Chapter Text
Two Time does not understand emotions well.
It is a fact that Two Time cannot change, no matter how much they try to, for they have abandoned theirs.
Gone are the gruesome days where they sit alone in the forest, trembling, shivering, crying from remorse for their fatal mistake. Just how could they do this to their own lover, the one who gifted them flowers everyday like nothing mattered more than them? They couldn’t bear that guilt.
No.
The Spawn is all that matters now. Forget it all.
The Spawn does not need them to have any, for worship and reverence from them was all The Spawn needed, which Two Time abides to with such grotesque devotion. No matter what they do, they cling onto their prayers and teachings like it is the only thing left in this cruel world. The Spawn is forever merciful towards them, letting them walk along the fields once more.
They do not weep for Azure anymore, for each sign and mention of their regret in the nooks and crannies of their own mind has been wiped clean, a blank slate for their remorse to be replaced with their utmost devotion to The Spawn, drowning out the love they once had for him.
They scrawl out his name that was drenched and wrapped in so much love and adoration, with The Spawn’s name and prayer chants instead until every memory of them is gone.
Two Time is content with it all.
They love praying to The Spawn.
They ended up burying themselves so deep in worship that they forgot that they had perished alone, surrounded by greenery as they lay in a field of purple flowers that their lover adored so much, the very same ones that grew on them. In them.
Nightshades were always Azure’s favourite flowers, even if they were poisonous. Especially because they were poisonous. He had told them that it added to the flowers’ beauty when it was just the two of them sitting quietly together in a field filled with them.
The scent was so sweet, almost intoxicating as they twirled around the fields. They barely remember that he had gently pressed their lips together afterwards.
The Spawn is so merciful towards them.
They are so grateful for their forgiveness and their kindness in gifting them a second life.
The very same poison that their beloved was so fascinated with had killed them slowly over time as they mourned over their mistake. That.. silly mistake of theirs.
The poison, that very same poison, seeped deep into their bones and skin until they were bleeding blood mixed with its purple nectar out from their mouth. None of their limbs functioned properly as intended, with some of them going completely numb for hours, days even. Nor did they enjoy the sensation of branches piercing and puncturing through their flesh and wounds everyday.
Their bones ached constantly as they felt their own flesh literally rot everyday when they realised how sluggish they moved around. It’s disgusting, just like their love.
They ended up choking on the flower petals mixed with their own blood, spit and sweet nectar that was the same poison in those flowers in their lungs. They’ve forgotten. They’ve forgotten it all as they bury the memories deep into the trenches of their mind while they cram it whole with prayers and worship to The Spawn until their head is bursting at its seams, even as their heart aches for them to stop.
But The Spawn is all that matters now, they believe.
Glory to The Spawn is something they recite like a matra and will continue to do so until they can’t.
And thus, Two Time, head lowered slightly and hands clasped together in a prayer, had discarded their emotions aside for their leaders had said to do so, letting the emptiness in their heart take over their sorrow.
To the one named Two Time, emotions were a confusing matter. Something that confounded them greatly.
They were always told by the leaders that emotions were something.. fickle, worthless in the many, numerous eyes of The Spawn watching over them. They were said to have served no purpose to The Spawn, no value.
An absolute waste of time, a burden. Like them.
The Spawn does not care for their followers’ emotions, nor do they care about their wants that do not align with its goals in the slightest. They were told that The Spawn is all encompassing in its will and that The Spawn will know what is simply unnecessary in the grand scheme of things and what shall happen in the future, for they have decreed as so, that Two Time knows.
And so Two Time does not understand the emotions of the others. They do not understand why they.. choose to feel a certain way and fight back against what The Spawn had envisioned in their will. The other survivors would look at them weirdly whenever they, their own eyes boring deep into their soul, ask questions on said topic amidst the confusion of the world they are in now.
Two Time would often be met with looks of utmost disdain, disbelief or simply confusion, which was the same typical common expressions Two Time has seen from outsiders of their home. The same outsiders who do not share the same common sense as them, those that do not believe in the idea of The Spawn. Two Time calls them all foolish but it is alright, for The Spawn is forgiving. They will soon learn to worship The Spawn just as they had.
They all do not understand Two Time’s intentions.
Two Time had simply just wanted to know.
Know why they act this way, fighting tooth and nail for their own desires and emotions, even if it is something The Spawn highly discouraged back in Two Time’s home.
The divine pumpkin cloaked in robes was the first one they had asked in the middle of a round against a killer donned in black and green flashes when they were both standing beside the strange box-like object that hummed in an odd sound. A generator, the others had called it. Two Time has not seen a generator before in the confines of what they had once called ‘home’. It took them many rounds to even figure out how to open it, let alone ‘bring it to life’.
When Two Time had asked the question, the divine pumpkin would ask them back, voice lowered to nothing more than a harsh whisper, “What purpose does this inquiry of yours entail? Focus instead on the hunter on that trail. The other sentinels and supports require your aid, so make haste where there will be no price paid.”
Two Time stares. “Perish that thought, lest we get caught.”
Those were the last words the other had uttered to them, effectively shutting the conversation down. Two Time would simply frown in response and nod along to the divine pumpkin’s words, before falling back into the shadows, preparing to strike the hunter around the corner once more.
And after they had all survived with the phantom pains lingering in their limbs, Two Time is left with little opportunities to ask the other when they all would return to the cabin that is now their current home. As soon as Two Time runs down the staircase, they would notice that the divine pumpkin would simply glide over to the one who does not utter a single word before Two Time can even offer them another question for them to ponder on.
The question is repeated to the said divine pumpkin’s companion instead, the one with wings tucked beneath their cloak and hood. They do not reply in words spoken of tongue, nor do they speak with such reverence similar to the divine pumpkin. They would simply raise their hands up to their chest and make gestures, hand movements, similar to the ones that Two Time had seen other outsiders do when their tongues were restrained.
“ 👋 ! ” They would wave. “ ? 🙏🗣️? ? ”
“☹️ ? ? ? 😆? 🙏? ”
They do not understand, cannot fully grasp the true meaning of any of the gestures the winged one does. And so, Two Time simply sighs in displeasure at the lack of effective communication between them as both they and the other would droop their winged ears. The winged one pitifully shakes their head and the conversation ends there, much to both their dismays.
Two Time had once off-handedly, proposed the question to the one dressed in red during one of the sacred mealtimes The Spawn had blessed them all with, one when they do not have to worry about being chased.
The supplies are limited however, which Two Time is eternally grateful that The Spawn has given them just the bare minimum, the bare amount needed for sufficient sustenance. This means that The Spawn does still care about them all and Two Time will forever mutter a prayer back to The Spawn.
The other had simply stared back at them with dead eyes when Two Time had asked out of nowhere, before his face had contorted to simple disbelief. Dumbfounded even. Two Time can tell that was the emotion they were feeling at the moment as many had often made that expression when they first talked about The Spawn.
Many of the other survivors couldn’t fathom or see the greatness of The Spawn, believing them to be a sham, much to Two Time’s frustration, so they try to indoctrinate them slowly by telling them small lessons and prayers that the elders had once told them. It is not that successful however, and Two Time blames themselves for it constantly. May The Spawn be merciful enough to forgive them for their incompetence on this matter.
A sharp inhale and cough from the other snaps Two Time out of their thoughts. Two Time returns to smiling back at the one dressed in red while the other continues to take a moment to recover from their cough, his face returning to a blank one before he huffs. Two Time cannot help but smile wider at the possibility of getting an actual answer.
The other hesitates as he stares at Two Time’s expression, before he simply shrugs his shoulders in a lazy manner as he replies without any elaboration, “They—Uh.. They help me stay grounded.”
Two Time nods, before watching them. It gets shockingly quiet after that as Two Time continues to wait patiently for them to continue on, hands clasped together behind their back. They silently watch the other as he pulls out a can of ‘Bloxy Cola’ from one of the cabinets and takes a small sip from it. No response to their gaze.
They then continue to watch as the one dressed in red rolls up his sleeves to his elbows after placing the can on the table, his finger brushing against its rim to do something. They continue to wait patiently.
There is still nothing said between them.
The silence grows and Two Time feels their eye twitch.
Two Time can feel something that was curled up inside of them rising, growing, festering in their chest when the silence thickens with each second passing by, with the exception of the occasional sounds of clatter coming from the kitchen counter. It’s getting harder to breathe normally for some reason. They remember feeling this way back then.
What exactly was this emotion again…?
“I-I’m sorry—”
Two Time lets out a guttural sob when they bury their head against his shoulder as they feel something trickle down their hands. The stench of iron is overwhelming and it’s so cold.
“I didn’t want this—”
It isn’t until the one dressed in red then pulls out a rectangular paper box containing all their meals from the kitchen cabinet for that day and gently places it in Two Time’s outstretched hands that were placed against their chest, before muttering, “..Just help me out, won’t you? Stop staring already.”
Two Time tilts their head and the other sighs, before he emphasises on their name when Two Time’s expression falls flat. “Two Time. I’m a bit too tired for this, it can wait.”
And so Two Time never fully learns their reasoning either as they had asked them to drop the conversation entirely for he had wanted to rest after they had all already eaten. Two Time understands, rest is very important for the matches with the hunters and so Two Time leaves him alone. But then he said the same thing for their next few attempts too, much to Two Time’s growing frustration. Always too busy, always an excuse being thrown out. Two Time frowns and gives up persisting.
Two Time comes to the conclusion that the others are strange. Odd even. They have learned to not question them anymore on the topics of feelings. They are not easy to understand, nor are they easy to talk with and so, Two Time no longer outright asks them about the topic.
There are other times where they do, however, silently wonder about their attitudes.
Weirdly enough, the others would start to react strangely when they are confronted against certain hunters. While they, Two Time, merely return to the shadows once more to seek an opportunity to strike the one who had loved them on the back with a ritual dagger again, the others act starkly differently than their usual methods of salvation.
Two Time is unable to fathom why the one known as 007n7, the designated outcast—which Two Time had come to understand the concept of after 7n7 had told them of it—of their group besides Two Time, would simply freeze into place, legs trembling as he would stare in utmost horror at the purple and black entity chasing them in glitchy code, not daring to move. They stand as if waiting, head lowered slightly to the ground as if he was welcoming death to come running to him to gently swoop him into their arms.
“——I’M———TELLING——D—DAD—,”
comes as a mockery to 007n7, despite the noise of static and code corrupting in their voice.
They are somewhat gentle in the way when they lower his body to the ground after they’ve snapped his neck, even if half of their flesh on their face rots until any semblance of pity is long gone. Two Time can’t tell. Nor does Two Time understand why 7n7 quietly stills in place with their arms held up, trembling as they remain wide open when the red coloured fleshbag with claws comes to strike him down when it is only the two of them left.
“Dad! I finally caught your attention!”
is what the child says between the fits of laughter and giggles, unaware of the pain 007n7 displays when they wince from the pain of it all.
They do not know why 7n7, the one who would always simply flinch at the slightest hint of danger or anger from the other survivors, would smile so serenely for a brief moment in the arms of the demon child, before being burnt to a crisp as the fire engulfs his skin whole when they push away the fleshbag away at the last moment when they’ve realised their fate. The demon child would always hug them tighter, Two Time cannot understand why they both do what they do.
They do not understand why 7n7 does the exact same to the other children hunting them down, who were similar to the demon child in terms of monstrosities with the major difference between them being their coloured skin and flesh, with the outcome always being the same. 7n7 lets them grab him by the neck, before snapping his bones.
7n7 lets them kill him.
He lets them.
Two Time cannot save the man by intervening if he lets them kill him, and so, with gritted teeth, Two Time prioritises saving others instead.
They’ve come to learn that 7n7 will undoubtedly, always perish in the arms of the red fleshbag when faced against him whilst being on fire, but he smiles so serenely anyway.
What bliss must it be to simply smile while welcoming death..? But the resulting pressure of something rising in their chest makes Two Time utterly displeased with 7n7’s actions.
Two Time thinks 007n7 is a well-mannered gentleman, unlike most trapped in this realm alongside them. The two of them would often spend time together during the grace period, where the night was so incredibly still and The Spawn would ensure and bless them for their peace of mind.
Two Time did not bother much with the bonding activities offered while 7n7 wasn’t even invited in the first place, resulting in the two of them often being in the same place to keep away from the loud chatters of the other survivors. They had probably sat near each other more than they had with any other survivor because they’re both outcasts.
They do not talk much, simply sit together in each other’s company while they listen to the sounds of the night, even if there was no wind present or crickets chirping into the night. Other times, Two Time would speak to forget about the turmoil in their heart and 7n7 would be one of the only ones who would listen to Two Time’s prayers and speeches entirely dedicated to The Spawn.
Sometimes, when Two Time pauses abruptly midway through a sentence and struggles to find the right word, the other would smile gently at Two Time’s words and provide them with one, like one of the village elders. Other times, 7n7 would simply quietly listen to them and offer advice when necessary, which Two Time holds onto.
The others see Two Time as a strange individual and avoid talking to them for too long, which Two Time does not mind, but the way they treat 7n7 borders along the lines of hostility. Two Time doesn’t like that. Chance and Guest 1337 do not follow the masses’ mentality on this, checking up on him every now and then but they still keep their distance.
Two Time is reminded of the memories they had buried away long ago constantly when this happens. The isolation. They are reminded of themselves, before they take a deep breath and pray to The Spawn in a hushed reverence.
Even then, 7n7’s smiles were so very rare, even rarer than the days The Spawn would bless them with something other than pizza or chicken. They could count the number of times they’ve seen them smile on one hand.
So why does 7n7 smile in the arms of a demon?
They witness the one named Chance, the ‘gambler’ as the others had simply referred to him as, turn frighteningly pale whenever they go against the blond wearing an ice crown, who seems to find thrill in the way the gambler squirms beneath them, or the mysterious gentleman in black, who stalks and hunts as if Chance was the only thing that mattered.
Chance had told Two Time one late night beneath the moonlight that the outfits they were all wearing were called ‘suits’ and so they shall be referred to as such.
During the rounds with the hunters dressed in suits were the ones searching for them, Chance would simply flip their coin more haphazardly as they sprint around the fields, their coin flying into the air quicker, sloppier.
Their gaze would always be fixed on the coin held in their grasp, no matter how much his hands shook and trembled or how much his teammates, including Two Time, called for them to move. He didn’t spare anyone a glance.
They kept going, even if their body was bleeding out, teeth gritting together as the coin would clink loudly against their rings on their hand, the sound of metal clashing against each other, before the killers in the suits would approach him with a glint in their eyes.
Two Time would choose to intervene then if necessary but Chance would always, hands and legs trembling, act fast. They would shakily raise their flintlock up to their chest level and shoot them immediately, even if it backfires and explodes in their face instead, injuring them for the worst.
Chance had told Two Time that they do not care what happens if they pull the trigger, they shoot anyway for it is their only means of safety in his eyes. Then he would spin on his heels and flee, flee faster than Two Time has ever seen him do.
Two Time somewhat enjoys Chance’s company.
They do not laugh like everything is a game to them, as if they were mighty, when they sit alone.
No, they do not.
Instead, they would simply converse about petty and mundane topics that Two Time used to do with Azure, such as having pets or their favourite colour, instead of their usual topics revolving around The Spawn or death.
Two Time personally did not have a pet but they did used to take care of a small bird everyday. They would drop some extra seeds that their beloved did not need at the birdbath nearby and tidy up the area despite the dirt clinging beneath their nails as a result of it. Two Time didn’t mind because they felt better after doing this act of kindness for the small creature.
Then The Spawn had spoken through the leaders of their religion and demanded for its flesh and bloodshed and thus, with shaky hands, Two Time raised the dagger and plunged it through its heart when it was in its slumber. The Spawn was pleased by this offering, they hoped.
They do not mention how they spent three days absolutely bedridden from guilt. Neither do they tell this to Chance, for they know that Chance is affectionate to the small creatures of the world. Two Time cannot fully grasp why they refuse to tell them this, even if it’s something they associate with The glorious Spawn. An act of sacrifice to The Spawn is of the greatest honours one can do.
Then one quiet night inside the cabin, which was after a round where they had all hopelessly succumbed to the killer, Chance, his limbs aching from the phantom pains, had told Two Time that they absolutely despised the rounds with them the most, even when the hunter donned in black and green flashes were ruthless in their stabbings, tearing their limbs apart or the hunter in yellow covered by black code impaled them with their spikes. In Two Time’s opinion, the two hunters Chance had said were rather tame in comparison to the rest.
But to Chance, that pain was better than meeting the crowned one or the one in a black coat again, he had told them. Two Time does not understand their thought process at all but simply can understand that they have history together.
Two Time silently wonders if Chance feels something similar to what they had felt once before, like the world had been swept from beneath their feet and they were falling, plummeting into the abyss. Two Time doesn’t like that feeling.
They had asked The Spawn to rid themselves of it.
The lingering remorse after they had stabbed him.
They do not understand why the one referred to as Shedletsky, would simply be far more skittish in the presence of the hunter donned in black and green flashes, his golden wings ruffling and twisting in harsh motions whenever he spots them. Shedletsky would constantly deny it when questioned by the others but Two Time has a suspicion that there is a personal connection between them, much like they and their beloved. Not necessarily one with romantic connotations, but a personal connection no less. One that results in Shedletsky being torn apart limb by limb more ruthlessly than the others.
It was said that The Spawn despised liars, it was one of the most heinous crimes one can do towards others and so Two Time condemns him, for they do not believe Shedletsky in the slightest. They do not believe any of Shedletsky’s excuses, even if he looked absolutely convincing to the others. They have come to stop questioning them, rather focusing on surviving against the killers. The Spawn demands them of this surely since why else would they be here?
This is surely a gift The Spawn has given them.
Two Time holds their ritual dagger close to their chest as they alone win a round. They do not understand the others, but they know that they must survive. Survive, for it is better than wallowing in despair and succumbing to the pain of it all. Survive, for the sake of their own sanity.
Survive so that Azure’s sacrifice would not be in vain.
=============
When Shedletsky dramatically emerges from the staircase adorned in a yellow chicken onesie from head to toe, Two Time blinks for a moment, before they proceed to not bat an eye in the slightest at his arrival, for they know very well that Shedletsky enjoys feasting on chicken legs like they are the only thing that matter. He might as well become one with them if it meant that he wouldn’t miss his slashes every now and then. Two Time still shudders at the thought, the sheer second-hand embarrassment they had felt when Shedletsky had missed their slash when the killer in the suit was standing so still.
It is also not their place to judge him for what he wears since none of them could fully grasp the brilliance of The Spawn and follow their example of their adoration of The Spawn, which is another reason why Two Time sleeps in attire decorated with their symbols, which just so happens to be their normal attire. Two Time does not see the point in having a different pair of clothes for sleeping when they do not have the symbol of their deity.
“Heh.. You are what you eat,” is what they hear from Chance, who was standing a few feet away from them as they were tossing a coin into the air repeatedly, which they had muttered in what seemed to be slight amusement. “Aw, dang it.. Tails again..”
Two Time unfortunately does not have the sufficient amount of emotional intelligence or experience to be able to tell what this certain emotion is. The elders had often emphasised on the feelings akin to misery so that they would be far more grateful to The Spawn for when they inevitably saved them from suffering. They do not dwell on this however, for they know not to pry more information by listening to his whispers, for they are only meant for the gambler to hear, and Two Time will only listen to the words of The Spawn. Nothing more.
And so, Two Time walks away from Chance to be closer to that fire contained in that small box to atone for their transgression, leaving Chance to continue whatever they were doing in the dining area that was away from the lounge.
Bless The Spawn for their ever steadfast patience with their mistakes. Two Time hums contentedly as they clasp their hands together in prayer, muttering a quick prayer to their deity before they continue eating the sustenance referred to as a ‘pizza’ placed on a paper plate, something that Two Time had never eaten back in their old home. Two Time grew up eating mostly berries and whatever the forests had to offer, so sustenance such as pizza were something that Two Time never got to try.
The one in red, the one they’ve started to call ‘Pizza Man’ instead lately, had looked at them almost skeptically when Two Time had first admitted that truth, before tossing them a slice of pizza upon their request that round. Two Time has grown to admit that they have gotten awfully fond of the taste of the thing called ‘cheese’. They do not mind eating it nearly everyday if they could. Speaking of the Pizza Man, he is currently standing right beside Two Time, hands fiddling with a cardboard box in his arms as they silently ate their meal.
“What are you even wearing..?” The Pizza Man mutters as Shedletsky walks over to the couch near the fireplace, very close to where Two Time and the Pizza Man were standing together at. Shedletsky grins at the one in red’s question as he tosses his sword over his shoulders, before pulling out a chicken leg from the emergency food bucket beside them that was on the table. Shedletsky hums as he takes a bite out of it before replying, “Psh.. It’s basically my true form, trust me!”
“Shedletsky, uhm.” The Pizza Man frowns slightly as he grabs the bucket and pulls it away from the other’s grasp. “Not to be rude or anything, but I have to remind you that those chicken legs are for emergencies only—”
“It is~! I just ran out of snacks, buddy.” Shedletsky says between mouthfuls, a sly grin on his face as he watches the other’s eye twitch. Shedletsky chuckles at the sight of the Pizza Man facepalming, before the Pizza Man lets out a sigh.
Two Time hears him mumble something under his breath, something that even they do not ever dare utter in the presence of others. Two Time shudders at the sound of that word, before attempting to focus on another topic instead.
They listen to the Pizza Man’s words once more, albeit more cautiously so that they can immediately beg The Spawn for their forgiveness if they hear them mutter.. the name of that false god again. They hear them grumble about the shortages of food and Two Time, eyes sparkling for a brief moment, sees this as an opportunity for them to talk about The Spawn.
Two Time clears their throat as they place their half-eaten pizza back onto the plate on their palms, before they then turn towards the other to say, “Do not fret, Pizza Man. The Spawn will surely bless us with more food.”
“The Spawn is very generous to their followers after all. He, who asks nicely with all their devotion, shall be blessed with what He desires.” Two Time smiles as they shove their plate onto the small table beside them in order to clasp their hands together. “Perhaps a small prayer from you and me will allow The Spawn to take pity on us..?”
There’s a moment of silence that follows after their words. One that has Shedletsky occasionally chewing between mouthfuls of chicken. Two Time watches as the other’s furrowed expression contorts to one of immense disbelief once more, before he grabs them by the shoulders and yanks them closer to his face to stare at them. “No.. No.. Two Time..”
The Pizza Man stares at them, as if expecting a punchline of sorts while Shedletsky giggles in the background. Two Time only tilts their head in confusion as the other lets go of them to sink to their knees onto the wooden flooring, his hands clutching onto his head. Two Time glances at Shedletsky from the corner of their eyes to see him absolutely demolishing the chicken leg via his mouth, before they look back at the Pizza Man, who is still clutching onto his head.
Shedletsky brings no positive remarks to this conversation, Two Time thinks as they begin to frown. Shedletsky doesn’t help them at all in indoctrinating others to join in their worship of The Spawn, even though he admitted that they do care about it! What a liar! May The Spawn forgive him for his lies but they won’t.
Two Time grumbles as they glare at Shedletsky when they see the other smile back at them, completely ignoring the fact that he should be doing something to assist Two Time in getting Pizza Man to join in on their worship to The Spawn. Only exactly twenty-seven seconds of silence have passed after Two Time’s comment, leading the Pizza Man to finally snap out of their misery and raise his head up once more to look directly at Two Time with his furrowed and tired eyes.
“No.. How many times do I have to tell you this, Two Time?” The other sighs once more as he uses one of his hands to pinch the bridge of his nose, his brows furrowing even more. They can hear Shedletsky snicker from beside them as the one in red stands back up to stare Two Time down. “For the last time, my name is Elliot.”
Two Time just blinks as the Pizza Ma—
“Not ‘Pizza Man’. It’s Elliot.” He chokes out.
“Elliot.” They correct themselves on this matter, before their voice drops an octave when they lean closer to him. “I must humbly ask for another slice of pizza.”
“Oh my Telamon..” Elliot lowers his head once more until they are laid on his hands for a few seconds, before he abruptly snaps back upright and smiles at Two Time like nothing happened. They see Shedletsky stare at the two of them from the corner of their eyes. Two Time’s eye twitches at the mention of that.. false god once again, he will have to lecture Elliot later on this fatal transgression he has done. Elliot, seeming to not have noticed, continues smiling as he says, “Alright. I’ll save one more for you later.”
“Heyyy! Leave some for me too please!” They hear Chance say as they all turn to face the entrance to the dining area, where he was walking over from with a small smile on his lips. “Lady Luck has just been so mean to me lately! I couldn’t even find any more drinks in the cabinet. I even checked Noob’s secret stash..”
Chance sighs, before looking at them with a stiff smile. He then dramatically whips out the coin that he had been throwing earlier out from his pocket to show them one side of the coin, the three other survivors, besides Chance, having to crane their necks to stare at it due to Chance raising it high above them all. “Lady Luck isn’t favouring me these past few days because I’ve been getting only ‘Tails’ lately. If we were in a match, I would’ve gotten 63 stacks of Weakness and only one charge!”
“Wow.” Shedletsky snickers once more between mouthfuls of the chicken leg he’s eating as he adds, “63 stacks? Almost a whole new record if I’m not wrong. Guess someone has to work overtime to patch up those wounds.” to which Elliot could only awkwardly cough when Chance lightheartedly grins back at Shedletsky.
Two Time doesn’t comment as they are too busy calculating just how much damage that would’ve done to Chance if a flying brick came his way. Let’s just say even a feather could kill them. May The Spawn pity the gambler and have mercy on them and their feeble bones.
“Yeah, the highest number is still at an astonishing record of 67 stacks.. Can’t believe I lived that match. It’s all thanks to the other sentinels..” Chance tosses the coin and lets it land right onto the centre of his palm, before he turns to look at Elliot with an awkward smile on his lips as he then twirls the coin between his fingers, sounding hopeful. “So.. about that pizza, pal?”
“Eugh… Don’t call me that, but sure.” Elliot flashes him a small smile as he walks towards the dining area, leaving the three of them to stand near the ‘fireplace’ once more. Two Time still wants to call it the fire contained in the box. “I’ll set aside one more slice for you. An extra lucky charm for the matches as always.”
“You’re the best, pal. Glad to have you around.”
Chance flashes them a smile back, before he turns to face Shedletsky and Two Time after Elliot was out of sight from where they were all standing. Chance then perks up slightly after they’ve slid their coin right back into their pocket when he takes in the sight of Shedletsky’s onesie. “Oh, Shedletsky. I forgot to say that you have a really nice outfit on. Honestly, it gave me a pretty good chuckle.”
“Indeed.” Two Time says, their winged ears twitching as they bow their head slightly. “I had been somewhat surprised with your sudden presence in that attire to the point where I had momentarily forgotten to pray to The Spawn before eating. Do not worry however, as I had come to my senses and remembered their presence.”
“That’s.. good? I suppose..”
Two Time nods at Chance’s somewhat hesitant words, before they both turn to look at Shedletsky once more. Chance readjusts their hat as they flash a smile. “Where’d you get that onesie anyway, Shed..?”
“Attic. There’s more outfits up there if any of you are interested in raiding the closet with me. It’s honestly just a jumbled mess of clothes in various styles that I was completely taken aback by when I saw this beauty deep beneath it all.”
Shedletsky then twirls around while tossing the bone of the chicken leg away to the trash can nearby, before he places his hands on his hips in triumph. “You can follow me upstairs if you guys want to see the closet. I tried getting Builderman to match with me but he shut the door before I could even suggest anything.”
“Guess you could say…” Chance pauses, a small smile creeping to their face before they grin widely at Shedletsky, who looks at them with the exact same expression Chance had done earlier when Two Time had listened to Chance’s whispers. Chance whispers, “He chickened out..?”
“..What does chicken have to do with Builderman?” Two Time tilts their head slightly as they narrow their eyes at Shedletsky, who giggled along with Chance at their words. “Has The Spawn mayhaps demanded for a chicken to possess Builderman? Is that why he doesn’t come downstairs anymore after the rounds?”
There’s a moment of silence that follows that Two Time doesn’t like as both Chance and Shedletsky slowly stop laughing to look at them with crinkled eyes. Two Time doesn’t like the expressions they’re both making, nor do they know what emotions they are feeling.
“…No, Two Time.” Chance quietly shakes his head as both he and Shedletsky briefly glance at each other, before they then continue to stare at Two Time’s puzzled expression awkwardly. “It’s just like a wordplay thing. Uh, a joke.”
“I don’t get this joke.”
“Uhhh… This is awkward—”
They hear Chance whisper to Shedletsky, before Shedletsky opens his mouth.
“It’s all good, Two Time. No need to.. strain yourself over this.” Shedletsky awkwardly laughs to ease the tension as he pats Two Time on the shoulder, before he jabs his thumb with his other hand towards the staircase. “So… any of you want any new clothes? I’m planning to wear this for the next match because I wanna see that little demon child’s reaction to this.”
“Can’t hurt to take a look, it was getting kinda boring wearing this suit all the time too! Hope there’s some other decent suits up there for me.” Chance smiles as he walks behind Shedletsky, who was standing at the foot of the staircase with a grin on his face. “You coming along, Two?”
“Hm, The Spawn would rather for me to—”
“Pft.. The Spawn would want ya’ to dress up better. Doesn’t hurt you at all to take a peek, right?” Chance grins as he grabs Two Time by the wrist and yanks them upwards closer to him and Shedletsky. “Plus I’m sure.. there’s some clothes with The Spawn’s symbol. Somewhere.. Right, Shedletsky?”
“Y-Yeah.” Shedletsky gives them a thumbs up as he continues on, albeit voice shaking despite the fact that he just cleared his throat, “Stumbled on a few strange clothes here and there. Surprisingly, there was indeed a suit with their symbol. An entire one to be exact. Totally.”
“Oh, that’s.. convenient.” Chance hums. “So, what’s the verdict, Two..?”
Two Time’s eyes widen at Shedletsky’s answer, before they feel their stomach swoop in excitement. They reply as calmly and collected as they can to the two sentinels staring at them. “Then let us make haste. The Spawn would want us to hurry along then.”
Two Time feels their own lips twitch slightly as they rush forward past Chance and Shedletsky to climb up the stairs. Two Time doesn’t hear Chance mutter under their breath as they whirl around the corner to get to the attic, leaving the two adults behind at the foot of the staircase. “Interesting tactic, no? Also won’t Two Time threaten to curse you via their religion if they find out you lied?”
“Let’s just go before they wreck the closet by themselves.” Shedletsky smiles to himself as he trails behind Two Time, Chance following a few steps behind him. “And I was being completely dead serious about the suit with the symbol by the way.”
===============
“It’s.. here. Yeah, just around this corner.” Shedletsky pushes the door wide open for Two Time to walk through with a small smile on his lips. Two Time quickens their footsteps to catch up to him as they mentally note that Chance had scurried off to another drawer in the spacious attic so it was essentially just the two of them now near this room with the closet. “You’ll be fine in there by yourself, yeah? I might go check up on our buddy over there. Saw him scowling before we left actually..”
“The Spawn will watch over me for my safety.” Two Time simply replied, not bothering to even glance at Shedletsky as they entered the room to see a bunch of clothing racks and one closet placed directly beside the door. It was a bit dark but thankfully, Two Time’s eyesight has acclimated to the darkness since it was always night time here and there was an extremely faint ray of moonlight coming through a small window above their heads.
“If you say so! Please don’t forget to lock the door if you’re changing.” Shedletsky whirls around to face away from Two Time, giving them a small lazy wave, before he continues saying, “Don’t do the same mistake I did.. Anyways me and Chance will be waiting for you at the entrance of the staircase later since I think it’s the easiest way to regroup. Like, man.. this place is dusty.”
“That’s assuming if Chance isn’t being picky with what they wear..” Shedletsky perks up slightly as he plays with the hood of his onesie, remembering something. “You can also grab whatever clothes you like to.. bring to your own room for convenience and like.. maybe shove them aside somewhere. Even the ceiling lights work. That’s what I did with my chef uniform, hehe.”
“Mm. The Spawn is pleased with your words and praises you for your assistance.” Two Time whispers those words to them as a symbol of their immense gratitude and of thanks, before they swiftly turn away from the door to instead properly look inside the closet with a simple tilt of their head. Two Time pauses, in awe as they lean into the closet to see its contents better.
Two Time has never seen such an arrangement of soft fabrics like the ones that were before them at the present moment. Based on their vague recollection—they do not remember much since it has been possibly months or years since—their closet back then was rather sparse, unlike the one now which was rather abundant in its styles.
Their drawers consisted solely of rags, cloaks and other torn articles of clothing that The Spawn has blessed them with on a good day. The elders would always wear the ones that were simply not worn out while people like Two Time were left with the rest. They did not mind because they are always grateful to The Spawn for its assistance.
The coarse clothes that they used to wear were often soiled and dampened by the forest’s dew and mist, especially their scarf. It didn’t help that they and Azure used to frequent that forest in the early morning hours or late at night, where everything would still and it would be simply just the two of them alone.. and The Spawn watching over them obviously. Haha.
The dirt would always cling to their skin and beneath their nails but Two Time did not mind it in the slightest. The Spawn must have willed this, The Spawn must have wanted Two Time to experience the feeling of dirt and filth covering their being so that they would be more grateful for when they are undoubtedly given their second life. Two Time snaps out of their thoughts when they remember what they were doing now and pushes the bright articles of clothing to one side as their expression remains oddly blank.
Two Time’s hands skidded past the colours that screamed too brightly at their eyes and the ones that were barely any different to their usual clothes, which were essentially just extra copies of their original attire, before they eventually stopped on top of a white silken fabric. This one is different. Two Time tilts their head slightly more to observe its strangeness. They have never seen an attire such as this before, for they, the leaders, had required them to wear cloaks more often than the other strange articles of clothing such as this one held in their grasp when they were required to wear a long, flowy attire.
There was some sense of extravagance from the cloaks that were oddly similar to the clothing currently held against their palms and it was unlike anything they’ve ever worn before. It looked different, felt different. The feeling of the soft fabric is so smooth with little creases as the golden chains on it glint beneath the moonlight from the window above them. Two Time’s fingers pinch the chains and pale flowers with a curious look, before they carefully take the hanger with this clothing off from the rack. There is a small pause as Two Time takes a moment to stare at it.
A beat of silence occurs. Then almost quietly, the mood in the room shifts.
Two Time’s lips curve upwards and they begin to smile, really smile.
A smile that reaches from one ear to the other as they delicately take the clothing out of the closet, before making it lean against their body. Two Time can’t stop grinning.
This must be fate, the culmination of The Spawn’s desire for them to wear this when Two Time notices that it is indeed their size. The outfit is flowy and relatively light, perfect for when the rounds later eventually begin. This will assist them greatly, they think as they gently lay the piece of clothing against them once more and twirl around. It feels fun too.
They wonder what they would look like after they have worn it as they start to peel the layers of clothing off from the hanger, eyes crinkling as the smile widens. They mutter a quick thanks to The Spawn as they quietly shut the door of the room and lock it.
==============
“How many ties of this specific shade do you even have, Chance?!” Two Time carefully closed the door behind them, before walking silently to listen carefully to the other’s voice. The dress feels light as it trailed behind them.
“Like.. seven?” Two Time hears the other reply as they peek around the corner to glance at them. They carefully brush their bangs aside to see Chance and Shedletsky hunched over a small wooden box in the corner of the attic, chatting. Shedletsky was digging through its contents and tossing random clothes around the room while Chance merely watched.
“And your blouses..?” Shedletsky pauses his search to turn his head to look at Chance, who was crouched down beside him. Two Time could barely see their expressions from where they were standing. It seemed that Chance had also gotten changed since they were wearing a bright pink dress jacket over his usual attire and was currently sporting a new neon pink hat.
“Also seven.” Chance simply hummed in response as he unfolds a pair of black trousers from the wooden box that Shedletsky had tossed towards them a moment prior. Two Time carefully dusts the edges of their clothes, before making their way over to them.
“..Don’t tell me you have a total of seven pairs of socks with the exact same shade too?” Shedletsky whispers, his voice hoarse from perhaps the sheer disbelief at the idea. Two Time had to strain their ears to listen as they continued walking up to them. They can see that Chance got new headphones too as he readjusts the cuffs of his sleeves, before letting his hands rest in his pockets. Shedletsky narrows his eyes at the lack of response, before Chance grins and pulls out a coin from one of their pockets. Shedletsky huffs, “Chance.”
“Are you even surprised that I do?” Chance grins as they flick a small coin upwards between them, letting it fly high into the air before they catch it between the tips of their fingers effortlessly. Two Time can see their reflection in the shiny coin, before they discreetly move out of the way and stand right behind the two of them. “Seven is my lucky number, Shed.”
“Of course you—”
“Ack!” Shedletsky chokes on their own words upon glancing behind them for about a second, before they immediately scurry closer towards Chance and hug their arm out of reflex. Chance pauses, smiling as they raise an eyebrow at Shedletsky’s spooked expression, before they too, turn their head behind and let out a small yelp upon seeing Two Time staring eerily back at them.
“Why seven specifically?” is the greeting Two Time settles on when talking to them, their curiosity getting the better of them. They hum, before answering their own question as they lower their eyes. “Hm.. Mayhaps The Spawn has decreed for that to be true..”
“T-Two..! You.. scared us there a bit, buddy..” Chance lets out an awkward laugh as Two Time tilts their head slightly at his words. Shedletsky lets go of Chance’s arms as he readjusts his posture to face away from them both. Shedletsky mutters as he scratches the back of his neck, “Yeah, just a little bit..”
Two Time frowns slightly as they ask, “Why?”
They do not understand why the others have recoiled away as they cross their arms over their chest. Their frown deepens as they watch the other two stare at the outfit they’re wearing. Have they worn something that was perhaps insensitive towards the two of them?
“Two.. Uh—” Chance hesitantly lifts their hands up to vaguely point and gesture at the white clothing they’re wearing. “Apologies if I seem rude but like.. Do you.. know what you’re wearing exactly, Two?”
Two Time’s frown shifts slightly to one of neutrality as they shake their head. Chance and Shedletsky turn their heads once more to glance at each other, leaving Two Time to feel something twist inside their stomach at the growing silence.
Chance lowers his head to rest it on his hand, clearly deep in thought while Shedletsky scratches the back of their neck. Two Time can only begin frowning in discontentment as both Chance and Shedletsky continue to remain silent. They wonder just what exactly is making them so quiet.
“Sorry to intrude.. but Elliot told me to tell you guys that dinner is ready..” They hear a soft muffled voice coming from downstairs as they all collectively turn their heads towards the source. The muffled voice gets louder as they meekly ask, “So if you guys could.. maybe head downstairs now for that..?” There’s a small beat of silence with the exception of the sound of their footsteps, before Shedletsky smiles widely.
“Oh? Dinner!” Shedletsky grins as they quickly readjust their hood on their head and whirls towards the direction of the staircase. Chance and Two Time blink at his words as he continues on with, “Don’t mind me heading downstairs first then!”
“Oh-Uhm..” Two Time blinks as they begin to recognise that the voice from earlier had belonged to 7n7 as everyone turns to face towards the staircase. “Why.. is Two Time wearing a dress..?” 7n7 quietly asks as his head pops up from around the corner, a shy expression on his face.
Before Two Time could even blink, Shedletsky immediately barrels past 7n7 and scampers down the staircase before anyone could even utter a single word, let alone a sentence, leaving Chance and Two Time to stand alone in the attic with 7n7.
“..Beats me.” Chance huffs, before nudging Two Time by the shoulder over to the staircase with their elbow. “Two, let’s just go before Elliot gets angry. We can explain it to you later.. and Seven, thanks for passing on Elliot’s message, pal!” They finished off the sentence with a wink.
7n7 nods slowly at Chance’s words, before turning around to head back downstairs. Chance gently nudges Two Time’s hands over to the fabric of the dress and smiles. “If you don’t want the outfit to get dirtied so easily, just hold onto it like this when walking. I promise that you’ll be able to walk faster that way.”
Two Time blinks, before nodding.
They quietly hum to themselves as they wonder about Chance’s advice. It is surprisingly effective as they briskly walk down the staircase, licking their lips at the idea of eating pizza. May The Spawn bless them with a good meal and sufficient energy for their match later, they think as Chance trails behind them.