Work Text:
Winning simple life had been exhilarating, Scott had never meant to win again but there was something about the shorter games that made all of them act just a bit differently.
He now understood what Cleo had meant when she said winning real life didn't feel as upsetting as she imagined winning a longer game felt. The shorter games didn't allow you to form as many attachments, especially for the people who had never won.
They had talked a lot about it during wild life, Pearl joining in from time to time as they all talked about being winners, Scott told them about when they had done this before, had the three of them together. When he had won.
They didn't talk much about Double life. Cleo knew enough and neither Pearl or Scott could look at the other when it was brought up.
And then simple life happened and Scott was put into his own winners void again, he had jumped into the void unknowing of what would happen when he did, although it was a nice change. The time alone, however plagued with whispers it was, was welcome.
Scott took his time in the void to sort his thoughts, deciding who he might want to team with this time, wondering what the gimmick would be.
He wanted to team with Etho, the man interested Scott and he seemed like he'd be a good teammate, if maybe a bit distant.
As much as he thought about it Scott couldn't figure out what the gimmick might be, Wild life had been, well, wild, and Simple life had been something likely almost impossible to have a longer game in. Even if they hadn't been pushed to keep it to one week instead of their normal 7 or 8.
The void was welcome, calming; what wasn't, was the rush of memories that hit him when the winner's void faded around him and he respawned in the circle of other players, around a symbol he knew well.
Memories of things he had only been told about, of things long forgotten by everyone but Grian rushed into his head and he almost fell over, steadying himself as Grian started talking.
He stared blankly as Grian went on about the gimmick this time, how they would be traveling through time as more developments were made and players evolved, barely registered as Martyn and Pearl muttered something about this being too similar.
It was only when they were released into the bordered world that he ran, standing against a tree as he listened to the yelling of people around him.
He could remember third life.
He had to talk to Grian.
He found Grian collecting seeds with gem, pulling them from the ground with a hoe.
“Grian- can we uh, can we talk?” Scott asked, hoping he was hiding how his heart was pounding. The beating so clear in his chest that is traveled through the tips of his fingers.
Grian nodded, saying something to Gem that Scott didn't hear over the ringing in his ears.
The two men walked a bit away, out of earshot of Gem, both looking around to check for others before Grian turned to Scott.
“So…?”
Grian asked, looking questioningly at Scott and leaning back.
“I remembered- Third life I mean.”
The words rushed out of Scott
Grian stared at him, blinking slowly, ear wings flicking dust before his face morphed into one of mixed surprise and horror
“You didn't- you can't- how?” He spluttered, looking around the two of them quickly for signs of others before turning back to the blue haired man.
Scott nodded, fidgeting with his shirt, dirty fingerprints already sinking into the fabric.
“Just happened when we got here. Think its the second win, y’know”
“So…”
“Scar could remember”
Scott offered, staring into the distance, the ringing in his ears dying off as he was already thinking of the possibilities for others.
“So could Pearl” Grian shot back, making Scott pause.
“You and Scar were so… close”
“Similar to you and Martyn I think”
Both men now stared out, eyes drifting from the ground to the treeline to the trees, everywhere but each other. Everywhere except the person making them admit their closeness with others in this game.
“Do you have anyone else?” Scott asked, finally looking over at Grian, lip twisted between his teeth.
In lieu of a response Grian met his eyes, tilting his head.
“Like people you care about- who you gravitate to. Like I have Pearl and Cleo… and Martyn” Scott looked away as he said the last part, biting the inside of his cheek.
“I uh- not really other than Scar. There's uh- Mumbo, I guess. But he keeps disappearing and I'm not even sure why I care.” Grian had turned away as soon as the question was clarified. Staring into the sky with a look that said he wasn't actually seeing the things in front of him.
Scott nodded, he'd seen the two men interact, seen the almost unexplained closeness. But Mumbo wasn't pulled into all the games and he seemed to be the coal miner to Jimmy's canary, always out just before or after him.
The two stood for minutes that seemed to stretch on, until Grian pushed himself off the tree and walked away without a word.
Scott slid down to the ground, putting his head in his hands. This shouldn’t change anything. Shouldn’t change how he felt about Jimmy, it had been so long since they had been together. Scott had proven Jimmy didn’t feel anything for him. Hell, Jimmy had melted their ring.
It didn’t matter.
It shouldn’t matter
And yet…