Chapter 1: Something Worse Than Death
Notes:
This is my third ever fic and my first Forsaken fic! I apologize if it's a little OOC, but I tried my best. Don't be afraid to tell me your thoughts in the comments. I always love what everyone has to say. I'll try to update as fast as I can, but I'm a little worried I'll get burnt out if I write too fast.
Anyways- I'll stop rambling. I hope you enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
When you are first forsakened, it’s easy to come to the conclusion that dying in some of the worst ways imaginable would be torturous. But after a while, you learn that there are things far worse than death. The real torture is the simple monotony of it all. You wake up each day just to run around in circles until you survive the ‘game’ or die trying. What’s the point of winning or losing if you’re just going to be brought back to the same cold and unforgiving fate every time? Dying is only a stinging piece of the horrid puzzle.
Guest 1337 was able to handle it better than most of the other survivors. He had known unspeakable pain since before he’d entered this realm, and had learned how to cope with it pretty early on. That’s not to say that he never suffered. He often felt the grief of missing his family and friends from before.
The other survivors would occasionally chat together about their pasts and their grievances, sort of like group therapy sessions, however he would rarely participate. He preferred to keep his problems to himself. He was the one that was meant to protect everyone, the one meant to stay strong in the face of hardship no matter the situation. It wouldn’t be helpful for him to worry those who needed to rely on him.
Keeping so locked up often came with a cost. It was hard for him to emotionally connect with the others in any substantial way. Others knew they could confide in him, but it’s hard to relate to someone that never reveals their thoughts regarding their own emotions. He did have a few connections that were a bit stronger than others, mainly within those who started out reserved like him, such as 007n7 and Builderman, both of whom eventually broke out of their hard shells. Their decisions were none of his business, though. He would not be swayed so easily.
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It was a cold morning, or as close to a morning as you could get when the sun never came up. Everybody was waking up and getting ready for yet another day that was destined to be the same as the hundreds of others before it. Guest was the first one awake. He sat at one of the booths in the cabin’s dining area nursing a mug of bitter black coffee. He stared into the intricate grains dancing across the wooden table, lost in his thoughts, of which he was quickly broken out at the sound of footsteps. He looked up to see a familiar man dawning a bright orange hard-hat. He was holding his own cup of coffee, likely coming from the same pot that Guest had brewed not long earlier.
“Mornin’’ Builderman greeted with his usual welcoming smile as he walked up to the booth Guest was sitting at. He scooted into the seat across from him.
“Goodmorning, Builder.” Guest reciprocated with a curt nod. “ How was your sleep last night?” He asked as a simple formality, though he could easily guess the answer.
“As good as it can be in this place.” Builderman let out a halfhearted chuckle. Good dreams were very few and far between in this realm. You were lucky if you didn’t dream at all. Most nights had been plagued with nightmares, mainly those reflecting bad memories of their pasts.
They continued with their small talk through the morning. Some of the other survivors joined in at parts. Others began their own conversations. Social connection was a must for surviving in this hell, and that was certainly something most had learned quickly. There is only so long you can survive when you feel alone.
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The first rounds of the day hadn’t turned out as well as they’d hoped. So far, they’d lost against 1x twice and John Doe once with not a single win to accompany them. Guest felt exhausted despite the day only being half over. The others seemed to reflect the sentiment. The cabin was quiet in-between rounds, many of the survivors kept to themselves to lick their emotional wounds. At least they didn’t bear physical wounds to tend to.
Memories of war flashed in Guest’s head, many featuring his fallen allies that he couldn’t save. He was supposed to be better than this. He couldn’t afford to miss so many of his blocks and punches, not when he had people to protect. Before he could dwell too long on his thoughts, his vision became a haze and his body grew to be as cold and numb as ice. He was plunged into the void, a feeling that was as familiar and comforting as it was threatening.
He woke up laying upon the sharp and itchy blades of grass that covered the main grounds across the map that had been nicknamed ‘Glass houses’ by his fellow survivors. He quickly got up onto his feet and observed the area. He, along with Elliot and 007n7, had been placed in the corner of the map boxed in by a few walls, almost appearing to be a faux maze. Elliot and 007n7 quickly made their way to the generator on the outer wall. Guest peeked out the side of the furthest entryway to help gain his bearings.
Guest let out a disappointed sigh as he saw what was ahead of him. Around the center of the map, Shedletsky was being chased by an enraged Slasher. How Shedletsky managed to be found and chased not even 10 seconds into the round was beyond Guest 1337. He ducked back behind the wall and moved to help Elliot and 007n7 complete the generator.
With an affirming chime the generator was complete, and 007n7 parted ways with the two. Guest decided to stick around with Elliot. Given how the day was going so far, he thought that it’d be better to protect Elliot and ensure his survival rather than trying to get right into action. He also just wanted to feel useful to the team, unlike how he felt he was in rounds earlier that day, where he’d gotten a bit in over his head and died early on. He escorted Elliot across the outer walls of the map to the mountain-like area. There they met Taph, who was setting his traps along the stairs. Taph began signing to them, starting a conversation and attempting to sort out a plan with them.
Guest greeted him, but didn’t pay close attention to conversation, instead opting to walk further along the platform past the two of them, leaving all the talking up to Elliot. He peered over the fence along the perimeters of the mountain, watching from above as Chance bought Shedletsky some time. They successfully stunned the killer for the first time today. He smiled slightly. Perhaps this day wouldn’t be so bad.
Both Shedletsky and Chance were able to get away from the Slasher in time with the aid of Dussekkar, who had been perched upon the balcony on the other end of the map. The two of them made their way towards the mountain after seeing the few that were standing there already. Once there, Chance and Shedletsky easily fit into the conversation alongside Elliot and Taph. Guest moved a few steps further down the clearing.
He kept his gaze ahead and watched as Two Time backstabbed the killer, earning the team yet another successful stun. Guest leaned forward onto the fence, resting his chin against a perched up hand. He watched as 007n7 stealthily made his way over to the mountain. Where before the man was an outcast, he now fit in nicely with all of the others. He joined their conversation with ease. Guest takes another step away from the crowd.
It might not be a good idea for so many people to meet in one place. It could easily make them vulnerable, Guest thought. He’s curious as to what they could be talking about that’s so much more important than actually doing their jobs or completing generators. It’s not long before Dusekkar and Builderman make their way across the map to join them, further advancing his worry. It’s been long enough that Taph has had to replace the traps that he’d put down earlier. Builderman strengthens them by fixing a well-placed sentry.
Guest continues to watch the killer from afar. He wishes he could go down there and help them, but it’s unlikely that he’ll accomplish anything but adding to their timer. He’s grateful for Two Time, who has been able to distract the killer for a while now, though he is worried about how much longer they will last.
Guest suddenly feels a hand on his shoulder, causing him to startle briefly. He looks over and sees 007n7. A concerned look paints his face.
“It seems like you’re distancing yourself from everyone. Is everything alright?” 7n7 asks in a hushed tone. He keeps his hand on Guest’s shoulder even as he settles next to him, taking upon a similar leaning position.
“Yes, everything is fine. You don't need to worry about me.” He gives him a tight smile that accentuates the tense wrinkles beside his eyes, a smile practiced through many years of quiet dismissal. 7n7 sighs lightly out his nose. He knows something is wrong, but he’s also learned that no amount of pushing will get Guest to open up to him. He’ll just have to wait until he’s ready. He smiles back at him and lifts the gentle hand from his shoulder.
“Alright, whatever you say. Just let me know if that ever changes.” His tone stays worried despite Guest’s reassurance. He stands up straight and walks back towards the others. Guest’s smile soon falls in favor of a far more exhausted look. He appreciates the sentiment, but he’s confident that no changes will ever be made. Nobody should ever have to worry about him. He’s the one that’s supposed to be worrying about them for Spawn’s sake.
His worry spikes as he notices Two Time running towards the mountain from across the map with Slasher not far behind them. It won’t be long before they run out of stamina. He looks over towards the group beside him, who doesn’t seem to notice their predicament. Without a second thought, Guest leaps off the edge of the fence, stalling for a moment as he hits the ground with practiced ease. Two Time is a little more than halfway to the mountain. Guest runs to hopefully meet them there.
Two Time is reduced to a walking speed as they run out of stamina. Guest notes that they’re currently limping as they attempt to make their way over, a manic smile plastered on their face despite the visible blood running down their face and clutched arm. He dashes over and is able to block an attempted attack from Slasher. A loud clang is heard as metal makes contact with Guest’s armor. He quickly parries the attack before Slasher has a chance to retaliate. He looks over his shoulder to see if Two Time was able to escape, his shoulders relaxing a little in relief as he sees them on the mountain with the others eating one of Elliot’s pizza slices.
He knows that he should have a few more seconds to get away. He’s stunned the killer more times than he could count, the time limit had been rooted deep into his subconscious by now. There was no need to turn his head back around. He picks up his foot, planning to pivot and run back towards the others.
But before that foot can meet the ground again he finds that he’s lost his balance. He feels a sharp pain in his shoulder for a moment.
Guest hits the ground hard, the breath is knocked out of him as if he never had lungs to start with. He feels a strong pressure against his chest, keeping him from rising. He looks up to see the Slasher above him, one of his mud-caked boots digging into his armored vest. He’s leaning down, furthering the weight he’s applying onto his foot. He’s close enough Guest swears that he can feel his breath through his mask.
Guest opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out but a small strained noise. He has to act fast, but he can’t bring himself to move. He’s somewhat brought back to his senses once he sees Shedletsky in his peripheral vision. He slashes the killer with his sword, stunning him. With the extra time, Guest is able to charge upwards at Slasher, knocking them off of him. He runs away towards the mountain, breathing labored from shock.
His head is full of questions. Nothing like that has ever happened here before, at least not that he knows of. He meets Elliot at the top of the mountain, who offers him a slice of pizza. Guest reaches to take it before realizing that he hadn’t actually taken any damage during the interaction. He pulls his hand away much to Elliot’s confusion.
“Guest, this is no time to act like you don’t deserve to be healed. I saw what happened down there, I’m sure you need this more than anyone else here.” Elliot scolds him, pushing the pizza slice towards him more.
“No, actually I’m alright. I’m not hurt.” Guest affirms, his own surprise a little apparent in his voice. Elliot raises an eyebrow at him, a scowl pulling at his lips. He doesn’t budge. Guest shrugs and smiles sheepishly under Elliot’s hard gaze. This reminds him of how he felt when he was a young soldier being scolded by his higher-ups. Elliot is probably one of the only other survivors that Guest is at least a little afraid of. Elliot studies him for a moment longer, and only pulls the pizza back when he realizes that he’s telling the truth. His face morphs into one of puzzlement.
“Why not?” Is the only thing Elliot is able to think of in response.
“What do you mean ‘why not’? Isn’t that a good thing?” Guest replies, a bit baffled.
“I guess? But why didn’t Slasher attack you? When I saw you on the ground I’d just assumed that he’d somehow killed you in one shot. Although, I’ve never seen him do a move like that before.”
“Me neither.. I hope that the Spectre isn’t trying anything new.” Guest relaxes a little, his exhaustion coming back as the adrenaline wears off. He looks to the side to see Shedletsky walking up the stairs towards them. He has a smug smirk on his face. Guest figured that he would make a bigger deal out of saving him than was necessary.
“You’re welcome for saving your ass back there. You looked like a fish out of water!” Shedletsky joshed at him as he walked up the last flight of stairs.
“I appreciate the help, but I could’ve done it by myself.” Guest put on a stern look and crossed his arms.
“Sure you could’ve. That’s why you were sitting there ogling at him.” Shed teased further. His smirk only grew wider, easily becoming amused at Guest’s response.
“What!? I was not ogling at him. You know that I have a wife.” Guest frowns at him. Elliot tries to stifle a laugh as he listens in to their interaction.
“Hey, nobody can resist being pinned down by a big strong man. Many people would’ve paid to be in your place. I’m sure she would understand.” Shedletky puts a hand on his shoulder, feigning consolation. Guest just glares at him in annoyance, even so he could never really be that mad at him. He knows his sense of humor well by now.
He looks to Elliot for some sort of assistance only to see him visibly straining while trying not to laugh. The look Guest game him broke his resolve quickly, and he couldn’t help the sputter that came out. It eventually evolved into a fullhearted laugh, though he did try to keep quiet so as to not draw too much attention towards them. Only after he settled down did he respond.
“Sorry, sorry.. He does sort of have a point, though!” Elliot smiled at him and wiped a tear that formed in his eye. Guest merely sighed and dragged a hand down his face, which had only caused the two of them to laugh more at his suffering. Guest was unable to hold back a small smile. He was glad that his teammates were still able to find things to laugh about in this hellhole.
He decided to redirect his attention towards something more important. He moved over to the mountain’s ledge to observe the situation at hand. He saw that Two Time and Chance were once again distracting Slasher with the occasional help of Dusekkar, who was perched on the mountain’s ledge beside Builderman’s turret.
He didn’t know where the others were right-off, but he assumed that they were all off working on the remaining generators, as he could hear the familiar chimes in the distance. He could feel that there wasn’t much time left in the round. If all continued going well then they could get their first win of the day with very minimal harm done.
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The rest of the day’s rounds went by like usual. They won a few more times, but also lost some more. Everything should’ve been fine, but no matter what he tried, Guest couldn’t seem to get the event from earlier out of his mind.
There had to be something deeper going on. Sure, it’s possible that Guest had just misjudged the stun time. Unlikely, but possible. However, even if he had, that wouldn’t be the only problem. Why had Slasher attacked him like he usually would? Why had he chosen not to deal any real damage? He could have easily done some real harm with a gashing wound hit if he’d wanted to. This all perplexed Guest. He just wished he knew what was going on inside that killer’s head.
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All of the survivors were eating dinner in the dining room. They didn’t necessarily need to eat or drink in this place, but it brought a nice connection to their past lives, as well as serving as a time to unwind and connect with one another. Guest was sitting at a table with the other sentinels. He wasn’t paying all that much attention to the conversation. It was mainly Shedletsky and Chance talking and joking with one another.
The world around him felt like TV static. The pizza tasted bland, almost like cardboard. Elliot was not a bad cook, far from it actually, but no matter how good a certain dish is, it’ll eventually lose all life if it’s all you ever eat. After he was done eating, he quickly said his goodbyes and exited to his personal cabin.
As soon as he got there he began performing his usual nightly routine. He took off his boots, leaving them by the door, and went into his bathroom to take a shower. Afterwards he put on his pajamas, which were just his undershirt and boxers, and he went to bed.
For a while he just laid there staring at the ceiling. His bed was hard and just made his back feel even more sore. He tried to think of something, anything different, but his mind always brought him back to what happened earlier. Why had the Slasher done that? And why hadn’t he done anything to stop it until Shedletsky came in? He figured that it probably wasn’t as big of a deal as he was making it out to be, but he just kept being brought back to that feeling of pressure against his chest. Did it remind him of something that happened before he came here? He knew Shedletsky had just been joking earlier when he said it.. But had he enjoyed the feeling?
Now that was a thought that he didn’t want to entertain. He had a wife back home, and a daughter. Not to mention that he was thinking about one of the killers. It would be far more than strange to have any sort of desire for one of them.
He would never be the kind of guy to fall for someone like that…
…Right?
Nope. This isn’t something that he should genuinely be concerned about. He turned off the lamp on his bedside and forced his mind to get rid of the thought.
He continued to toss and turn for hours, never truly getting comfortable. Eventually, though, his mind succumbed to his exhaustion and he fell into a cold and dreamless sleep.
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Notes:
If anyone is interested in being a beta reader for this fic then plz reach out! My discord username is abatnamedJD and so are all of my other socials. None of my friends are in the Forsaken fandom so they wouldn't be able to 💔
These idiots need to kiss right now! Too bad that I have to build their relationship first 🙄(/silly)
Chapter 2: Lonely Together
Summary:
Guest 1337 has a talk with Slasher.
Notes:
This chapter is very dialogue heavy, which is pretty out of my comfort zone, so I hope it turned out alright!
Plz let me know if you notice any errors and I'll try to fix them.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Guest woke up early, as usual, and was still tired. He wished that he could just curl up and stay in bed all day, but he had a job to do. It didn't help that it took him so long to fall asleep. He figured that getting a little is better than getting none at all. He pried himself out of bed. It seemed that his bed was only ever comfortable when he had to leave it. Maybe the Spectre did that on purpose to mess with him. He quickly got dressed and left for the main cabin.
He was typically the first person awake, so he was surprised to see that all of the other survivors had already woken up and were doing their typical morning activities. He preferred to be the first one awake, as it gave him time alone to get ready for the day before the crowd came in. Shedletsky and Builderman were sitting on the couch beside the fireplace, and were therefore the first people there to see him walk in. Shedletsky craned his head around to face him.
“Well look who decided to show up! How was your slumber, sleeping beauty?” Shedletsky teased him. The day had just begun and he already had to deal with Shed’s bullshit.
“What time is it? Usually everyone’s still asleep when I get here.” Guest ignored Shedletsky’s comment to ask Builderman, who knew him well enough to know that he rarely, if ever, woke up late. His voice still sounded gravely and weak, unreflective of his usual demeanor.
“Rounds’ startin’ in a couple o’ minutes. Is everything alright? You look like you just got dragged through the mud.” Builderman informed. Guest's eyes widened in surprise. Perhaps it wasn’t as early as he thought it was. Who doesn’t wake up late on occasion? Though, he had never woken up this late before.
“I suppose I must’ve needed the extra rest. I’ll be alright.” Guest assured him, despite his face still showing his surprise. He straightened his back and tried to force himself to wake up a little. He made his way to the coffee pot beside the grandfather clock. It was mostly empty by now, with just enough inside to pour one more cup. Just the smell of it alone was able to lift his morning up at least a little more. Not even being trapped in hell could stop someone’s crippling caffeine addiction. Guest made his way to the dining room to find a seat. He noticed 007n7 sitting in a corner booth playing around with his c00lgui. He walked over to him, figuring that he’d enjoy the company.
“Goodmorning, 7n7.” Guest greeted in his usual friendly manner. 007n7 seemed surprised at the sound of his voice, startling a little when he heard his name. He swiftly put his gui away in order to give the man his full attention.
“Goodmorning, Guest. I wasn’t expecting you to show up today.” 007n7 replied. Guest moved into the seat across from him.
“Why wouldn’t I show up? If I’m not mistaken, I don’t believe I’ve ever missed a day in the past.” Guest replied. He took a sip of his coffee and scowled slightly at the burnt taste of it. It’d definitely been left on the hotplate for too long. He drank it anyways, believing that no coffee deserved to go to waste.
“I figured that there was a first for everything, and throughout yesterday you had seemed a little… off. I’d thought that maybe you just needed a rest.” 007n7 explained. His words seemed a little strained, as if he was afraid of offending him.
“I suppose you aren’t completely wrong. Something has been on my mind lately. I also did wake up pretty late.” Guest admitted, absentmindedly drumming his fingertips against the table’s smooth surface.
“Would you like to talk about it?” 7n7 asked reluctantly. He knew that the answer would probably be no, but it didn't hurt to try.
“Maybe another time. I appreciate the sentiment, though.” It was the answer 7n7 had grown to expect. It never seemed to be the right time, and it probably never will be, so why was he always waiting around for the perfect time to show up? Why couldn’t his friend trust him enough to talk to him? He felt a pang in his heart as he smiled weakly in concession.
The conversation quickly grew stale after that. Guest quietly sipped his coffee, and 007n7 chose to fidget with his hands and wait for that all too familiar moment. His body and mind began to melt away as he gave into the void with open arms like he was greeting an old friend.
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The majority of the day’s rounds were just like usual. They were starting to get into the late afternoon rounds, and, oddly enough, they hadn’t gotten a round with Slasher as the killer yet. Usually the rounds were pretty evenly split between the killers, though some days you did see more of them than others. Nevertheless, It was far rarer for a killer to just not show up.
One of the last rounds of the day had begun, and Guest found himself hoping to see that hockey mask for the first time since he arrived in this dimension. Maybe he could try talking to him. It was unlikely to go anywhere besides his demise, but perhaps he could gain some peace of mind.
He found himself at the cemetery of Yorick’s resting place. He’d been placed beside Builderman, who was already building a preparatory dispenser and planning out where to place a sentry. He seemed quite focused on his tasks, so Guest decided it’d be best to just leave him be. He silently left the area and began making his way towards the house. It was usually where the killer was set, so they were likely still nearby. He hoped that he wouldn’t regret this.
He made his way over to pillars across the map from the house, and just as he expected, the killer was nearby. He could tell from the creeping feeling that he always got when he was within the radius of one of the killers. The first time he felt it, it’d been quite stressful, but now it was nothing more than informational. He heard the sounds of a chainsaw behind the main cliff. It was good news to hear that Slasher was here, but one of his teammates was in danger. He ran towards the scene and turned the corner to see the grass stained red with blood splatter. Ahead of him was a limping and bleeding Dusekkar frantically looking around for an escape plan. He turns around and locks eyes with Guest, his face pleading. Before either of them could react, a sharp blade tears against the skin of his neck, swiftly cutting it clean off. Duskkar’s pumpkin head, its face still displaying one of shock, cracks against the ground. His body soon goes limp and follows suit, blood still draining out.
Guest grimaces at the sight. He’d like to say that he’s desensitized to the sight of gore, which is mostly true, but it’s still not a pretty sight. This wasn’t a very unusual occurrence. Dusekkar was commonly the first one to get targeted by the killers.
Slasher gripped his bloody machete like a vice. He stood motionless, staring at Guest unreadably.
They stood there staring at one another for a moment. Guest wasn’t sure whether he should run now or wait to see what he does. He cautiously lifted his hand and waved at him. Slasher tilted his head to the side, intrigued. Still, he continued to stand there. If he really wanted to kill him, he probably would’ve attacked him by now, so maybe this was a good sign.
“So… nice weather we’re having..?” Guest tried to break the ice. He smiled awkwardly at him. Maybe he should’ve chosen a better question considering that the weather never changed here. He heard a low chuckle from behind Slasher’s mask. His grip seemed to loosen a little.
“You could say so.” Slasher’s voice rumbled. To be honest, before talking to him Guest wasn’t even sure if he could talk. He’d never heard him speak before. His voice was quite pleasant for someone who doesn’t use it often. They went back to staring at each other for a while. What is someone supposed to say in a situation like this? Slasher seemed to be getting a little antsy. Guest would need to bring the conversation back if he wanted anything to come from this.
“ I was wondering why you didn’t attack me properly yesterday.” Guest asked the main question that was on his mind. He would usually try to ease the conversation in with a little small talk, but he didn’t want to waste too much time here. Though, maybe his team would benefit from him taking his time.
Slasher didn’t respond immediately, and Guest was starting to get worried that he’d crossed a line, or maybe he just hadn’t heard him. He was going to reiterate, but then he heard him speak.
“ I.. don’t entirely know. Killing you just doesn’t feel right to me. She seems to agree.” He explained, tilting his head towards the book stabbed into his shoulder.
“ She?” Guest was a bit confused. Was there someone else here with them?
“ My mother speaks to me through this book. She guides me through my work. She is my guardian angel. It may be a little unconventional, but I’m glad to have her here with me.” He uses his free hand to gently caress the book. Guest tried to remain respectful, but something about his words reminded him of some of the things Two Time would tell him. Everyone’s gotta have something to believe in, he supposed.
“ How are you going to win if you refuse to kill me? And why did you choose me?” Guest’s mind was just filled with more questions than there were answers.
“ What’s the point of winning when nothing is earned from it? It’s all the same every time. It is simply my job here to kill you all over and over for the foreseeable future. I’ve been told that you all have reasons as to why you deserve it, but I feel that your reason is unjustified. You were a victim of your environment, and you did what you felt was right. I believe that, if anyone here doesn’t deserve to be in this place, it would be you.” He explained his point of view as if it were a simple concept. Guest was put a little bit more at ease by his words. Maybe these killers still held at least some of their humanity. He moved to walk towards him, but paused when he felt Dusekkar’s lifeless body against his boot. How easy it was for this man to kill others puzzled him a little. Though, he does seem to see it as more of a chore than an actual pastime. Maybe from his point of view, it wasn’t as different as a soldier simply doing what they were told.
He gingerly stepped over Dusekkar’s body and began to approach the Slasher. He could see his grip tighten a little once more. He tried his best to move slowly and to not make any sudden movements, as if he were approaching a scared animal. He walked until they were face to face. Guest had to look up a little, as he was slightly shorter than Slasher, maybe by a few inches. As he looked closer, he could see the outlines of the man’s eyes behind his mask. It was a little nerve wracking to get this close to someone who would historically kill him without a second thought.
“ What changed your mind? Why start acting now?” Guest tried to study him through his mask, but even from this angle it was just as hard. He was usually very good at reading people. It stumped him to meet someone who he couldn’t read. The only other person that was able to stump him at times was Daisy.
“ For the longest time, she tried to convince me that what I was doing was the right thing. For the first time, I couldn’t help but doubt her judgement of you. That look in your eyes when you protect your teammates is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Her word is final, I must follow it even if it kills me. Eventually, however, she was able to change her mind and truly see the good in you.” Slasher looked down at him with the same blank and unreadable look. Guest could feel the emotion in his words, and that was enough for him.
“ Why are you telling me all of this?” Guest looked up at him skeptically. Why was he opening up to him so easily?
“ I think that you deserve to know, after all I’ve put you through. I think I know you well enough to trust that you won’t use this information against me.” Slasher replied. The grip on his machete was loose, but he still held it. This was surely a start, Guest thought.
“I don’t think we have much time left. Would you like to join me as I wait out the rest of this round?” Guest offered. Without waiting for an answer, he began walking away towards one of the pillars a bit further away from them. He was happy to hear the footsteps that were following him.
He found a nice place beside one of the pillars and sat down beside it, leaving enough room for Slasher to sit next to him. The man in question sheathed his machete before sitting down. They settled in easily, finding comfort in the soft grass beneath them. Guest looked up at the night sky and counted all the stars he could see. He wondered if any of the stars here were real, or if they were another ruse made up by the Spectre. Either way, they were quite pretty.
Slasher looked at him and followed his gaze up. He seemed content.
“ It’s been a long time since I’ve watched the sky.” Slasher noted quietly.
“I could say the same. I can’t stargaze at the cabin because it’s always cloudy. Occasionally my wife and I would have dates in the park at night where we would just watch the stars together.” Guest recounted thoughtfully.
“ The cabin? You have a wife?” Slasher looked over at him curiously.
“ In between every round all of us get sent back to a small neighborhood of cabins. We have a main cabin that serves sort of as a base, and the rest of the cabins are for us to sleep in. Also, yes, I have.. had a wife before all this. Her name is Daisy.” Guest explained. A bit of sadness laid behind his last remark. “ As much as I miss her, I’m glad that she’s not with me. I wouldn’t want her to go through what this place has done to us. I just hope that she’ll still remember me when I get back.”
“ You really shouldn’t be in a place like this. You deserve so much more than what it has to give you.” Slasher tried to console him. He looked at him rather than the stars. Guest shifted his gaze down towards himself.
“ None of the people here really deserve what’s been done to them. I don’t know what you’ve been told, but I know my teammates are good people, even despite their pasts. I doubt that the Spectre really cares for morals as much as he wants to feed off of our agony.” Guest fidgets with the grass beside him, gently feeling the short blades between his fingers.
“ At least you guys have each other. I don’t get many opportunities to speak with the other killers. We all have our own places, and we learned to adapt to that. I’d imagine it’s better to kill than be killed, but in some aspects, our lives aren’t any better than yours.” Slasher commented. He watched Guest closely. Guest let out a sigh. They really all were in the same boat.
“Maybe it doesn’t have to be this way. Maybe you don’t have to be alone.” Guest thought out loud. He looked back up at the stars. The light reflected off of them, turning them from what looked like an inky black into a beautiful deep blue. The Slasher admired him as he watched, and felt that maybe he was right.
As the timer ran out, the stars began to fade away with the world around them until it was nothing but darkness.
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As Guest faded back into reality, he felt calmer than usual. When everyone got back, Dusekkar was laying on the couch reading a book. He didn’t look up even as he heard everyone begin talking. 007n7 walked up to Guest.
“ Where were you? Nobody saw you anywhere that whole round.” 007n7 questioned him worriedly.
“ I was distracting the killer.” He replied simply, choosing not to go into any further detail. 007n7 still appeared confused.
“ How did you manage to do that without dying or running into anyone else?” He pressed for more information
“ I did run into Dusekkar pretty early on, but he didn’t make it.” Guest said, grimacing at the memory. “ I suppose the killer wasn’t trying that hard this time around.” He made up an excuse. 007n7 didn’t seem too convinced, but he decided to just let it go. He walked away to go join a conversation between Elliot and Shedletsky. Guest kept to himself throughout the intermission. He made himself a cup of coffee and sipped on it while sitting on the porch outside. The sounds of the waves hitting the shore not far away were quite soothing, serving as a great way to destress in between rounds.
Before long, he found himself drifting off again as he was transported to the last round of the day.
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Akin to the majority of the day’s rounds, the last one was pretty usual. They were up against 1x, who had been particularly keen on killing Shedletsky this time around. He ended up wasting all of his time doing so, giving all the others an easy win. Shed was a little pissed afterwards, as he’d died a few seconds before the round ended.
Guest opted to skip dinner, instead choosing to go to bed early. He made his way to his cabin and did his usual nightly routine. His bed still felt as uncomfortable as ever, and he tossed and turned a little bit, but he was still able to fall asleep much faster than he had the day before. It was better knowing that he had something to look forward to the next day.
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Notes:
I sorry to all of the Dusekkar lovers reading this. It had to be done 🥀
I was very tired while writing this. I'm probably going to go take a nap now :,)
Update: I made some art featuring one of the scenes in this chapter! You can find it here or on my tumblr @thegayestofbats
Chapter 3: We All Need a Little Someone
Summary:
Memories always seem to come back at the worst of times.
Notes:
Happy Slasher day!! I'm so happy he's finally here :))
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Guest’s morning was going a lot better than the one before. He’d woken up refreshed and ready for the day, and even found himself laughing at the pointless banter that was stirred up between Shedletsky and Dusekkar. It helped a lot that he was able to get his usual alone time earlier, and that his coffee wasn’t too burnt when he went to drink it. He sat at one of the tables by the stage reading a random magazine that he’d found on one of the bookshelves. Builderman sat next to him. His face showed his poorly hidden amusement, though you could tell that he was trying to seem stern as he glared at Shedletsky. Based on the way Shed snickered when he saw the face Builder was making, it wasn’t working very well. Builderman didn’t really hold the authority that he used to despite how he occasionally tried to act like it. Although, he never really held any true power over Telamon even before they were both forsakened.
Guest turned the page in the magazine he was reading. The majority of the stuff in it didn’t interest him at all. It was mostly beauty advertisements and articles relating to celebrities he didn’t recognize. His eyes scanned the page, not really reading any of the words on it until he came across an article labeled “Back to School Trends”. The picture along the side of the page was of a young girl, perhaps around middle school age. She was looking back at the camera with a smile, showing off a pink and blue backpack. It looked like something Charlotte would’ve asked him for.
He shut the magazine abruptly and stood up from the table, his hands trembling slightly. The sudden movement caught Builderman’s attention, whose face softened with concern.
“Y’ alright there, bud? You’re lookin’ a little pale.” Builderman asked. His eyes flicked down to the fashion magazine that Guest held firmly. He seemed a little surprised. “ I didn’t know you were into that kinda media.” He let out a strained chuckle, trying to lighten his mood. Guest’s eye twitched slightly.
“ That’s probably because I’m not.” He feigned a smirk, and was relieved when Builderman seemed to believe it. Guest silently excused himself. He didn’t bother to push in his chair or take his coffee mug with him. He rushed his way to one of the bookshelves in the main room and shoved the magazine in an empty spot. He moved to the front door and pushed through it. The cold morning air bit at his skin, making him pause for a moment. It felt too real for a place like this.
He walked outside and the door closed behind him with a loud thud. He all but ran to the beach’s shore, the white noise growing as he approached the salty waves. The sand crunched underneath his heavy boots as he drew near. He sat down just far enough from the bank to avoid the water and brought his knees to his chest, curling into them. His breaths came out heavy. He could feel the weight of grief against his chest. His eyes burned with tears left unshed.
He could never forgive himself for leaving them, even if he did what he had to do. He’d do anything just to see Charlotte’s smile again, just to hear her sweet laugh again. He wanted nothing more than to come home like he’d promised, to be there for her and watch her grow.
How long has he really been here? Does time even pass at the same rate as it does there? If he came back, would she even remember him? How many milestones had he missed? What if Daisy has already moved on and found someone new? If he came back, would they even need him anymore?
His mind spiraled as it thought of all the possibilities. He rested his forehead against his knees and shut his eyes. His fingernails dug into his skin as he gripped his legs like a vice. He didn’t have time for this. He couldn’t afford to be vulnerable in a place like this. He forced his shaky breaths to slow as he performed one of the most common breathing exercises that he’d do while he was enlisted.
In for four.
Hold for four.
Out for four.
Hold for four.
Repeat.
He repeated until he felt his breath steady. His mind slowed, though some of the feeling still remained. He lifted up his head and relaxed his arms. His fingers gently dug into the loose sand beneath them. He opened his eyes and watched as the waves violently thrashed against the dock ahead of him, while they simultaneously gently kissed the sandy shore. His thoughts seemed to dissipate as he listened into the lulling sound of the waves crashing against each other. He let his eyes get lost in the sight. They wandered, looking forwards as far as they could. The water went on as far as he could see, although the distance was partly hidden by the dense fog that surrounded the place. It was a blessing to be able to find just a little bit of solace in a place like this.
Even in the serenity of it all, guilt still panged at his heart. As his vision faded, he found himself yearning for company. It would be wonderful to have someone to share this beautiful sight with.
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When he regained feeling, he found himself in the corner of Pirate Bay behind the smaller of the two broken down buildings in the lower area. The majority of the other survivors were near him, except for Elliot and Chance who had been placed a little further away, closer to the other building. Shedletsky and 007n7 made quick work of the nearby generator, and before long, everyone had dispersed throughout the place besides Guest and Noob.
He made his way towards the center of the map, hoping that he’d find the killer. Noob cautiously followed him. They always seemed nervous despite how they’ve surely been through thousands of rounds by now. Their abilities were quite powerful, and they’d shown in the past that they could be a pretty quick thinker, so Guest appreciated them nonetheless.
They walked together in silence, nothing but the sound of rain hitting the ground to fill the void. That was, at least, until Guest heard a small shriek behind him and the sound of running. He whipped his head around and saw Slasher chasing a panicking Noob. He quickly followed suit and was able to make it just in time to block Slasher’s first attempt at an attack. He parried the attack, but not without sucking in a breath through his teeth. He was able to buy Noob enough time to run away, thankfully unscathed. He looked back at Slasher and felt a bit guilty.
“ Even if you’re willing to lose in order to protect me, that won’t stop me from protecting my teammates.” Guest clarified. He waited for a moment, expecting a reply.
His expectations were left unmet, though, when Slasher turned around and walked in the other direction as if Guest weren’t even there. He stood there for a moment before deciding to leave him be. Perhaps he just needed space. He ran in the other direction and up the hill. He walked around the back of the map and made his way towards the shipwreck. Things were quiet. His teammates were carefully repairing the generators. Little chimes could be heard as they completed each task. His skin began to feel cold as the rain soaked his uniform. It was refreshing to have something other than clear or cloudy skies for once, however uncomfortable the rain felt. He took his time walking across the clearing, silently observing the others.
Before long, the peace was interrupted as Elliot appeared around the far corner ahead of him, running towards him. Slasher appeared not long afterwards, fast and enraged. As they ran past him, Guest followed behind the two. His block ability was still on cooldown, but he was sure that he could still be of use. He eventually caught up to them. Elliot was backed against a wall and out of stamina.
He was cornered. He walked backwards away from Slasher, looking for an escape route. When he saw none, he huffed in frustration. He glared at Slasher annoyedly, and the other lifted his blade. Elliot closed his eyes and braced for impact. But, to his surprise, none came.
He opened his eyes and saw Guest in front of him with Slasher’s machete a mere millimeter from making contact with his neck. Elliot’s face contorted in confusion. Slasher seemed to be frozen for a moment before retracting his blade. Had he been stunned or something? That’s not usually what a stunned killer would look like, but it was the only conclusion Elliot could think of.
“ What the hell?” Elliot blurted out. He leaned to the side to get a better view of the two in front of him. Slasher’s hands shook, his blade wavered slightly along with it. Slasher suddenly turned around and ran away. “What? Why didn’t he hit you?” Elliot asked Guest.
“ I.. don’t know.” Guest hesitantly told Elliot. It was easier to lie to people when you weren’t directly facing them. Though, even if he was, he was still good at putting on an act.
“ Is this like what happened the other day?” Elliot moved so that he was standing next to him rather than behind him. He looked toward Guest. He seemed to be thinking.
“ I think so.” Guest affirmed. “ I’m going to follow him.” Guest decided, moving to take a step forward. Elliot put a hand on his shoulder.
“ What!? Are you crazy? He’ll probably kill you! Whatever’s holding him back probably won’t last forever.” Elliot was baffled at the idea.
“Maybe… but I don’t really care if I die right now. I’m sure you’ll all be fine. I’ll just join you in the next round anyway.” Guest tried to justify his reasoning to Elliot. Elliot looked at him, bewildered. Something about Guest seemed.. different. He’s never doubted him before, though, so why start now.
“Alright. Whatever floats your boat.” Elliot replied, unconvinced. He took his hand off of Guest’s shoulder and let it settle at his side. Guest took that as a sign that he could leave. He ran in the same direction that Slasher had. It didn’t take long for Guest to find him. He was in front of the shipwreck, seemingly looking around for the other survivors. He walked up behind him, but Slasher didn’t seem to notice.
“ Are you feeling alright?” Guest asked gently. Slasher startled and whipped his head around to look at him. He turned to run away, but before he could, Guest grabbed the wrist of his non-dominant hand. Not enough to cause discomfort, but firm enough to keep him in place. “ Why do you keep running from me? Are you upset about me stunning you earlier? I promise it wasn’t anything personal.” Guest’s face was painted with concern. Slasher’s hands continued to tremble. He looked back at him for a moment then quickly looked away again. His hand balled into a tight fist, but he didn’t pull away.
“ Don’t look at me like that.. I don’t deserve it.” Slasher’s voice croaked from behind his mask. He leaned away from Guest, testing his grasp. Guest gently pulled him back. He took a step forward to lower the distance between them.
“ Why would you think that?” Guest’s voice was comforting and full of care. He’s always been told that he was good at comforting others. That’s one of the reasons why Daisy had told him he’d be a good dad.
“ I’ve hurt you and your friends so many times, and I still continue to do so. Why are you trying to connect with me?” Slasher inquired in return. His gaze was directed towards the ground.
“ You’re just doing what you were told to do, but I feel that there’s more to you than that. I believe that everyone deserves a chance to be better. You’ve shown that you have good morals despite your actions. I think that’s something worth admiring.” Guest consoled him. Slasher’s trembling hand calms a little, relaxing and unfurling.
“ A person like me doesn’t deserve a second chance. The only person I have is her and she isn’t even really here with me. I deserve to be like this.” Slasher insisted, though he didn’t reject it when Guest’s hand traveled downwards. He gently interlocked their fingers together and walked forward to stand beside him. He looked towards Slasher, who was still looking down.
“ Were you ever really given a chance in the first place?” Guest asked softly. He felt Slasher’s grip tighten, though he didn’t respond. He studied him, trying to gauge his reaction to his implication, but he was hard to read. Looking closer, he saw droplets escaping from beneath the others' mask. He began to hear small sobs and sniffles. Guest began to rub small circles into the other’s hand with his thumb. That seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, as the other began to sob uncontrollably. His hand tightened, gripping to the other like a vice. He moved to lean on Guest, and in turn Guest moved to embrace him closer.
“ No one deserves to be alone. You’re worth caring about.” Guest consoled him. He began rubbing small circles into his back. The taller one seemed to melt in his grasp like long-since crystalized honey that’s been put over a warm stovetop. Though he likely wasn’t ready to admit it, this greatly comforted Guest as well. It’s been a long time since he’s really hugged anyone or been somewhat vulnerable with someone. He wished that he could be here with him forever, just holding each other and letting the rain soak them to their cores, but they had places to be.
As the round came to an end, he continued to hold onto him and let him cry into his shoulder. He held him tighter as his consciousness began to drift, as if that would stop the pull of the void.
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Guest woke up in the cabin as always, and he couldn’t help but feel a little empty. One of the first times that he let himself relate to someone here and it just had to be one of the few people that he has extremely limited time with. He let out a quiet sigh. Most of the others appeared to go on as normal, however when he looked behind himself, he saw Builderman and Elliot talking to one another while looking at him strangely. He was going to approach them, but Builerman beat him to it.
Builderman approached Guest with a concerned look on his face. He set one of his hands on Guest’s shoulder before speaking.
“ Hey, buddy. There’s something I want to talk with you about.”
“ Alright.. What’s the matter?” Guest replied with a quirked eyebrow.
“ I’d prefer it if we were in a more private area.” Builderman looked around at the others, clearly trying not to draw too much attention to them both.
“Okay…? Lead the way.” It was unusual for Guest to have a conversation that warranted going into another room. Most of the survivors were pretty close with one another by now, so it wasn’t really necessary a lot of the time. Builderman left the main cabin with Guest following close behind. He led them to his personal cabin. He opened the door carefully with a slow creek and let Guest inside ahead of him, and only then did he enter and quickly shut the door. Builderman’s apartment was similar in layout to Guest’s own. Nearest to the door, there was a writing desk covered in loose papers, notes, blueprints, and writing utensils. Along the back wall in the far corner there was a small couch facing a fireplace. In the other corner, there were two doors, one leading to a bathroom and the other to a bedroom. In the front area nearest the window there was a small table with two chairs adjacent to it.
Builderman flicked on the dim buzzing overhead light and sat in one of the chairs. Guest followed and sat in the other seat across from him. Builderman rested his elbows on the table and fidgeted with his hands. Guest sat up straight and rigid with his hands in his lap like an unbreaking wall. The room was quiet for a moment until Builderman was ready to bring the conversation back up.
“ So.. I saw you last round with Slasher.” Builderman admitted. He looked up at Guest, gauging his reaction.
“ Oh..” Guest’s eyes widened a little. He didn’t think anyone was nearby. Everyone had been on the other side of the map before he met up with him, he was sure of it. He assumed that Elliot had gone back to the others, but considering the way that they were both looking at him over in the main cabin, he likely followed him.
“ Don’t worry, I ain’t judgin’ you. I just.. never pictured you doin’ something like that for a killer of all people. Especially him.” Builderman clarified. He had never seen Guest get so vulnerable like that before.
“ I just think he needs someone. We talked before, and it seems like he hasn’t got a lot of people he can rely on in this place.” Guest explained. He shifted his position and began bouncing his foot lightly.
“ You talked with him? Like full-on conversation without him killin’ you?” Builderman looked shocked. Here Guest was befriending a homicidal maniac! There had to be something more going on for the Slasher to ever soften up to someone.
“ Yes. He’s actually not that bad of a guy. He's just doing what he thinks is right.” Guest tries to reply casually. His foot begins bouncing a little harder beneath the table.
“ Guest.. For him, doin’ what’s right is literally killing people!” Builderman was absolutely baffled. His hands stopped fidgeting, instead opting to lay flat against the table. Guest’s eye contact becomes unstable, his eyes darting to the side or to the table occasionally.
“ Maybe so, but I don’t think he’s fully in control of his actions. That book on his shoulder is the Necrobloxicon, and he told me that he thinks his mom is talking to him through it and that she’s telling him to kill people. He’s also told me that the Spectre gave him justified reasons to kill all of us.. So maybe I can convince him to be on our side?” Guest explained further.
“ If he has a justified reason for all of us, then why ain’t he killin’ you? Also, if he stopped killin’ us, wouldn’t that just be him losin’? Most of the other killers seem pretty keen on winning every round they’re in.” Builderman argued. Guest let out a small huff in frustration. He felt like he was being forced to tell Builderman everything that was on his mind. He really didn’t like doing this. His foot bounced harder, and the floor creaked slightly beneath it.
“ He told me that he refuses to kill me. He said that the reasons he was given were insufficient. I think that alone tells me that he cares more about the people than the game.” Guest crossed his arms.
“ I really don’t want to go against your judgement, but are you really sure about this guy? I don’ know if he’s really with a crowd you wanna be a part of.” Builderman’s voice softened in worry. He knew that this was outside of Guest’s comfort zone, but he cared enough about him to put that aside for a moment. Guest looked him in the eyes once again. His leg ceased and he mirrored Builder’s position by resting his arms on the table. He threaded the fingers on both his hands together.
“ I believe that there’s a lot more to him than meets the eye.. I really want to learn more about him. Learn who he really is behind that mask, y’know?” Guest admits. He gives a small smile. He didn’t have to tell Builderman how he really felt, but he really just wanted to be true with someone. He knew that Builderman was worried about him, and he was thankful for that. He sort of owed it to him to be a good friend in return.
“ Alright. I trust you.” Builderman nodded in acceptance. “Just.. Be careful. Alright?” He reached out and gently placed a hand on Guest’s. He smiled, though worry still stained his eyes.
“ I will. Don’t worry.” Guest’s smile grew reassuringly. Builderman took his hand back.
“ Now, why don’t we head back to the main cabin? I’m sure the next round’s startin’ soon.” Builderman sat up without waiting for a response, and Guest followed him promptly. The two of them quickly made their way back to the cabin in silence. Builderman went to go talk with Elliot, who seemed eager to hear what he had to say. Guest went to sit on the couch in front of the fireplace. Shedletsky and Noob sat on the other side, making conversation. Guest added to it whenever asked, but for the most part he stayed silent. He spent the rest of his break watching the embers of the fire crackle and sway to nature’s unspoken rhythm.
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Notes:
I hope you enjoyed!! This chapter was giving me a lot of trouble while writing, but we pull through. (I have to admit that I was projecting a bit with this one)
School is starting up again soon so updates will probably slow down a bit. I'll still try my best to update fairly frequently, but I can't really make any promises. (DW tho, I still plan on finishing this story!)