Chapter Text
Xavier gets dragged through the Overworld with his brother still clinging to his hand, ‘Suma clearly terrified to lose him in the transition between servers; he’d laugh, if he couldn’t read the grief painfully evident on his twin's face. He, uh, may have been somewhat incorrect in his calculations about how much his ‘death’ would affect Xisuma.
Oops.
Having lost a shoe fleeing the End, Xavier is preemptively steadying himself before they arrive; if he’s going to meet new people - especially friends of Zed and Cleo - he wants every scrap of dignity he can get whilst still soaked in blood. The precaution, frankly, does nothing to help when he lands on a thick rectangle of plastic instead of the floor and slips over backwards, just barely catching himself on Xisuma in time.
Oblivious as ever, his brother doesn’t notice a thing until Xavier’s forced to pull away from him to keep his balance; ‘Suma lets go, albeit reluctantly, but Xavier’s much more focused on the glass he’s just stepped in than his brother’s feelings because holy fuck ouch-
Why does the world fucking hate him, again?
Ignoring the glass poking through his sock, Xavier tries to take in his surroundings as best as he can amidst the chaos they’ve landed in. It’s an odd kind of war council room - if that is indeed what it is - filled with clutter and paperwork, an oddly elaborate light, and only one exit. The plastic he’d tripped over, on closer inspection, appears to be a… computer? A weirdly thin computer that Xavier sincerely hopes was broken before he stepped on it. Seriously, the universe owes him at least that much.
No matter how weird the place is, however, it doesn’t hold a candle to its inhabitants. People are already shouting, moving; a blur of rainbow wings bowls Tango over as a blonde human pulls Zed to his feet; another, who'd been sitting on the table, simply flutters her wings in delight. He's in the middle of trying to mentally rank threats - blonde lady has a sword at her waist, and it looks like she knows how to use it - when the true insanity of the world Xavier's found himself in presents itself in the form of a- is that a fucking puppet?!
Xavier's already retreated far enough into the Hall that when the puppet-thing darts forward he's got nowhere else to go, and bloody hell that thing's uncanny; between reaching arms and eyes almost wider than its face Xavier doesn't think he's been in a war-zone more scary than the toy darting towards him. And it's not like he's a coward - hell, he has the medals to prove it - but it's still a fight not to let the relief show on his face when the thing throws itself on Cleo instead.
Who, of course, drops to her knees to return the hug.
Because of course they do, because no-one in the Overworld has the sense of a shell-less shulker.
Trying to look anywhere that isn't the odd proportions of the blue puppet now perched on Cleo's shoulder, Xavier's gaze falls instead on the human previously sat on the table; she'd moved, at some point, and now appears to be engaged in scolding his brother. He'd intervene if his brother seemed the slightest bit worried, but, well, he doesn't. Xisuma's changed so much it's almost scary; Xavier remembers his brother as someone to protect, to push behind him at the first sign of trouble. This- this is not how their relationship works, how anything works. And when even that, the closest thing he's got to familiarity, is near unrecognisable. It's scarier than he's willing to admit, even to himself.
Especially to himself.
Xavier's saved from the horrors of self reflection when the door slams open and a new threat walks in, a tall, well built hybrid, whose skin - what little that isn't mechanical - is a striking green. That alone is more than enough to put his hackles up, and combined with a furious expression and scorched labcoat- well. If Zed hadn't gotten a restraining hand on his shoulder in time Xavier would have thrown himself in front of his twin on pure instinct alone.
Fortunately, though, Zedaph does exactly that, and it's a mark of just how much he'd come to trust the man that he skids to a stop without so much as a protest. The pause, involuntary as it may be, gives him time to notice Xisuma's expression, his body language; even when Labcoat starts yelling, he doesn't seem scared. Is X that sure of his own power? Or does he just, like, trust these people that much?
"You okay?", Zed asks, and Xavier doesn't really know what to say to that because Wings is blocking his best exit and Labcoat reeks of gunpowder and his body aches all over, and he, unlike his brother, can't turn his fucking pain off. Which- huh.
All of a sudden it makes a lot more sense why Xisuma hadn't noticed Xavier almost falling on top of him; he's gone and fucked with his bloody senses again. Hadn't this dumbass collapsed the last time he'd tried that?? Annoyed at his brother's never ending stupidity, Xavier opens his mouth to complain, but gets maybe a syllable in when the world rudely interrupts him by beginning to spin. Seriously, the Overworld has far too many colours. And noises. And people. Lots of things, actually; he'd make a list, but he's not, you know, a nerd. That's 'Suma's job.
By the time Xavier's managed to collect himself, he's been pushed into a seat beside his brother, with Zed fussing over him; Xisuma seems like he'd be following suit if Labcoat would let him stand up. Mentally, Xavier rolls his eyes, because it's ridiculous how much people worry over stupid things and, uh- where's Cleo gone? It's not just her; Puppet and Sword-Lady are nowhere to be seen, and at some point a full on demon? had? entered? and is now hugging Tango?
Okay, maybe there are a few things to worry about.
Trying to distract himself from that sobering thought, Xavier tunes back into the conversation at hand to find Labcoat torn between lamenting that 'Suma hadn't noticed his own tailbone was broken and giving Xavier a full medical check, which, um, "Fuck no."
The entire room turns to stare at him, but Xisuma just blinks, ever the polite one, "I- Xav, you need to-"
"Like hell I'm taking medical advice from someone who regularly fucks with their own pain receptors," Xavier retorts, and tries not to feel guilty when Xisuma flinches back. Or when Labcoat stops staring at Xavier to turn on X instead, eyes widening in disbelief, "'Suma."
Xavier blinks. Did they- "...did they not know that..."
"No!" X snaps, switching to Galactic as he does, "No! Obviously!"
Labcoat interrupts before Xavier can even consider if he should apologise, "You can't be serious, X."
Xisuma doesn't respond, just looks away guiltily, and Labcoat lists an impressive string of what, by tone alone, are clearly swear words, even if they aren't in any language Xavier can understand; X goes to say something, but Labcoat isn't having it, "Don't you dare language me, man. You make this is a swearing situation, you deal with the consequences. Turn it back on. Now!"
"Yeah, that can't be good for you," Wings adds, and Xavier- it's not quite a grin, but it's not not one either. Sue him, it's nice to know his brother has friends now, "It's not. Last time he collapsed."
"That wasn't last time! That was a decade ago!"
"So when was the last time?"
"I- none of your business!" X responds, almost more annoyed than Xavier's ever heard him, "When was the last time you ate?"
And, oh, if they're going there- "When was the last time you slept?!"
"Last night!"
"Because Keralis blackmailed you," pipes up Bird helpfully, and Xisuma throws his hands in the air, "Grian!"
Bird - or Grian, if that's his name - simply gives X an evil grin, "Speaking of," he interrupts, "how about I message Keralis to meet you guys at 'Suma's base, and you can do the weird injury stuff there?"
Xisuma somehow manages to perk up and visibly deflate at the same time as the mention of whoever the fuck Keralis is, and Xavier watches, intrigued, as his brother concedes, "...fine. Can I lie down first?"
Oh, Xavier likes this Keralis guy.
With some kind of agreement reached, the room drifts back to life. Bird, Tango and the demon take their leave; to Xavier's horror, Labcoat and 'Suma convince Zed to go with them. Xisuma moves to stand up, but doesn't get very far before Labcoat scoops him up in a princess carry that 'Suma should be a lot, lot more embarrassed about than he is; no, the idiot just murmurs some pathetic protest about how that's unnecessary and then fucking melts into the man's shoulder. Melts! Ugh. Seriously, how are they even related - and, more to the point, could he conceivably pretend they aren't? Hey, it would save him a lot of embarrassment.
He's still pondering the idea when his twin opens some kind of bloody portal in the middle of the hall they're in - add that to the list of abilities that would have saved their asses ten years ago - and Labcoat steps through, with Wings (wait, does having wings make her a hybrid? Can humans have wings?) gesturing for him to follow, "You first, mate."
And he probably shouldn't turn his back on someone he doesn't even know the name of, but if Xisuma trusts these people that much- well. Xavier can suck it up for a few more hours.
So, despite his better instincts, he goes.
For a moment, stepping into the room on the other side, Xavier seriously considers if he's gone mad. Twice the size of the room they'd shared at home, it's so Xisuma that it hurts: cluttered, and cosy, and utterly overflowing with books. Like, if Xavier counted up every book he'd ever seen, he'd have maybe half the total in the room before him; hell, the most he'd ever seen in one place before was three - and that had been Xisuma's collection! That had been one of the most impressive collections in the entire fucking place!
Xavier's still trying to pick his jaw up off the ground when Labcoat places X down on his bed with a gentleness Xavier didn't think was possible in someone that intimidating, and motions for Xavier to sit down; he complies, even as Wings exits with some excuse about putting 'the kettle' on. Labcoat doesn't even wait for them to leave before he's turning on X, "'Suma."
"I'm doing it! Give me a second-"
No sooner has he said it than he gives the weakest of cries - a mangled attempt at Xavier's name - and collapses into unconsciousness; they both move simultaneously, Xavier grabbing his brother's hand even as Labcoat begins to scan his code; eventually, he leans back with a sigh.
"He'll be fine. His code seems to have stabilised, from the little I can tell; anything more intricate is Grian or Joe's purview. Your turn."
Ah. Xavier had really been hoping he'd forgotten about that, a notion he's disabused of very quickly when the man steps forward, and Xavier back, "No."
Labcoat raises an eyebrow, "...Sorry?"
"No." Xavier repeats obstinately. Like hell he's letting someone he doesn't know give him a medical exam.
"You appear to think it is optional."
"...is that a threat?"
"Not if you don't force me to make it one-"
The door swings open as Wings flits in, whistling cheerily at the top of her voice; she stops abruptly as she sees them both, glaring at each other from opposite sides of the room; Xavier with his hand around the dagger in his belt. Labcoat opens his mouth, perhaps to explain the situation; perhaps not; Xavier's got no intention of finding out. Whilst they're both too surprised - one from the entrance, one from entering - to stop him, he darts round Wings and runs for it, sprinting down a corridor heedless of the fact he has no idea where he's going and still only one fucking shoe.
Fuck it, perhaps he should just respawn. At home, a respawn like that would come with a fine, a deterrent to keep people from unnecessarily putting a strain on the few Admin’s they have, but here...Xisuma’s the admin, right? So surely he can just do whatever the fuck he wants?
Wait, if he respawns- will he respawn back in The End? Shit, he needs to set his spawn. Fuck.
Or. Or, he could just jump off a cliff and go right back to his job and pretend none of this ever happened.
It’s... not as tempting as he thought it would be. Huh. He doesn’t want to go back. Like, at all. Sure, this place is shitty and full of people and Xisuma’s probably going to be fucking mad at him when he wakes up but like, fuck the army. What have they ever done for him?? Fuck them! Fuck fighting, fuck politics, fuck whatever coup is happening! Fuck it all!!
Simmering with a strange mixture of vindication and rage, Xavier turns another corner in this weird building almost on autopilot. The place is all corridors and deepslate and red and black, not his twin’s aesthetic at all. Much closer to his, actually-
And Xavier stops dead in the middle of the hallway he’s in, a new, horrifying thought occurring to him. For a moment he just stands there, lost, and then he sets off at a sprint until he finds a staircase, and another - then a spiral one, and then if his theory’s even close to right- there should be an entrance to the roof, somewhere. Not that door, nor that one, but-
Xavier stumbles into the setting sunlight blinking, emerging at the edge of a steeply sloped roof so familiar that it hurts, and he’s left swallowing down tears because that stupid derp.
His idiot of a brother’s gone and built the fucking Evil Emporium. That they’d come up with when they were- what, nine? - together, and designed together, and drew up a floorplan for; naturally the evil part of the name had been one of his contributions. Even now he remembers the lengths they’d had to go to find coloured pencils during rationing, and they’d only ended up with four colours. It had been the start of his obsession with red and black as a colour palette, and his twin’s with green and purple.
Fuck.
Fuck.
The place is massive. Building this - the materials alone must have taken months. That stupid, sentimental, idiot. Xavier’s hypothesis that faking his death - well, giving X evidence that may have led him to the wrong conclusion - probably wouldn’t hurt his brother that much, that 'Suma would get over it pretty quickly - crumbles in the face of what can only be a monument to himself, and suddenly Xavier's sitting down on the flat part of the roof with a thump.
And he thought he could fix this.
What a fucking joke.