Archive of Our Own ^beta

Fluixon did not know what to expect when he hit the lava. Jumping off a cliff to escape a bloodthirsty mob was not something that he had ever expected to happen, let alone to him. He had scrambled closer to the edge, eyes darting left and right in a desperate attempt at securing an escape route. All he saw were diamond blades, edges shining with malice in the lava lit volcano. 

So he jumped.

The wind had rushed through his hair as he fell, the sight of dull grey rock quickly being replaced with black as he braced himself for the impact. Fluixon had not considered what was below him before he leaped. Luckily it was not solid ground. Unluckily it was a pit of lava. 

He caught on fire immediately, the oppressive heat pressing into him on all sides. The sluggish liquid clung onto his diamond trim armour as he scrambled for purchase.

He felt his boots hit the bottom of the pool, ever so slowly pushing his body upwards. Fluixon reached into his inventory, praying that there were at least some golden apples left over. He bit into the fruit, clawing at the edge of the pool for some way to get out. The effects were immediate, his once diminishing health had barely returned, the terribly hot liquid still scorching at his skin despite the temporary reprise. 

Fluixon wadded out painstakingly, another golden apple was already grasped tightly in his hand, the lava dripping down his damaged armour. He could not spare a glance at what the people above were yelling at. All his adrenaline-addled mind could supply him with was the route to the tunnel and the strength to not collapse before he got there. 

Still chewing on the apple, Fluixon made his way over to the hidden rocks where the escape would occur. His right leg dragged behind, the limb probably shattered from the fall. Each breath was horrific, the stench of iron blood and sulphuric fumes burned the inside of his lungs, forcing him to take shallow ones instead. His head was light with blood loss, the earlier scuffle leaving him with much to be desired from his current position. 

Fluixon reached the wall of the tunnel, ripping out his pickaxe as he began to break the blocks covering the entrance. Somehow there was no one around to notice his struggle, for once life was on his side. He stumbled into the cool stone, replacing the broken blocks as he fell to the ground. 

“Damn.” Fluixon muttered. His eyes were heavy lidded with exhaustion, limbs too weightily to do anything with. Yet he still dragged a hand to his side, still crawled deeper into the barely lit tunnel. Each inch was painfully lethargic, the movement stagnant as his brain slowly shut down. 

Fluixon dragged himself up against the wall just below one of the spare torches that lit the ridiculously long tunnel. He sat there, watching the shadows twirl as the light source flickered cheerfully, a stark contrast to his mood. Fluixon let out a small breath, hoping that it would not be his last as his eyes fell down at last. 

<————————————->

Saparata’s mouth gaped open as people screamed in victory. His axe hung limply by his side as the crowd threw their fears away, the piercing joy of success weighing down the conjoined army. They had won. Saparata could barely bring himself to believe that he was still alive, yet he was still standing here today, on the peak of Infernus’ castle in triumph. 

He heard the sounds of running steps before a strong arm threw themselves around Saparata’s shoulders. 

“Ehhhh! What a day!” He heard Schpood’s thunderous voice echo out. The emperor of Westhelm was right to be excited about this yet Saparata could not bring himself to rejoice like the others were. There was a small part of his brain that still screamed wanted fugitive, even if he was highly respected now. 

“Hey Schpood, can I ask you a question?” He asked quietly. The emperor raised his eyebrows before replying with a harsh sounding, “Shoot.”

“What happened to Flux… ion?” Saparata quickly corrected himself. The boiling pit in his stomach rose a little higher at the mention of his former friend, even if it was him who mentioned it. Flux was a brother in arms, the person who was there for Saps whenever he needed it. And Flux was dead. There was only Fluixon, the fear mongering, power hungry maniac who killed everyone Saps was close too. 

Schpood thought for a little, hand rubbing his unshaved chin with a frowning.

“I think that people were saying he jumped off the castle. Fell right into lava. Ha ha, serve that maggot right.” He barked out a laugh, clapping Saparata on the back harder than he needed too. Saps winced but choked out a smile anyway. He had every right to thank Schpood but he still felt a little too raw to dish out thank you notes just yet. 

“You think we can find the body?” Saparata queried, hoping that the emperor would give him another straight answer. Sometimes Schpood went on long winded chats about nothing and he really hoped that would not be the case right now. 

“I HOPE SO! I will get that monkey head of his and hand it on my wall to show everyone that Westhelm is the most glorious nation of all!” Schpood exclaim with wild vigour, a slightly crazed glint in his eyes. Saparata groaned internally. What did he expect when he used that question?

“Anyways, you should probably get some rest after this whole debacle. Leave everything to the leaders, we get the job done after all.” Schpood continued, patting Saps on the back one last time before taking his exit. 

Saparata nodded to no one but himself. The army had ransacked Cynikka’s castle down to the very blocks it was built from, every valuable stripped away as a prize for the conquest. Saps looked down from his vantage, noting Cass and several other Cass Coalition members beckoning people in a parade back to Island 2. 

Saparata contemplated it for a second. Returning to his hometown would be amazing after all. Having spent most of this time on the run meant that he barely had time to enjoy the majestic features his homeland had to offer so heading there would be wonderful. Carefully making his way down the steep volcano, avoiding the lava and boiling water splattered randomly over the uneven terrain, Saps made it to Cass. 

The leader glanced at him for a second before winking. Saps chuckled in embarrassment. It seemed that she had known his plan right from the start. 

“You are welcome to join us for as long as you want Saps, we all went through a lot today.” She shook his hand firmly before turning away. Saparata followed her to the shore, the large congress of boats a strange sight to behold. 

It was obvious that there was far less now than when they had set sail, a slap back to reality of what the war had truly robbed. Saparata jumped in his boat, rowing silently next to Cass as they followed the group ahead of them. It was a long journey, Saps had lost himself into his mind, muscle memory carrying his arms as they repeated the same lulling motion propelling his boat forwards. 

Saparata reflected on many things. About all the friends he had made. About all the friends he may have lost and not even known about yet. About where he was going to go now that everything was settled. But mostly about Fluixon and where he could be lying. For everyone’s sake Saps hoped that Schpood was correct that the terrorist had in fact died. 

.

.

.

While the Cass Coalition had welcomed him with open arms, Saparata still felt as if he was interrupting something that he was never a part of. He had spent the day after the final battle creating graves for everyone who had died and simply helping out the community. As he walked around, many came up to him, apologising for not believing his truths from the Commonwealth Trial. Saps had brushed it off, reassuring that there were no hard feelings but the loneliness and paranoia were hard to shake off. 

In addition, Fluixon still lingered around his mind far more than he needed too. The damn cockroach bastard’s voice still called through the tunnel of Saparata’s thoughts, every flash of purple reminding him of the lost friendship. 

Maybe I just need the reassurance that he really is gone, Saps pondered one night. Sleep had evaded him yet again, leaving the pale man tossing and turning in bed. Frowning with displeasure he sat up, running a hand through his short hair. He had cut it after the war ended, giving himself a new life after the conflict. 

Saps sighed, making his decision. 

“Tomorrow, I will go back to the volcano and find his body. Then maybe my brain will finally shut up.” He almost screamed. Saps rubbed the corners of his eyes, feeling the moisture grow there. He hated himself. Hated that he was crying over someone as cruel and heartless as Fluixon. 

Turning back to bed, Saparata could not find sleep. For innocent sleep could not come near someone who had so much blood on their hands. 

<————————————->

Fluixon opened his eyes to a dark world. He could hear his own shallow breathing, raspy as blood bubbled up from his throat. He could not even bring himself to cough it out, letting the metallic taste wither away. Flux blinked wearily, he did not know how long it had been for the tunnel had no day or night, only the singular torch above his head. 

He let his head loll down, eyes staring at the battered diamond armour. It was no longer polished nor kempt, ash and blood covering the expensive trim. His eyes drifted to his leg, the break was obvious, the limb was sticking out at an awkward angle fragmented in his scraping getaway. Flux could not even bring himself to lift his head up again, letting his body fall to the cold ground instead. His ears were ringing with the sound of a battle long past, sword clashing and cries still audible. He did not know if he would ever forget. 

Instead of focusing on the glaringly urgent medical conditions, Fluixon retreated into his mind instead. He had always prided himself on his keen intelligence. He had made it this far with his brain and sometimes his rather subpar fighting skills. Flux remembered the early days of simply mining with friends, getting excited over a mere 3  vein diamond. They were simplistic but still enjoyable. Now he had lost himself in politics and delusions of grandeur.

If you would betray one person to save a thousand. Would you? 

Fluixon’s own words rang in his ears. He wanted to backhand his past self now. He wanted to yell and beat the words into his head. 

“Why would you betray the one person who cared about you? Tell me! Why?!” 

Flux scoffed, his breath condensing against the floor. Every cell in his body was numb from the world. His last gapple had been eaten and now he was going to rot. Rot in a disgusting hellhole of a place where no one would find him. The dramatic Fluixon, the one who escaped so many times he himself lost count, dying in a pit of agony. 

Perhaps I should have let the army kill me, he thought miserably. Closing his eyes yet again as the sheer fatigue overtook his senses and faded to black. 

<————————————->

Saparata said his goodbyes to the Cass Coalition as he hopped on his boat. Instead of travelling through the plains he considered that it would be a better idea to travel by water around the coast, enjoying all the view and sceneries he would see along the way. At this point Saps would do anything to clear his mind of Fluixon and all his crimes. He was ever grateful for those who believed in him and took his side when the time came, even if they met an untimely end. 

Saparata continued to row, watching as sandy beaches transformed into open lands with farms both small and large appearing over the tree line. People lined the shores, some continuing with their daily lives as Saps rowed by. Some waved at him, shouting phrases of congratulations in his direction. He would wave back but never replied. He was not the hero in this war. That honour went to those who actually did something. Saparata was just an innocent man caught up in the mess of a terrorist who was far too smart for his own good. 

His mind was wrapped in a fog of contemplation where he did not even notice his boat bumping on the rocky land of Island 1. He could already smell the volcanic ash, forever encased in his lungs after the final battle. Saps stepped out, careful to avoid the boiling water that surrounded the entire landmass. It was unbearably hot, the sun beaming down upon him like daggers stabbing into his back. 

Saparata pulled out a sunhat Cass had kindly gifted him for his journey, placing it low over his head to avoid the deadly rays. Slinging the pack of supplies over his back, Saps began to traverse a land far too familiar for his own liking. 

As he hiked, Saps feasted his eyes on the barren landscape. Fields and fields of wheat decked the dusty ground, their golden stalks ready for harvest. The red dirt scuffed his boots, swirling around his body in the breeze as it flung itself into his eyes. Saparata’s mouth was dry, the harsh desert-like land was exotic in its repulsive wonders. His hand wandered to the axe tightly strapped onto his belt, even though there were no enemies in sight. In fact, there wasn’t a single soul that Saps could observe. 

He cursed at his paranoia, being on the run and hated by everyone in the world at some point had done some irreversible damage and Saps did not know how to repair it. So he pushed the pieces away into a box behind a duct tape and locked door that would never be opened ever again. 

Since he arrived at the south shore, Saparata would have to roam through the entire island if he wanted to reach the volcano. Considering whether he should take a short visit into Westhelm was a possibility. Saps shook his head, muttering plans under his breath. 

“No Westhelm will hold me back for too long. I need to make sure his body is still there.” Saps cringed at his own words, the gruesome contents crawling morbidly over his mind. 

After a mix of trudging and rowing, Saparata finally reached the base of the volcano. The towering giant loomed far above his head, remnants of the conflict still visible. Saps wondered how much was left of the castle as he started to climb the surface. Using the pre-made path that the army had created, he ascended higher and higher until the apex, just before the descent. 

Staring down was a revelation. Torn bodies were visible throughout the entire crater, mauled by the beast that was war. Severed limbs and fragmented armour pieces covered the ashy ground, the dregs at the bottom of a poisonous drink that killed hundreds over one small misunderstanding. 

Saps held his breath as he stumbled close to one of the decaying bodies. Blood doused the terrain, seeping into the black rock that seemed to inhale the violence. Now that he was here, Saparata realised that there was no real plan to achieve his goal. How was he supposed to confirm Fluixon’s death if he fell into a pit of lava?

Cursing at his own stupidity Saps resorted to walking around blindly, watching for any signs of gold or purple. Fluixon had infected his mind like a parasite and the man just did not want to leave. A sly smile, stabbing violet eyes that seared into his soul, raven black hair that looked like something a reaper would have and that impeccable fashion sense that Saps would never understand. 

“Ahhh! He’s dead so just shut up brain!” Saparata said out loud, punching the granite rocks next to him. Surprisingly, his fist hit the surface before it simply collapsed. The blocks gave away, crumbling under the pressure he had hit it with. The edge of a tunnel was apparent through the crack in the cover, “Leading somewhere” Saps finished his notion. 

His hands tore at the rock, ripping them aside to widen the opening as best as he could. Peering into the corridor, he could make out nothing in the encompassing darkness that was present. After prising at the opening some more, he pulled out his pickaxe to make quick work of the larger blocks preventing him from entering. Saps felt his heart leap in his chest, pounding the blood around his body at a thousand miles an hour. 

There was only one person who could have made this. A certain man who was stupidly good at escaping. Saps mined faster, his arms aching with a dull pain that would be nothing compared to what he would feel if his theory was correct. His breath was coming out in short gaps as the opening increased, his eyes scorched across what was visible, the light streaming through into the tunnel revealed what the dark had hidden. 

There, comatose on the floor of the hallway was a defeated body, covered in scrapes, burns and a multitude of other miscellaneous wounds. 

Saps wanted to scream and curse at his heart for pushing something other than anger and hatred into his mind. He stood on the spot waiting for something to happen. Maybe a trap would spring, sending him flying to his death. Maybe Flux would stand up and walk to him with a blade in hand, revealing that it was all a joke. 

Since when did I call him Flux?

Saparata cursed at this small mistake. Strolling forwards he kneeled down. 

“Shit.” He muttered, hands trembling as they hovered over Fluixon’s. It was a poor sight. 

Fluixon was lying in an uncomfortable position, his right arm trapped under his body as if he had randomly fallen to the ground. His eyes were closed, previously pale skin somehow even paler with a haunting blue undertone. His armour was cracked and falling apart, the black cloak laid next to him in tatters. Saps placed a finger under Fluixon’s nose, the man was barely breathing, it was a wonder that he was still alive somehow. 

Saparata wanted to vomit, his stomach curling aggressively at the bloody view. He reached into his pack, pulling out a small red medical kit. He flipped over Fluixon’s body so that he was lying on his back. Saps winced as he saw the broken leg flopping around. I better fix that first, Saps debated, pulling up Fluixon’s pant leg to reveal the limb. Sucking in a deep breath Saparata grabbed it carefully before forcing the bones together with a slight crack. 

He sighed with relief that Fluixon had not even twitched at the realignment, remaining deathly still. Saparata chose to remove his armour next, tugging at the tight straps to remove the chest plate. It came off easily enough but revealed another problem that Saps had somehow overlooked in his previous surveillance. 

Fluixon’s left arm was gone. Well not really but it was a mechanical one, formed out of twisted metal and planes of steel. Saps gasped a little, pulling up the sleeve to show the connecting leather strap that held it in place. He unhooked the buckle, yelping as the whole contraption clattered to the ground, detaching itself. Saparata’s eyes widened at this. Fluixon was missing a whole arm and he had failed to notice. He cursed his own incompetence hastily sliding the buckles back into place with slippery fingers, knowing that it wasn’t a new injury. 

He spent quite some time hastily stitching together some of the deeper lacerations and wrapping up the lava burns on Fluixon’s legs. He scavenged a piece of wood from outside the tunnel to create a hasty splint for the broken bone, praying internally that it would hold in place until he made something with better stability.

Several hours later the sun had gone down and Saparata had completed his emergency treatment on Fluixon. Saps groaned miserably. He was stuck here with his mortal enemy who he had made the very rash choice to save, at least until the sun came up. While peeling an apple he kept a close eye on the sleeping form. Fluixon had been placed near the crackling fire Saps had nursed into existence, a thin blanket thrown over him. His breathing had even out now, but the weariness was still visible on his face. Dark eye bags framed the lashes, his lips were cracked and bleeding, a healing cut slashed across his cheek. 

Saparata could not bring himself to look away, both because he didn’t want Fluixon to escape but also because he was getting pulled in by the gravity of a black hole that would rip him to shreds. He did not know why he chose to make the choice of saving Fluixon. After all, every single torturous thing Saps had gone through was because of Fluixon’s betrayal. In fact Saparata would go as far to say that he HATED Fluixon with a burning passion, fuelled by lack of sleep and a long held grudge. 

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” He mummered, slicing a piece of the apple apart and placing it in his mouth. He wondered how he was going to get food into Fluixon’s frail body. The guy was still out cold and was probably going to be so for a while to come. 

So he mulled over this problem for some time, consuming the apple piece by piece as his rather depressing dinner. He stared at the night sky, counting the sparkling stars as he drifted off to sleep.

<————————————->

Fluixon jerked awake, flinging himself up in shock, eyes wide and dazed as he looked around jerkily. He quickly regretted that choice, wincing in pain as his neck sent a jolt of electricity through his entire body. His brain was scrambled with information, most of it not processing as Flux stared at the blanket encompassing his body. The scratchy fabric would be itchy if it were not for the magnitude of bandages wrapped around his legs. In fact his shirt was changed too strangely enough, the soft material felt absurdly good. Perhaps he had been wearing that humid diamond trim armour for too long. 

Deciding to finally focus on his surroundings, Fluixon's focus dwindled onto one thing. Behind the smoldering campfire was an all too familiar figure. He cursed under his breath as he tried to crawl away, only to crash his face into the dirt. 

“Ducks.” Flux yelped as he turned to his prosthetic arm. Apparently the lava dive had fried the redstone lines, not the first time it had happened but it was still rather a chore to rewire.

“Damn Sap, making this ten times more inconvenient for me.” 

A rising pain in his leg was also making itself apparent, the splint was holding but Fluixon doubted that he would be able to make it any further. Frozen on the spot his mind failed him for once, ideas tumbling around but none of them stuck. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” Flux wanted to fall into a pit and die at the sound of that voice. 

“Nowhere. I don’t know what you are talking about.” He deflected, facing Saparata’s annoyed face. 

“You can’t even stand, let alone run away.” Saps scoffed, crossing his arms leisurely as he raised an eyebrow. 

Fluixon felt his eye twitch, the all too familiar heat of embarrassment forcing its way into his face but he pushed it down. Years of training his poker face made him a very good gambler after all. 

“What are you going to do, kill me yourself? Hand me in so I get executed painfully?” He shot back, severely wishing that he still had a weapon of some kind on his person at this moment. A rising fear was making itself known, clouding his senses with the need for survival. There was no way out now. No more tunnels or traps that would save his head from tumbling into a basket if Saps decided to hand him in to the authorities. 

His plans had been so full proof but it still came crashing down. Every carefully crafted assassination, every word and escape was all worth it. And he was still stuck here with Saparata. 

“I don’t know what you’re thinking but stop it.” 

Saps’ voice snapped Fluixon out of his train of thoughts, compelling him back into the present moment. 

“I’m not thinking of anything.” He mused, watching cheerfully as Saps’ face slowly morphed into one of annoyance. 

“Why the hell did I save you…” Saparata trailed off, rubbing a hand across his forehead.

“Because I am the most charming person you have ever met and you can’t stand it if I die?” Fluixon suggested with a smirk. 

Saps glared at him, hand instinctively moving towards the axe by his side. Luckily instead of shoving the blade through Fluixon’s stomach, he tossed the injured man a stale piece of bread. Flux fumbled with the food before steadying his grip, staring unconvincingly at Saparata. 

Saps just glowered back, the detestation written visibly on his face. Fluixon slowly took a minuscule bite, the bread immediately sucking all of the moisture out of his mouth, leaving a crumbling, bland mess in its stead. He chewed with mild disgust, covering his mouth and turning away to spare Saps the moment. 

Sure enough he heard the sounds of laughter from the other side of the clearing. Scowling, Fluixon turned back to see Saparata happily eating an apple, waving the fresh fruit in front of his face. In that moment there was nothing more Fluixon wanted to do than stab the other man until he died but unfortunately he was not in any position to do that. So he kept his sharp tongue in check and devoured the rest of the shrivelled bread. 

Later that day Saps had gone somewhere and returned with a large branch, tossing the dead stick in front of Fluixon who stared up in confusion.

“Your leg.” Saparata clarified, making quick work of packing up the meagre supplies that he had brought along. Fluixon sat there for a second longer before grabbing the branch, using it as a support to somehow leverage himself off the ground.  Despite his best efforts Flux simply did not have the strength to accomplish that task, still stuck on the dirt after 5 straight minutes of sweating. 

His face was flushed with embarrassment, never before had he felt so impossibly helpless and at the completed mercy of someone else. Choosing to bite the bullet he asked Saps.

“Can you… help me… get up?” He muttered quietly, biting the side of his cheek to stop himself from cringing at the word choice. There was no point in trying to be charismatic now was there?

Saps looked like he was considering his choices, nodding his head slightly as if the ideas were far too outlandish to try out. Flux felt his blood run cold at the sight but kept his face neutral. 

“Sure.” He finally decided, stalking over to where Fluixon laid. He held out his hands expectingly, Flux grabbing them after some hesitation. Saps pulled him up in one smooth tug. Fluixon, who stood there wobbling at the sudden movement, grabbed Saps shoulder to keep himself on balance, finding himself face to face with Saparata’s nose. 

“You know I always considered that we were the same height until I saw the heels on your boots. You are actually so short you could pass as a dumb goblin.” Saps commented teasingly, not minding that his insult left the shorter man buzzing with unforetold anger. 

“Well you have as many brain cells as there are clouds in the sky.” Fluixon shot back, glancing up to make sure that the weather had not betrayed him today. Sure enough Saps also looked up, giving him an opportunity to grab the branch (crutch) to steady himself with.

Saparata took a step back, making sure Flux wouldn’t fall over if he did before grabbing the supplies and motioning for him to follow. Fluixon carefully took a step, limping uncoordinatedly towards Saps. 

It took the duo a very long time to reach the beach where the boat Saps had used was waiting on the sandy shore expectingly. Flux stumbled across the sand, feet sinking into the shifting grains despite Saparata’s assistance. 

“Can you please just let me carry you.” Saps growled, growing annoyed with their slow progress. 

“No way in the nether am I ever letting you do that to me.” Fluixon grunted, a piece of seaweed tangling against his crutch. 

“Fine then, you forced me to do this.” Saps retorted, immediately and very easily sweeping Fluixon into his arms. 

The small man let out a squeal, wrapping his arm around Saparata’s neck in an act of survival which he instantly regretted. 

“Oh my Ish you scream like a girl.” Saps said jokingly, satisfied that their current progress was faster by magnitudes.

“THiS iS An OUTRAGE.” Fluixon screamed, letting go of Saps and slumping down in a pout. 

Saparata’s face betrayed him, changing to one of lighthearted banter and teasing that he did not know he had it within himself. 

Luckily for Fluixon, they reached the vessel, Saps unceremoniously dumping him into the back. Flux collapsed into the vessel, shaking sand out of his clothes and shoes as Saps pushed the boat off the shore. Flux wanted to complain and scream his frustrations to the world at his situation. After all, Saparata had not informed him about where exactly the destination of this boat was and if he was going to get handed into the authorities the moment they touched land. 

He wanted to lean back to rest but the small boat had no amenities and that just had to include a proper seat. Instead, his forehead continuously banged against Saps’ back every time the boat rocked a little. Fluixon wanted to simply close his eyes and fall asleep, after all, grave injuries required serious rest to heal. 

“You can lean on my back if you want.” Saparata spoke up suddenly. Flux raised his lowered head, blinking blearily at the offer. 

“Hard pass.” He grumbled, flicking the hair out of his eyes. 

Saps shrugged, “Your loss.”

Fluixon now really wanted to get knocked out. Just thinking about laying on Saparata’s back as he rowed was far too degrading for a man of his calibre, especially since he felt his face flush red at the mere thought. 

The embarrassment…

So Flux attempted to close his eyes and sleep upright instead. It was a bad choice, considering the fact that when he opened his eyes his face was pressed right against Saps’ shoulder.

He jerked back, pressing a hand to his cheek as if slapped.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Fluixon questioned, face contorting in confusion. He was pleasantly surprised that Saparata had yet to bash his skull in.

“Because you did take the offer after all.” Saps said, voice filled with mirth as he plastered a coquettish grin onto his face. Fluixon did not reply, choosing silence over harassment. He looked around, surrounded the duo on both sides were miles and miles of empty water. The blinding sun refracted the rays off the glass surface, cerulean blue ripples scattered across the ocean, revealing schools of farting fishes hidden in the coral depths. 

Flux leaned over the edge, dipping his hand into the water. It was shockingly cold, washing over the dirt and quickly cleaning his dirty fingernails caked with blood and grime. He wanted to jump in and relish the ocean but it was also because of this that something made him hesitate.

If the water was cold that meant that they were probably closer to Pandora. And all of his enemy nations. A landmass was visible in the distance, a murky blue-green glaze washed over the blob. The barest outlines of low lying shores and towering jungle trees were visible leaving Fluixon squirming uncomfortably in his spot. Saps did not utter a word continuing to row without a care in the world. 

Instead of confronting Saparata dead on, Fluixon chose to do it in a more… roundabout way.

“Am I the princess and you the prince to whisk me away from the monster?” He asked, pressing a hand dramatically to his chest.

Saps turned around, rolling his eyes.

“No way, you just happened to be a random guy I found and chose to save out of the goodness of my heart.”

“Rude.” Fluixon whispered, giving up and trying to lean on the small ledge that the boat had. It did not provide much purchase and almost sent him overboard allowing water to slosh into the hull, soaking both of their feet.

Saps let go of an oar to grab his arm, gripping it so tightly that Flux knew it was going to bruise the next day.

“Stay put.” The white haired man snapped, pushing him back down. 

Flux felt his chest tighten the slightest amount, skin prickling at the command. The last time he had gotten those words his world had gone to hell. He struggled to force the air into his lungs, now was not the time to lose his marbles to memories long past. 

Damn…

Fluixon brooded, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. His vision was going blurry, the world around him swimming into a haze of spreading colours mixing together to form angular shapes and faint outlines. Flux gripped the edge of the boat, knuckles white with exerted force. He did not know why his brain hit the alarm button at such small words but it was going to shit.

The sound of spraying water faded into the background as oxygen refused to enter his lungs, the only sound being the pounding of his heart against his chest. The world was spiralling down around him, everything was collapsing into a consuming abyss of blackness that greedily swallowed everyone he ever knew. 

“FLUX! SNAP OUT OF IT! Shit-“ 

Ah… that voice. 

Fluixon felt as if his body was being consumed by a snowstorm, the flakes ripping into his skin as he curled into a ball, eyes were shut tight. His chest would not expand, constricting tighter and tighter as he descended into the black hole. 

<————————————->

Saparata’s hands fumbled as he tied down the oars. Fluixon had wrapped his arm around his head, burying himself in his injured legs. Blood was seeping through the bandages, blossoms of scarlet erupting like fireworks over the white surface. 

“Flux! Snap out of it. Shit he’s freaking out.” Saps snatched Fluixon’s hand, eyes wide in panic as he tried to calm his companion down. Saparata’s stomach spun around like a carousel, his neurons firing fast as arrows to decipher the situation. 

He had never seen this happen to Flux before. The raven haired man was always composed, keeping his cool headed facade every time Saps was around him. What could he possibly have said to send Flux into this state?

Saparata felt ridiculously bad for accidentally causing this, pity radiating off his figure. His heart leaped a little, aching painfully with unsaid words that he would never dare think about, lest he talk about them. Running out of options Saps threw his arms around Fluixon’s startlingly thin shoulders, pressing his face into his neck. 

“I’m sorry, so so sorry. Flux you have to breathe, just take deep breaths. Come on, you can do it.” He muttered hurriedly, stroking Fluixon’s back rhythmically in hopes of helping him calm down. 

Saparata slowed down as Flux’s breathing evened out a little, releasing him from the embrace. Sitting back, Saps observed Fluixon’s face. 

His amethyst eyes were filled with tears, lips pressed into a harsh line. It gave the once handsome face a look of fractured ideals, dreams that fell too far out of reach, hardened with hardship and failure. 

Saps gulped worriedly. There was no way Fluixon could have faked that even if he was good at acting. The uncontrollable trembling of his hands, the shortness of breath, it was far too real. And that scared Saparata far more than if he had pretended. 

“Are you better now?” He implored quietly. 

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.” Flux replied, responding too fast. 

Saps back off, turning around to continue rowing, occasionally glancing back to check up on him. Multiple times he saw quick hands wipe away flowing tears, small sniffles and old memories. 

Fluixon was not fine. Saps knew that and hated himself for caring so much. He doubted Fluixon scrutinised this much about him that much when he ruined Saps’ life, leaving him on the run from everyone from both islands. He heavily questioned whether Flux was plagued by thoughts of friendship and regret. 

But Saparata was not Fluixon and he could still feel empathy. So he extended an olive branch to Flux hoping it would not go unnoticed.

“Hey Saps.” 

Saparata jerked around at the weak voice. 

“Yeah…” He whispered, terrified to break the moment.

“Thank you.” Fluixon’s voice was filled with more sincerity than Saps had ever heard in it before and it broke his heart. 

“No problem.” He choked out, forcing some sense of normality between them. His brain was still in overdrive, heart speed running as a smile broke through. 

Oh my days, what am I going to do now?

Saps could not see his face but he knew his cheeks were pink considering how jubilant he was feeling. He wanted to just sit down and have a chat with Flux, without the swords and traps. 

This moment might be about as genuine as it gets, Saps pondered. His island was just up ahead, the sandy archipelago a mere 5 minutes away. Sitting at the top of the hill, the dreaded monument stood. 

The dull red roof pointed towards the sky, a stark reminder of what occurred. Massive pillars encompassed the premise, built and designed with delicate, loving hands. Saps had not visited this place since the massacre, the bloodshed still fresh as the day it splattered over the tables of his house. 

Saparata could still hear the panicked screams, shouts that twisted into strangled calls of betrayal and shock. The sandy walls seemed to cling onto the memories of violence like a sponge to water, whispered fragments of broken peace penetrating deep into the foundation. The air seemed to hang with the weight of a thousand echoes, the island itself crying over the pointless death of so many promising leaders. 

He sighed, the hull of the boat bumping into the shore to announce their arrival at the still unnamed island. Saps stepped out, dragging the seafaring vessel onto the beach to avoid it drifting out into open oceans. 

“You need help?” He asked Fluixon, hand already held out. This time Flux didn’t hesitate to take it, dragging himself up and out. 

“Why are we here out of all places?” He complained. Saps was both relieved and annoyed that he was back to his old self. 

“It’s the one place no one will find you. It’s like a graveyard around these parts, people think the ghosts of the leaders will appear.” Saps informed him, with a shrug.

“Yeah but we never built any extra rooms in the house either.” Fluixon pointed out, gesturing for Saps to assist him off the sand. 

“It shouldn’t take too long to get some renovations done.” Saparata said, carrying Flux over to the steps.

“You think you can make it up?” He questioned, wincing at how high he made them.

Even Fluixon looked slightly perturbed at the prospect of having to journey up. He shook his head, eyebrows knitting together in agony. Saps nodded in acknowledgment, beginning his dragging ascend.

Fluixon was rather light, probably from temporarily being on the run and the short stay at Infernus. It was easy to heave him up step by step, the momentum jostling the passengers' limbs. Despite the inconvenient position, Flux had yet to protest about anything, surprising Saps just that little bit. He supposed that Flux gave up on upholding his pride and resigning himself to Saps' mercy. 

Even if Fluixon concluded the worst about his  arrangement, Saparata never made any plans to hand him in to the authorities. He knew that if anyone found out about their location Flux’s head would be on a spike before morning. So he brought them to a cursed location in hopes that there wouldn’t be any sightseers lingering around the murder scene. 

Saparata was shocked when halfway up the hill, Fluixon laid his head on Saps’ chest, closing his eyes in exhaustion. The fragility of their relationship felt unreal to Saps. Less than 3 days ago he was leading an army against Flux and now he was hiding the most wanted fugitive in the world. 

Even if his role had descended to one of caretaker, Saparata did not mind. It was not a simple emotion he could name but one that laid deep in his mind that caused him to pursue what he did. Exhaling softly as not to wake up Fluixon, he quickly made his way up the rest of the steps. 

Entering his former vacation home was a peculiar experience. There were no longer any lingering bodies and trails of blood but Saps could still feel the clawing presence of death over the entire space. Leading Flux into one of the small rooms he had made before the infamous world meeting, Saps placed his sleeping frame onto the bed. 

Closing the door behind him as he exited, Saparata ruminated about his next action. Securing food would be important if he didn’t want the two of them to starve to death. Getting some more advanced medical supplies would also be crucial to starve off the infections that the burns might cause. 

Choosing to tackle the former problem first, Saps seized a bow and some arrows from a hidden chest to start hunting. Luckily, Pandora’s archipelago was home to a multitude of animals and other nutritious resources that would be plentiful to keep the hunger at bay. Locating a cow in a clearing, Saps lined up his shot, drawing the bow silently as he hid behind a bush. 

He released the arrow, the streak of brown barely visible before the cow leaned over with a loud cry. It collapsed on the ground, life draining out as Saps approached the pained creature. He finished it off with a sword to the neck before dissecting it into the important parts. 

Hauling the meat back to the house was a gradual process, Saps stopping multiple times along the way to collect some firewood and kindling to cook the meat. He brought the spoils into the house but left the branches outside, waiting for the night to fall to start cooking. Saparata poked his head in once to check on Fluixon, watching his chest rise and fall leisurely, reassuring Saps that he was comfortable. The white haired man scavenged some flint and steel from the pantry, lighting some dry leaves on fire before it caught onto the branches. Soon he had a roaring hearth, the warmth from the flames penetrating his tired bones. 

Saps sniffed the air as he laid the cutlets of meat over the spirals of fire. The fat sizzled as it hit the branches, leaving both steam and the delicious scent of dinner into the air. He licked his lips in anticipation of the meal, flipping the cuts to make sure they were evenly cooked. Saps left them on the heat for a little longer to wake up Flux. Entering the room, he shook the sleeping man’s shoulder gently. 

Fluixon’s face was far more tender when he slept, his lashes brushing against the alabaster skin that shone under the moonlight. It was soft as freshly fallen snow, the fighting claws of power and ambition washed away in rest. Saps sometimes wished that Fluixon was this mellow in his day to day life but some dreams never came true and Saparata was fine with that. 

“Hey Flux. Wakey wakey.” Saps jabbed a finger at his cheek, resulting in a grumble as Fluixon shuffled the blanket higher. Saps pursed his lips to fight back the demons of cuteness that erupted from that action. He really needed to ask Cass for a camera if he visited the Coalition anytime soon. 

Sighing, he ripped the blanket off Flux, tossing the fabric on the floor as Fluixon yelped in defiance. He finally cracked open his eyes, squinting in the lamplight at Saps’ face. 

“What was that for?” He protested, sitting up with a yawn. 

“Dinner’s ready.” Saps informed. Fluixon seemed to light up at that, sliding off the bed carefully as to not jostle his broken leg too much. 

“We should probably find a new splint.” Saparata admitted sheepishly, letting Flux throw an arm around his shoulder. 

“Yeah I could have guessed.” Flux replied, rolling his eyes as Saps led him outside and onto a log by the fire. 

“God, what did you put in that meat? It smells like heaven.” He groaned, rubbing his face to shove away the sleep.

“Nothing. But possibly some suspicious looking white grains from the pantry.” Saps finished, just as Fluixon placed a piece in his mouth.

“WHAT.” He coughed, covering his mouth in disgust.

“I think it was salt. Like 80% sure…” Saps thought dejectedly.

“You better hope it’s salt because we are done for if it’s anything else. Although this beef tastes good as hell.” Flux groused despite picking up another steaming piece for himself.  

Saparata simply made a noise of content as he continued to stuff himself. 

“When was the last time you had a good meal?” Saps asked, curious of Flux’s lifestyle in his rather short time as a criminal on the run.

“Is it bad that I can’t remember? Infernus didn’t really have anything I suppose so…” He mused, hand twitching over his leg. 

“Does it hurt?” Saparata said cautiously, well aware that he wasn’t a medic and that his bare bones knowledge might have done more harm than good.

“I mean kinda, yeah it’s like a pulsing sensation whenever I move although that might be the burns.” He just happened to wince in pain as he burnt himself on the grill. 

“I’ll head to the Cass Coalition tomorrow and get some better supplies. Sorry for now but it was a rush to get here.” 

“No problem, I'm just glad to be alive.” Fluixon waved him off with a grin. 

Saps frowned a little at the action, knowing full well that Flux was in a lot more pain than he was letting on but chose to hide it out of fear. 

“Sure.” Was all Saparata could say. 

The pair finished the rest of their dinner in silence, the only sound audible being the calling cries of birds roosting, waves crashing repeatedly onto the empty sand and the wind rustling the branches of the vast jungle. 

“I’ll sleep on the couch, you can take the bed ‘kay?” Saparata offered after they had doused the cooking fire and headed inside.m

Fluixon nodded, his eyes drooping with weariness already. Saps picked him up once again, tucking his former(?) enemy into bed. Heading back to the brand new couch he flopped into the cushions. They embraced his drained body like a cloud of comfort, providing just the right conditions for a peaceful night of rest. Saps visualised purple eyes and mischievous smiles as he drifted off into oblivion. 

<————————————->

Life continued after this burst of revelations. Fluixon and Saparata had a schedule, waking each other up in the early mornings and taking turns cooking meals. Flux always celebrated that his cooking far outweighed Saps although the other reasoned against that. Saps was better at baking though, his cookies were apparently to die for according to Fluixon who stole the whole lot just as they came out of the oven. 

“I never knew you had a sweet tooth.” Saps exclaimed angrily, trying to claim the remaining cookie for himself.

Flux stuck out his tongue with a grin, gnawing on the stolen goods, satisfied with his play.

“Hey, blame my family, I didn’t get many sweets growing up.” He shot back with a shrug, licking the remnant chocolate off his fingers. 

Saps raised his eyebrows at that. It was the first time Fluixon ever talked about his past or where he had come from.

Flux paused as he saw Saps expression, face losing its happiness as cold closure spread over his features. 

“Ask what you want too. I owe you that much.” He sighed, leaning on the countertop. Saps grabbed a chair for him, dragging the stool over and the legs scraping loudly against the stone floor. 

“Thanks.”Flux muttered, sliding into the seat as casually as he could. 

“Okay…. So…” Saparata drawled, drumming his fingers impatiently as his eyes drifted to Flux. 

Fluixon rubbed his face once before starting. 

“I was the son of a high ranking Aculon prostitute. She was nothing more than a pretty face and body, one that sold itself into an accursed industry of money and money pleasure. My death almost ruined her life. She never got any higher education, only learning how to dance and serve drinks to soldiers and nobles. It was a miserable life, she stated, but one that paid well so she kept in the business.

When she gave birth to me she planned on ending my life on the spot. It was not because she did not want a child but because I was a defect. A child with one arm cannot entertain, cannot do housework nor become a soldier. Luckily, the nurse stopped her before she could run me through with her hairpin, taking me back to her house. 

I spent the early years of my life exchanging living conditions between the brothel and my mother’s house. She rarely noticed me, avoiding my presence as best as she could. After all, my very existence was a mistake, one that slipped through quality control and still turned out to be a failure.

I was sitting in the front garden picking at the weeds one morning when my life flipped upside down. Spring was around the corner, the icy thaw making way for the warmer weather and blossoming flowers. It was then that I was approached by several older men. They stopped in front of the house, whispering to each other behind their hands. I was used to the criticism, my eight year old mind could do nothing but think about what was going on the table for dinner. 

One of them approached me and that was when I noticed the armor and sword strapped onto him. My heart skipped a beat, at the majestic sight. I bowed, showing my respect to his position. He asked me if my mother was home, I nodded pointing inside. The group knocked on the door before the leader invited him in. 

I do not have many regrets in life but  to this day I still think about what my life would be like if I had entered the house after them. Instead I came in later. And welcoming me was the sight of my mother crying on the ground, her black hair a mess of strands sprayed around her head like a broken halo. Her painted pink lips and pale skin did not match the expression of agony that was visible. 

The soldier stood by in silence. ‘You will be reimbursed for your efforts.’ He said simply. I stood dumbly by the doorway, confused out of my little mind. My mother did not cry. Military men do not turn up at peoples houses randomly. The man who I assumed to be the leader came up to me, glancing me up and down as if inspecting my entire existence.

‘What’s your name kid?’ He asked as if to push some sense of normalcy. I answered him like any normal child would.

‘What happened to mama?’ I remember being on the verge of tears, the guy getting increasingly panicked at my poor behavior. He reassured me but all I could see were the signs of struggle in the furniture. They led me out of the house and into one of the fancy carriages that the old world liked so much. 

Before long I found myself in front of a pair of large wooden doors that towered above my slight frame. Passing through them led me into a large study or office of some kind. And behind the desk sat the most powerful man in the world-“

“Who was it?” Saps spoke up randomly. Fluixon scowled at him, pressing a hand to his lips to silence the interruption. 

”I was trembling like a leaf under the strange conditions of my supposed kidnapping, getting tossed head first into a whole new world can do that to you. When I entered, I came face to face with the most powerful man in the world. 

To this day I will never 100% understand anything that happened after. Elanuelo was a unique man. For the king and emperor of so many people he was rather plain. I’m not going to bother describing every detail I collected over the years but I will say that he could pass as any ordinary worker in Aculon. 

When he smiled at me the lips twerked but it never ever reached his eyes. From that day on I forced myself to learn to lie just as well as Elanuelo, faking until my lies became the bare truth. I’ll spare you the nitpicks a second time around but all you need to know is that I was his son.”

“WHAT!??” Saparata yelled, slamming his hands on the table on surprise. 

“Yes, very unexpected now shut up and let me continue, you can scream later.” Flux waved him off dismissively. 

“Anyways, I learnt that Elanuelo had some ‘one night stands’ and I was the result of one but he didn’t know about me until a very long time later. So from then on I was technically a prince and had duties and studies to attend to. Despite not getting any formal education up to that point I absorbed the new teachings like a sponge. Reading, writing, politics, equestrian, all the skills that a royal should obtain.

In addition to that I also met Cynikka, my half sister. We clicked pretty much immediately but she was 3 years older than me so her classes were different but we still found time between the gaps to have fun. And so I spent the next several years of my life living in decadence and royalty. Elanuelo got some inventors to make me a custom arm, although I think they are long dead. 

If you know some world history then what happens next should not surprise you. The attack on the Iron Torch was expected. People do not like to be controlled and revolution is inevitable for even the strongest of nations. I was hiding under my bed when Cynikka broke down my door. She grabbed my hand and we ran. Using some of the secret tunnels that Elanuelo had built into the castle's design, we got out without getting into the conflict. 

It was the sprint to the harbor that got us in trouble. It was never really announced that Elanuelo had children but our outfits gave us away. Some of the rebels managed to follow us through the brewing snowstorm, forcing Cynikka to hide me away in one of the mountain caves we had discovered while playing.

She told me to stay put and led the rebels away, leaving me alone in the arctic. As any panicked child would do I tried to follow her quickly disappearing footsteps through the piling snow. I did not make it very far until I collapsed. The next time I cracked open my eyes I was in the arms of another escaping Aculon resident. She said that she found me and that I should have tried to stay under shelter and hide, at least until the battle ended. 

We traversed the storm and barely made it to the boats, the two of us freezing half to death. I cried for Cynikka but the woman who saved me refused, throwing me into the arms of an unwilling sailor instead. The boats were packed, many already denying people access to escape the land. 

Somehow I managed to find a spot on one, a small child slipping unnoticed through the droves of helpless citizens. Many were thrown overboard or killed to make space but they ignored me. I huddled for warmth in a random corner where the sea spray did not reach, waiting for when the sun broke past the horizon and spread its rays across the land once again.

It turns out that I had gotten immensely lucky yet again and this boat was headed for Pandora. It took a whole week to get there. There was no food available so everyone went hungry. Mothers begged for something to feed their babies and people fought over the pails of dirty rainwater. Many people took pity on me and gave me the barest amounts of hydration which kept me alive, even when hypothermia and unsanitary conditions aren’t ideal. 

I practically crawled out of the vessel when it docked, going a whole week without food and little water leaving its toll on my frail body. I was in a world where I didn’t speak the language, didn’t know where in the world I was and on death's doorstep. Up to this point I had survived off the generosity of others but now I was wholeheartedly alone in a vengeful world that would eradicate me if they found out my identity. 

So I resorted to stealing, thievery and pickpocketing to fill my stomach. It was not a good thing that I took to the business like a fish to water but desperation feeds and money talks. I met the rest of my crew on some of my ‘adventures’ , the five of them sticking by me, especially when we got caught on a heist. I got thrown into prison where hard labor prevailed over flowery words so I adapted yet again, bribing prisoners and sweet talking some of the guards. 

When I got out I was already 18, fresh out of hell and really damn tired of life. At this point I was already living in Pandora for around… 5 years so fluency in the language came easy. I sought out 3belowzero, hearing from rumors that he would start the next great civilization. Seeing my great competence, he made me his second in command on the spot, a foolish mistake for a foolish leader.

These very hands helped build the city that Luminara is today, the city of light that came from nothing with a seed of darkness at its very center. I discovered about Cynikka’s whereabouts from the news from Yggdrasil, Sidefall may not be trustworthy but news is news. I thought that she was crazy for settling in the volcano with an untrustworthy Italian mafia boss but that is not my place to speak of. 

Well that is pretty much everything up to the present day. It was very possible that I lost myself along the way, and when this long, long story came to a close I realized I was the villain all along. It cost everything. After all, you don’t make history by being liked. 

There was one more thing that Elanuelo taught me that I still can’t shake even if I tried. ‘Trust is a dangerous game’ said by the man who united the world from a bunker, an ideology forever impaled in my memory.” Fluixon finished his tale bitterly, a slight bittersweet smile on his face. 

Saparata had no words to describe what he just heard. It was a tale of hardship, suffering and undeniable crimes at the cost of one’s humanity. Flux was staring at him, expecting some disgusted reaction. Saps leaned over and grabbed his hand instead, squeezing it tightly under his grip. 

“It doesn’t matter. I can’t ever hate you.” He confessed, a forlorn expression on his face. Fluixon broke in laughter, clutching his stomach through the spasms. 

Silly Saps, why are you always so trusting? He anticipated morosely. 

“What have I done to find one such as you?” He choked out, hiding tears away. He had wasted enough of his life crying over things that would never be returned to him to shed more tears over Saps. 

“I guess you got lucky. Again.” Saparata joked, mentally counting how many times Flux’s incredibly good luck saved him. 

“Yeah it is not normal to get saved so many times. I still get flabbergasted at how you survived both the fall and the lava.” Saps muttered.

“Lots of golden apples and good old lady luck.” Fluixon replied, shrugging as if death was a random companion that popped by for tea.

“Ooohhh is that why you kinda have an accent?” Saps jerked up finally placing the exotic intonations and pronunciations that Flux sometimes had. 

“I do?” Fluixon mummered, suddenly conscious of the way he spoke. 

“Yeah just sometimes, more when you get tired.” Saps replied casually. 

“Damn, even if I try my very best to erase any signs of Aculon it still pokes through.” Fluixon scoffed, the smile long gone.

“Hey don’t blame yourself, it’s not really your fault any of that happened. I was actually from Theria as well.” Saps confessed, embarrassed that he chose this specific moment to reveal his childhood home.

“You must have been the whitest person in the entire desert.” Flux smirked, feeling his chest lighten up the barest amount.

“I hate you. But yeah, I came to Pandora for a better life after my dad jumped off a tower.” 

“That’s… sorry for your loss.” Flux said softly, patting Saparata’s back awkwardly. 

“Nah it’s fine. It’s been years now so I’m doing great.” Saps reassured, skin tingling at the warm touch. 

“Uh huh yep, great.” Flux parroted, rolling his eyes in doubt.

“You know, funny I never knew but how old are you actually?” Saps queried, the math from Fluixon’s story slowly adding up.

“Never pegged you as the type of guy to so shamelessly ask for people’s ages.” Flux chuckled.

“But I’m 28 for your information. Or desperation depending on how you look at it.” He finished.

“You gotta be the most lucky guy in existence. I’m 28 too.” Saps mused, twirling a strand of his hair out of habit.

“How in the nether is it lucky that we just happened to be born in the same year?” Flux cocked his head, voice laced with confusion.

“No reason.” Saps hurriedly asserted, turning away as a slight flush crept over his cheeks.

“Sure.” Fluixon said, nodding his head slowly as he observed Saps’ flustered response. 

“Anyways…” Saparata mumbled as the conversation fell into silence. 

Neither of them brought up that topic ever again, resigning themselves back to the mediocre lifestyle that they had gotten accustomed to.

<————————————->

“I want to move.” Saps proclaimed on a random day around a week after their strange conversation.

Fluixon had paused in making his morning coffee, turning confusedly to his companion. 

“Why? I thought you liked it here?” He asked, yawning even though it was almost noon. 

The two of them had worked to expand the former vacation home now permanent home into something more lively. There were now two separate bedrooms — though Saps had once snuck into Flux’s and stayed the night under the guise of being lonely — a kitchen and living room with vast open windows that overshadowed the garden they had cultivated. 

“Yeah I like it here but it’s still an obvious location, and it would be nice to get a change of views every once in a while. We can go looking for a new vacation home since this one is technically our actual home now.” Saparata rushed to defend his point, startled at Fluixon’s insistent response. 

The other man stirred his drink, appearing to be considering his options of the next step of action.

“I mean it’s not a bad idea but how much money do we have?” Flux pointed out, a matter he was surprisingly concerned over.

“Enough to get a decent house probably. I got paid a lot after the war.” Saps said, leaning back against the couch. He was already imagining their multitude of options. Beach, mountains, maybe even the distinct terrain and climate of Yggdrasil.

Fluixon watched as Saps daydreamed about this prospect for the entire morning, lounging around the couch as glorious sunlight streamed through the windows in planes of bright lights. 

He’s enjoying himself. But buying a vacation home might cost more than he expects. Flux deliberated with slight regret. He wished Saps to be happy but it was out of their budget range, considering that they were living off funds from the war effort. Neither had actual jobs but at least they didn’t have to pay taxes since they had built the house on unclaimed private land. 

“I’ll give it some thought.” He finally admitted, hoping that maybe Saparata would drop the idea after some time. 

Saps in fact did not drop the idea. He continuously wavered like a fly around Fluixon, begging to just “take a peek” at the options. Little did he know Flux had already scoped out the field beforehand, checking out some listings on Discord from a mass of builders and land owners who wanted to sell their property. By no means could Saps alone afford it with the savings that he had. So Flux had to step in. 

“Fine, we can go look at some houses.” He pretended to cave in to the insistent Saparata, who jumped in joy at the declaration. He handed his companion several pre-prepared pamphlets that contained altered prices. A chest of diamonds became 5 stacks, weaponry and food was crossed out entirely. Fluixon was pretty proud of his handiwork and clearly Saps was even happier with travelling along the coast to see some of the builds. 

They set out the next day in Saps’ good old boat, the vessel carrying the two of them far further than any other vehicle. 

“Where’s the first one?” Saps asked, swivelling back to try to peek at the paper.

“Uh it’s just, wait give me a sec.” Flux squinted at the text, muttering under his breath. 

“You good? Here hand it over l read it.” Saps reached back but Fluixon jerked the page away.

“Nuh uh I will have the honour of doing this. It’s off the coast of Barbieland, down south. Very scenic, based on the photos.” He listed several more facts in tandem, Saparata tuning most of them out. 

“Well then off we go. Hold on tight and please try not to fall off the Saparata express.” Saps exclaimed effervescently, rowing a little faster.

Fluixon threw back his head and laughed, the sound clear as day, sharp as wind chimes blowing in the breeze. Saps grinned, this was going to be a good day.

. 

.

.

They arrived at their destination rather quickly. The seller was informed ahead of time at their arrival and said that they could do whatever they wanted as long as nothing was destroyed. This was very good for the duo as Fluixon was presumed dead and Saparata would be swarmed with fans if they knew. 

They rounded the corner of the mountain to the majestic view. A cozy wooden cabin stood on the shore next to a pier that stabbed right into the crystal cerulean waters. The beach it was located on was small but beautiful with large cherry trees framing the shimmering ocean as waves lapped lazily. Curls of white foam framed the view, the cabin stood in stark contrast, the aged wood revealing swirls of contrasting circles in the cut logs. 

The slanted roof added an element of abstract linework that cut a harsh line between the forest and lake. Circular windows crusted with dirt and spiderwebs overlooked the scenery, the stained glass design on the attic window reflecting starbursts of rainbows across the ground. 

Fluixon was breathless at the sight, eyes widening in shock. It was completely different to what he was used to, the torrid heat of the sun bearing down on the boat reflecting his mood. 

“Wow.” He spoke in a low voice, grasping Saps’ shoulder as he leant forwards. 

“It looks even better than the photo.” Separate comments, a slight smile on his face. 

Fluixon did not respond, anticipation clawing at his veins as they drew closer. 

He was the first of the two to jump out when they reached the dock, the pier creaking the barest amount with the movement, eyes wide in wonder. Saps walked to his side a second later after securing the boat, whistling in satisfaction at their pick.

“First choice best choice they say.” He mused, voice filled with amazement. 

The duo made their way into the cabin, the wooden door painted a buttercup yellow much to their amusement. The interior was meager but welcoming, an arched French window allowing the light to stream onto the worn floorboards painted with vines and flowers that blossomed up the wooden posts. The slanted tiled roof was held up in a series of  intricate interlocking beams with potted plants hanging down, bulbs visible and rearing to bloom. 

The rest of the house was empty, a light layer of dust, a testimony to the slight neglect that the builder left the house in. It was apparent that this was probably a failed project, some of the planks were wonky and would need some renovations and a new set of furniture but it could be sorted out relatively quickly.

The back door led to a desolate garden, a puny and dying farm encompassing most of the space, the dirt uprooted with uncaring hands. Fluixon cringed a little at the poor treatment of the environment, eye twitching in annoyance. Even Saps looked perturbed at the sight, a rare sight considering the events he went through. 

“Surely this can be fixed…” He spoke up, trailing off quietly. 

Flux nodded, lips pressed in a thin line of disappointment. They reentered the house, jiggling the brass doorknob as it stuck in place, rust encasing the formerly glossy metal. 

“It’s a pretty solid option so far huh.” Flux chuckled, examining some of the low hanging lights that dangled above the floorboards. 

Their bulbs were unscrewed and missing, probably because the owner didn’t want anyone stealing them. Saparata on the other hand was busy taking a stroll on the beach, basking in the glorious find. It truly was lucky for Flux to discover such an ideal place. The price was cheap, the scenery perfect and it was far away enough from civilization where the two of them could simply take time off and relax. Obviously their main house would still be Saps’ first build but deviating from the original plan was fine. 

Poking his head back into the cabin, Fluixon greeted him casually, stroking a random cat that had entered through a window crack. 

“New pet?” Saps said, mirth audible in his lilting tone.

“Nah, just a stray.” Flux replied, rubbing a finger into the feline’s chin. It purred loudly, pushing itself deeper into his touch.

“Funny because I’m usually the one catching strays.” Saparata wiggled his eyebrows mockingly, Fluixon rolling his eyes in response.

“Sure.” He replied in the usual monotone. 

“Anyways, what do you think of the place?” He questioned, still focused on the cat.

“It’s great. You have an amazing eye for architecture. The structural integrity is solid, the views are stunning and it’s not terribly far from our house either. 10 out of 10 stars all around.” Saps gave his review with a flourish. 

Flux nodded in agreement. 

“Should we look at the rest of them or just stick to this one?” 

“It would be a good ideal to scope all of the options out before we drop the money.” Saps informed, already whipping out the other pamphlets.

“Sure.” Fluixon repeated, following Saparata out the front door as they went onto the next location. 

The two spent the rest of the week visiting houses around the entire map. Most were located on Pandora but two were on Yggdrasil — surprisingly well made for a place with such little resources, Fluixon presumed while they were there. 

Ultimately in the end they did end up returning to the first choice — it was just too good. 

Saparata was the one who closed the deal with the seller, Fluixon choosing to stay home and stare at the ceiling.

“We got the house!” Saps cheered in excitement as he waltzed through the entryway. 

“Yay.” Flux said, a pitch happier than usual. He pulled out a carved crow, a keyring attached to the head. A polished bell dangling off jingled as he shook it. 

“What’s that for?” Saps asked, examining the bird closer. It was crudely made and it was clear the carver did not have much experience in the craft. One of the eyes was larger than the others, feathers roughly drawn and feet butchered. 

“A present…” Flux trailed off, red tingeing across his face as he crossed his arms. 

“You made this.” Saparata stated, merrily surprised at the revelation. He never took Fluixon as the type of person who would be crafty nor intricate at woodworking out of all art forms. 

The answer was obvious when Flux proceeded to stuff his face into a pillow, noises of internal regret emanating in waves from his form. 

Saps broke out into laughter, rushing over to the couch to scoop Fluixon up in a bone crushing hug. The smaller man wheezed and tried to scramble away but Saps just kept on holding him.

“Thanks.” He whispered into Flux’s ear, nose tickling the wavy ebony hair that trailed over his neck. 

“Uh yeah, no problem. Put them on the new keys.” Fluixon pointed out, patting Saparata’s back in an attempt to get him to let go. 

“Ah right sorry!” Saps leaped back, realising what he just did. He felt his face heat up as he rubbed his neck. Flux himself was blushing as hard as a tomato, hurriedly rearranging his position to a slightly less compromising one. He faked a cough to hide his shaky voice, legs trembling slightly as he stood up.

“I’m gonna go to bed now, g’night.” Fluixon quickly reassured, practically running (not very fast) out of the room. He slammed the wooden door, limping over to the bed as he gripped his bad leg. The pain was worth getting out of that hellish situation.

What in the overworld was THAT?! His brain screeched, still lurching at the interaction. Saps had never gotten that close before. Sure they had been pressed shoulder to shoulder in those tight mining tunnels but never on purpose. It had spun a wrench in his world and dug up feelings that he had long buried. 

Fluixon felt his heart speed up at the mere thought of what just occurred. He forced himself to breathe, in and out. 

Surely he didn’t consider Saps in that light? 

Most of the time they were just friends… Right? 

Flux flopped into his bed, curling the red blanket around himself as he snuggled up against the wall. He had known Saps for several years now as friends of friends but it wasn’t until they went mining together that the relationship really kicked off. They’d saved each other in the caves countless times, celebrated when it was a successful day and even shared a cup of wine for goodness sake. 

Don’t even get me started on that one time he broke into my room-

Flux cut off that thought with a minuscule squeal. Saparata had wiggled and stolen most of his blanket, causing him to hug the white haired man for warmth unconsciously in his sleep. It was a horrid sight upon waking up and a small miracle he had regained his senses before Saps. The incident still hovered in the corners of his mind whenever Saps went anywhere close to his bedroom. 

It was a terrible predicament indeed. Perhaps an even worse one than being stuck in a house with Saps. Flux rolled around in his bed, debating on his next move. 

Maybe the best option is to just pretend it didn’t happen, he deliberated despairingly. All he could do now is hope that Saparata came to the same conclusion. 

<————————————->

Saparata had been left increasingly bewildered by Fluixon’s behaviour when he rushed out of the room. Surely a mere one word would — no could not make him so nervous?

This was far out of the usual interactions they had. Most of the time the two of them would just talk the barest amounts, sometimes more when the conversation started to flow. Saps did most of the conversing, Flux mostly just nodded along and inputted his ideas every once in a while. Getting him to confess his life’s story was a once in a blue moon event, a sparse moment of weakness that Saps had tugged on as hard as he could to make sure it did not escape his grasp. 

It did make him rethink Fluixon. The ambition took on a different light, the cruelty that many spoke off so blatantly off was nowhere in sight while they were residing together. In fact, he would even go as far to say that Flux had probably gone soft. More than once he had placed his head on Saps’ shoulder or lap and fallen asleep — obviously Saps himself chose not to do anything about that considering he greatly enjoyed it when Flux did. 

Oh my days… Don’t tell me-

Saps groaned as he crumpled onto the couch, placing his head in his hands as waves of anticipation and unwavering resolution crashed over him. It was inevitable now. The end of the end was now. 

“Ahhhhhhhhh.” He screamed under his breath, pressing a clammy hand over his mouth to further stifle the sound

Saps had never really ‘liked’ anyone in a romantic way. Sure he had been really close to several people over the course of his life but never enough to make him crash out like Fluixon did. Something about the purple eyed man just jerked on his heartstrings in a different way. 

He was up and pacing now, hands tangling in his hair as he stabbed his fingers through the strands. The look of fragility Flux had given him while he was hugging him made Saps’ heart curl in sheer ecstasy, oxytocin coursing through his veins. It was not pity, more like the undying urge to just take care of Flux. 

Saparata groaned as he retreated into the couch. He traced the lines of fabric mindlessly, hoping to get the increasing pressure off his chest. Sleep was a pointless endeavour so he decided to make a cup of milk instead. 

He heated up the stove, the dance of the flames drawing his attention as the milk gradually warmed up. When steam started to rise and bubbles formed across the surface, he took the pot off the burner and poured it into a random clean cup that he found on the kitchen counter. 

His fingers burned as they touched the surface, white steam twirling up into the cool night in columns of blurry waves as he swept his hand through the trail, breaking it apart. Saps took a sip, relishing as the liquid burnt down his throat. He sighed, rubbing a tired hand against his face. This situation was getting a bit out of hand but it was nothing that he could simply ignore. 

So Saparata also came to the wonderful conclusion to ignore everything that he had just done and bury his feelings in a deep dark place.

 <————————————->

The next morning both Fluixon and Saparata woke up and realised that it  would be the start of their acting careers. 

Flux laid in bed for 20 minutes after he regained consciousness questioning his choices. He could run away yet again, leaving Saps to wallow in his friend’s disappearance. Or he could stick around and continue to fake everything. He wavered between the two, weighing a multitude of pros and cons. 

Ultimately he decided to crawl out of bed and go greet Saps, the obligation to keep the white haired man happy beating the animalistic instinct to make a break for it. 

“Good morning.” He greeted formally, keeping his voice as level as he could.

“Hi.” Saps replied, focusing on the burner where he was cooking some eggs for breakfast. Their yellow yolks glistened with oil, perfectly cooked to spew the orange contents when poked. A thin layer of white surrounded the oval, curling brown edges crispy and folding. 

Fluixon’s mouth was watering at the thought of digging into that meal. He tossed two pieces of bread into the toaster, flicking the lever down as the wires turned red, electricity coursing through the thin lines. He yawned, having gotten barely any rest last night as his mind continuously bombarded him with images of Saps. It was outrageous considering that he wanted to be well rested for the days ahead.

“How’d you sleep?” Saps was the first to break the silence. 

“Good.” Flux replied blandly. 

It went back to being unpleasant after that. Both avoided eye contact and kept their mouths shut, Fluixon eating his breakfast as fast as he could to get out of the stifling situation. He escaped into their garden, praying that Saparata wouldn’t follow him. 

He acquired the watering can from its designated place against the sandstone wall, green plastic warped under obscene weather conditions of its location.

The garden tap was as spluttery as ever, wheezing out the few drops that it could muster to water his plants. Fluxion grunted as he turned the handle, thin metal practically snapping as he forced it closed. The last few trickles dropped to the ground, unnoticed as Flux had already diverted his attention elsewhere. 

He walked over to the tulips, humming a small melody as he traced arcs of water over the plants. Glints of sunlight scattered off the drops, cascading over the dry ground in a show of glittering sparks and minute splashes. 

Flux sighed melancholically, squinting against the glowering morning sunlight. Sure his life had not been easy, in fact most of it was him pushing that boulder up a steep hill. Living with Saparata may or may not rank in the top five most hated moments of his 28 years.

It was torture seeing Saps’ sky splitting smile that could cure even the most deadly diseases. Sometimes his stomach would churn when he saw the new scar splitting across his roommate's cheek, Fluixon assumed it was from the Battle of Infernus or his time on the run. He had thrown Saps to the wolves and now he felt bad when the result turned out as expected (for the most part…). He truly was a heartless monster. 

Fluixon gave up on watering the garden. It wasn’t particularly large but it was mind numbing and his highway brain needed more than a silly hobby to keep it occupied. 

He barely spared a look at the farm, breezing past the rows of wheat and carrots that Saps had insisted they planted “for nutrients”, he had preached. Fluixon felt his stomach churn as he got closer and closer to the woods. It would be so easy to walk away into the dense tree cover, shadows writhing as the wind shuffled branches of large brimmed leaves. 

It was like an infection spreading through his mind. Every thought, every moment seemed to roundabout back to a single man that Fluixon could not make himself hate no matter how hard he tried. Every cell in his body seemed to disagree. His cheeks kept heat up whenever Saparata complimented him. His heart bested faster when they got too close to each other, bumping knees on the couch as they wrestled for the book. 

Fluixon punched a nearby tree, the tingling in his arm intensifying with the impact. His breaths were ragged with frustration and as much as he detested it — defeat. 

He ripped a leaf off a poor branch, shredding it in anger. Flux let the butchered pieces slip through his fingers and fall to the ground. It reminded him of the falling snow in Aculon. 

It would be hard not to say he missed the landscape. Blazing white as far as the eyes could see, frosted flakes of delicate water crystalline structures drifting from the sky like fallen angels descending to the earth, mountains that towered like deceased giants slain on the desolate island that was his home.

Pandora was nice but his skin longed for the cold bite of freezing winds that whipped like lashes and frost that clawed at your fingers until they were numb to the world. 

Fluixon shook his head to clear his thoughts. He hated the colour white. It was his least favourite colour yet he seemed to be plagued by it everywhere he looked. A flicker of pale hair around the doorway, a flash of feathers that shot away as fast as lightning, the sunlight that blessed life when it basked over the jungles and plains of Pandora. 

Saps would not understand. No one would understand. Fluixon was nothing more than a villain who was meant to die for character development two arcs ago. He was not meant to live in a world that spun like a clock, leaving seconds and deaths behind like a trail of blood. 

His hands were covered in it. From the orders of assassinations given to Seraphim, rigging Saparata’s house with the dripstone trap that managed to kill six world leaders, his former leader 3belowzero and the uncountable lives that his traps could have taken in both the Luminara escape and the Battle of Infernus. Flux left a trail of dead bodies wherever he went like he was the reaper himself. Call it blinded in ambition, call it paranoia there was no way to justify his crimes. 

And yet Saps was still here. 

Saparata still stood by him now even after getting out through the wringer but Flux. 

No justification….

Fluixon thought morosely. No way to say I’m sorry. It was too late for apologies for he was not that type of person. He was a killer and plain old narrative foil. Flux gripped the front of his shirt, the fabric a size too big for he had stolen it from Saps’ closet. 

He cursed at the wretched coincidence. Realising just how much time he had wasted internally bashing life was a punch to the gut. The sun had reached its apex, the chirping of insects seemingly getting louder as if to signal his death bell. 

Lunch. 

He thought, a slice of terror and anticipation entering his bloodstream. Thinking about sitting at a table and conversing with Saps did not assist in his choice to not sprint into the jungle or at the very least throw himself off a tower. 

Flux felt his breath catch in his throat, a heavy rock settling in his stomach. The sickening sting of acidic bile razed the back of his tongue, threatening to spill out of his harshly pressed lips. He swallowed the vomit, choking on its unpalatable nature as his lungs rasped for air. The back of his neck was drenched in sweat, hair sticking to his forehead with an intolerable feeling of bugs crawling over his skin. 

He clenched his eyes shut, fingernails digging into his palms in a futile effort to ground himself. The metallic taste of blood overtook the bile, coating his tongue in the distinct iron taste as he licked his lip. Fluixon pressed a finger to the wound, the steady dripping of blood condensing on the surface. He had not even realised that he pierced himself hard enough to penetrate the flesh. Panic had taken over to cloud his senses and dull his mind.

“Shoot.” He cursed, stumbling back to the house in disarray. Poor Saps was going to be so confused over my panic…, he reasoned. Hoping that the other would ignore Flux’s injury, he scurried into the dining room like a rat running from a cat, Saparata looking up with alarm at the sound of hurrying footsteps. 

“Did I hold you up for too long?” Fluixon questioned, sliding into the chair as if he wasn’t bleeding and sweating as if he had just ran a marathon. 

“Nope.” Saps replied in a sing-song tone, placing the baked pasta onto the table. “It just came out of the oven. Do you need a tissue for that?” 

Fluixon let out a forced laugh, clumsily grabbing a napkin from its position at the end of the table. 

“No need I got it.” He reassured, internally celebrating that Saparata had not escalated the scenario. Flux scooped out the pasta onto two plates, grinning as Saps nodded in appreciation when he took a bite. 

The distinct taste of tomatoes flooded his taste buds, their flavour the backbone of the whole dish. The burn of too hot food singed his tongue as Flux blew out puffs of air, waving a hand in front of his face to cool it down. The deep savoury cheese stuck to his face in light strings, the mild salty taste adding to the dish. Basil scented the air from when Saps had cut some up, refreshing like a fresh breath of wind on a hot summer day. 

“It’s sooo good.” He spoke out, pointing the fork as he chewed. Saparata looked rather amused, nodding along. 

“A letter came while you were out. Can you pass it to me?” Saps gestured towards the paper on Fluixon’s end of the table. 

“Now? But I’m eating.” Flux complained, sticking his tongue out in defiance. 

“Fine I’ll get it myself.” Saps languished, reaching a lanky arm out, only for Fluixon to grab the letter out of his reach. 

“Here you go.” He exclaimed cheerily, delicately placing the package in front of Saparata, much to the other’s groan. 

Saps rolled his eyes at the antics, of course Flux would make him work only to give him the reward.

“Urg, jury duty.” Saps moaned as he ripped open up the envelope and peeked at the contents.

“Tough luck.” Fluixon shot back. It really was an irritating day.

“Actually for your information it’s a bit more than that.”

“Surely a court case can’t be that interesting?” 

“You would be shocked. Dear Saparata, blah blah blah, you are invited to attend the trial of Thomas5200.” He eyebrows rose a bare fraction as he read out the contents.

Flux sat up like a plant who had just gotten water after weeks of dehydration, perking up with the spark of life that withered away just as fast.

“Ah- are you going to attend?” He asked, picking at a splinter in the table, a small pout visible. 

“Probably not but we can go if you want. He was your… partner in crime right?” Saparata said, flicking the letter close with a snap of his wrist. He remembered Thomas5200 from the botched Commonwealth trial. The guy had been the prosecution and acted highly outraged when the accusations came out, humorous to Saps now but destroying back then. 

“Yeah something of the sort. Plus it’s your invitation so you decide whether to go.” Flux shrugged, feinting nonchalance but his eyes followed Saparata’s motions like a hawk.

“I got nothing better to do so we could go but you chose.” Saps joked, sliding the letter across the desk like a shady businessman. 

The two stared at each other, an impasse was reached and neither was willing to push. Fluixon picked up the invitation, eyes scanning the scripted cursive letters with sharp intensity as his face got stormier with each passing word. His eyes twitched, mouth curling into a snarl of stormy anger.

“Damn it all.” He snapped stormily, slamming it onto the table. Saps was unpleasantly surprised at the outburst, usually Flux never reacted this strongly but he must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed to get this mad.

“I’ll get the boat ready.” Saparata sighed, straightening his jacket as he stood. “Time to bust out that suit I never used.”

“Uh, you got an extra one? Mine kinda got destroyed in the lava.” Flux coughed, the previous anger leeching away to embarrassment of asking for assistance. 

“Sure!” Saps exclaimed joyfully, grateful for an opportunity to finally dig through and clean his closet. For some reason Fluixon didn’t look particularly thrilled to wear Saps’ clothing but he ignored that. Flux could be stingy all he wanted in Saparata’s eyes.

The duo ended up crouched in front of a dusty box of crumpled suits and ties, indefinitely forgotten but still formal clothing. Flux peeled one from the pile with two fingers, eyeing the fabric hesitatingly as his nose wrinkled with the dust floating up from the cardboard.

“Yeah sorry about that. I got them ages ago but never pulled them out for anything. We should probably toss them in the laundry.” Saps apologies, rubbing the back of his neck in dismay. 

“Probably is an understatement.” Flux responded dryly, dropping the blazer back into the box before standing up and cracking his back. A series of firecracker-like pops sounded as he bent back. Fluixon winced at the sound, turning his neck accusingly, only to elicit more cracking joints. 

“Not even thirty.” He sighed as he exited the room, much to the laughter of Saparata. 

Despite the humiliation Fluixon did go on to spend the day helping Saparata wash and hang the clothes to dry. Saps did have a 3 piece suit that fitted him just fine (sure the cuffs were long but no one noticed) and Flux was glad it was black too. Personally he thought he looked ghastly in other colours except that and purple but Saps seemed to disagree and insist he wear the green blazer. 

Flux wasn’t very happy with this so he threw the damned thing at Saps’ face and bolted for it. He didn’t make it very far before a bucket of cold, dirty water came crashing down over his head. To rub salt in the wound Saparata then dragged him back into the house kicking and screaming before taking care of him as if he was some abandoned kitten who got picked off the streets — which Flux supposed he kind of was but that was besides the point.

After they messed around for a bit and waited for evaporation to run its course, Saps sent Flux back outside at dusk to take down the suits. He went cursing and swearing but did the job regardless. The thin metal wires that they had haphazardly strung across several wooden fences had done their job, the textiles dry and wrinkles like a prune from the handwashing. 

He brought them inside, tossing the contents of the basket haphazardly on the couch for Saps to sort through later. Whistling, Fluixon strolled away to chill for the rest of the day. It was none of his business what happened next and he just wanted to see Thomas one last time before his head flew after all. 

Friends till the end. He thought bitterly. 

The day of the trial came quickly, Fluixon internally preparing himself for what would happen. There was no best case scenario, only the fact that death was certainly the punishment and the crowd would be happy to see a member of the Conspiracy go. He was almost certain that the others had died in the Battle of Infernus. Gotoga might have made it out if they escaped ahead of time but Hvyrotation got killed in front of him and Snowbird was nowhere to be found. 

“Time to leave!” Saparata called from the doorway, a bulky object poking out from where it was clumsily held in his arms. 

“What's with the package?” Fluixon questioned, trying to get a peek in at the mysterious item. 

“Your disguise of course. Surely you didn’t expect to waltz into a courtroom full of people who hate you and thank Ish for your death?” Saps showed Flux the pumpkin head, slamming the hard shell over the shorter man’s head rather aggressively, the grin still plastered on his face. 

“Smiling at my suffering, how ironic.” Fluixon grumbled, twisting the cumbersome headpiece around. It was heavy and smelt like rotten fruit but at least it hid his face. He took it off, gagging at the stench.

“I’ll wear it when we get there.” He wheezed, gasping for fresh air. “Where the hell did you even get it from? 

Saparata shrugged, “Found it in the forest. Ah look at the time we should get going.”

He bounded out of the house, tossing Fluixon the keys over his shoulder. He fumbled with the small item, the metal sliding across his fingers as he locked the door, stuffing the keys into his pocket as he ran after Saps. 

 <————————————->

Saparata found Fluixon cooped up in his room after the trial, huddled in a ball in the corner of the room, arms wrapped protectively around his legs as muffled sobs were heard. He knocked on the doorframe, sound echoing like a gong through the empty silence. 

“Go away.” Flux grumbled weakly, none of his usual bravado in sight. Saps bit his lip, twiddling his fingers in thought. Eventually he pushed open the door further, wooden floorboards creaking as he tip-toed into the room. 

He sat down silently, resting his head on the cool wood as Fluixon continued to let out sniffles. For all the time that Saps had known Flux he never saw the stoic man cry or even crack the facade. It was all sharp edges and no reprise from the remarks and words of a snake whispering empty promises. 

Saparata didn’t know what to do. He moved around too much as a child to make any lasting bonds with other people his age, cutting his childhood rather short. He reached out a hand to comfort Flux, only to have it swatted away with a growl. 

Sighing Saps went back to staring at thin air, his eyelids drooping in exhaustion. So many civilians had rushed to him after the trial ended, asking for tales of war and glory that he could not provide. Fluixon had made his exit immediately, going into the forest to do something that he abetmently refused to tell Saps what he was up to. 

Sure the white haired man has theories of what was going on but he respected Flux enough not to enquire. Both had been dead silent on their way home with minimal chatter until now. 

“You don’t have to spill everything but please, let me help.” Saps whispered, the prickling feeling of innate fear and rejection shooting up his stomach like a geyser.  

“CAN YOU JUST GET OUT!” Fluixon screamed, pointing a finger at the door. His face contorted into an expression of tiredness and anger. 

“I am so DONE with you, acting all high and mighty because you did ONE good act in your dumb life! Can I not even wallow in peace? You must just find a way to poke your head into my PERSONAL BUSINESS and mess EVERYTHING up. So GET THE HELL OUT.” Flux yelled, face flushed in rage as he stood over Saparata. 

Saps’ mouth gaped open, legs trembling as he stood up, face blank. 

A morose apology stuck itself in the back of his throat as he walked past, slamming the door shut behind him, the burning feeling of rejection burning in his chest. A soft sigh escaped his lips, hands clutching the fabric of his shirt as he slumped onto the couch. 

What did I do wrong? Saparata thought, the tension in his forehead appearing as a frown. Fluixon was a prickly, evil bastard who had done everything but be decent to Saps yet the moment he came crawling Saparata accepted it with open arms. Going down the usual spiral, Saps curled up into a ball, tucking his face into his knees as he felt the familiar sting of tears in the back of his eyes. 

I guess I never changed… Still the same weak person I always was. He mused, scoffing as the salty tears started to stream down his cheeks. 

Fluixon felt instantaneous regret the moment Saparata left without a goodbye. They had established a routine. Good morning and goodnight every time. Well, not every time now. Flux slid back onto the wooden floor. He was done with crying, done with everything that happened from the moment the Battle of Infernus started. He just wanted to do nothing, live as a hermit under a mountain alone for the rest of his insubstantial life. 

“Maybe in the snow.” He vocalised dejectedly. Cynikka’s death was still a gaping wound that had yet to be healed, the sudden loss leaving a part of Flux weeping with grief that would never be expressed. 

It would be a nice place to go with Saparata, the thought intruded Flux’s brain like a steam engine at full speed. They were in the middle of a disagreement and Fluixon still put Saps first god damnit. 

It would be nice to take Saps on an outing to the mountains, Flux wanted to slap himself when he imagined the two of them running around the the snow, the numbing feeling of nothingness when the cold invaded into their fingertips while huddling for warmth, Saparata’s white hair glimmering like a comet under the empty sky. 

In that moment Fluixon resolved himself to make it happen, even if it cost him all his pride and whatever money he had left. 

 <————————————->

[2 weeks later]

“Oh my diamonds! Look at that view!” Saparata yelled at the top of his lungs as he breached the peak. The edge of the mountain seemed to just end, leading to a cutting drop into the snow below. The landscape was an empty white, sky a watery blue with wisps of cotton candy clouds drifting pass like oversized jellyfish. Mountains stamped the horizon, rising up like slumbering giants of the pass, their surfaces coated in rocky outcrops and sparse shrubs. 

Fluixon clambered up next to Saps, uttering a small “wow” of awe. 

“It looks just like home.” He muttered under his breath, a mellow smile plastered onto his face. 

Saps grinned, the bubbly feeling of soda pop love rising in his chest again. 

“Race ya.” He called out, jumping down the edge before Fluixon could react. An exclamation of surprise and indignation was heard but Saparata kept running, stumbling as his boots caught on the shifting snow. 

Flux sprinted behind him, the satisfying crunch of his shoes running down the mountain. He reached out fingertips brushing the furred edge of Saps’ coat as he tripped, crashing into Saparata’s back as he fell. 

They both tumbled forward landing in a pile of tangled limbs and screaming as they plopped down at the bottom of the hill, dusted in a light layer of snow and cold water streaming through their clothes. Fluixon croaked out an apology, between coughs, the air having been knocked out of his lungs. 

Saparata slapped his back heartily, standing up with a groan. 

“My knees are cooked.” He mused, Flux shooting him a dirty look. 

“Sure. I might have thrown out my back in that fall.” Fluixon complained, rubbing his lower back with a grimace. 

“Old man.” Saps chuckled, checking that he still had his scarf on him. He hopped out of the small ditch that they had landed in, deep footprints trailing behind him as he squinted into the faded sun. He peek back, Flux still taking his sweet time enjoying the view. 

An evil thought flashed through Saparata’s head as he reached down, collecting a clump of snow into a rough shape. He took a step back before throwing the concoction at Fluixon’s rough direction. 

Fluixon let out the most blood curling scream when he felt the snowball hit his face. It was a blur and white and blue as he tumbled back, landing on the freezing snow with a grunt.

 "What was that for?!" He screeched, already preparing his own snowball for Saps who was doubling over with laughter a couple meters away. 

“Should have seen your face- it was glorious.” Saparata wheezed out in between bouts of explosive laughter. Flux pouted, throwing his own snowball that soared far above Saps’ head. The white haired man died even more, falling to the ground in amusement. 

As much as it annoyed Flux, he couldn’t help but notice how happy Saparata looked. The way his smile lit up the air around him with the buzzing of warm energy. How his hair curled the edges of his face in a delicate caress of off white dove coloured stands. The beanie he was wearing discarded by his side, poofs of condensed breaths floating up like clouds of bottled joy released into the air. 

Fluixon felt his breath catch in his throat. He has given up trying to hide his stare, heart beating faster as Saps’ grey eyes met his violet ones. The corners of his mouth pricked up despite his resistance, eyebrows raising in defeat as he strolled over, holding a hand out for Saparata. 

Saps closed the gap, fingers wrapping around the leather glove as he pushed himself off the snowy ground. Their bodies were almost pressed together, hair tangling in the sweeping alpine winds. 

Flux could feel the heat radiating from Saparata’s form, the press of his hand like an iron poker against his palm. Their breaths mingled together, faces mere centimeters apart as Fluixon barely dared to take a breath. Saps leaned in even closer, eyes widening as if to memorise every facet of Flux’s face in case he never got the opportunity to again. 

Fluixon’s eyes darted down to Saparata’s lips, taking in the soft creases, a little dry from lack of care – not that he cared. The moles dotted around his face stood out like constellations against the pale cerulean sky. Fluixon couldn’t think when he raised his hand, lightly brushing against the dark scar on Saps’ cheek, tracing the thin line until his finger touched the bridge of Sap’s nose. 

Saparata froze, skin tingling with starbursts of warmth, cheeks flushing pink as he gasped lightly. He let out a light chuckle, leaning into Flux’s hand as his eyes narrowed in humour. Fluixon scoffed, cocking his head with a grin as he shook his head, taking a step back as his hand dropped back to his side. 

A sigh escaped Saps’ lips in disappointment at the loss of touch. He had been anticipating this moment for months at this point, the sheer feeling of his heart booming in his chest, endorphins rushing through his brain and clouding all his senses just felt right when he was with Fluixon. 

That’s okay. I will wait for as long as I need to, he thought, flicking an ice crystal off his coat. 

As long as I need to…

 <————————————->

Fluixon grabbed his cheeks as he turned away, feeling just how warm and red they were. His eyes were wide in shock and embarrassment, bottom lip trembling as if he was a young boy who discovered love for the first time. He wanted to crawl into a pit and scream in exhilaration. That was the closest he and Saparata had ever gotten, phantom touches and grazed lips were common at this point, pretty much a daily practice. 

Most were initiated by Saps and Flux just played along but this time he actually did something about it that wasn’t humming in acknowledgement and turning away. A slightly hysterical giggle pushed its way out of his lips, earning a “Wha?” from Saps who was busy trying to build a snowman. 

“Nothing.” Fluixon hurriedly called out, slapping a hand over his mouth with a curse. 

Not yet. Now was not the time to get hasty and mess this up. 

< —--- >

They spent the rest of the day foraging and prancing around the mountains, leaving trails and tracks of deep footsteps that seemed to entrench themselves into the landscape despite the flurrying snowfall that came around like clockwork in the evening. 

Saparata had led them to his tower, pointing at the pale shape in the fading daylight. Fluixon rolled his eyes at the sight, it matched Saps’ aesthetic perfectly. Stupidly white and glaringly blinding. Matching perfectly into the surrounding landscape Flux was not surprised that no one found Saparata during his time as a criminal. 

The interior was just as plain as the exterior, an old campfire with a furnace and bed all cramped into the tiny building. 

“Is this it?” Flux exclaimed, peering over Saparata’s shoulder. 

Saps sighed, “What did you expect, a luxury mansion. You can sleep outside if you want.” He tossed his satchel onto the ground, pulling out the steaks that they had brought along with them for the journey. 

Fluixon couldn’t stand being in the same room as Saps, the jittery feeling in his stomach rising to sickening levels forcing him up the flight of stairs to the top level. The unlit torches sat on the roof pillars, wood creaking in the arctic wind as the blizzard seemed to wrap itself like a blanket around the tower. His hands were numb but Flux felt feverish, confrontation was not his strong suit. 

His coat was still wet from the atrocious weather, gloves left by the furnace to dry, hair poofed up after Saps attacked him with the towel. It was too cosy, too nice and way too comfortable. His brain wandered around, imagining the two of them pressed back to back, warmth seeping through the bed as the storm raged outside. 

“Freak.” 

Fluixon whipped his head up, a strangled scream echoing silently into the night sky. He was going to request to sleep on the floor after that and if Saps insisted, well too bad. It truly was a precarious situation. 

“What are you lounging up here for? Not cold like us mortals?” Saparata chuckled, poking his head out of the trapdoor. 

You look too ethereal to be a mortal, Flux considered, a stray snowflake landing on his nose. 

“Nah, just thinking.”

Saps let him past, back down the stone stairs back to the ground. “I always wonder what goes on in that big head of yours.” He pointed out, jabbing a finger at Fluixon’s forehead. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Yeah, cuz I wanna make you smile more silly.” 

Fluixon almost tripped down the rest of the steps at that statement. His heart was hammering like an angry bull. Saparata had basically thrown a pink dove at his face complete with a love letter and roses. 

“I have no idea what you are talking about. I never smile.” He retorted, a desperate attempt to regain control without blowing a fuse.  

Saps laughed, the sound like the chiming of bells, filled with pure stardust and mirth. “You definitely do. Your eyes curve, right here. Then your lips twerk up in that weird way that makes it look like you ate a lemon but I can tell you really liked my joke.”

Flux spluttered, there was no reply to that. “Well you look real ugly when you smile. Like-like a pig! Your nose crinkles up and you look like a mischievous fly scheming something. Plus you keep accidentally slapping me when you get too excited.” He grumbled, practically sprinting down the last flight of stairs. 

“Aww did you just compliment me? Keep going.” Saps ushered him forwards to the furnace, his hand on Fluixon’s shoulder like an electric wire.

Flux slammed his mouth shut, biting his tongue in the process. 

Despite Saparata’s insistent prodding, Fluixon ignored him, stuffing far too hot food into his mouth as he averted his eyes. Saps gave up after a while, although his eyes kept flitting back and forth from Flux’s boots to his face. 

“I’ll sleep on the floor, you can take the bed.” Saparata spoke up after the awkward silence had lingered like fireflies in the air for a little too long. 

"No, no you take the bed, I take the floor.” Fluixon argued back, gesturing to the bed. 

“But you are my guest so you get the better treatment.”

“Whoever finishes first gets to pick!” Flux proposed, confident in his binge eating skills. Unluckily Saparata, who even with more food on his plate inhaled it all in the span of a couple seconds and leaped onto the bed before Fluixon could even finish his second bite. 

“How did you eat so fast?” He screamed, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. 

“I dunno, just eat fast.” Saps said through a mouthful of dinner. “You’re sleeping on the bed.”

“Fine...” Fluixon whinged uncertainly, knowing that there was no use in arguing over this matter. Surely he could find a way to weasel onto the floor. 

The floor was freezing. It was like laying on a bed of solid ice that seeped through the three blankets that were layered on top, the tendrils of frost slithering through the furs. The campfire was still lit, sending sparks flashing and shadows dancing over the curved walls. 

His teeth were chattering in spite of his best efforts to curl up and conserve energy, limbs wracked with frozen crystals of winter that dug into his skin. 

“Just get on the bed already, I can hear your shivering from the other side of the world.” Saparata’s voice reverberated soundly in the small space. 

“Pass. I ain’t never getting in the same bed as you.” Flux refused, the imagined situation from earlier still haunting his eyes. 

“Suit yourself.” The blankets rustled as Saps turned around, his back now to Fluixon who had sat up. 

It took him another ten minutes of deliberation before biting the bullet and clambering into the bed. Saparata luckily did not say anything, simply shuffling over to make more room. 

They slept together that night. Soundly with a pillow separating their forms. 

 <————————————->

Once their little vacation to the mountains had ended, life returned back to its usual monotonous drive, the sun rising and falling over the house. Saparata was getting bored. Sure Schpood had invited him to celebrate the founding of Westhelm's anniversary but it was a two night stay and a lot of alcohol, none of which, Fluixon was invited too. 

Currently he was seated on their balcony, polishing his diamond axe. The cerulean crystals glinted in the morning sunlight, jagged edges refracting beams of rainbow of the uneven edge. He had used this blade ever since the world war, it had been carried across both islands, met flesh and bone more times than he could count and saved his life on multiple occasions. 

“You still use that old thing?” Flux scolded, stepping out onto the balcony, wrapping his coat around himself tighter against the ocean tempest. 

Saps shook his head, “Nah, I keep it around for old times sake. Plus also where do you think we get the firewood from?”

“Fair point.” Flux conceded, raising his arms in surrender. “I have no idea why you use an axe, a sword is a far superior weapon.”

“You’re just angry that you can’t beat me in a fight.” Saparata shot back with a grin. 

Fluixon rolled his eyes, “Sure.” 

Saps stood up, placing the blade of his weapon just above Flux’s neck, “Let’s test out that theory then.”

They ended up standing opposite each other on the beach, sleeves rolled up and respective weapons at the ready. Saparata had chosen his usual while Fluixon had dug up some spare diamonds to craft a sword. 

“We’re too broke to craft a shield.” Fluixon sighed mournfully, flexing his empty hand where the shield would usually be. 

“Go dig up some iron and maybe you won’t be so open.” Saparata shrugged, tossing his axe into the air and grabbing it again. Flux did not reply, simply lowering himself while pointing the blade at Saps. He narrowed his eyes before lunging forwards, arm raised. 

Saparata slid back, the slash skimming off his handle as he stepped onto a bundle of dried seaweed. He jumped forward with a yelp, the strange texture rubbing the soles of his feet the wrong way. 

“Yo that's nasty.” He screeched, hastily dodging another swipe from the sword. Fluixon laughed at Saps’ misery, continuously trying to jab at him.

Saparata parried one of the strikes, flicking his axe into an upwards strike that forced Flux back. He jumped at the opportunity, diving in, arm arched in a large swing. Fluixon quickly sidestepped the strike, fumbling as his sword slammed into Saps’ axe. The weapons careened together, imaginary sparks flying as the crystal blades collided. 

Saps grit his teeth, hands clenching the wooden handle as he shifted his weight further to try and add more force behind his attack. Flux’s feet sank into the sand as he got pushed back, arms buckling under Saparata’s superior strength. He gave up, bouncing back on his heels to escape the losing situation. He grimaced as Saps continued the assault, grains of sand spraying into the air in the scuffle. 

Fluixon should have been more careful in picking the battleground. Trying to kill each other on sand was difficult, especially since it impacted his agility and left him at the mercy of Saps’ superior strength. 

“Holy moly dude do you work out? Blocking your hits is like getting rammed by a truck.” Flux cried out, kicking a fallen coconut out of his way.

“Who do you think does all the hard labour around here because I’m pretty sure it isn’t you.” Saparata shot back with a dirty grin, clearly reveling at his advantage. 

Fluixon audibly groaned, his arms already weakening, the familiar burn of expended energy making itself known. Challenging Saps to this fight had been a losing cause right from the start. The other had always been superior when it came to any kind of physical activity, mostly since Flux would rather think of an overengineered solution rather than get his hands dirty. 

Seriously, my entire life was an oversight at this point…  He thought mournfully, the words of surrender already on the tip of his tongue. It was at his lowest point that Saparata stubbed his toe on a stray piece of driftward, sending him pitching forwards, arms flaying around in an effort to stabilize his center of gravity. Fluixon yelped and grabbed his shoulders to shove Saps away, only to lose his footing and once again send them both tumbling down onto the coarse sand. 

“Bro why does this keep happening?!” Saparata exclaimed, wiping his face of excess sand, only to worsen the issue as the grains stuck to his sweaty skin. Flux simply resigned to his fate, closing his eyes as the wind buffeted said sand into his eyes. 

He felt the sharp sting of a slap across his face, body jerking up as his forehead collided with Saparata’s. 

“OWWW, why did you slap me!” He shrieked, rubbing the point of impact, already preparing to get another slap. Instead, Saps threw back his head into a laugh that shook his whole body, shoulders trembling with barely contained humour. There was a faint red outline visible on his forehead, Fluixon noticed, understanding that there was probably an equally stupid looking injury on his. 

He blurted out before his self control could stop it, “Does it hurt?”, fingers twitching behind his back. 

Saps finally slowed down, his breath coming in wheezing gasps as he patted Flux’s shoulder reassuringly, “No problem. None at all.” 

Fluixon’s face scrunched up into a scowl as the other man went right back to laughing his ass off, taking his sweet time savouring Flux’s confusion. 

“You look cute with your nose all scrunched up.” Saparata offered, hoping to take off some of the anger directed in his direction. 

“I don’t know you anymore.” He shook his head disappointingly, using the sword as a crutch to stand up. “You got me all dirty.” 

“Sorry, I’ll do the laundry.” Saparata apologised, dragging out the “y” at the end of laundry as he sauntered off, a thin trail of pale sand dragging out behind him. 

Fluixon began to follow until he jolted to a stop, remembering why they had the duel in the first place. “You walked off first, does this mean I won?”

Saps immediately jerked around, “No way, this isn’t the last of me yet!” He pumped his arms into the air, waving them around as if signalling a ship. 

<————————————->

Fluixon drummed fingers on his knee, peering up every once in a while to see what Saparata was reading. 

“How long have we known each other for?” He asked,  knowing full well that Saps knew the answer. The other took a second to consider it, placing down the newspaper he was examining.

“3 years give or take.” Saparata replied, raising an eyebrow at the question.

Fluixon whistled at the answer, “Damn, we’re old.” They both knew it was a lie. 

“Sure doesn’t feel like it.” Saps shook his head, turning back to the article.

Flux went back to staring at the air, pondering about his previous encounters with Saparata. Sure he had been conflicting with himself over what exactly the warm, fuzzy feeling people called love was exactly but it surely didn’t affect them in any way. 

“Spit it out already, I know you have something to say.”  Saparata intruded Flux’s train of thought, shuffling his chair over in the process.

Fluixon wavered over his choices before confessing, “What would you consider love?” 

Saps’ face seemed to light up at that declaration, a grin of exhilaration spreading across it. “Well love is many things. There is familial love, the unconditional bond between family members. There’s the love between friends, having each other’s backs no matter what. Then the most talked about is romantic love, whether it be a crush or established relationship. The wave of elation and happiness when you think of that person, the desire to stay close to them, to… you know, couple stuff.”

“That sounds like a lot of the stuff we do.” Fluixon said dryly, “What would you classify us as then?”

“Ha, I mean a lot of people fall between the lines, there are no set rules or anything. I’m fine with anything.” Saparata quickly reassured him, smoothing his hair to hide how flustered his face was. 

Fluixon leaned on the table, the three words he had been mulling over for those past three years bubbling up in his throat. Saps was looking at him with those soulful eyes that kept trying to find good in this hellish world, it was like trying to find gold while digging through an ashtray. 

Flux understood that he was another cog in the rusted machine of society, the war was a mere fragment of his past, the burning flame of arrogance and envy fueling his mission. It had long spluttered out, replaced with a slow, creeping ice that made him senile, weak, filled with emotions and a lingering fear of what he had to say. 

“I- I hate you. I’ve hated you ever since we met, with your stupid smile that lights up the air around you like an angel. I hate that you can beat me in a fight, even if I stab you a thousand times, you keep crawling back. I hate that people like you more than me, why is it you and not me? And I hate that you make me yet another weeping mess because of your actions. Which is why I love you.” Fluixon’s voice cracked but he continued.

“Whatever you do, I can't return it. I’m dead to the world, crimes and reputation. My tongue is too sharp, words that cut too deep to repair. Actions, bitter with hatred and tainted with pride are what marks my work, because I will always be the one to shoot you last. And if you are fine with that then I-.”

Flux turned away, tears welling up in his eyes yet again. “Geez why do you always make me cry.” He muttered, scoffing at his own incompetence. It was over, Saparata was going to kick him out or hand him over to Westhelm to get executed. After all, his death had been delayed for quite some time now and the end was getting impatient. 

He raised his head when the sound of rustling clothes was heard behind him, a soft melody was hummed while Saparata considered his answer.

“You expect the worst. You plan for all the scenarios that occur, and without fail you run. Because you have been running your whole life. Running from Aculon, from Luminara, from the reality that you can’t face. That you are not willing to face. If you hate my smile I hate your voice more. If you hate the way I fight I hate how you can think so fast and observe how the world works. Your heart is a glass shell that I hold dear, not because it is beautiful or precious but because it is yours and only I get to break it. My good intentions rival your ambitions, it is no more than morals and ideologies. Fluixon, we’ve rung each other dry of tears at this point, pointed a sword at the other and swung it. You have hurt me just as much as I’ve hurt you, the trigger was pulled simultaneously.” Saparata rose, placing a hand on Fluixon’s shoulder. “I know you’re scared so I’ll shatter those walls, now stop crying and fucking kiss me.” 

Without fail Saps spun Flux’s chair around, slamming his lips into the smaller man. Fluixon balked away for a second before reciprocating, leaning into the kiss. 

Saparata grabbed Fluixon’s collar, pulling him up so that they were on equal ground. He ran a hand through those raven curls that haunted his dreams, bit those foul lips that whispered dank lies to the world. And relished in the fact that he had finally fulfilled his goal of kissing Flux. 

They were nowhere close to being perfect but time had dulled those once sharp edges of their hearts and maybe, just maybe, it fit together a fraction better than before.