Work Text:
Tick... tock... tick... tock... tick... tock...
By some miracle, the clock managed to land on the muddy banks of the pond. The ticking of the clock would probably be annoying if Bdubs actually cared. He couldn’t afford to, not really, he was too busy being stabbed.
With a swift slash, he was down. Bdubs collapsed into the shallow part of the pond, well aware of the way the water darkened with his blood. One thought flashed on his mind, he asked himself, Is this how Impulse felt?
He could vaguely hear Grian and Scar talk. Scar offering up his life? What a laugh. He paid them no attention; it doesn’t concern him anyway. He felt the bitterness bubbling up within him. A stab in the back, literally.
You reap what you sow, Bdubs couldn’t help but think.
All too soon they left him behind.
He was alone. Lonely. His mind was suddenly at peace. Time began to slow; creeping, crawling, mind-numbingly slow. And he hated it.
Bdubs couldn’t help but grimace, blood dripping down his chin. He was given a gift that he didn’t need, clarity. A moment of clarity on his final breath was almost cruel.
Almost cruel as— he couldn’t finish that thought, no, he didn’t want to finish that thought.
The bloodlust that coursed through his veins the moment he woke up in his 3rd life had left him. Leaving his thoughts clearer than the night sky, clearer than the bloodied water that Scar and Grian had decided to leave him in.
It was almost cruel to have been left for dead, conscious enough to feel the pain of slowly bleeding to death but not enough to save himself.
It was almost cruel.
Almost.
But not as cruel as he was when he took upon his bow, with arrows on hand, and shot the one person remaining of Team Crastle. A person who claimed to be his ally. An ally who soon became a relic of the past as soon as he took that wretched clock from the cold, grey hands of Scar.
He didn’t know why he took it. No, that would be lying. He was dying. He didn’t need to lie, not to himself, not now. He knew why. Bdubs knew himself enough to know his own reasons because no matter how much Impulse blathered on and on about being part of Team Day One evidence says the contrary. That at least was the reason his bloodlust addled mind believed.
A cold numbness began to take hold. His body was struggling, he was struggling. Not that it mattered, he was numb the moment Cleo died.
Tick... tock... tick... tock... tick... tock...
It was a curse. To hear the ticking of the clock, the same one that counted the seconds remaining before he dies. The one he sold his allegiance to.
What a stupid way to die. Killed because he didn’t know a thing about clocks. What a stupid reason, a reason nonetheless. Bdubs almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all but he couldn’t, not when he couldn’t even open his mouth.
Not when every breath became a struggle each second that slip by. Not when every movement equalled pain. Not the same pain he felt when he realized that it was just him, no more Cleo. Maybe Impulse.
Not when the world continued to move, change, and go onwards while he prayed for it to stop. Not because he wanted to live, no. He just didn’t want to face them, not yet.
Between him and Grian the answer was obvious. Scar for all that he claimed that he didn’t feel anything it was obvious he didn’t want to be the one to kill Grian. So, he came next. He didn’t know what happened to them, he could care less about what happened to them.
But—
Tick... tock... tick... tock... tick... tock...
To betray was to be betrayed. That is the rule of their world. It was true, at least it was the pattern that he saw. He couldn’t help but think, it was all that he could do before he dies.
He couldn’t help but think about possibilities. Of things that could have happened. Of a future different than this. What if it was him and Impulse in the end? What would have happened? Maybe it was best that he killed Impulse then.
Maybe.
Everything was colder now. His fingers have been numb for a long time, maybe, he didn’t know. Time was meaningless. Not when you know it’s the end.
The water was almost soothing. He could almost forget the sting of betrayal, not that he had any right to feel that way.
Golden rays of light began to pierce the sky, it was dawn. Just as he said to Scar. A new day, one where he’ll never live past. A fitting end then, he never did like the night.
Maybe he’ll see Cleo again. Or Impulse. Or Tango. Or—
Maybe.
That was a lot of maybes.
He’ll have to apologize to Impulse. He’ll understand, probably. He didn’t want to regret his decision, not when it was over. People die in the end.
But Impulse deserved an apology and Bdubs would give it to him. That’s if they meet in the afterlife. Or maybe somewhere in the future. Who knows? Maybe reincarnation was a thing.
The world began to spin, thinking became harder. He let out a painful sigh.
How much time has passed, a minute? One or two? He did not know. Too long, it was too long. Maybe he was stubborn, Cleo was stubborn. That’s why she died.
That’s how he’ll die. Or won’t die at the rate his body still struggling to keep him alive.
Stupid.
Just die already.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re not ready to face them,” he murmurs himself.
Tick... tock... tick... tock... tick... tock...
His vision began to darken. His breaths shallower, faster, painful. This was the end.
Will they take him from this stupid world and its stupid rules or will they let him go to the afterlife alone. He didn’t want to be alone; he didn’t want to die alone.
He just hopes Cleo cared enough to take him with her in the end. Or Impulse would look past his betrayal and be kind enough to wait for him before moving on.
He hopes.
Hope. A word too big for a dying man.
Nevertheless, he continued to hope. A smile gracing his face before he died.
Tick... tock... tick... tock... tick... tock...
Bdubs died alone on a shallow pond. He died because of stupid reasons. If the man was alive, he’d say if he died and he was stupid enough to fall for it then it was deserved, probably.
He wasn’t the last one to die on that world, no, that was meant for a man with the bloodied fists. But he was one of the last few that saw the new day and that in itself was a feat.
When Bdubs opened his eyes, metaphorically of course he’s dead after all, he saw his Day One Crew, no, his Team Crastle.
Impulse punched him, didn’t hurt, before hugging him. While Cleo shook him, ranting about the grave that he made, before telling him it was touching that he made her a grave. Tango was there cackling in the background. Bdubs sheepishly rubbed his neck, saying his apologies as he did so.
He could feel the warmth coming from them. He wasn’t alone.
With that, they strolled on to the next adventure. Laughing as they did so.
Bdubs wasn't alone and that's what mattered.