had back when they were patching him up. 

 

“I don’t even know how Guest is so strong! He’s always looking out for us. And you- only you have the guts to depend on a weapon as unstable as that. You always appear out of nowhere to aid us with stunning the one after us when we need it the most, and your aim is amazing as well! Well, mostly.. You’re so reckless , stupid , brave, lucky and unlucky at the same time it kind of amazes me.” Elliot paused to shoot him a nervous smile, Chance returning the gesture with a chuckle. “Thanks, pal!” They made sure their tone made it obvious no offense was taken, grin wider than usual with a sense of pride over what someone else may have considered an insult.

 

“7n7.. Ugh,” Elliot’s tone and face soured at just the guy’s name and Chance couldn’t help but find that adorable too. Was there anything about the worker that wasn’t cute?? Chance forced themself to focus back on the conversation, shifting on the seat and pulling up their legs and curling them inwards to sit cross-legged in front of Elliot. “I’m still not fond of him, but.. His clones can be really useful at times, I suppose. And he can usually get himself out of trouble easily.” The deliverer shrugged, Chance humming in response. He knew why he didn’t like the exploiter, he’d mentioned it to the gambler before. While 007n7 seemed like he held tons of guilt towards his past actions, Chance knew forgiveness couldn’t be achieved that fast, and the single parent was probably very much aware of that. 

 

“Noob can also get themself out of trouble and avoid it! They check on us and try to help as much as they can with bringing items and informing us of the killer’s whereabouts and other survivors’ states.” Elliot finished the list of the group, pausing to collect his words before continuing. He fidgeted with the blanket on top of his lap. “And I know my pizzas are helpful, but.. I just mess up so much! And there’s nothing really that I can do to make up for it other than fix generators. Sometimes I feel like I’m only getting you guys into more trouble when trying to help.. The sheer amount of times someone has been hit because they were focused on trying to catch a pizza slice- I’m just frustrated with myself.”

 

Silence hung around the room for a few seconds, Elliot seemingly growing more nervous by each passing second of it. Chance put their elbow on their knee and leaned forward, confident grin returning when Elliot looked back at him.

 

“You’re selling yourself short, man. Let me tell you that I have not seen anyone as fast as you, for starters.” The casino worker started, maintaining eye contact even if it couldn’t be seen due to his sunglasses. “You also know how to get yourself out of trouble! It’s just that you have to get in it to try and support us, y’know? Your pizzas are not only pretty tasty but they’re a great help with the regen. You’re willingly walking into danger for the well-being of your team, that’d also make you brave don’tcha think?” Chance leaned his cheek on his palm and made a finger-gun towards Elliot with his other hand, something sparking in the worker’s eyes.

 

“And I’m sure you’ve seen all of us fumble at some point. Would I still be in one piece in front of you without ya’?” Chance raised an eyebrow, Elliot stifling a giggle. Both of them knew the answer. “Oor it may just be that you don’t hang around too much to see the others mess up ‘cause those guys lock on to you immediately.” Elliot pulled the blanket slightly upwards. “Builderman is sometimes unaware of his surroundings when doing his work. I’ve seen him get so indulged when putting together a machine he doesn’t notice the killer right in front of his nose. The greatest SFOTH player misses more than you’d think. I still remember the time when Shed miscalculated a swing so bad it got stuck in a wooden wall and he couldn’t get it back for the rest of the trip. How do you think we end up getting hurt? It’s ‘cause we all screw ourselves over at one point at least once on a trip. And trust me on this- we wouldn't be diving straight for the pizza if it wasn't worth the trouble.”

 

In the corner of his eye, Chance saw Shedletsky glance up from the other room at the mention of his name. He doubted he was able to fully understand what they were talking about with the given distance and casual-low volume of their tone. Chance waved at the contest host in a silly manner, Elliot also peering towards the main area of the cabin after Chance’s gesture. Shedletsky turned back to Noob after a couple or three seconds, the usually quiet survivor appearing to be talking about something nervously yet it looked like they were enjoying it, Shedletsky paying special attention to it. 

 

“Two Time fails to predict and gets caught off guard occasionally. Guest can act too fast or too slow at times, I’ve seen him perform blocks too soon a lot. He also once almost punched me square in the face when I walked up to him and he didn’t hear me. I heard 007n7 also once mistyped some commands and accidentally got himself half stuck in the ground? That would have been funny to see..” Chance mumbled the last part and he avoided calling out Noob, he knew they were already trying their best. And they were good is the thing! Just lacked confidence.

 

“What??” The worker tried to hold back his laughter again but couldn’t succeed, Chance basking in the other’s smile. “I-I don’t think I could have saved you from that punch even with a whole box of pizza,” Elliot added, Chance joining in on the snickers after a snort. They didn’t miss how Elliot still reached for his torso and wasn’t sure if they should stop with the humor or not- though the gambler decided against it. Simply not his style.

 

“Yeah, probably not.. Aaand you already know my case.” Chance leaned back to shrug, setting his hands on his lap. Elliot snorted, nodding his head with a grin. Between all the times his luck ran out- flintlock jamming when he had aimed it so confidently, blew up on him when he needed it to work the most and the amount of shots he painfully missed, Elliot was probably the only reason he was even alive. Always rushing in to help and scold him when he got himself into trouble, staying by their side to make sure they’re okay- Chance adored the act as much as he appreciated it. It was a miracle he never got fed up with his self-destructive mistakes, never were any complaints hard-hearted. Chance could recall a couple times where he was actually mad at them but they knew it was only because he cared for his friends. (Why had he been so upset at the times Chance and Two Time had prioritized the employee’s life over their own? They did almost die but that alone would never be enough to repay Elliot’s kindness.) Over the time, for the deliverer’s sanity, Chance tried to be more and more careful- as careful as a guy like him can get. In exchange for his support Chance tried to offer him as much protection as he could with his flintlock, something stirring inside him every time Elliot chose him out of everyone to stick around if he wasn't doing so well.

 

“I’m just saying, I don’t think anyone can run as fast as you when you realize you need to get the hell out of somewhere. Pretty sure all of us would have been toast without your help, it reaaallly makes a big difference!”

 

Elliot’s eyes met his own again but this time it felt like the other could actually see through the dark sunglasses, smiling shyly for a moment before shuffling on the seat- Before Chance could question it he found himself wrapped in a tight embrace, heart jumping at the action while Elliot leaned his face against the taller’s chest. They forgot to breathe for a few seconds as they hesitantly hugged back, kind of surprised at the strength of the hug. “Thank you so much again, like, a lot..”

 

“D-don’t sweat it pal.” Chance chuckled, neither seeming to want to pull away from the hug. His face felt hot. “..Do you need something more to eat and drink? You’ve been out for a while.” 

 

Elliot hummed against his chest, considering. “..I feel like I’ll throw up if I try. I’m just still tired..”

“All good, we can getcha more later.”

 

The position was awkward at first but neither commented on it, there was no way Elliot wouldn’t hear his heart beating out of his chest now. Chance hesitated greatly but decided to take yet another gamble without giving it much thought to it- They carefully lifted the smaller to shift the position into a more comfortable one, pulling Elliot right beside them for him to lean against their side, the pizza employee appearing to be taken aback a bit. If Elliot pulled away now or even snapped at him Chance wouldn’t mind, he’d deserve it for looking too much into things. They’d back off, they’d apologize profusely and leave him alone for as long as the other wanted and disappear forever, but.. 

 

Elliot didn’t protest. The fear building up inside him started to settle as each moment passed, and his breath hitched when he felt the other survivor lean more into the touch, Chance curling an arm behind his back to hold him close. Okay. This was it, this is how he dies. He felt like he was burning up from the inside but the feeling was pleasant as they simply let time pass with the deliverer resting against him, tiredness clearly coming back tenfold. Why did he have to be so goddamn adorable? Elliot was going to kill them, if their heart drumming in their chest didn’t do it first.

 

Should he leave when the other falls asleep? What would the others think? What exactly did Elliot think of him? Was this wrong? It felt right.

 

It felt warm. Chance fished around his pocket with his free hand for his coin, inhaling shakily. He’d leave if it landed on tails. He’ll stay if it lands on heads. After a brief moment, they flipped it in the air, letting it decide their fate. It landed back on their thumb quickly afterwards.

 

Even his coin had it out for him. Heads.

Elliot’s chest had fallen into a steady rhythm already, and Chance shifted themself to be more comfortable and pocketed the coin again. They’d probably be here for a while. It was so peaceful yet it was causing a storm inside him- though he didn’t mind it one bit. He was more than happy to hold on to the other and do nothing else.

 

Glancing up at muffled snickers, Chance sighed as the heat on his face intensified. Shedletsky was grabbing a bottle of water from the other side of the room with a hand covering his mouth, making eye contact with the gambler when he turned back around. The admin shook his head and removed his hand, still grinning ear to ear staring at the casino worker while he slowly moved to step out the room. Chance dipped down his fedora in shame.

 

“D-dude, shut up!”

 

“I didn’t even say anything.”

Notes:

thank you SO much for reading!! i appreciate every single one of you :3
chat am i doing okay with the characterization?? i have close to zero clue of what im doing atp im not sure if this feels long enough either

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