Chapter Text
It didn't take too long for 007n7 to fall back into the rhythm of survivor life. Rounds sucked, that's for sure, but at least he was back on his toes and actually able to make it out of them alive.
As much as he was glad to be in the safety of a place where people didn't want him dead, he missed C00lkidd deeply. He was hoping to even get fleeting glances of his son during rounds, but he never seems to be put in the ones against him lately (or 1x1x1x1, or Noli, or Mafioso, but he hadn't payed that much mind). All he wanted was to make sure he was doing well still, because he doubted his son was fairing much better than he was by the sudden separation.
"You seem down."
Elliot had approached the bench which 007n7 had been sitting with a can of bloxy cola in hand, which he hands towards 007n7. He only turns slightly towards Elliot, but he takes the offered beverage nonetheless, offering a small, dry smile as thanks.
Elliot would think that being back with a more friendly crowd would brighten 007n7's overall mood, but it seems to have had the opposite effect for some reason.
"Yeah…" 007n7 cracks the can open and takes a large swig of the drink. He holds it between his lap as he continues to stares wistfully down the path, out across the lake. "I just… miss my son…"
If there is one thing that can get the usually quiet 007n7 yapping like the biggest social butterfly around, it is C00lkidd. If anyone shows interest in C00lkidd's life they have to prepared to have their ears talked off.
But not Elliot.
007n7 often can't bring himself to talk about his son in front of Elliot; he may not ever say why, but it is obvious to anyone who can see that it is due to the history there. The damage and pain that C00lkidd has caused the man in his life.
The very notion of 007n7 even mentioning his son in front of him is a sure sign to Elliot that 007n7 is more down than he would be letting on.
So, Elliot sets himself down on the bench next to 007n7.
It makes sense now why 007n7 would be so down; he has deeply missed spending time with his son for so long, and whilst the other survivors would see the notion of living with the killers as nothing but an unwanted danger, it had provided for 007n7 an otherwise unprecedented opportunity for 007n7 to spend quality time with his son without being forced into a scenario where his son may potentially chose to (unknowingly) hunt him down and kill him. It must only now have finally hit the poor man that he was once again being forcibly separated from his son.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Elliot offers, extending a sympathetic hand (metaphorically speaking) to his old enemy. He knows what it is like to miss people you are close to, family especially.
"No… I wouldn't want to offend you…" 007n7 responds, quick yet quiet.
"I wouldn't be offended." Elliot returns.
"You're just saying that…" 007n7 counters; part of him knows that he isn't, but the other part of him is too busy wallowing in self pity to cares.
"Because I mean it!"
Elliot grabs 007n7 by the hands, inadvertently making him drop the bloxy cola can to the ground with a loud clang, remaining contents spilling across the floor somewhere in the distance, a single tear falls down the side of Noob's face.
"Wha-"
"-Look, I know you and I have history," Understatement of the centaury. "But you can't keep pushing a part of yourself down and hiding it for- what? To avoid stepping on my toes? That's not fair on yourself. And it doesn't change anything. You're a dad. A dad to a massive pain of a son. That's a part of who you are, and you shouldn't be ashamed of that!"
"Elliot… I- I don't know what to say…" 007n7 mumbles, eyes averted and face flushing a steady pink.
"I'd love to know what you got up to whilst you were gone." And, to give 007n7 some gentle prompting, Elliot asks: "Does C00lkidd cause as much trouble for them as us?"
"Urgh, yeah, he does…"
007n7 tells Elliot all about it, all the antics that C00lkidd gets up to.
It's kinda funny, when you think about it, how brazenly C00lkidd acts around these people. Noli is a thing of myth, yet C00lkidd calls him uncle. 1x1x1x1 is an eldritch being, yet C00lkidd harasses it for entertainment and food. And all the rest. These killers, who hunt and slaughter the survivors, find themselves constantly being forced to bend to the whim and whimsy of a little kid. And there is three of them there. It's almost cathartic for Elliot, someone who often finds himself being pursued more vigorously by their hunters, to hear about.
Sometimes it is easy for Elliot to forget that behind the murder and violence, he is still just a little kid. A kid, who wants to have lots and lots of friends.
And for 007n7, it looked to have at least cheered him up somewhat, not that Elliot thought that talking about it would do too much in the way of eliminating his longing to be properly reunited with C00lkidd once again.
"I just had a thought, you know." Elliot remarks after 007n7 finished regaling him with another tale of destruction. "I bet C00lkidd would get along with Mia, actually."
"Mia…" 007n7 has to think for a couple of seconds. "Your… little sister?"
"Yeah, she can be quite the nightmare child too- though she has never destroyed any establishments," Elliot's eyes squint slightly as he thinks to himself. "That I know of, at least." He adds as a small joke.
"Yeah… there's still time for her too…" 007n7 adds to the joke, offering a small smile over to Elliot. It's still both strange and pleasant to see him smile; it wasn't that long ago, all things considering, that 007n7 wouldn't crack a smile for anything, mind too encapsulated in distant places for him to be able to express any joy.
"Maybe once we're out of this place, I can introduce the two of them?" Elliot suggests.
"Maybe…" 007n7 wasn't too sure about that; it had been an uphill struggle for him to even just make amends with Elliot, he wasn't sure if he was even capable (or deserving) of doing so with the rest of the Builder family.
A silence falls over the two of them, but at least this one isn't filled with 007n7's separation misery.
"Should we head inside and get something to eat?" Elliot suggests, getting to his feet. "I don't know how long you've been sat out here for."
"It hasn't been that long!" 007n7 replies, exasperated by Elliot's little faith. In fairness though… 007n7 can't remember what time he came to sit out here at, and it has been a while… "But alright." He adds, hauling himself to his feet, though he does pick up the fallen can so he can actually dispose of it properly.
The two begin to make their way back up to the main cabin together.
"Oh Elliot," 007n7 calls out; Elliot slows down slightly so he can turn his head to look in 007n7's direction. "Uhm, thank you, for er- I really needed this."
Elliot gives him a soft, easy smile, one that radiates a warmth rarely felt in a place like this.
"Anytime."