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Grian was dead, his body strewn across the mountain side with a dissatisfied splat.
Grian was going to kill Scar.
With three lives left, Grian marched up that mountain, fists clenched. The faint sensation of a fishing hook lodged into the meat of his cheek kept bugging him, his tongue rubbing across the mended flesh.
“ YOU !” Grian swore as he breezed past the three parrots.
“Grian? Grian!” Scar smiled as if nothing had happened, turning around as he cast his rod to the side.
“You- You liar!” Grian bellowed, pressing the tip of his pointer finger into Scars chest. The swift memories of Scars words coming back to him.
You know I could never kill you Grian, you had nothing to worry about.
Scar huffed fondly.
“I mean I am- was a red name, that’s kinda what we do, G.”
“No, that’s not how this works! this- this is not how we work!” Scar tilted his head slightly. Grian watched the sun slide into the horizon behind Scar. He had a beautiful halo, if not for just a moment.
“Our agreement was a long time ago.” Scar mused.
“We’ve always agreed, we-” Grian sputtered, his finger having not left its prodding place on Scars sternum. “We leave each other for last!”
“We’re not team mates anymore, Grian.” Scars harsh words were said so gently, like soft petals on the wind. Their kindness made them only hurt more.
“When I become red-” Grian swallowed back the lump in his throat. “When I become red, You, and Jimmy are the first people I’m hunting down and I will take you both out of this game.”
Scar swallowed thickly, his eyes wide. When Grian wanted to, he could be terrifying. not that he wanted Grian to know that.
“Oooookay mister.” That sly little smirk raised on Scars lips again.
“A-And- you know what?” Grian huffed, rifling through his pockets for a moment, grabbing a couple sticks of TNT. He lit them with a swift flick of his lighter before throwing them at the reputation board. Scar stared, too shocked to do anything but watch as the posts were the only things left standing.
“My board….”
“That’s what I think of your stupid board!” Grian marched back over to him. “I was in good standing and you killed me!” Grian hollered, a goofy smile rose to Scars lips.
“No you weren’t. You were at a zero and a frowny face.”
“I- well- Good night !” Grian huffed, marching straight past Scar. Scar paused for a moment, turning to look at where Grian was going, as it was in the opposite direction of his base. He watched as Grian slipped off his armor and put his tools away in his pack before sliding into Scars bed, seemingly just as mad as he was only moments ago.
He knew he smelt waffles in that bed.
Scar slowly creeped over, taking his armor off one by one, and finally setting his top hat on a chest. When he slid underneath the covers behind Grian he could feel the man stiffen, his grip on the blanket pull closer to himself. Scar couldn’t help but smile as he wormed his way closer to Grian, his hands sliding across Grians hip, pulling them flush. He could feel Grian shudder.
“Do I have that much of an effect on you-”
“Your hands are gosh darned cold ! Get them out of my sweater!” Grian griped, batting Scars hand off his hip with his wing, ruffling the blanket off them.
“Well why don’t you warm me up, G?” Scars words purred in the close proximity of the two, his hand returning now on Grians clothed waist.
“you- you can’t charm your way out of this.” Grian batted Scars hand again, sitting up to readjust the blankets. “I’ve forgotten how pesky it is to share a bed with you.” Grian mumbled, leaning over to tuck the bottom of the blanket under the edge of the bed.
“Says the pesky bird.” Scar chortled at his own joke, leaned back on the pillow as he watched Grian fiddle with the bedding.
“Why are you here, deciding to bother me?” Grian grumbled, which Scar laughed at.
“You’re in my bed. I figured it was an invitation!” Scar pulled grian back to laying down with him, his lips brushing the smallers feathery hair.
“At least it used to at monopoly mountain.”
Grian shivered.
“It’s- We’re…” Grian huffed, looking away. Score, Scar had definitely flustered him with that one. “It’s not like that anymore, Scar.”
“Riiight. you have those too big gentlemen to carry you around like a pretty princess. You don’t need little old me.” Scars hands seemed to wander again, fingers teasing at the hem of Grians sweater. This time Grian didn’t seem to mind as much.
“It’s not like that and you know it.” Grian scoffed.
“So thaaaaat’s why you came up here, hmmm?” Scars voice rumbled in his chest, soaking into Grian like blood on a cloth.
“I said goodnight to you ages ago.” Grian shifted, fulling turning onto his side.
Scar huffed softly.
“I was trying to go for Mumbo.” He lied.
“Like hell you were! it took you four fishing rod attempts and an arrow to kill me! you never went for them.” Grian cried, sitting up. “And even if you were, I’d be mad at you for a whole different reason!”
“What!? you clearly aren’t that attached to those two, I mean come on, you’ve died twice trying to save their butts. Leave them, Grian, you don’t need them.” Scar smiled as he spoke, he was glad Grian wasn’t looking at him. his arms were wrapped fully around Grians waist now, his head on his shoulder.
“Join us, join the bamboozlers. Don’t you miss being on the same team?” Scar purred, his hand climbing up Grians chest.
“I- Scar I can’t betray them, they’re spanners.” He huffed.
“What? Etho and Bdubs can betray their alliances for each other every game and their groups think nothing of it.”
“Well, yeah, because that’s Etho and Bdubs, it’s different.”
“Is it?”
Grian felt trapped, he had to admit. Scars hands, despite frigid, left burning trails across his skin, even over his sweater.
“Just…just go to sleep.” Grian huffed, his fingers curling into tight little balls around the bedding.
“You’re avoiding my question.” Scar smiled into the warm skin of Grians neck, feeling the goosebumps raise on the tender skin.
“I’m glad you noticed.” Grian huffed, curling into himself. Scar sighed softly, nosing against Grians nape, pressing a kiss there.
“Would you join us? If there was no one left?” Scar asked quietly. Grian let out a weak laugh, one Scar almost mistook for a sob.
“I don’t really want to thing about my teammates dying, thanks.” Grians hand slipped over Scars where it sat on his hip. Acceptance. Grian brushed his thumb across the scarred skin, fingers tracing a long scar that ran far past his wrist. “How can you even remember that? you’re not supposed to.” Grian griped, making Scar chuffle.
“To the victor go the spoils, and what not. You of all people should know that.”
“I remember things, but not because of being a victor.”
“you didn’t last long enough, hm?” Scar hummed. “Couldn’t live without me.”
“Well it’s clear
you
didn’t feel the same way last game.” Grian retorted, not expecting Scar to go silent.
“Scar?”
“Hm.” Scar hummed lowly, his eyes slipping shut.
“Aren’t you going to say something?”
“What do you want me to say?” Scar huffed, nosing against grains shoulder, arms still curled around Grians waist. it was Grians turn to be silent.
how on earth could he admit to the man that killed him, how could he admit that he wanted to be just as meaningful to him.
“Someone had to bury you all.” Scar murmured, his eyes slipping shut.
“You buried us?” Grian murmured, tilting his head back to glance back at the man.
“Everyone I could find.” Scar mumbled, letting out a slow breath, his eyes wondering over the speeding-up starscape.
“C’mon, G.” Scar tugged Grian down to lay on his chest. “Go to sleep.” His voice heralded the swift end of the conversation, one Grian decided he would accept.
Grian went willingly, laying atop Scars soft chest.
“You’re bad at this whole nemesis thing.” Grian mumbled, curling into Scar.
“So are you.” That made Grian chuckle, turning around in Scars arms, letting himself melt into the warmth of his enemy, the man who killed him.
Scar didn’t sleep, he couldn’t bear his dreams nowadays. He would still dream of those sunflower fields, of silhouettes in the distance, ones he would run to in hopes that it would herald a new game. Those hopes never came, the silhouettes disappearing in the blink of an eye. He had dreams of the secret keeper swallowing him whole, Scar would beg for it, beg for him to be with the rest, even if it was in death.
Victory was a lonely prize.
The nights got shorter and shorter this session, so it was only a number of hours before the sun rose again. That was a manageable time to be with his own thoughts, he supposed. He at least had Grians hair to play with, soft golden curls haloing his head, matching the sandy brown wings jutting from his red sweater.
“ Scar …” Grian murmured in his sleep, his gentle hands curling into his shirts fabric. Scar paused his musings, as something far more important seemed to be happening. He listened intently as he held Grian, watching as his face scrunch and furrow in the moonlight. Soon, Grian hid his face in his chest, letting out a soft sob.
“ I’m sorry- please… ” Grian cried again, tears wetting the front of his shirt. Scar hesitated, watching as Grian writhed in his sleep, his wings twitching with each movement. He should wake him, he’s having a nightmare, surely.
“Grian, hey…” Scar whispered, gently stroking Grians hair, Scar had hoped that’d wake him, considering he’s usually quite the light sleeper. “Grian.” He murmured again.
“ I- I can’t. I- I don’t want to hurt you. ” Grian mumbled. Scar felt his heart ache.
“Grian!” Scar shook him harder this time, which seemed to do the trick as the man gasped awake, throwing himself away from Scar in the process. As Grian stared at Scar his eyes flashed purple, if only for a moment.
Scar swore he could smell fresh cactus blossoms.
Grian crumpled into a heap at the end of the bed, his form shuddering and quaking. Scar was quick to scoop him up into his arms.
“It’s okay, everything is okay, angel.” Scar whispered against Grians fluffy curls, pressing a kiss to his head.
“I don’t want to go back-” Grian sobbed, fingers clutching the lapels of Scars vest. “Don’t- Don’t make me kill you again.” He hiccuped, voice still gravely from sleep. Something about the line, said in between choked out sobs sent agony racing through Scar. He clutched Grian closer despite it.
“It won’t have to come to that, I promise.” Scar whispered, his fingers tracing soothing shapes into Grians back.
As the sun rose, quicker now, Grians tears seemed to clear up. It was clear he didn’t want to elaborate any further on the subject.
“I-I… I have to get back to my team.” Grian coughed, wiping the final tears from his face, leaving his cheeks and nose cute and ruddy. Scar surged forward as Grian started to stand, clasping the mans face in his hands. Grian seemed shocked by such a sudden motion.
“Don’t let the sand and blood be our last goodbye,” Scar pressed a soft kiss to Grians forehead. “I want to spend as many more forevers with you as I can.” His voice was but a whisper, something he could never admit to anyone else.
Scar let go of the mans face just as they heard voices rising from the staircase, voices of the other BAM members. Grian didn’t say a word back as he slipped past them on the stairs. Scar tuned out the squawks of confusion from his two team members, staring down as Grian greeted Mumbo and Skizz warmly atop their bridge like nothing happened.