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Clown was tired of being formal. Though if it made the people who approached him for resources tremble, it was all worth it. Speaking of people buying from him, he was nearly done with a deal with Parrot.
He almost pitied the avian. Only a month or so into his reign as king of Unstable and an army (which Clown knew would destroy him), already knocking at his door!
Pitiful, though Clown never expressed he favored either side. More profitable that way.
And in all honesty, he couldn’t care less who won so long as they kept buying from him. Clown didn’t care who ruled the overworld, just so long as they didn’t dare trying to take the Nether.
Parrot provided the payment that Clown requested. “It’s all there. Sixty thousand diamonds.”
Clown inspected the content of the shulkers. “Good. You’ll get your tnt shortly.” He stood up and looked at a small cluster of guards. They understood quickly and went to fetch the tnt Parrot had so generously bought.
And at triple the price too! Nevermind that that particular detail was of Clown’s own request, but honestly Parrot deserved it for stealing from the king of the Nether.
Parrot and Clown stood there for a minute in silence as they waited. Clown’s tail swished idly and his breathing was slow. Calculated, but with a slight edge. One that he knew Parrot likely noticed, he was a smart one, but intelligently did not ask about.
Clown’s breath had a slight rasp to it, as did his voice.
The guards returned with seven shulker boxes, give or take. Parrot inspected the contents before putting them into his inventory safely.
He turned back to Clown. “Pleasure doing business with you, ClownPierce.”
Clown tilted his head. “Likewise, Parro-“ He broke off with a cough. And another. Bone rattling coughs that felt like he was hacking up one of his lungs.
Parrot blinked, stepping back a little.
One of the guards shouted for someone as Clown doubled over coughing. A player ran over.
Not a guard.
Someone in a purple vest, with a matching ring to Clown on his redstone stained hands, the only difference being the color. His was crimson, whilst Clown’s was violet.
Branzy rushed to Clown, holding him up partially and rubbing his back. “Deep breaths, Clown. In…and out.” Branzy looked up, meeting Parrot’s confused and wary gaze.
“I- I didn’t-“
“I know. You got what you came for though?” Parrot nodded. “Good. Then I suggest you leave and tell no one what you’ve seen. Okay?” Branzy offered Parrot a smile that most people would consider genuine.
Parrot knew it was a silent and polite looking threat. “Okay. Bye.” Parrot turned and walked as quickly as he could towards the nearest Nether portal.
When Parrot was out of sight, Branzy turned his attention back to Clown, who had begun to breathe normally again. “Better?”
Clown nodded, standing straighter taller. (Idiot, he can’t be straight-)
“Good. Let’s go, then.” Branzy helped Clown up and walked with him towards their room. Clown’s room, technically. But they shared it every night so it might as well belong to Branzy as well.
Once they were inside, Clown flopped on the bed as Branzy locked the door.
Gods, Clown was tired. And he knew what was coming, so that didn’t help his exhausted brain at all.
Branzy sat down next to Clown on the bed and prodded his side. “Come on. Sit up.”
Clown responded by smacking Branzy’s hand, which made Branzy sigh like a disappointed parent. “Clown. You need this, come on.”
Clown grumbled internally, but sat up. Branzy made quick work of taking off his mask and examined the inside. Blood. Again.
“You’re getting worse.” Branzy muttered softly as he sat the bloodied porcelain on the bedside table. He opened the drawer to the table and pulled out a health and regeneration potion. He handed it to Clown, who reluctantly took it.
“…I know.” Clown said after he stared at the bottle for a moment. He uncorked it and drank. It tasted bittersweet. In a bad way.
“You need to rest.” Branzy’s tail curled loosely around Clown’s calf. He took Clown’s hand in his own, rubbing over the violet ring on his finger. “Let Ferre take some of the work. I know he’s been offering to.”
“…but-“
“ClownPierce.” Branzy said sternly, one hand going under Clown’s chin so he was facing Branzy. “Let me reiterate. You need rest. You will not get better if you don’t. This is the third time you have coughed up blood this week. You cannot keep going like this. Okay?”
“…okay.” Clown said after a moment.
Branzy’s expression softened and his hand moved to Clown’s cheek, which the jester leaned into slightly. “Good. I’ll message Ferre. Rest, darling.” He punctuated the last sentence with a kiss to Clown’s forehead.
Clown promptly flopped over on the mattress, curling up into an exhausted ball.
He knew that Branzy had been adding weakness to the medicine as a sort of precaution if Clown refused to rest (which no one else could get away with, not with their life at least). It added an underlying taste to the potion, one similar to that of gravy. Clearly an excellent mix with bittersweet health and regen pots.
Clown glanced at Branzy who was typing on his communicator with a smile.
< You whisper to FerreMC > Heyyy.
< You whisper to FerreMC > Clown will be unavailable for the next few days. ;)
< FerreMC whispers to you > oh my gods, finally, took him long enough thank the void
Branzy smiled wider then put away his communicator into his inventory. He removed his boots, and Clown’s, and flopped onto the bed next to his husband. He opened his arms invitingly. “Come hither, oh grumpy lover of mine.”
Clown rolled his eyes but curled into Branzy’s side, relishing as the taller terragenus wrapped his arms around him. Their tails intertwined.
“Shouldn’t you be worried about getting sick?” Clown mumbled into Branzy’s chest.
“It’s not contagious, so no, I am not,” Branzy pressed a kiss to the crown of Clown’s head. “The only way you’re getting me sick is if it's lovesick, darling. Now go the hell to sleep, you crimson heathen.”
Clown smiled a little. “As you wish, my amethyst.”
He felt Branzy go still then bury his face in Clown’s hair and the latter's smile grew. “You still flustered over that one, love?”
“Shut up,” Branzy grumbled. “You’re still flustered over me telling you that you’re beautiful.”
The tip of Clown’s tail flicked and he looked down. “…because I’m really not-“
Branzy squeezed Clown tightly, cutting the line of self deprecation off firmly. “Shut. You are beautiful, every single part of you, even the bits that you think are ugly. Got it?”
“Got it.” Clown mumbled after a moment, then his eyes shut and he went still.
Branzy ran a hand through his lover’s hair, smiling down at him softly. He knew how stubborn Clown was. And he knew that only he got to see the king of the nether like this.
Soft and trusting.
Sure, Ferre saw a little bit of it when he had to patch Clown up after a fight, but not as much as Branzy.
Nowhere near as much.
Branzy kissed Clown’s head again and mumbled, “I love you.”
Clown made an unintelligible but affirming sound and snuggled more into Branzy’s warm chest.
Branzy hummed and closed his own eyes, allowing himself to fall into sleep’s embrace with the comfort of his husband snuggled next to him.