#almost death

Ace tried to smile though it must have fallen flat.

"Oh my God." Yuula choked out. "Oh my God, Ace."

"It's really not that big of a deal." Yuula sobbed. She gathered him in her arms gently, careful to avoid his wound.

Deuce cried silently, plopping down next to them without a word. He didn't touch either of them but his presence was felt regardless.

It was only them at the moment now, left alone in the recage of everything.

Riddle and the others had already left to have him checked out by the doctors, and the rest of Heartslabuyl had fled long before.

"Ace," Deuce mumbled pitifully.

It was just them here to see and watch Ace die.

He wouldn't have it any way.

"You should get out of here," Ace whispered, gasping as it pulled at his chest. Every breath felt like death.

He was going to be dead soon.

"Ace-" Yuula sobbed again, an ugly broken thing. He hadn't seen her cry, even after the incident in the mine. He wondered why he always made everyone around him cry. "Ace you said he didn't get you."

Ace's smile wobbled.

"What are we supposed to do?" Deuce cried out.

Ace was glad they left Grim with Yuuto.

"I don't know," Ace laughed, his eyes wet. "I don't think there is anything we can do." Yuula clutched him tighter, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply.

"Deuce, get some needle and thread. Now."

"Yuula?"

"Deuce."

The boy ran off, Ace stared at Yuula with a slowly dawning realization.

"Yuula, you can't be serious." She sniffled, a horrible expression on her face.

"I'm so sorry Ace," she cried. "But you aren't going to die today."

Ace shuddered.

"Yuula. Yuula you can't," he tried to plead with her but she only shook her head.

"It'll all be okay Ace." she tried to smile to him. "I'll try to be quick."

"Yuula!"

Deuce came back quickly with the thread, and Ace, as anyone would do, tried to run.

"Stop! Deuce stop her!" Deuce didn't move. "Deuce!"

"Sorry Ace." he murmured.

"Hold him down."

Ace couldn't move, couldn't even run, he was too weak for that. The most he could do was squirm.

"Yuula, Yuula please." Ace sobbed. He didn't want to die.

But he didn't want this either.

"Deuce, Yuula, please."

"I'm so sorry." Yuula sobbed, but held her hands steady as she threaded the needle.

"I'm so sorry," She brought it down to his chest, pushing up his shirt quietly.

The needle dug into the skin with quiet precision.

“Referring to Nie Mingjue as your husband,” Wei Wuxian tells him and then throws his hands up in defence. “I mean, I know, I get it, he’s hot and all, but you really should stop saying that. Someday someone is going to overhear you and think Nie Mingjue is really off the market and you’ll have ruined his chances with a real spouse.”

“I am his real spouse,” Jiang Cheng says, not for the first time, and he wonders why Wei Wuxian can’t just simply believe that he’s married to Nie Mingjue.

“Yeah, right,” Wei Wuxian mutters as he rolls his eyes and then drops the topic.

“Lan Wangji, you tell him!” Jiang Cheng demands, but Lan Wangji only shakes his head.

“Unbelievable,” Jiang Cheng mumbles but he’s not invested enough in this to keep pushing.

Let them think what they want. He knows he’s happily married, and Nie Mingjue knows it, too, and that’s all that matters anyway. Wei Wuxian would probably only believe him if he flat out makes out with Nie Mingjue in front of him and Jiang Cheng is never going to do that.

“Let’s get back to this wretched night hunt, okay?” he bites out and Wei Wuxian is quick to nod.

“Sure. So this nameless evil killed a bunch of people. Do we know anything more about it?”

Jiang Cheng shrugs. That was about all he heard from the villagers regarding this thing.

Wei Wuxian turns towards Lan Wangji.

“The ancient text we found calls it a life-stealer,” he says and Jiang Cheng stops in his tracks.

“You found a what now?”

“An ancient text with all the information we need,” Wei Wuxian sing-songs and Jiang Cheng works his jaw a few times.

“Great. That’s just great. And when were you going to tell me about that?” Jiang Cheng demands to know.

“We just did, didn’t we?” Wei Wuxian gives back and Jiang Cheng fights the urge to strangle him.

“So tell me the rest about it,” he says with clenched teeth and Wei Wuxian grins at him.

“Apparently it takes the form of a stone. And when you touch it, it drains your life-force until you are dead.”

“But not everyone who touched it died,” Jiang Cheng says, a small furrow between his brows.

“Only those with strong emotions die,” Lan Wangji says. “It seems to feed off that.”

“Okay, then how are we going to deal with it?” Jiang Cheng wants to know because it doesn’t seem wise to touch it at all.

At that question both Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian stop.

“We thought—you could touch it,” Wei Wuxian haltingly says and Jiang Cheng isn’t sure exactly where this is going but he knows enough to brace himself.

“And why is that?” he demands to know, crossing his arms in front of his chest and Wei Wuxian has the audacity to smile at him.

“Well, you’re not that big on emotions, right? So we figured there’s not much it can steal from you. You should be safe until we figure out a way to kill it, and for that time it won’t be able to latch onto someone else.

Jiang Cheng goes very, very still at that.

“You think—I don’t have emotions,” he repeats, his voice horribly flat and he didn’t know that Wei Wuxian could still hurt him like that.

“It’s not that you don’t have any emotions, it’s just—” Wei Wuxian trails off with a wince.

“It’s just that I’m only ever angry in your eyes,” Jiang Cheng finishes for him and he wonders if the hollow feeling in his chest can be classified as an emotion. “Great.”

“Don’t take it to heart,” Wei Wuxian says, clearly trying for cheerful but missing by a mile. “It can be a good thing. I mean look at this situation. What would we do without you?”

“Yeah, what indeed,” Jiang Cheng grumbles and then marches on, no longer able to talk to Wei Wuxian or even look at him.

It doesn’t take them long to find the nameless evil, and it really is disguised as a stone. Though how anyone could miss the murderous intent coming from it, Jiang Cheng isn’t sure.

“Go on, A-Cheng, just touch it, and then we can figure out a way to kill it,” Wei Wuxian nudges him and Jiang Cheng does take a step forward.

He hates it, but there’s a moment where he wonders if he really doesn’t have any emotions, if he could survive this, but then he remembers how Nie Mingjue calls him his heart and Jiang Cheng knows that he’s going to die here if he touches the stone.

“I’m going to die if I touch it,” Jiang Cheng says, turning around to Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji’s face is emotionless as always, but Wei Wuxian shakes his head with a grin.

“No worries, A-Cheng, you’re safe! I promise. The text said no emotions no death, so you’ll be perfectly fine!”

“No, Wei Wuxian, I’m going to die!” Jiang Cheng reiterates because he’s sure of that.

The stone will drain the life right out of him and then he’ll be dead.

“Don’t be so difficult now, we all know you only have like one emotion, tops. It’s not that hard, alright, just go over there and touch it. We’ll handle the rest,” Wei Wuxian tells him and Jiang Cheng can tell that he’s getting annoyed.

Jiang Cheng wants to rage and scream and yell and cry, but he’s not sure that would change anything at all in the way Wei Wuxian perceives him and so he turns back around to the stone.

Maybe Wei Wuxian is right, and Nie Mingjue has been wrong all this time, Jiang Cheng thinks and that’s his last thought before he touches the stone and everything goes dark.

~*~*~

Nie Mingjue is not too proud to admit that he panics the moment he sees Jin Ling’s golden emergency butterfly.

Usually that would go to Jiang Cheng first; for it to be here can only mean one thing: something is wrong with Jiang Cheng.

Nie Mingjue flies as fast as he can, pushing Baxia to her absolute limits, but it’s still slow enough that he has time to come up with one horror scenario after the other.

He just hopes that Jiang Cheng is still alive. Nie Mingjue will figure out the rest, as long as Jiang Cheng is still alive and breathing.

When he touches down, he’s surprised to see Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian there as well as Jin Ling, who is crouched next to an unmoving Jiang Cheng.

“My heart,” Nie Mingjue rushes out as he runs towards his husband, but he doesn’t dare to touch him without knowing what is wrong.

“Why the hell are you here?” Wei Wuxian asks and Jin Ling throws him a glare, even through his tears.

“I think I have more right to be here than you,” Nie Mingjue snaps out and then puts a hand to Jin Ling’s arm. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“They—they said the stone feeds off life-energy,” Jin Ling gets out between his sobs and Nie Mingjue sees the stone in Jiang Cheng’s hand.

“Why would he touch it? What can we do?”

“The stone is said to feed off those with many strong emotions. We thought Jiang Cheng would be safe,” Wei Wuxian wails out and a surge of rage washes through Nie Mingjue.

It’s enough to make Baxia tremble and Wei Wuxian takes a step back while Lan Wangji raises Bichen at him.

“Do not attack him,” Lan Wangji warns and Nie Mingjue glares at him.

“He almost got my husband killed. I have every right to attack him,” Nie Mingjue spits out. “Just keep your fucking distance.” He turns back around to Jin Ling. “What can we do?”

“The text they have says that someone who feels a lot about the person the stone is feeding from can undo it,” Jin Ling says, trying to keep his sobs at bay. “You just have to touch him, please, Mingjue-ge, I’m not enough!”

Nie Mingjue bites his tongue at that, because with how little Jin Ling has been over lately, with how little he lately seems to care about Jiang Cheng it’s no surprise that he’s not enough.

“I kept him alive, but I’m not enough to wake him up, please, you have to save him!”

“Of course, A-Ling, no worries,” Nie Mingjue reassures him and choses to ignore the muttered ‘A-Ling? Mingjue-ge?’ from behind.

He slides Jiang Cheng’s hand out of Jin Ling’s and gently pries his hand open, until the stone falls to the ground.

“Wow, we couldn’t even move it, it almost felt like it was glued to his hand,” Wei Wuxian says and there’s wonder and curiosity in his voice and Nie Mingjue wants to hurt him.

He seems more interested in the stone than Jiang Cheng.

“My heart, it’s time to come back to me now,” Nie Mingjue says, cupping Jiang Cheng’s cheek in his hand and it’s not long before there’s a flutter of eyelashes.

“Mingjue?” Jiang Cheng slurs out, clearly still out of it, and Nie Mingjue relaxes.

“I’m here,” he reassures him and helps Jiang Cheng sit up when he fails to do it on his own. “How are you feeling?”

“Weak,” Jiang Cheng gives back and his hand shakes when he raises it to touch Nie Mingjue. “Why are you here?”

“Jiujiu!” Jin Ling sobs out and throws himself at Jiang Cheng, who is barely stable enough to withstand the onslaught.

“Brat,” Jiang Cheng instinctively says. “What are you doing here? What happened?”

“You touched the stone,” Wei Wuxian helpfully says. “It had more severe effects than anticipated. Maybe the text was wrong.”

“Maybe your picture of me is wrong,” Jiang Cheng snaps out and leans heavily on Nie Mingjue to stand up. “Do not talk to me for a while.”

“But A-Cheng!” Wei Wuxian whines, but Nie Mingjue blocks Jiang Cheng from him.

“Do not come near him,” he growls out, entirely fed up with the fact that Wei Wuxian doesn’t even seem to know Jiang Cheng.

“I told you I would die! I told you and you laughed it off. I don’t want to see you,” Jiang Cheng tells him still and Nie Mingjue is glad to see how Wei Wuxian jerks back at the vitriol in his voice.

“My heart, how are you feeling?” he asks, deciding to concentrate on what’s really important now.

“Weak,” Jiang Cheng admits again and brushes off Jin Ling’s still falling tears. “Brat, what are you crying for? I’m not dead.”

And thank the gods for that, because Nie Mingjue does not even want to imagine a life where Jiang Cheng is no longer with him.

“Let’s keep it that way, alright?” Nie Mingjue asks and presses a kiss to his temple.

“So they are not lying?” he hears Wei Wuxian ask behind him, but he doesn’t care enough to ask what the hell that is supposed to mean.

“Let’s get you back home,” Nie Mingjue says to Jiang Cheng who leans into him.

“Can we do your home? I need the hot springs,” Jiang Cheng mutters and Nie Mingjue immediately nods.

“Of course, whatever you need.”

He’s pretty sure he’s not going to let Jiang Cheng out of his sight for a while after this—and he will definitely not let Wei Wuxian anywhere near to him—but Jiang Cheng most likely won’t mind.

Not if the way he clings to Nie Mingjue is anything to go by.

“I love you,” Jiang Cheng mutters and despite Jin Ling’s protests, Nie Mingjue tilts his head up to kiss him softly.

“I love you, too,” he gives back and then gets them home.

A hot spring is waiting for them, and he has a husband to pamper.

Sometimes Fox had these moments where he wasn’t himself.

He would be minding his own business, doing his duty and way more work than he was supposed to do. Until he would get a call. From the chancellor himself, to meet him as fast as possible. Whenever that happens, Fox would go to him immediately, no matter what he was doing before the message, as if moving on autopilot. Nobody really cared too much about seeing him with the chancellor, after all, Fox was the poor commander that was the chancellor’s favourite. It was the reason he always had work and caf was his best friend most of the time.

But it was also one of the last things he remembers doing.

Sometimes he would remember meeting the chancellor and receiving a mission from him. Very rarely he would get glimpses of himself meeting with a contact. When he would remember those things, they’re always very muddled together, getting mixed up the further the memories go, making no sense to Fox most of the times.

After that? Nothing.

It was like a snap. One moment he would be walking to the chancellor’s office, the next he’d somewhere entirely else, but it was always different. Sometimes it was the medbay or his own bed, maybe he ended up where the contact was. Other times it was somewhere like a bar or hotel. Behind a dumpster. One especially memorial time he wasn’t even on Coruscant, but instead on a pirate ship. The way back to the planet was an adventure Fox never would talk about.

Humour aside, it was actually quite disconcerting how Fox had periods of his life that he didn’t remember.

It also didn’t help that it had been happening more and more. And that the time periods vary between hours to weeks. One time he was gone for a month.

Whenever it happens, nobody, not even his closest vode, knew where he was.

Absolutely nobody, except for the chancellor, who always said he’s on a private, sensitive mission, top-secret.

At least he didn’t seem like he was lying, since he always congratulated Fox on a job well done, when they saw each other the next time.

Fox guessed the chancellor was probably doing it, to get him to like him more. But it was actually doing the opposite. If Fox would remember the missions and what he did on them, then maybe. But the fact remained, Fox didn’t remember anything, so the only thing the chancellor did, was to make Fox more and more suspicious of him.

As much as Fox didn’t want to make his vode worry more about him, the entire situation didn’t help. Him missing for hours to days to weeks sometimes, not remembering anything about that time and often getting seriously injured? Yeah, some of his vode were getting quite protective of him, whether he wanted it or not.

Neither his vode nor Fox particularly liked it, but they couldn’t do anything against it, so it still happened.

He would disappear, nobody would hear about him and nobody would know how he was doing, if he was gravely injured or had a vacation. Nobody, not even Fox. Which was really annoying. If he was on vacation, he would very much like to be conscious, thank you very much.

But alas, it had never been a vacation, and nobody knew what was going on or when he was coming back. If he was coming back.

And yet, he always woke up. When and where varies, but he always came back.

Just like now.

Fox opened his eyes and immediately closed them again, blinded by glaringly bright lights.

He was lying on a mattress. While it may be very uncomfortable, it was the kind of uncomfortable that a clone trooper knew. The medbay. The smell helped as well.

It was quiet, no beeping machines or loud people. It was peaceful.

Or at least, it would be, if the person next to him wouldn’t be snoring right into his ear.

But Fox let them. He knew who they were and he knew they need it.

Whenever Fox had one of these episodes, there was always one person he could count on to be there as soon as possible to see him again.

Thorn.

Originally, Thorn and Fox weren’t very close. Fox was older, so they came from different batches and didn’t had a lot of interactions with each other. But then Geonosis had happened; they lost so many brothers and suddenly they were in charge of the Coruscant Guard. It was only them at first, since their numbers and position didn’t get a lot of interest, but then it changed and Stone came a few months later, Thire coming along around a year after the start of the war. Thorn and Fox had a long time to get to know each other, they needed someone who would understand them, to comfort them in their darkest hours of the night. All their batchmates were out there, fighting the real war, and losing their lives because of it. Thorn and Fox were on Coruscant and because of it, were the obvious choice for them both. They saw how the war changed the other person, knew who they were before everything and sometimes were the only ones who could get a glimpse from that former person. War changed people and sometimes it wasn’t the victim that got hurt the worst, but the bystanders, watching everything collapse, not being able to do anything, except that they could, but they wouldn’t be enough and nobody would want their help. It was hard, being Commanders of the Coruscant Guard. Harder than their vode would think.

With the war, Fox changed as well, and nobody saw the transition clearer than Thorn, who took it as his personal mission to get Fox to be a little bit more like he was, when he was younger.

In Fox’ opinion, Thorn cared to much about him. But he didn’t mind the quiet moments between them when they could both let their guards down and just be a little freer.

Back when Fox was younger and the war didn’t start yet, he was quite the cuddler, as his batchmates said. He was the oldest of their batch, so his vode’ika often came him for guidance -a very bad idea, if Fox could say so- no matter how much he actually knew about the subject. Most of the times they just wanted comfort and Fox gave it to them the only way he felt comfortable doing, so hugging it was.

He kept that trait, still hugged the shinies after their first bad missions.

Thorn always liked his hugs, still did.

So, if Fox didn’t give Thorn them, he would get them himself, some way or another.

Which is exactly why he wasn’t surprised one bit, that Thorn was currently wrapped around him, holding him protectively, as if he was shielding him from something. He had always been a little protective of him, the feature only amplified by Fox’ episodes, always thinking of the worst-case scenario, even if he knew Fox could handle himself.

The position they were lying in allowed Fox to hear Thorns heartbeat. The method had always done wonders to calm him down, as long as it was from a person he trusted enough, which wasn’t a lot and the number shrunk further and further.

It also allowed him to smell Thorn. Although it smelled an awful lot like sweat, there was also the undertone of Thorn, which made Fox melt a little in comfort and cuddled closer to him.

Thorn never minded it, approved of it wholeheartedly, after all. Like now, as he subconsciously pulled Fox a little closer, allowing Fox to change the angle of his head and have a better look at Thorns face.

He looked tired, was the first thing Fox realized. His hair tousled, dark eyebags and had a deep frown. Fox would bet his entire alcohol stash on it, that the frown was because of him. Since sleeping in their armour was very uncomfortable, Thorn was only in his blacks, making it possible for Fox to feel his bandaged shoulder through the suite.

Thorn’s face didn’t look interesting, he had the same face as the rest if his vode, after all. But there is that tiny scar under his left ear, that Fox always had to stifle a laugh at. As much as Thorn got embarrassed telling others the story of how he got that scar, it always brought a smile to Fox’ face, which is the only reason he even tells the story.

Turning his head to look at the room, he could see that it was a private one, for only one patient. There were two chairs to the wall furthest away from Fox, obviously been dragged in, and one on the left side, probably the one Thorn used before he changed places to go to sleep next to him. On the right side to him were machines, connected to him through his IV and one was counting his heartbeat.

It was night. The moon, otherwise so hard to see because of the large population’s pollution, was shining proudly, visible to everyone, surrounded by twinkling stars and almost no clouds.

Quite a nice night to wake up to, actually.

At that moment, Thorn moved. He let out a little sad sound, almost a whimper, further into Fox’ longer-than-regulation-but-who-cares-about-it-nobody-important-sees-it-anyway curly hair and tightens his arms around him.

Although Fox was still kind of woozy from just waking up and all the painkillers he was on right now, he knew that Thorn wasn’t having a nice dream and that he should do something about it.

He always did. Never liked seeing his vode’ika in pain or distress. Helped them whenever he could. And this was Thorn. He had always been there for Fox.

Carefully, Fox moved around, so he was face-to-face with Thorn. He cradled Thorns head in his hands and then started drawing on his face. Slowly, at first only caressing the others nose, but then the cheekbones and the others eyebrows.

It helped, like always. Brought the other out of his sleep, not suddenly, but gradually, not making him feel bad about anything afterwards.

Normally he would also clank their foreheads together in a Keldabe kiss, but he was too out of it to move his body any further.

He did, however, had enough strength to run his fingers through the others hair.

Thorn woke up.

His eyes were slow with blinking the sleep away and focusing on him, but once they did, they widened in shock.

Which, yeah -kind of weird. Why should he be shocked to see him when he voluntarily slept next to him?

“Fox?”, it was spoken hesitantly, like it could shatter the could-be-dream Thorn was in. Like he couldn’t believe Fox was lying in front of him, awake.

Honestly, what was going on? Fox was waking up in the medbay, probably after he disappeared once again, body feeling numb. Thorn was there, sleeping next to him, on his bed -and who thought that was okay? That’s his bed. Not Thorns- and was shocked to see him.

Just as Fox was about to question him, the door opened behind him with a very loud creaking noise in an otherwise quiet room.

Stone and Thire walked through.

They both weren’t wearing their whole armour, chest plates and armour on the arms were gone along with their helmets. The moonlight shone on their faces, highlighting their shadows and eyebags. Thire’s hair tousled and both bodies slouching. It makes everyone who as much as glanced at them realize how tired they were.

With how the other three commanders looked like, Fox didn’t want to know how he looked like himself.

When Stone and Thire looked up at the two clones on the bed, however, they immediately stopped in their tracks, their bodies instantly snapping up straight and eyes losing all their tiredness, but their faces draining of any colours. They looked as if they saw ghost.

Now Fox only got more confused.

Turning back to Thorn, and then back to the other two commanders, he realized they were crying.

Looking back to Thorn, he didn’t look all that different.

Fox was now officially freaked out.

But he didn’t have time to question them this time either, as Stone took slow, almost hesitant, steps towards him and rose his hand as if to touch him.

“Fox?”, Stone sounded like he is about to cry, his lips already trembling.

Fox nodded, to scared from their reactions to give a verbal answer.

That was the moment Thire let out a loud sob and rushed to Fox’s side, climbing onto the bed and scrambling into his lap to embrace him with a strong grip, weeping into his neck.

Thorn had to let go of him for it but used it to push a button which raised Fox into a sitting position.

After that, he sat down next to Fox again and looped his arms around the others waist, hooking his chin on the others shoulder and squeezing his eyes shut. Instead of crying, he took in shuddering breaths.

Stone sat down next to Fox on his only free side and encircles his shoulders, pulling him closer to shove his face into Fox’ temple. He, however, let his tears go and was silently crying, the only sign were his shaking shoulders. On the contrary to Thires loud wailing that was so loud it was a wonder nobody had come in to check on them yet.

Fox turned to Thorn.

“What happened?”, Fox’ voice was still weak and he was slightly tumbling over his words, voice breaking on many places in the sentence. Forgetting his mouth was dryer than some forsaken dust ball of a planet, he immediately followed his question with a coughing fit.

That, at least, made Stone and Thire stop a little, both sniffing and drying their eyes, concern for their brother more important than their own emotions at the moment.

Thorn turned around to lift a glass of water with a straw and give it to Fox. Gratefully, he took the offered object and drank a bit. The water running down his sore throat was a divine feeling, making him close his eyes as he did it.

Apparently, he didn’t drink enough water though, as Thorn glared at him when he stopped. Embarrassed, he started drinking again and only stopped once the glass was empty, giving it back to Thorn who placed it on the nightstand again.

Thire was still sitting on his lap but was no longer attached to him like a baby bear to its mother, thank the stars. He loves his vode’ika, but sometimes he could be a little too much for him.

Stone, on the other hand, still had his face mushed into the side of Fox’ head.

“What happened?”, Fox tried again and continued on when nothing happened to his voice, “What’s wrong?”

Stone somehow only got closer to him. Thire squeezed his eyes shut, lips already trembling again and shoved his head under Fox’ chin.

Thorn, however, only looked sad.

“You were away. Again. On a mission. This time for two months. And then, you suddenly turned up. Beaten black and blue, barely able to hold yourself up, burns and cuts everywhere. Bleeding out. You looked dead -we thought you would die. But they put you in a bacta tank. For one week. You were in there for one week, you were in a coma, Fox! We didn’t know when you would wake up, if you ever would!

We were so scared. We thought – we thought we lost you.”

Thorn started out silent and in a monotone voice, focusing on a spot on the wall behind Fox, but soon got louder and staring Fox in the eyes, the look in his own full of sadness, anger and fear. It stays there as he got silent once again, voice breaking on the last sentence. And yet, Thorn didn’t let himself cry.

He never really did.

Fox in turn, didn’t know what to say or do. He knew that they knew that anything like this could happen at any time and had so before. That this was how their life was. The Coruscant Guard might not lose as many vode as their vode on the active battlefield, but that didn’t they weren’t strangers to it. They knew this since they were cadets, constantly drilled into them ever since, and made to not let that hold them up.

Although it was the truth, it still hurt.

Knowing he had to comfort his brother, Fox ran his fingers through his hair again, finally clanked their foreheads together and closed his eyes.

“You can cry, it’s alright, I’m here. I’m alive “, Fox said it like a mantra, shushing and comforting his brother, “After all, somebody has to look after you. I can’t just leave my vode’ika alone, now can I?”

“Please don’t leave us”, Thire whispered, shaking his head from side to side.

Stone let go of Fox a little bit again to look him square in the eyes and mumbled, never had been surer of himself, “if you die, it will break us.”

Feeling a little stupefied by that comment, Fox flinched a little when Thorn murmured“We love you, ori’vod.”

And kriff, sometimes he forgot how easily a few words could make him cry.

Giving his vode’ika a small, but genuine smile through tears, he whispered back, “And I love you. Forever”

Thire returned his head under Fox’ chin, Stone once again hugged him impossibly close and Thorn layed his head on Fox’ shoulder, smiling. Fox continued petting Thorns hair, but hooked an arm around Thires waist and leaned his head against Stone’s.

Fox might be a shebs most of the times, but it was also how he cared and his protective shell, hiding his soft and broken side as often as he could from the sick world.

But every now and then, that side showed through the cracks. Mostly around his vode.

And as his vode cuddled him, he silently gave them each a kiss on their foreheads, while letting his tears go.

Because they needed to know, to see, to feel that he was still alive.

And Fox?

Because every once in a while, he needed the reassurance.

The reassurance that his vode still loved him.

Translations:

vode – siblings; here brother (u know, the clones)

shinies – our baby soldier clones, legit, they’re the youngest in a battalion

vode’ika – younger sibling; here younger brothers (or u know, the younger clones)

ori’vod – older sibling; here older brother (or u know, the older clones)

kriff – an expletive

“Could you tell me some poetry? I want to hear!”

“No you don’t, Patton, you hate poetry.”

Patton’s cheeks puffed out. “That’s not true!” Logan let out a single weak chuckle and fell silent again, cheeks rapidly paling at the same pace as their breath slowed. Patton bit his lip and swiped at his eyes, determined not to cry. He had to save Logan! He couldn’t just sit back and let his big brother die. Dad would cry if that happened, and then Papa would be sad, and then Patton would get blamed and his parents would stop loving him because he let Logan die.

“Oh, hush little one, there’s no need to cry,” a low voice purred from behind him. “Everything is okay.”

Patton turned around to see a tall man with long branch-like antlers extending out from his soft red hair. His grin was filled with fangs and his pink, blue, and yellow eyes glowed unnaturally, but he did not seem to want to hurt Patton. He looked friendly.

“No it’s not okay! Logan is dying and I don’t know how to stop it!” Patton wailed, finally letting a few of his tears slip down his face. “And if I don’t stop him from dying, our parents will hate me!”

The tall red-haired man knelt down and brushed Patton’s tears away. “Hush now. I’m afraid your brother has been claimed by the Beast.”

“What?” Patton sniffed. “So… so he’s going to die?”

“Not necessarily,” the man corrected. “I happen to know how to bargain with the Beast.”

Patton lit up. This nice man could help him save his brother! “I’ll do anything! What do you need!”

He chuckled and stood to his full height, reaching his arm down to offer Patton a hand. “Just come with me and all will be fixed.”

Patton bit his lip, turning to look at Logan. “I can’t just… leave him, though.”

“He will be fine. No one will harm him, I promise.”

Patton debated with himself for another moment before taking the man’s hand. If this would save Logan, he would go with him. “Okay, mister, let’s go.”

He did not notice how the branches retracted from Logan as colour returned to his face. He did not notice how they sat up and rubbed at their eyes, blinking furiously as they tried to get their vision to readjust. He did not notice when they saw him walking off, how they shot to their feet and began to chase him. He did not hear their screaming.

“Would you like me to teleport us to the Beast?” the tall man asked, looking down at Patton. He nodded, and with a snap of his fingers, the man teleported the two of them away, leaving Logan to tumble over the edge of a small cliff and plummet to the ground below, landing on their arm with a sickening crunch. They screamed before falling back into darkness, but Patton did not know this. All Patton knew was that the nice man had brought him to a snow-filled grove before vanishing, leaving Patton cold and alone.

“Mr. Beast, sir?” Patton called. “I’d like you to fix my brother.” A laugh answered him, sinking into Patton’s bones and sending nausea rolling through him.

“Oh, I have. But now, you have to take his place.” Patton shivered harder. “Enjoy the grove. It’s your final resting place, Patton Whelan. There is nowhere to run, not anymore.”

************************************************

“Logan! Come on, I want to go trick or treating!” Patton called, knocking frantically on the door to his older brother’s room. Logan let out a groan at the call, leaning back in their chair to stare at the ceiling. Why did they have to take Patton out? Couldn’t they just stay inside?

Of course not. Both Alfred and Arthur were working tonight and Logan had been stuck with babysitting duties, which also meant being stuck with Patton. Logan did have a costume, but they did not feel like leaving the house tonight.

“Please? Papa told me you’d take me!” Logan gritted their teeth at the news. Of course Alfred had promised Patton something like that without asking Logan first. It was just like the stupid, perpetually happy golden boy to make his son smile at the expense of Logan’s comfort.

“Logan? I… I made a really cool costume and I want to show Ms. Ortiz, at least…” Patton sounded on the verge of tears, and though Logan disliked him, they also refused to let Patton cry. They stood and strode over to the door, picking up the hat and cloak to complete their costume on the way, and flung open the door to face down a sad Patton.

“Give me five minutes and we can go,” they growled before slamming the door again. They let out a sigh and leaned against the door. Logan hated acting like the villain here, hated taking their frustration out on Patton, but they couldn’t help it sometimes. Patton pushed too far too often, and Logan didn’t know how to handle it.

They spent those five minutes adjusting his cloak, making sure it was draped over his shoulders and torso in a way that would disguise his skinniness. They then simply shoved the hat atop their head and strolled out into the hallway, closing the door behind them.

“Let’s go, Patton,” they muttered, beginning to stalk down the stairs with their arms wrapped around their torso underneath the thick, navy cloak. Patton cheered and followed, babbling on and on about all the candy he was going to acquire. Logan tuned him out and focused on the ground in front of them, making sure to stop Patton from charging out onto the street.

“Oh, Logan! There’s that kid you like!” Patton chirped. Logan’s head snapped up and whipped around, frantically searching for Joan. Their eyes landed on the cute human only a second later, red rising to their cheeks as they yanked Patton behind a bush.

“Patton! We do not mention the squish where Joan can hear?” Logan hissed, eyes darting around frantically.

“But I’m pretty sure they like you back, so why not just say it?” Logan groaned and dragged a hand down their face, contemplating responses. Most of them involved curse words and as such could not be used. Arthur, despite his own sailer’s mouth, would kill them for swearing in front of Patton.

“Because… because it is not that simple,” Logan sighed, poking their head out to check if Joan was gone. They were. “I have no proof that Joan does, in fact, like me in that manner.”

Patton shook his head and smiled. “Logan, even though you’re my big brother, you are an idiot.”

Logan ignored that and dragged Patton out from behind the bush. “Okay, you wanted to trick or treat, go trick or treat.” Patton pouted but bounded off, visiting multiple doors to gain treats while Logan waited on the sidewalk. Logan watched and waited, simply enjoying the cool night air.

“Oh, what’s this?” Logan froze as they felt Patton grab something from their cloak. They turned around to see what Patton had grabbed and froze. It was… The Mixtape. How had Patton gotten his hands on The Mixtape? Why was The Mixtape even in their cloak?

“Patton! Give it back!” Logan yelped, diving for it. Patton simply laughed and ran away, Logan taking off after him.

“Is it for Joan?” Patton teased, scrambling over the wall separating the cemetery.

“Y-yes it is, but that’s not important!” Logan stammered. “Give it back!”

“Catch me if you can~!” With that, Patton spun around and darted towards the cemetery wall, Logan hot on his heels. Patton scrambled up over the wall and Logan followed, groaning as their stomach pressed into the hard red brick. Patton darted between the gravestones and Logan staggered after, already feeling the bruises covering their body.

“Oof!” Logan uttered as they rounded a corner and crashed into someone.

“Whoa, Logan!” a familiar voice cried. Logan felt hands on their arms, steadying them, and they looked, face draining of blood as they registered their squish, Joan, holding them upright.

“Joan?” Logan choked out.

“Yeah, um… so Patton just gave me a mixtape and said it’s from you?” Logan’s blood chilled and they immediately jerked out of Joan’s arms, darting around them to find Patton. They ignored their cries and grabbed Patton’s arm, not even looking at which direction they were sprinting in. All they knew was that they had to get away, away from Joan, away from judgement, away from embarrassment, away from emotion.

Unfortunately, Logan was so focused on getting away that they did not notice what they were running towards. A large tree root appeared just before they could stop and their foot caught, sending both them and Patton sprawling over the edge of a bank. Logan screamed and pulled Patton close, curling around him just as their bodies began to roll over and over towards the dark pond. Logan gasped as they breached the surface, the cold shocking their muscles, and they made sure to hug Patton close before attempting to paddle upwards. Unfortunately, they strayed too close to the edge and their skull smashed against a rock, sending blackness soaking into their vision instantly and erasing all hope of survival.

**************************************************

Logan gasped and shot upright, immediately checking all their limbs to make sure no bones were broken. They remembered a crunch beforehand and were terrified they would find a mangled limb.

“Oh, no, sweetie, lay down,” a soft voice chirped. “You had quite a scare.”

Logan ignored the voice and sat up, blinking their eyes frantically upon registering their surroundings. They could not possibly be surrounded by bluebirds. It had to be a dream.

“Virgil brought you here,” the same voice continued. She sounded concerned. “It’s the first time we’ve seen him in months.”

Logan pushed themself to their feet. “Where exactly is Virgil?”

“He left as soon as he gave you to us.” Logan nodded and began to crawl towards the exit. “Wait, sweetie, no, there’s a blizzard outside.”

“My brother and my friends are out there,” Logan shot back. “I can’t just leave them.”

She sighed and backed down, feathers ruffled. “At least bring him home, will you?”

“I’ll try my best, ma’am,” Logan replied before sliding out of the nest into the stinging cold of the blizzard. They pulled their cloak around them, shivering, as they began to traipse through the forest, squinting their eyes behind their glasses to be able to see through the horrible snow flying everywhere.

They’d only been walking for a minute or two when something small and warm smacked them in the face. Logan sputtered in shock but managed to catch the object as it fell, squinting down.

“Logan! What are you doing out here?” Virgil yelped, struggling to stand in Logan’s palms. Logan helped the small bluebird to his feet, hugging him close to their chest.

“I have to find Patton,” Logan replied, just a tad bit out of breath. “He was taken by the Beast.”

Virgil shook his head. “Hang on for a second, Remy’s out there too.”

“I need to find him! He’s my brother!” Logan yelled, beginning to trudge through the snow again. They did not hear the sound of soft snow crunching beneath small paws behind them.

“Logan, stop and think! You’re just a human, what chance do you stand against the Beast?” Virgil yelped, squirming around frantically. He couldn’t fly up to Logan’s shoulder, not in this weather.

“It’s my job. I’m the older one,” Logan shot back, smiling slightly as they realized they were only a few feet from the tree line. They screeched as they were dragged to a halt by something grabbing the bottom of their cloak, twisting desperately to see what it was.

A peeved black cat with acidic violet eyes stood there, glaring up at them. “At least listen when Virgil tells you to wait, gurl,” Remy grumbles. “And pick me up.”

Logan bent, allowing Virgil to perch on Remy, before lifting both cat and bird to their shoulders. Remy dug in their claws to stabilize themself atop Logan’s shoulder, and Virgil perched on the other one. Logan kept walking, desperate to get under the cover of the trees and out of this horrid blizzard.

They finally managed it what seemed like an hour later, as the wind had kept blowing them back two steps for every one forward they took. Logan let out a sigh of relief and took a moment to brush the snow off, Remy and Virgil hopping off their shoulders to the ground. The wind had mysteriously stopped blowing, but Logan didn’t ponder the implications of that. All they cared about was getting to Patton.

A gasp from Virgil drew their focus back to reality. “Logan… look…” Logan followed the direction of Virgil’s wing and gasped as well, knees beginning to knock together.

In front of them, leaning against a stump, tangled in black roots dripping oil, lay Patton. His skin was far, far too pale and his normally lively eyes were closed. A ways behind him lay the Woodsman Logan and Patton had met at the beginning of this insane adventure, groaning and trying to climb back to his feet. Logan’s anxiety screamed that they had failed and Patton had died because of them, only to be shattered when Patton let out a cough.

“Patton!” Logan screamed, lunging forward, leaving Virgil and Remy behind in their haste. They ignored the calls to wait, the pleas to stop, the requests to halt, and skidded to a stop on their knees. Their hand flailed around, finally colliding with the lantern they had seen the Woodsman carrying earlier, and they raised it to see how Patton was doing.

“Logan… I did it,” Patton mumbled, eyes cracking open a bit. “I won the game…”

“Oh, Patton, no, no, it’s okay,” Logan soothed, setting the lantern in front of them as their hands frantically moved to the roots and began to pull. “I’ll get you out of here and we’ll go home, okay?”

“No, no, Logan, I got him to let you go home,” Patton insisted, smiling weakly up at the taller child. “You can go home and tell Joan how you feel…”

Logan shook their head. “No, no, Patton, no. We’re getting you out of here, you’re going home too.”

“Logan-” Virgil squeaked from behind them.

“What?” Logan snapped, tugging fruitlessly at the roots tying Patton to the trunk.

“Well well, Logan. You’re a rude little thing, aren’t you?” a darkly familiar voice purred in front of them. Logan slowly looked up, eyes widening as they took in the handsome form of the Beast, his grin impossibly wide and displaying far too many sharp fangs.

“L-let him go,” Logan stammered, hand curling around the lantern again. In the worst case, they could use it as a weapon. The Beast simply chuckled and moved around the stump, stalking towards Logan. They scrambled backwards, clutching the lantern to their chest. The Beast paused upon seeing this, eyes narrowing.

“If you wish… I am willing to make a deal.”

“Don’t listen to him, Logan!” Remy and Virgil yelled before being silenced by a wave of the Beast’s hand. Logan didn’t look back, too scared of what they might see, instead forcing themself to meet the Beast’s eyes.

“Oh? What deal?”

“Give me the lantern, and I will place his soul inside it so he may live on forever, instead of dying and wasting away inside the tree he is becoming.”

“No! He lies!” the Woodsman yelled. The Beast spun around, snarling, the shadows lashing as he towered over the Woodsman.

“ShUt Up, WoOdSmAn!” he screeched, voice dark and crackling and far too alien and ancient. Logan screamed, curling into a ball around the lantern and bracing for the inevitable blow. The Woodsman also screamed before falling silent, and Logan could not look at him either, realizing with a cold sinking feeling that they were most likely the last one alive.

“Now, Logan, do we have a deal?” His voice was back to being calm, soothing, and far too convincing to be real. Logan looked up cautiously to see him smiling, extending a hand towards Logan, looking for all the world like a normal human. Logan shakily stood and began to extend a hand towards the Beast before pausing, their mind catching up to their ears.

“No.”

The Beast’s eyes narrowed. “What.” Shadows began to curl behind him, his eyes flickering pink for a brief instant, but Logan stood their ground despite their instincts screaming at them to give in.

“No. I’m not giving you the lantern. That’s dumb.” With that, they stepped back, hand tightening around the iron handle.

“Child, stop this silliness,” the Beast growled. Logan simply shook their head and held it up, the light illuminating the flimsiness of the Beast’s human guise.

“It’s illogical to give you what you want. It is not a good bargaining practice to hand over someone’s soul for a simple lantern. I bet you don’t even place souls in the lantern. Hell, why do you even want this? It’s not important, unless-” Logan’s brain finally connected the dots and they gasped, turning shocked eyes to the lantern. “Unless it’s your soul in here.”

“You do not know what powers you toy with here,” the Beast hissed, hand extended. “If you hand me my lantern now, I will spare you.”

“I have no guarantee of that,” Logan stated, voice flat. “For all I know, the second I hand over this lantern, you will turn me into a tree.”

The Beast exploded, doubling in height to tower over Logan, shadows wreathing him as his eyes burned bright white and large antlers extended across the clearing. “HaNd It OvEr!” he roared. Logan trembled in terror but held firm.

“No.”

“ArE yOu ReAdY tO eXpErIeNcE tRuE dArKnEsS?” the Beast rumbled, taloned hands reaching up to rip into Logan.

Logan simply let out a short chuckle, belying the terror in his soul, as they unlatched the door to the lantern. They brought it right up to their face before turning to stare the Beast right in his cold, dead, empty eyes.

“Are you?” was Logan’s only response before they blew out the flame of the lantern, ignoring the screams of the other three innocents in the clearing.

The Beast staggered back, screaming in agony that cut straight to the core of Logan’s soul, causing so much pain that Logan was forced to drop the lantern and clap hands over their ears in a desperate attempt to drown out the horrible sound. They watched in frozen horror as the Beast staggered back, shedding shadows with every step, until his human form was the only thing left, eyes blows wide in desperate terror. With a final screech, the Beast solidified into a twisted tree, leaving the clearing suddenly silent. Logan let out a shaky breath at the silence, all the tension draining from their frame.

“Logan? Are you… are you okay?” Virgil’s shaky voice asked from behind them. They slowly turned to see the bluebird and the cat carefully walking towards them, concern practically oozing from every fibre of their beings. Logan nodded, turning back to look at the tree they had just created with a simple gust of carbon dioxide.

“He’s really gone,” the Woodsman gasped, sitting up. The scar on his face had vanished, leaving only a weary, middle-aged man on the verge of tears. Logan nodded again, letting all the trapped air out of their lungs.

“What about Patton?” Virgil whispered.

“Patton! Oh stars no!” Logan gasped, diving back towards the stump. The branches retracted the second they touched them, sending Patton tumbling into Logan’s arms. Colour had returned to his face and his breathing was deep and steady. He was alive.

Logan sobbed in joy and hugged their brother close. “Patton you’re alive, oh gosh.”

“Mm… Logan?” Patton mumbled. “Can we go home now?”

“Yes, yes of course we can,” Logan answered, standing and cradling Patton in their arms. “Let’s get you home.”

“I… I guess this is goodbye, then,” Virgil mumbled, landing in front of Logan. Logan smiled softly and knelt down, gently setting Patton down in order to give Virgil a hug.

“Yeah… you should go back to your parents, they miss you.”

“I have to tell them that it’s my fault we’re all bluebirds, don’t I?” Virgil chuckled, wiping tears away from his eyes. Logan cleared their throat and reached into their cloak, pulling out the scissors they had stolen from Talyn.

Virgil’s eyes widened. “Where did you get those?”

“I took them on the way out of Talyn’s house. I figured they might be important.”

“Well, you figured right,” Virgil said, smiling softly. “Thank you so much.”

Logan nodded and gave the bluebird a small hug. “Stay safe, Virgil.”

“I’ll try, and you better promise too,” Virgil shot back, grinning before hopping back.

Remy stepped forward, head cocked to the side. “So… I don’t really have a home here. I just wander. Do you two mind if I come with you?”

“Yay, kitty!” Patton cheered.

“Patton you are allergic to cats!” Logan shot back.

“Oh yeah… but I’ve been fine this entire time!” Patton answered, sitting up and beaming at Logan. “Please?”

Logan sighed. “Fine, Remy can come with. But we really should be going home now.” Patton nodded and pushed himself up, grabbing Logan’s hand. Remy jumped onto Logan’s shoulders while they were still crouched down. Logan stood to their full height and began to walk towards the doorway home, allowing Patton’s chatter to wash over them, just happy their brother was alive and still able to talk their ear off about something Logan knew nothing about.

Virgil was left with the Woodsman, the two of them watching the three vanish into the fog of the woods. Virgil slowly turned to the Woodsman, feathers still puffed up with anxiety.

“Am I the only one who thinks this won’t be the last time we see those three?”

“No, you are absolutely correct in thinking that,” the Woodsman rumbled. “Now that the Beast is dead, the forest needs a new Caretaker.”

Virgil shivered. “Well, they better be nicer than the last one.”

The Woodsman simply smiled at Virgil. “Oh, I believe they will be.” Virgil blinked, confused, but the Woodsman laughed. “Never mind the strange ramblings of an old man. Now, let’s get you back to normal. Hand over the scissors.”

********************************************

Logan blinked awake to see bright white lights searing into their eyes. They groaned, throwing an arm over them to block out the light, waiting for the rest of their senses to adjust. They heard soft beeping in the background, felt soft sheets beneath their back, and heard soft breathing on their left.

“Logan?” Joan’s voice called softly. “Are you awake? Are you okay?”

“Where am I?” Logan mumbled, tongue thick in their mouth.

“Hospital. Do you remember what happened?” Logan frowned, thinking, and pulled a blank. They shook their head, giving Joan the signal to continue. “So, you bumped into me in the cemetery, then grabbed Patton and ran. You accidentally tripped over a root and the two of you tumbled down the bank and crashed into the pond. I expected you to come back up in a minute, but you didn’t, and… well… I called 911. Just before I dove in to get you two, you broke the surface, dragged yourself, Patton, and this black cat to the shore, and then promptly passed out.”

“Oh.” Logan frowned. They remembered being in a strange forest with Patton and this bluebird who could talk… was that real?

“Logan, you were underwater for 5 minutes. No one knows how you’re still alive,” Joan murmured, tears clogging their voice. “I thought we had lost you.”

“I’m right here, Joan,” Logan answered. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know, I know, but… ah shit, it doesn’t matter.” Joan laughed and gently pulled Logan’s arm away from their eyes. “Now… what was on that mixtape?”

Logan coughed. “Oh, that… just some poetry and clarinet. Nothing important.”

“Well, I’d still like to listen to it,” Joan said. “But I don’t have a mixtape player.”

“I- I do,” Logan whispered. Joan smiled and squeezed their hand.

“Would you mind if I came over next week and we could listen to it together?” Logan nodded, Joan nodded back, and after a few moments of silently gazing at each other, they burst into giggles. Everything would be okay, Logan knew. Everything was right with the world. Patton was safe. Joan didn’t hate them. Logan was home safely, and all was right with the world for now.

Later, Arthur and Alfred would burst into Logan’s room and pull them into a hug that involved far too many tears for Logan’s taste. Then, they would guide them to Patton’s room, where the tearful hugs would continue. Arthur would disapprove of Remy the cat at first (Logan realized that the Unknown had been real the second they saw Remy. There was no other way that cat could be here, winking at them while smirking atop Patton’s chest), but then would ultimately relent at Patton’s proof that he was not allergic to this particular cat. They will gather the two siblings and take them and their new cat home at the baffled approval of the staff and settle them back into normal life, the small family just happy to be alive and together.

But at this moment, Logan lays in a hospital bed with their best friend at their side. In another world, a boy who used to be a bluebird enters the clearing where he had almost died, flanked by a tall woodsman and the son who had finally come home. The bird boy kneels and checks the pulse of a red-haired man who lays on the ground in front of the tree in the middle of the clearing. He finds him alive and asks the woodsman to help him carry the man back to his house. There is something rotten going on in this forest, he knows, and he is determined to discover it. The small group shuffles back to a cabin, leaving the tree standing alone, a lantern empty at its roots. The lantern whispers, calling out for the one who had last extinguished it to come and light it again. The Unknown needs the Caretaker, it whispers. You must come fulfill your right, it calls. We will be waiting, it sings, in a song only able to be heard by one.

It was a beautiful day outside. The groom and the bride were standing on the altar, about to exchange their vows. Witnessed by people from many places, it sure sounded like a delightful day to be remembered.

When suddenly the wedding cake exploded, and there was Luffy- no, so many Luffy(es) coming out from the cake. The future Pirate King was bright as always, and ready to face anything in this world just to get his nakama back.

“Saaaaanjii! Heeeeeeeeeey!”

In an instant, everyone turned into shock and panic. Children of Charlottes prepared under siege, the Vinsmokes entered their battle stances. Somewhere in the scenario, Capone was smiling. The collaborated assassination plan has finally begun.

However, upon seeing his Captain‘s face, Sanji’s face turned into fear. “That idiot… why are those guys here?”

Deep down, he knew nothing could stop Luffy from coming. He knew Luffy would’ve come into the island. But yet he wished Luffy and the others would’ve stayed away from the beginning. His current situation was already bad, and it just turned further into nightmare.

“It feels like it’s been forever! I was so worried we wouldn’t see each other again!” The one that seemed to be the real Luffy launched himself to Sanji’s side, with that huge grin he always had. “I’m here to pick you up, Sanji!”

Sweats pouring from Sanji’s face as Luffy continued his rambling. “I know, I know… You said you’d be back but…”

He could see Pudding staring deep at him from the side. Her beautiful cheerful face turned dead serious, and Sanji knew everything was fucked up. He didn’t need a double check to know that everyone was staring right at them at that very moment. Everyone was up, preparing their weapons. And God-knows-what was the look on his father’s face right now.

Suddenly, his whole body felt stiff, he forgot how to breathe properly. His heart was pounding so fast, he thought he could’ve died right at that moment.

He couldn’t make out the next words Luffy was saying. He was too busy to steady his breath. Everything he worked so hard for was ruined. He needed to calm down, they needed to get out of that place, and he needed a smoke. Shit, shit, shit…

Right on that moment, his senses caught a movement from his side. Was it Pudding? He didn’t know. His mind was in middle of panic. Telling himself to calm down was not an easy task, but he had to focus. Because in this ruined situation, anything could’ve happened.

Click.

Oh shit. If that was what he thought it was, he’d be fucked.

Pudding shot.

Sanji managed to avoid the bullet.

Two bullets, to be precise.

It surprised him to find so ever calm Pudding-chan pulling out a gun, and fired at him. But perhaps, she was already in cautious ever since the whole wedding was planned. Some sort of self defense, he supposed.

The other shot came out from far-off. He couldn’t tell for sure who fired that, but one thing was clear that everyone pretty much wanted him dead at this point on. His heart was still racing so fast. And that very moment turned Luffy into his serious mode as well.

“Sanji-san,” Pudding spoke out, still holding the gun to threaten the two pirates. Her voice was dead serious. Her hidden third eye came into view right at that moment, it mesmerized Sanji- however, it was not the right time to be infatuated. “You betrayed us,”

Sanji stepped closer to Pudding, in between of her and Luffy before Luffy could started something that was not pretty.

“My dearest Pudding-chan, I’m so sorry it was happening. I didn’t plan to betray any of you- I truly wanted to marry you-” No, he didn’t. He thought to himself. But he wanted to follow the right procedure and give in. “I swear, I am not involved in any of this shit-”

God, Dear God. If you were real, please save me right now. Ba-thump, ba-thump. How he wished, how he wished for all of them to get out of this situation safely.

If only he met Luffy before this event, maybe he could’ve prevented all of this from happening. Maybe he could send him home, even if that meant he had to use the hard way.

Pudding looked furious- but mostly hurt. And Sanji disliked to make a lady disappointed. She continued to hold him at gunpoint. And oh dear God, it was so hard to resist looking at her beautiful third eye and not getting charmed. Sanji had to focus… focus.

While Sanji was busy, Luffy decided to watch his back for him. There were a lot of people beginning to move and approach them. Luffy was well prepared for a battle. In the other side, the other Straw Hats were busy fighting off the angry mob. Capone and his family were readying their weapons. And Jinbei was making his way into helping the rest of them.

However, it seemed that Straw Hats-Capone alliance was not the only one in trouble; the royal family of Germa 66 had their own fair share of trouble handling the Big Mom army. Their raid suits were not in their hands. Hurt and panic was clearly written in their faces as they were being held captive in the middle of hardened candies.

However, on top of that was an unbeatable anger- and all of them knew just who to blame.

“What’s the meaning of this, Sanji?”

Ba-thump. Ba-thump.

His heart was beating so fast, and it was definitely not because the sight of beauty in front of his face for once. He had betrayed Pudding-chan, and everyone in that place wanted them to die.

“Pudding-chan,” He began. “Please, listen-“

“I’m sorry.” She said, still aiming at him “I had to,”

Bang. Dodge. Bang. Dodge.

“I’m so sorry, please…”

And right at that moment, Pudding was shaken.

“I don’t want to betray Mama,” she explained. “I have to kill every traitor to the family,” And then she shot again.

Sanji could understand that.

There were so many things happened all at once. Charlotte Linlin was overwhelmed. The wedding party was ruined. The wedding cake was gone. There were so many people, and so many attacks. Charlotte Linlin just wanted to enjoy a wedding party.

The sight of Jinbei added yet another stress into her system. What was he doing here? Helping the Straw Hats? She didn’t know.

Everything was confusing, everything was havoc, and everything was ruined. And it was all too much.

And suddenly, in the middle of heat, Mother’s picture was gone.

He promised. Sanji had promised the other day. They had a deal. If Vinsmoke Sanji agreed to marry with her daughter without any tricks, she would let the Straw Hats go. The army of Germa was in the grasp of her hands. They betrayed her. Everything they told was a lie.

Mother, why does everyone have to be so difficult?

Mother, they didn’t want to listen to me.

Mother, I just wanted to have a nice party.

Vinsmoke Sanji; third son of the Vinsmoke family, and a former crew member of Straw Hat pirates had betrayed her and everyone on that wedding. Sanji, the man who had made a deal with her the other day to go along with the wedding- had caused all of these ruckus by pulling his nakamas into it. Sanji, prince and the key to gain an access to Germa’s army that was so close in her reach.

Perhaps the Vinsmokes never wanted to make a deal to begin with. Perhaps the Vinsmokes had planned to betray her from the very beginning. Perhaps Sanji was just a weapon they used in their game. Perhaps the Vinsmokes and Straw Hats were planning this all along.

Mother,… nobody wanted to understand me.

It was so hard, it was confusing, it was tiring. She wanted to be mad, she wanted to be sad. Charlotte Linlin just wanted to have a good time. She just wanted to unite everyone and be happy.

Mother, why did you have to go?

Linlin cried.

Big Mom’s wail was loud, everyone was paralyzed into the sound.

By reflex, Sanji pulled Pudding down with him into protection. Luffy crawled into the two and managed to give Sanji the extra earplugs he was keeping for him.

Capone Geng Bege sprung into action, trying to fire off his weaponry. Only to find the idea backfired thanks to the amount of soundwaves. They had to cancel out.

At that moment, not even Big Mom’s own army could handle Mama’s breakdown.

The ultimate soundwaves created crack even on the solid candy that held the Vinsmokes down. Covering their ears in pain, they managed to use the chance to sneak out for a bit.

Big Mom has calmed down for a bit. But it was not enough. Every of her children were furious with rage. Capone has turned into defensive state, and every member of the alliance ran into his Big Father shield for safety.

The Charlottes went into divisions; those who chased after the Vinsmokes, those who tried to take down Capone-Straw Hats alliance, and those who assisted Mama.

“Sanji, let’s go! Into that thing!” Luffy pointed into Capone’s big body once he was done being amazed, pulling Sanji along with him.

Sanji gave a look at Pudding, contemplating to take her with him into safety- but during that situation, he didn’t know which action that could help more. Taking Pudding with him and Luffy could make her labeled as a traitor, and she clearly didn’t want that. But leaving Pudding as she is could lead to dangerous situation for her.

Pudding was shaking and crying on her spot- a sight Sanji didn’t want to see. The girl was terrified by her own mother.

As much as Sanji wanted to ignore, his heart couldn’t ignore somebody- moreover, a lady in tears. It made him feel bad. Especially when he was responsible for her suffering. And he just promised her the other day to never make her sad.

“I just wanted to do things right for Mama,” Pudding’s words replayed back in his mind. He didn’t know how hard things were for her, but seeing her in a tight spot like he did at that moment pained him- it almost like looking at himself.

Luffy’s pull snapped him back to reality. “Come on, Sanji!”

The called man was still torn to comfort the crying bride or to leave with his Captain. But before he could do any of the choices, doom has come.

Big Mom was furious.

She was sad, she was confused, she was bewildered.

She didn’t know what she was mad for, she didn’t know what she was sad for. Everything was going in a loop inside of her mind. Somebody had to be at fault. And it was definitely not her fault. There was somebody to blame for this.

Mother, why did everyone leave me?

The Vinsmokes and Straw Hats were responsible for this. They were leaving. They were leaving and oh God, they were leaving. They were trying to leave her, they were escaping from her.

A long time ago, young little Linlin was abandoned in the island of giants.

A long time ago, young little Linlin was left alone by everyone.

She didn’t want to feel that anymore. Why can’t everyone just live together?

Somebody had to be responsible for this mess. And so she approached. She approached and approached- the source that was responsible for all of these. He promised to me. She thought to herself. They promised to me.

Why did they have to lie?

He lied, they lied. They were at fault, he was at fault. You shouldn’t go, you shouldn’t escape. Please, oh please- why can’t you understand? She just wanted to have a party.

Mother, why did you leave me too?

Doom was appeared right before his eyes. Right on that time, the three of them were frozen in their spots. The sight of Big Mom was so close, so big, and looked so frightening.

The woman was filled with rage, and in immediate second there was only one word in their minds:

Run.

Neither of them could tell what Big Mom was speaking at that moment. Her eyes were wild, and it scared two out of the three young adults.

“You… betray,” Big Mom managed to speak.

“I’m not, Mama.” Pudding replied, before anyone else could. “I am trying to kill him.” She showed her weapon, pointed it on Sanji and Luffy’s direction. “I’m not going with them, at all… I’m also a victim.”

Big Mom glared at her, which caused her to shiver. Big Mom turned her gaze to the other two men, and Pudding used the chance to back away slowly from the situation.

Luffy, in the other hand was dead serious. Staring back into Big Mom’s eyes, he looked like he wanted to punch Big Mom right on her face. And he would, if it weren’t for Sanji stepping in between the two. Taking a huge gulp of saliva down his throat and faced the wrath himself.

“I’m very sorry all of these are happening. I didn’t intend any of this to happen and ruin this day. I didn’t plan to escape from this wedding. However,” he explained as much as he could. “Please, let all of my friends go. I’m willing to take every of the blame there is to offer.”

“But Sanji!” Upon hearing his statements, Luffy protested. “We are going back to the Sunny!”

Sanji didn’t respond to that remark. Sweats poured down from his face. Ba-thump, ba-thump. His heart was beating down so fast. “I’m willing to marry, or anything. Just please, let them go.”

He had hoped Big Mom would gladly accept another offer he was giving. Part of him was afraid it would be turned down as he just broke the previous offer he gave to her.

Bracing himself for what comes next, he hoped his negotiation skill could at least reach somewhere.

Big Mom stared down at him, her eyes looming with a dark gaze. That’s when she finally gave her reply.

Panic echoes from inside of Capone’s body. Nami, Chopper, Brook, Pedro, Carrot, and Jinbei were worried about their friends’ fate.

However, as much as they wanted to jump out, they had to deal with keeping Capone’s body. From how it looked, he almost hit the limits.

Big Mom stared down at Sanji with big, scary eyes.

“Wedding…” she managed to spoke out. Part of Sanji wondered if he did it- if he managed to strike another deal with Big Mom. If only she agreed, then the only problem left was to bid farewell with Luffy and the others.

As hurt as it seemed, it sounded like the best option they had at that moment. As much as Luffy would protest at him, he had to resist.

I’m willing to marry, Sanji told himself. He thought he was up and ready with the idea the night before.

Luffy was on his fighting stance, ready to punch at Big Mom if she pulled something, or anything at all. Sanji was pretty much preparing himself for anything to come, however what come next was not like anything he expected, at all.

“…or Life?”

All of the sudden, Sanji felt breathless.

They didn’t know what was happening, they can barely see from where they were. But the Straw Hats were panicking.

“Sanji!” Nami cried out. “What happened to Sanji?”

Shortly after Sanji went face to face with Big Mom, something like a wisp was coming out from his body- and it looked like he was gaining unconsciousness. There was nothing that they could tell from that range, but they were scared to death for their friend’s life.

Chopper was crying, panicking, calling out for a doctor- it was him, but he didn’t know what to do. He and Luffy were over there, and they were over here.

Jinbei’s face was turned into total fear, “This is bad. Luffy! Hurry up! Get him out of there! And fast!”

“Sanji!”

Looping his rubbery hand over his Cook’s still body, Luffy pulled him away right before Big Mom took every last second of whatever-kind-of-whipped-cream that was inside of his friend.

Sanji seemed to be unconscious, but that sounded like a smaller matter; Big Mom was angry, and she trashed all over now that the man at fault was taken.

Luffy jumped out of the way of her attack. He wanted to fight back, but right now- getting him and Sanji into safety was the priority. And so, he launched them into Capone’s body.

He was feeling breathless, and slowly losing consciousness. He didn’t know what was happening, but it felt like his life force was being taken away from him.

He couldn’t do anything, or move. Everything seemed like a blur.

Somebody was screaming, and he was being pulled. He didn’t know who and what, but suddenly, he felt he could breathe again. He could open his eyes, and see again. He had to blink a few times to make sure what he saw was not a dream- that everyone, including Nami-san was right in front of his eyes.

“He’s awake! He’s awake!” Chopper screamed, tears were still visible on his face.

Jinbei gave out a sigh of relief, and Nami ran straight to hug him.

“Sanji-kun!” Her soothing voice called, “I’m so glad you’re alright!” She was so close, and so smooth. Everything about her was so perfect, and her soft body was pressed into his. At that moment, everything felt complete.

And then Sanji suddenly feeling faint again.

Awoken for the second time- this time with tissues shoved up to his nose, Sanji finally properly taken in the situation as Jinbei explained about it to everyone.

“Big Mom has the power of Soul Soul Fruit.” He explained. “What she did just now made Sanji lose life spans.”

“And his current life span is down to just 5 hours,” Chopper added.

“If somebody dies, their soul can’t be returned.” Jinbei continued. “However, if they are still alive- it’s possible to retrieve the taken soul back.”

Luffy was nodding during the entire explanation. “So, we have to kick her ass or Sanji will die?” Having the I-see-no-problem-with-that look written clearly on his face.

“We still need to get out of this place alive! That was our main objective. But with Sanji-kun like this,…” Concern was written all over Nami’s face. She turned to look at Sanji, who was recovering from his earlier blood loss.

Five hours was a short time, and being able to be with his nakamas again for his last moments were more than enough for him. “Don’t worry about me, Nami-san.” Sanji stood up. He wanted nothing more at this point than to keep everyone else safe. “All of you can go to Sunny and-”

“We don’t want you to pull that sacrificial thing again!” Nami protested back. “You better stay alive this time!”

“Yeah!” Chopper and Carrot added.

“Sanji-san, you’re going to break my heart if you are gone- even if I don’t have a heart.”

“I still got my debts to repay.” Pedro commented.

“Don’t you even think about letting yourself to die at this moment! We are going to keep you alive for more than that.” Chopper said again.

“Have a little more faith in us!”

And right at that moment, Sanji almost forgotten how amazing his nakamas were for him. He could almost cry.

If it weren’t for the continuous rumbling in Big Father’s keep and 5 hours time span of battle, the Straw Hats would love to talk more regarding their quick reunion. Capone turned to them and confirmed the situation.

“I can’t hold on for much longer. I need to escape from here.” He turned into Caesar, and getting ready for the escape route. “We are moving into action in three.”

Luffy readied his fist and nodded. “I’m going to kick their ass.”

Capone turned back into regular human form, and Gastino took him away from the battlefield.

Big Mom and her children were all around them, and there was no way they could’ve escaped under normal means.

However, plan was a plan. A giant fist of rubber and a leg set on fire was coming out of the keep. The combination of Captain and the Cook of Straw Hat pirates- that was so in sync during the heat of the battle. Holding the upcoming attack, and letting the rest of the team to escape for the time being.

It won’t be for long, but it was a good start to fight back.

Right on the battlefield, Charlotte Dogtooth had prepared for a full fight.

Somewhere in the battlefield, Vinsmokes had returned with their raid suit on- taking down every of Big Mom army in their way.

Somewhere in the hiding place, Pudding started to emulate a plan to bake a new cake to calm down Mama’s wrath.

There was five hours left to retrieve their friend safely from the situation, as the countdown continued.