Chapter Text
Azure woke up with the sun's rays hitting his face. With a slow, drawn-out step, he got out of bed and walked straight to the bathroom to take a shower.
The hot water splashed all over his body, causing his muscles to relax. These past few days had been truly stressful for him, causing his entire body to tense most of the time and giving him a horrible neck ache, so he decided to take it as a small reward.
He left the bathroom when he felt the water starting to turn cold. He put on a towel and went out to find a comfortable change. After all, the specter had told them the day before that due to errors in some maps, the games would be canceled for the entire day.
Azure was really going to enjoy that mini-vacation. Ever since he became a survivor, he hadn't stopped participating in the games. Sometimes, Azure wondered if it was a pure coincidence or if the specter was just playing tricks on him.
Azure's theory gained strength because in almost every game he participated in, if not all of them, Two Time was also chosen. This seemed to be a new event, as the tired looks on the others' faces were noticeable.
Azure noticed how the recurrent games were affecting the other. Two Time had dark circles under their eyes that made them look like a raccoon, and let's not forget the way they held the dagger during the games, as if it were a lever that kept them from falling asleep.
Although he didn't complain about anything, the relationship between him and Two Time had surprisingly improved thanks to these games. Little by little, it seemed that the occultists were beginning to grow more comfortable with Azure's presence. They no longer trembled or became tense when he approached.
Sometimes, even in games, Two Time would stick to Azure almost the entire time. They would always give a different excuse, from watching over Azure's safety to even saying that the spawn had assigned them that task. In those moments, he didn't mention the obvious lies; instead, he decided to enjoy the moment with his beloved. After all, if Two Time is the one approaching him, Azure isn't violating any requirements.
That reminds him of what happened yesterday in the last game he had with the others.
The game had started well. The hunter was John Doe. Shedletsky was holding him off for almost a minute, and the machines were being completed. But the game changed when the hunter decided to switch targets to Elliot, who couldn't hold out that long and was killed in less than 30 seconds.
This left Azure as the sole healer, which was fine—Azure is good at his job, after all. But that task became more difficult when Chance's pistol malfunctioned, causing an explosion that distracted Shedletsky, allowing the hunter to take advantage of the situation to eliminate him and seriously injure Chance.
With two survivors gone and one seriously injured, panic quickly set in, causing the machines to complete more slowly.
The hunter was chasing Chance, and the way things were going, he wasn't going to last much longer, so Azure decided to leave the machines he was completing and start running in the direction where his comrade and the hunter were.
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Azure ran as fast as his legs could carry him, just in time. The hunter was about to deliver the final blow to Chance, but he quickly stepped in, effectively bodyblocking him.
-Thanks, buddy, you saved me out there,- Chance said as Azure gave him a flower to help him heal. Azure nodded, still a little confused by the blow the hunter gave them. -Good conversation, but you know, duty calls.- After a few moments, Chance pulled out his pistol again, preparing to resume his conflict with the hunter.
They both shook hands and decided to go their separate ways, after all Azure didn't share the same feeling of wanting to go bother the hunter.
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While Azure was completing a machine, he heard familiar footsteps approaching him. Azure decided not to pay much attention to it, focusing on finishing the machine more quickly. When it was finally complete, he finally took the time to look at the person in front of him.
As he had feared, the person in front of him was none other than Two Time. They were staring at him, more specifically at the wound on his head.
The wound had already stopped bleeding. Azure only felt a dull pain that was easy to ignore, but from the way Two Time was looking at them, it could easily be mistaken for a mortal wound. Azure was in no mood for Two Time's pitying glances, so he preferred to continue on his way in search of another machine to complete, intentionally avoiding any place where they might encounter the hunter.
In the distance, Azure heard the blast of Chance's pistol, followed by the alert that the hunter had successfully eliminated a teammate.
Azure wanted to tear his hair out in frustration. The match was about to end, but after Chance's elimination, the timer slowed down again.
Azure's main objective momentarily changed. He had to hide while the hunter looked for a new victim. After all, he was already half-wounded. Two Time hadn't followed him, so he was completely alone.
Suddenly, the hunter stepped on one of Taph's bombs, revealing his position. Azure sighed in relief, seeing that he was nowhere near them.
Azure emerged from his hiding place and looked around again, noticing that there were no machines near him. Azure scratched his hair, removing the dried blood that had stuck to it. He was mentally preparing to run halfway across the map in search of a machine.
Azure began to run without looking closely around him, hoping the hunter wasn't nearby. This caused him to miss the figure approaching in the opposite direction, almost at the same speed and with no plans to stop.
This caused him to collide with a loud bang, sending them both to the ground. Azure clutched his chest in indignation, ready to look a little offended. Maybe that way, he could distract the person in front of him from the fact that it was Azure's fault for not looking ahead.
While Azure was thinking of a way out of the embarrassing situation he had gotten himself into, he was interrupted by a throat clearing. Azure finally noticed the person in front of him only to run into Two Time. Again, why do I always end up running into them? Azure thought. It was incredible how they always ended up in the same situations. It's as if fate was putting them in each other's path on purpose.
-I'm really sorry. I didn't look where I was going and ended up hurting you.- Two Time looked at him with a face of immense remorse, and that only made him feel guilty about the fact that it was mostly Azure's fault for not looking where he was running, and with enough force to knock a person off their feet.
Azure quickly stood up, ignoring the other's apologies. He gave Two Time his hand, helping them up. After all, that's what a good partner would do. Not that he wanted to hold their hands, no, just out of platonic concern.
Two Time accepted his help, clearly looking embarrassed. -I noticed you were hurt earlier, so...- Two Time suddenly closed their mouth, stopping themself from saying anything. They simply gave Azure the medical kit without looking him in the eye.
He carefully grabbed the medical kit, not knowing how to react to Two Time's action. All Azure wanted to do at that moment was throw himself into Two Time's arms and kiss them, but he was sure that wasn't something people who hate each other do.
Azure gave Two Time a small smile in gratitude and began walking to a place where he could sit, being followed by the other, only a few steps separating them.
When he found a spot that looked decent enough, Azure sat down so he could focus better on healing his wounds. They sat next to him, not close enough to touch, but enough so Azure could feel their warmth.
After a few seconds, Azure finished healing, feeling relieved that his wound was no longer at risk of infection. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Two Time stir in their spot.
-You may not think so, but for me, these past few weeks have been the best of my life,- Two Time said in a weak, broken tone, the kind that would have been lost in the wind if he wasn't paying attention. -You really don't know how much I missed being with you.- They faced Azure, their gazes pure sincerity, showing him the most defenseless part of them.
Azure felt his face turn red and his heart race. Of course he knew how they felt; after all, he knew them like the back of his hand. But the others accepting such feelings so openly really made Azure's heart skip a beat.
A few moments of pure silence from Two Time and an internal war from Azure filled the air.
Fuck the specter and their demands, Azure finally thought. He bravely took Two Time's face in his hands. They looked at him in shock, but with a hint of hope in their eyes.
But before any of them could make a move the timer reached zero, causing all survivors to be automatically teleported to their cabins.
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The first thing Azure felt when he returned to his cabin was the air rushing out of his lungs. He opened his mouth to gasp for air, but it only made his throat itch.
Azure began coughing, initially with dry coughs that quickly turned into fits that made him fall to the floor from the force of them.
He grabbed his throat in a desperate attempt to make the coughing stop. Suddenly, Azure felt something in his throat. He coughed harder, trying to get the foreign object out.
Finally, he managed it, taking a deep breath as he felt the air rush back into his lungs. His entire body was trembling, his eyes had become glassy, and his breathing was uneven.
Azure looked at what he had spat out. Were they flowers? Azure didn't understand what had happened. Was that a warning from the specter to keep Azure from breaking the deal they had made?
He picked up the flowers from the floor, noticing they were blue roses and Myosotis. Azure looked at them morbidly. The flowers were blue, but the blood splatter made them stand out even more.
Tears began to spill from Azure's eyes. He didn't know why exactly they just flowed, and he couldn't stop them.
Azure got up from the position he was in, even though his muscles were fighting him. He threw the flowers into the trash can near his bedside table and lay down on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
The specter really is cruel in its warnings, Azure thought as he closed his eyes to try to sleep. Tomorrow would be a new day, and what happened today would be forgotten, just a fleeting, bitter memory.
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That discovery had left Azure with a bad taste in his mouth, both metaphorically and literally. Every plan he had was shattered when he learned that the slightest sign of love for his ex-lover would result in him being suffocated to death with flowers.
Azure sighed in defeat, filing that problem away for later. Today he would enjoy his mini-vacation. He could sleep all day, as some survivors had said they would. However, Azure wanted to keep his mind occupied, so he decided to look for a companion of his who needed help.
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Azure left his cabin, the sun beating down on his face. The atmosphere of the camp was calm, a clear contrast to the tense atmosphere that sometimes exists there. That tranquility allowed him to think about different things. Azure wondered how the other hunters were doing.
After all, before becoming a survivor, he was a hunter for a long time. To say he didn't miss his companions a little would be a lie. Compared to the survivors, the hunters were quieter, but that didn't stop them from being close in their ways.
Although the hunters were still doing their job successfully, Azure noticed how they avoided focusing on him or simply gave him a quick death without torture, as they did with other survivors. It wasn't the best, but Azure would grab that small shred of mercy.
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Azure arrived at the main cabin, to his disappointment, Elliot and Two Time were nowhere to be seen. Although he didn't care much that the latter wasn't around there, Azure didn't think he could face them at that moment.
He sighed and started toward the exit. Maybe going to sleep didn't sound like such a bad idea after all. -Azure, would you give us a hand?- He looked in the direction of the voice, noticing it was Dusekkar greeting him in a friendly manner, along with a worried-looking Taph.
Curiosity got the better of him, so he went over to see what was worrying them. The closer he got to them, the stronger a nauseating smell grew.
When Azure was close enough to his two companions, he had to cover his nose to avoid vomiting right then and there. Horrified, he looked at the people in front of him for answers.
Taph began to wave his hands in strange patterns that only made Azure more confused. He looked at Dusekkar for answers. -Um, basically, we might have made a mistake while trying to make a potion,- the other finally said, fiddling with his staff.
-We've tried everything, but the smell doesn't seem to go away, no matter how much we clean the place.- Taph nodded in agreement with his companion. Azure sighed in defeat instead.
It wasn't the situation he imagined, but he wasn't complaining. The perfect situation to keep his mind occupied. Azure remembered that while he was in the cult, his experiments with oils and poisons sometimes resulted in bad combinations that caused stenches that wouldn't go away no matter how much he bathed. Perhaps the situation is the same, if we remove the magic factor.
Azure began walking toward the kitchen area. He looked around for the supplements that would help him. To his relief, he quickly found the baking soda.
Although another key ingredient was nowhere to be seen, Azure turned to look at his companions, looking for a way to make them aware of his need. -Is something wrong?- Dusekkar said, noticing the annoyance reflected on Azure's face.
Suddenly an idea came to mind. Azure began to sign the letter v with his fingers. This seemed to have taken his companions by surprise. They stared at each other, not knowing how to respond to what Azure was doing. -V?- Azure nodded quickly when they saw that they understood, then changed to the letter I. -I? Vi.- Dusekkar scratched his head. Azure didn't know what to call it. -N, VIN.- Azure looked pleadingly at Taph to see if he understood the message Azure was giving him, since spelling the alphabet to communicate was becoming a bit tedious.
Apparently, Taph understood his intention and made those strange signs, making Dusekkar finally understand the message. -Oh, do you want vinegar? I think I have some in my cabin. Give me a few minutes and I'll bring it to you.- With that, he left the main cabin in search of vinegar, leaving Azure and Taph alone.
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A deafening silence filled the air, which neither party involved could break. This continued for a few more seconds until Taph started signing again. This made Azure feel a little guilty since it was clear the person in front of him was truly trying to communicate, but he didn't really understand what it could mean.
Azure sighed when he saw the conversation wasn't going anywhere. He started walking toward the mess, motioning for Taph to follow him.
He wondered what else he needed to remove the smell from the room. It was a relatively small area, but that didn't stop the smell from clinging strongly to the room.
When Azure turned to look at his partner, he was greeted by a notepad right in front of his face. This threw him off a bit. He took a few steps back to read what the other had written.
-What's the name of the flower on your hat?- Ah, that took Azure by surprise. He involuntarily touched his hat. Taph nervously began writing again in the small notebook upon seeing Azure's reaction. -The healing properties they have seem curious to me.-
Although the question had taken Azure by surprise, it didn't mean he couldn't answer it; in fact, it was quite the opposite. He tried to make the emotion less evident on his face, but he was failing miserably. Would you blame him? Azure couldn't remember the last time he'd been able to talk to someone other than Two Time about a topic he was so passionate about.
To Taph's surprise, he snatched the notebook from his hands and began to write as if their life depended on it. Their lack of speech could limit them in many ways, but telling random facts about plants wouldn't be one of them.
Taph, though he couldn't say it explicitly, seemed genuinely interested in what Azure had to say about plants, nodding as he read the information. Azure may have gotten a little excited about the topic since the conversation ended abruptly with Dusekkar's arrival, scaring them both.
-Eee, I don't know how long I've had it, but I'm sure it'll do the trick,- he said while scratching one of his antlers.
Azure nodded, taking the vinegar. He headed to the closet where the cleaning supplies were, putting on gloves and a mask, and taking out the bleach, which seemed untouched, to his surprise.
In a bucket, Azure began mixing the baking soda with the vinegar, creating a foam that fell on the bedroom floor. The good thing was that the floor wasn't wooden; otherwise, it would have been a real pain to have to wash it.
With Taph and Dusekkar's help, they managed to spread the entire mixture, removing the residual dirt and the superficial odor that the room gave off. The first step was already completed; now came the real challenge.
Azure instructed his assistants to put on their safety clothing, he didn't want them to end up with any food poisoning from this, they obediently followed the instructions given to him, and Azure had to use all his self-control to not laugh at how they looked dressed in the safety suits.
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The task was difficult; the smell of alcohol and chlorine made Azure want to vomit after a while, but that didn't stop them from their mission.
Dusekkar had to take a few breaks from his cleaning task, while Taph seemed to enjoy the smell in the room.
After a few hours of mixing chemicals and praying for the best, they worked until their arms felt numb and their noses burned from smelling the chemicals, but in the end, the group successfully made the smell go away.
The three sat in silence, internally enjoying the victory they had just achieved.
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They both left after a while, but not before making plans to spend time together again.
Azure just nodded, looking forward to their next outing. They seemed like very interesting people to Azure.
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Night fell, prompting everyone to gather for dinner. Azure simply left the main cabin to return to his own. Today's problem had left him without an appetite, and fatigue was eating away at his bones, nothing a good night's sleep couldn't fix.
The path was filled with a suffocating silence. His mind was beginning to wander to the one thing Azure didn't want to touch at that very moment. He began to quicken his pace. The faster he could get home to sleep, the less time he'd have to think about his situation.
When he finally reached his cabin, he collapsed at the door, feeling all the fatigue of the day settling in.
His eyes were heavy and his body didn't want to get up from the position he was in. Azure closed his eyes for a moment. It would only take a moment to rest, and then he would get up to lie down in his bed.
Just when his body was ready for his long-awaited rest, a knock on the door woke him up abruptly, causing him to hit the door handle in his surprise.
Azure mentally cursed while his hat snickered. With his mood considerably soured, he opened the door. He considered not opening it to the person outside, but in the end, he decided to be polite. After all, it was his fault for thinking it would be a good idea to sleep in the doorway.
When he opened the door, he was greeted by Elliot holding what appeared to be a pizza box. -You really had me worried. I hadn't seen you eat all day. When I didn't see you at dinner, I thought you might have fainted.- That reminded Azure that yes, he hadn't eaten anything all day. Although it was normal for him to go days without eating, he didn't want to worry Elliot further, so he took the pizza box with a smile.
That seemed to calm Elliot down. -I'll stay here to make sure you actually eat,- the blond said as he pushed Azure aside and entered his cabin. -Um, I really envy you sometimes. You have your own cabin all to yourself. Having to share a cabin can be a pain sometimes.-"
Azure sat down on his bed, followed by Elliot, who seemed more focused on going through Azure's belongings in great detail. -You know, surprisingly, with your arrival, the hunters seem more peaceful than usual,- the blond said as he grabbed a slice of pizza.
Of course they'll be more peaceful if they spend most of the match being stunned by the sentinels, Azure thought, remembering how when he was a hunter, he couldn't take more than five steps without a sentinel trying to hit him. Instead, he simply nodded at what his friend was saying.
-Even that weird tentacle hunter doesn't appear anymore. I remember how Two Time became useless when we went against them.- Azure decided not to comment. On the other hand, his hat seemed extremely offended by the comment, although it didn't matter because Azure was the only unfortunate one who could hear its complaints.
Elliot seemed about to open his mouth to say something else, but before he could, he was interrupted by a knock on the door. -Oh, were you expecting visitors?- he said, raising an eyebrow at him. Azure shook his head in response. He was equally surprised by this late-night visit.
The blond stood up and walked towards the door. Azure couldn't see who the person was from where they were sitting. -Ah, Two Time, I wasn't expecting you here.- The mention of the other made Azure get up from his bed and walk towards the door with long strides.
-Elliot, my dear friend, I hadn't anticipated your presence here either. I had come hoping to discuss a matter that was bothering me fervently with my dear Azure. But if I'm disturbing your evening, I won't hesitate to leave,- Two Time said, looking directly at Azure. He in turn shifted his gaze to Elliot, who seemed nervous.
-Oh nonono, it's not what you think, I mean I just came to make sure he ate something- Elliot said while laughing nervously. Azure looked at him critically, now judging by his reaction the situation could have been easily misinterpreted, -Yeah well I'm going now, have a nice night friends- He said as he walked away with a quick pace, leaving Azure and a very confused Two Time together.
Azure just sighed at the strange situation he had gotten himself into. Now thanks to Elliot he couldn't avoid Two Time or the conversation he had feared so much. Just seeing Two Time in front of them made him feel his throat start to itch.
-I just wanted to know if you'd like to go for a walk with me. There's something I'd like to show you,- Two Time said as they extended their hand. Azure wanted to simply ignore Two Time and have that break he so longed for, but in the end, he was a weak man who couldn't say no to his beloved. So, he finally agreed, grabbing Two Time's hand.
Suddenly, he felt the irritation in his throat again, a clear warning of what would happen if he continued down this path. But just feeling the warmth of his beloved against his skin made all warnings go unheeded.
Azure gripped Two Time's hand tightly, not wanting the moment to end. The action was met with the same energy, bringing the cultist closer to Azure, to the point where their shoulders were touching.
In the warm moment they were having, and the mental strength Azure was exerting to avoid a coughing fit in front of his beloved, he didn't notice they had reached their destination until Two Time finally stopped walking.
Azure looked in front of him, observing the wide garden of Nightshades in front of him. It wasn't the same as the one he remembered from his time in the cult, as it was smaller in comparison, but that didn't stop him from staring at it in awe.
He took a step towards it, being carried away by the beauty of the flowers. When he finally reached the center of the field, he lay down, remembering the thousands of times he had done the same with his beloved. His beloved did the same, lying down next to him.
-This garden is one of the few things I'm proud of. You really made it seem like taking care of a garden would be easy.- Azure just looked at them, amazed at what the others were saying. -The Nightshades reminded me so much of you, and now seeing your face, I think all that effort was worth it.- Two Time finally looked at them again, and the way they looked at him was enough to melt Azure's heart.
Two Time sat down -I- They looked conflicted, that made Azure sit down to be able to face them better -After the ritual I couldn't stop going to the NightShades garden, it was the only thing I had of you- Two Time said as their voice broke and their eyes filled with tears
-You should hate me, but I know you don't- Azure looked at the flowers, neither denying nor confirming anything that the others told him, -I don't care if we can't be what we were before, I just want to be by your side again- Suddenly Two Time grabbed Azure's hands tightly, as if they let him go he would never come back
-I'll do whatever you want, just please,- Two Time said, sobbing. Azure couldn't stand it anymore. The only thing that could break his heart was seeing his partner cry, and he wasn't going to just stand idly by and do nothing.
Azure grabbed Two Time's face, bringing them close enough for him to see them in detail. He finished what he couldn't do in the last game, finally bringing their face closer to kiss them.
The kiss wasn't long, but it was sweet, filled with the feelings both of them had longed to express. Azure felt like the air had finally become breathable, and his heart was beating again.
That was until he started coughing, which soon grew in intensity and caused Azure to gasp for air.
Azure began to feel his eyes fill with tears and his throat burn with reproach for the flowers that soon flooded his vision.
No matter how much Azure coughed, or how his mouth began to taste metallic, air wouldn't reach his lungs, his vision began to waver, his body couldn't bear the lack of air, and he finally collapsed. At least as the veil of unconsciousness enveloped Azure, he felt arms grab him tightly. He couldn't help but feel how familiar that felt.