Chapter Text
Elliot spawned into a map that was easily recognizable as Brandon6875935’s Place. He could see the castle in the distance and he sighed in relief. That was where he usually went. He liked to dawdle up there until someone needed his help.
Or until he died. That too.
You can’t die first again, Elliot, he scolded himself. Your teammates are depending on you.
And with that, he started scaling the ramp that led to the top of the castle.
Ugh. Why does it have to be a ramp? Why not stairs? There’s no risk of tripping and falling on stairs.
…Well. There is, but not as much as ramps.
Elliot reached the level ground at the top of the castle. Why am I so exhausted? he asked himself. It was just a ramp.
His stomach rumbled. Oh. Right.
It’s fine, he thought. If I’m any good, I’ll be able to toughen up and actually be of use.
Elliot sat down to take his mind off of that. He took off his visor, ruffled his hair and put it back on again.
There’s not much happening, he thought. I suppose I should be grateful. Uneventful rounds are a nice break from it all.
Elliot let his mind run for a bit. I wonder if it’s c00lkidd? He never really gets many people—he’s too busy fooling around. He shook his head. I can’t believe he thinks killing people is fun. Poor thing’s got something else going on for him. But no…it couldn’t possibly be him, it was him a week ago…it hasn’t been a full killer cycle yet. Whose turn is it anyway? I don’t remember who’s yet to be killer…but then again, I suppose I’ll find out soon enough.
He fidgeted with the cuff on his wrist. Taking it off. Pushing in the beaded spikes. Pulling them back out again. Stretching it out. Adjusting the string. Separating one bead from the others.
Kinda like Noob, Elliot thought solemnly. One lone bead, separated from the others. Never to return.
Just then, Elliot remembered one of Noob’s drawings that he’d hung on his wall.
Elliot was looking for his visor and happened to look in Noob’s room. He saw them flicking a pencil across paper, drawing. Drawing themself, in fact. Elliot watched over their shoulder as they sketched themself in a cute, cartoony style.
Elliot chuckled, and Noob whirled around, startled.
“Ah! I didn’t know you were here,” they stammered.
“Yeah, sorry about that. I shouldn’t have snuck up on you like that.” Elliot pointed to the pencil-marked piece of paper. “That drawing’s super cool!”
“It’s just a doodle,” they muttered. “I don’t like it all that much myself.”
“Can I have it, then?” Elliot asked.
“H-huh?” Noob seemed shocked.
“Can I have it?” he repeated.
“I-uh, well, sure! I wasn’t gonna keep it, anyway,” they said, rubbing the back of their neck.
“Thanks!” Elliot said, taking the piece of paper in his hands to get a closer look. “Wow. Noob, this is actually really good!”
“Oh! Really?” Noob perked up, eyes twinkling in the cute way that always made Elliot smile.
“Yeah, really,” Elliot grinned.
Elliot’s heart ached, remembering the fun times he and Noob had had together. Why did it all have to end so soon? he asked himself.
He shook his head sadly, still reminiscing, still relishing the good memories.
Suddenly, a yelp pierced through the air, followed by a gunshot that disturbed the short-lived calm.
Elliot winced. That’s 007n7. And Chance? I should help.
Hah, you should.
Oh fuck off, Spectre.
Fine.
Elliot shook his head and slowly made his way down the ramp. He was feeling dizzy, and he didn’t want to go too fast for fear of falling.
Finally, Elliot reached the grass. He took a step and tripped over his own legs, hitting the ground hard. Shit.
“How in hell did I trip?” he hissed, pushing himself off the ground with his hands and dusting the loose blades of grass off.
Nevermind that, he thought. Best be on my way.
Elliot walked at a rapid pace towards the chaos that was so quickly unfolding. Seven? Where are you? he called in his mind.
As if on cue, one of 007n7’s dull-faced clones ran past, followed by—
Wait.
No.
It’s too soon.
I should have fucking checked my watch.
Guest 666 rambled past, barreling after the clone, red mouth parted in an unsettlingly wide smile. Elliot staggered back in shock, arms flailing half-heartedly behind him to make sure he didn’t run into anyone. He fell down on the ground and sat against a wall, breathing oddly.
I don’t know why I’m so worked up about him, he thought. But he did. It was because 666 was a reminder of Noob, and he still wasn’t over them.
Goddamn it.
007n7 stumbled over to where Elliot was sitting, tripping over himself just as Elliot had a few minutes prior. He fell to the ground, wincing as he landed on his left arm, marked with deep gashes. Using his legs and good arm, 007n7 pulled himself over to where Elliot was and laid his head on his shoulder, breathing heavily. Elliot instinctively tensed, but quickly relaxed so as not to confuse the injured man.
I have to stop doing that! He’s changed. He’s changed. He’s not who he was.
Elliot sighed.
Then that means I have to take the first steps.
He snapped, and a pizza box appeared on the grass next to the two. Elliot shifted gently and grabbed a slice of pizza from the box, which disappeared after he’d done so.
Elliot nudged 007n7, holding out the pizza. “Hey. Seven.”
He mumbled, eyes flitting open. “Huh…?” He perked up a bit when he saw the pizza. “For me? O-oh, thanks…but why?”
“Cause you needed it,” Elliot replied simply. He held out the slice. “Here.”
007n7 took the pizza and gingerly took a bite. He sighed in relief as the wounds on his arm fixed themselves up, as if a thousand minuscule fairies had sewn them up by hand. He was sitting straighter now, and he was less tense.
“Thanks,” he said.
“Consider my debt repaid,” Elliot said jokingly.
“Alright then,” 007n7 said, albeit a lot quieter. “You can, uh, go then, if that’s the case.”
Elliot stopped, realizing that 007n7 had taken his remark seriously. “Seven, I was just joking. I…I don’t want to go.”
007n7 exhaled. “Phew. I was kinda worried you’d been stringing me along…but you’re not the type of person to do that, El.”
“El?” Elliot asked, then reddened in embarrassment. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.
“Yeah, well, I figured, since you have a nickname for me, I needed one for you.” 007n7 wrung his hands anxiously. “You, heh, can tell me if you don’t like it…”
“No, it’s fine! I like it,” Elliot admitted. “It’s cute.”
They both smiled, leaning against each other for a few minutes.
Then, as if the world—or perhaps, the Spectre—had gotten tired of the two’s happiness, Elliot heard music crescendoing rapidly, heading straight for them.
Oh god. Oh no. Oh fuck.
Guest 666 bounded out from behind the wall they were sitting at. Both survivors scrambled to their feet.
Unfortunately, 007n7 tripped over one of 666’s immense paws and fell to the ground. “Shit!” he exclaimed.
Elliot winced. The fear was very clearly visible on his face as he backed up rapidly, sucking in his breath as he adjusted his glasses and kicked at the beast’s feet. 007n7 cursed quietly when it scored a wound across his right foot, his tail curling and uncurling with stress.
He glanced at Elliot, who hadn’t moved. He was still standing there, frozen.
“Elliot! Go! Leave me!” he exclaimed, flapping his hand frantically. “Save yourself!”
It was then that Elliot realized that he couldn’t just stand back and let another person die, even if he was going to respawn again at the end of this round. Sure, 007n7 had done some unthinkable things in the past. But the time was now, and he had to do something.
Elliot snuck up next to the creature, and with two swift roundhouse kicks and a mighty push, knocked the creature on its back. Before either of the entities lying on the grounds could react, Elliot grabbed 007n7 around the waist, and with one great movement, scooped him into his arms.
Elliot panted heavily as he pounded away from the scene, trying to make it back to the castle. He hissed in annoyance when he saw the ramp, significantly slowing down while scaling the structure.
Elliot gently set down 007n7 on the ground so that he was laying against the towering rock wall that bordered the back of the castle, then collapsing next to him, leaning on the ex-hacker as he regained his breath.
007n7 stared at him with wide eyes. “Elliot…that was…”
“I know, I know,” Elliot interrupted. “It was reckless of me. I knew that, Seven. It was worth it, though.”
“No,” 007n7 contradicted, looking up at the dark sky. “On the contrary. It was…the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.”
A tiny smile crept its way onto Elliot’s face. “I…didn’t know I was capable of doing that.”
“Really?” 007n7 looked at him with shock. “You’re almost as good as one of the sentinels.”
“Oh stop it, you’re making me blush,” Elliot snickered sarcastically.
“Sorry,” 007n7 apologized.
“It’s okay, Seven-chan!” Elliot chirped in a high-pitched, feminine, anime-girl-like voice.
“Pfft—” 007n7 covered his mouth with his hand, but to no avail. He burst out laughing.
Elliot exhaled in wonder. I actually don’t think I’ve ever heard 7n7 laugh before, he thought. It was deep and rich like dark chocolate, and at the same time it was like bells chiming, and birds singing.
It was beautiful.
007n7’s laughs died down, until all that was left on his face was a wide smile. He turned to Elliot, noticing that he’d been quiet the whole time. “What…? Did I do something?” he asked, hands getting fidgety subconsciously.
Elliot shook his head. “No, no, I just—I’ve never heard you laugh before.”
“Ah.” 007n7’s face flushed slightly pink. “I, uh, don’t think I remember the last time I laughed, either.”
Elliot got up. “Should we try and do some generators?”
007n7 nodded. “It’s the least we can do for the team.” He checked his watch and swiped right twice, the fraction ⅗ appearing on the screen. “Two more,” he muttered to himself.
The two descended the castle ramp, an empty, unfinished generator within sight. Elliot hurried ahead of 007n7 and bent down to work at the generator, fiddling with the wire puzzle as his pizza cooldown ticked from 20 to 10 to 5 and then to 0. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw 007n7 kneeling next to him. Their hands flew at lightning speed, solving all four puzzles in no time.
Elliot got up, dusting himself off. “I think that was the fastest I’ve ever seen a generator being finished,” he remarked.
The man next to him nodded. “Yeah. I can say the same,” he agreed.
They both set off to find the last generator, chatting amongst themselves, when Elliot stopped. 007n7 turned around with a puzzled look on his face. “Is something wrong…?”
“No…” Elliot trailed off. How could he explain that he felt that something was off? He glanced at his watch and blinked. Huh?? That can’t be right…
The time was glitching, numbers replaced by four letters: HIDE
“Okay, if you say so,” 007n7 shrugged and turned around.
Elliot screamed suddenly, falling to the ground as Guest 666 slashed at his back as quick as light itself. He pushed himself off the ground, pain searing through his back as he limped at a quick-ish pace, trying to turn the beast around for fear it would switch targets. He held up his fists weakly in an act of defiance, trying to act brave even though he knew he was done for.
Elliot began to feel dizzy again. His stomach turned, and his mind grew fuzzy.
No. Nonono. Not now. Not today. Shit.
He fought against tiredness and hunger, backing away from the gargantuan animal looming above him.
Ultimately, it was all futile.
Elliot’s foot caught on a rock, sending him tumbling backwards. He cried out in pain as he landed on his torn-up back. His vision blurred, and the last thing he saw was the reminder of what he’d lost oh so recently looming over him.