Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

✦ DISCLAIMERS & OTHER NOTES ✦

✩ This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real people, places, or events is purely coincidental. If you recognise yourself here… that’s just spooky timing, dawlingg~.

✩ Plagiarism is theft. Please do not repost, copy, or translate my work without explicit permission. Plagiarism makes the Author very cranky >:3

✩ English is not my first language. Mistakes may slip through; if you catch the occasional rogue comma, typo, or awkward phrasing, please be kind. I’m always trying my best.

✩ Feedback is welcome! I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Don’t be shy, you’re free to share your opinions, theories, or even jokes, just please don’t go too overboard.

✩ Criticism is accepted. I’m not a professional writer (yet 👀), so constructive criticism is always appreciated to help me improve.

✩ Canon Forsaken characters belong entirely to Hyotoko and the dev team. I don’t own them, just borrowing them to cause chaos.

✩ Expect some characters to be OOC (out of character). 

✩ If I mischaracterise someone, please forgive me, I promise it wasn’t intentional.

✩ This fanfic is purely for entertainment (mine and hopefully yours). Read, laugh, cry, and enjoy the ride!

ADDITIONAL INFO.

started ::October 7, 2025

published :: October 8, 2025

ended :: ???

🎙 Talk Show with the Author — “Request Edition”

🎤: What’s this chapter even for?
— Basically a request board! You drop your ideas here, I read them, and if inspiration hits, I’ll turn them into chaos, angst, fluff and smut!

🎤: Is this your first time posting on Ao3?
— No, but I'm still adapting here, so forgive me if I mess up the formatting. I’m still figuring things out, so any tips are totally welcome.

🎤: English isn’t your first language, right?
— Correct! I’m not a native speaker, so please be kind about my grammar slips. Feel free to correct me if something sounds off!

🎤: So... why Two Time?
— Because I adore pain apparently 💀 He’s my favourite character to emotionally destroy— lovingly, of course.

🎤: Any headcanons for the cultist?
— Oh, tons. Two Time’s has small wings on their head like any other hc, old scars on their back caused by their second life. They’re awkward as hell in social situations, around 20–25 years old etc.

🎤: What kind of stuff are you open to writing?
— Depends on the section! I can do smut, fluff, angst, and platonic content (If you request anything, please make sure to add information on how I can creat/write the request!). 

🎤: Where can we send requests?
— You can either request in the comment sections or join my Discord server!

(First time making one, and I don't know how to set up a server, such as setting up reaction roles, introductions channel, etc. So if you want to help, just go to the server and apply to be a mod!)

Join the server with this Discord link:

https://discord.gg/KPxJYx3f

I'll Do:

– Smut:
rope play
knife play (maybe)
overstimulation
hate/anger scenes (Hate sex, with consent!)
comfort & reconciliation
gentle or soft moments
humiliation (depends)
consent — always included

– Fluff:
hugs
soft kisses
comfort scenes
cuddles
gift exchanges
healing or care moments

etc!

– Angst (I promise not to throw bricks..):
self-harm (mild or mentioned)
separation
murder or tragic endings

etc.

– Platonic:
cuddles
quality time
mutual healing
gifts
supportive moments

etc.

AUs I Write:
⋆. 𐙚 ˚ Swap AU 
⋆. 𐙚 ˚ Post-Forsaken
⋆. 𐙚 ˚ Pre-Forsaken
⋆. 𐙚 ˚ Escape AU
⋆. 𐙚 ˚ Killer Two Time AU (Still planning the upcoming book)
⋆. 𐙚 ˚ You can request others too!

I Will Not Do:

non-con/rape (remember, CONSENT IS HOT!!)
sex with minors
necrophilia (pls.. just no..)

Ships & Preferences

OTP:

1xAzureTime/BetrayedDevotees

AzureTime 

1xTime 

Mafioso x Two Time

Pizzatime 

SecondChance / TwoChance 

I Like/ Love Writing:
TimeBoom 

NoobTime 

ChickenSpawn (fluff, smut

Noli x Two Time 

Dusekkar x Two Time 

Maybe / Not Sure Yet:
John Doe x Two Time
Jane Doe x Two Time
DecoyDagger 
MilitaryDagger/ Guest1337 x Two Time 
(I feel like they would be platonic, like father/mother & child bonding)

Dislikes:
Jason / Slasher x Two Time (BloodTime? platonic at most)

Absolutely Not!:
Two Time x a minor
(Babysitting or guardian roles only, never romantic, just platonic.)

Upcoming One-shots:

Chapter 2 ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ ChickenSpawn (Fluff)
“He has the same aura as the Spawn… He must be the Lord Spawn himself...!”

Chapter 3 ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ BetrayedDagger (Fluff to Smut)
“The cultist looks hot—”

Chapter 4 ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ AzureTime (Angst to Fluff)
“Why did you do it, my nightshade?”

Chapter 5 ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ No ship/ platonic (Angst to Fluff)
“Hallucinations...”

 ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ Future Chapters 
Coming soon…

Chapter Text

Chapter 2 ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ ChickenSpawn (Fluff)

“He has the same aura as the Spawn… He must be the Lord Spawn himself...!”

Based on a TikTok post by: otastuan go check their works out! 

The night whispered through the trees, brushing against the leaves like a secret only the moon was meant to hear. Silver light spilled softly across the clearing, outlining a field of deadly nightshade in a ghostly glow. But it wasn’t the flowers that stole the scene, it was the two figures lying among them.

One body was still. No heartbeat. No breath. Flies swarmed lazily above the rotting flesh, their faint buzzing the only sound cutting through the quiet. Bone showed through places the skin could no longer hold. The dead man’s name had once been Azurewrath, a soul sacrificed in the name of the Spawn by the one who loved him most.

Beside him knelt Two Time, a shadow of who they used to be. Their once warm complexion was now pale and bruised with a purple hue creeping across their skin. Purple veins snaked under the surface, pulsing faintly around where flowers bloomed from the inside out. A gaping wound on their abdomen revealed tangled roots and the velvety huge blossom of nightshade, their cruel beauty blooming where warmth once lived. One eye had already rotted away, leaving only darkness.

This was the curse of Hanahaki, flowers thriving in the hollow where unrequited love festered.

Two Time weakly swatted away the flies landing on Azurewrath, their fingers trembling. They stared at their lover’s corpse, their single remaining eye glassy with exhaustion and grief.

“Why aren’t you respawning yet… my flower?” they whispered, their voice fragile as night air.

They let out a shaky breath, gaze flicking to the distant sky.

“Has the Spawn turned away from us? Is this…divine punishment?”

The strength in their body finally gave out, and their eyes fluttered shut. The last thread of thought that passed through their mind was soft.

“Maybe in another life… I wouldn’t have sacrificed you, Azurewrath. Maybe then… we’d still be together.”

But the afterlife wasn’t waiting for them—not yet.

A flash of white swallowed everything. The pain, the cold, the flowers. When Two Time opened their eye again, they weren’t lying in the field of nightshades. Instead, they found themselves on the floor of an unfamiliar cabin.

Their wounds were gone. The flowers too. Their body was whole again, wrapped in new clothes. A sleeveless black turtleneck revealed a Spawn symbol of their religion carved in it, their arms wrapped tightly in black bandages. Baggy black pants clung loosely to their legs, and the ritual dagger used to end Azure’s life still hung at their hip like a cruel reminder.

A handful of strangers turned toward them, their faces carrying that same mix of pity and tired recognition.

“Another one, aye?” drawled a man in a sharp black fedora and formal wear.

“…Our capture’s spawned a new survivor,” muttered another, his red visor catching the dim cabin light.

Then someone stepped forward, a man wearing a white shirt with the words “Blame John” written in red stretched across it in block letters, blue and white stripes running along the sleeves. His presence was different. Warm. Powerful. Radiant.

Two Time’s breath caught.

‘He has the same aura as the Spawn… He must be the Lord Spawn himself…!’

“Yo, kid,” the man said casually. “Welcome to hell. Hope you brought something nice, ‘cause it’s gonna be a long night of explaining.”

“I’m Shedletsky, by the way.”

Two Time’s eyes lit up, a flicker of joy replacing the emptiness.

“I’ll listen to whatever you say, Lord Spawn!” they blurted, a shaky but eager grin spreading across their face.

“Spawn? Oh my Robloxia—no, no, no.” Shedletsky dragged a hand down his face, trying not to laugh. “It’s Shedletsky. Shed. Let. Sky. Not Spawn, kid.”

Then his brow furrowed. “Wait. What do you mean by aura?”

Two Time stared at him like the answer was obvious. “Your presence… It's warm but heavy. Like the air bends around you. That feeling, it’s the same as the Lord Spawn’s. You have to be him.”

Shedletsky’s grin faltered for the first time. “…Aura,” he repeated quietly, more to himself than to them.

“Yeah!” Two Time’s voice picked up with an almost childlike devotion. “It’s wrapped around you. Bright. Overwhelming. Divine. Only gods like the Spawn have something like that!”

He stared at them a little too long. Most couldn’t sense anything divine about him, not unless he let them. “You shouldn’t be able to feel that,” he muttered, more shaken than he intended to sound.

Two Time only smiled wider. “Then I suppose I’m not like most people.”

The tension cracked a little after that. Someone tossed them both a bottle of water. They sat on one of the rough cabin benches, talking about everything and nothing—survivor chatter, little questions, weird jokes that didn’t quite land but softened the air.

Shedletsky leaned back with a half-smirk, watching them speak. “Pft—stop. What is that accent?” He broke into a laugh, clutching his stomach. “You sound ridiculous, especially with that little British tone you’ve got going. Hahaha!”

Two Time blinked, caught off guard. If it displeases you, my Lord, they thought, their chest tightening. “I shall refrain from speaking in such a manner ever again,” they said softly, lowering their gaze like they’d committed some holy sin.

Shedletsky froze mid-laugh. “What— no, no. Hey.” He waved his hands quickly, almost panicking. “I didn’t mean it like that. I actually like it!”

Two Time’s eyes welled up immediately, tears clinging to their lashes as their voice cracked. “Y-You do?”

“Yes! It’s funny. In a good way. You don’t gotta shut up for me.” He gave a lopsided grin, trying to ease the weight they’d put on his words.

Two Time pressed a trembling hand over their mouth, trying to hold back the sound that escaped, a shaky laugh mixing with tears. Spawn smiled at me, they thought. Spawn smiled at me!

Pure, blinding happiness bloomed in their chest like sunlight cutting through smoke.

Shedletsky just shook his head with a small chuckle, not realizing how deep those words had carved themselves into Two Time’s heart.

Shedletsky leaned back against one of the old wooden chairs, hands tucked loosely into his short's pockets, the ghost of a grin curling at the edge of his lips. “Anyways,” he drawled, gesturing with lazy precision, “as I was saying… enlighten me, will ya? What is this ‘God Spawn’ thing you keep mistaking me for?”

Two Time sat cross-legged on the warped floorboards, tilting their head slightly. The firelight licked at the edges of their pale face, casting sharp shadows. Their single visible eye glimmered like the last star in a black sky.

“Are you humbling yourself before us, my Lord?” they murmured, voice soft but carrying a dangerous kind of reverence.

Shedletsky stared flatly. “…That’s not exactly what I said.”

But Two Time leaned forward, voice growing louder, steadier, like scripture carved into their bones. “You or the Spawn is a divine and ancient being. One who rises above the living and the dead. You grant us this second chance… this gift. We offer what we love most, and in return, you give us eternity here.”

Shedletsky blinked once. Twice. “…Okay. That’s…intense.”

Two Time’s hands pressed together as if holding invisible prayer beads. Their tone deepened into something ritualistic. “The blessed are chosen through sacrifice. To prove loyalty to the Lord Spawn, one must offer their partner to the altar. And through that offering… your mercy shines. We live again. We fight again. We serve in your cycle.”

Their words tumbled out faster, their eyes unfocused like they were standing before some holy pyre. “The weak are culled. The devoted, blessed. The faithful rise night after night, awaiting the day the Lord Spawn descends in full glory. And when he does… we shall kneel in the field of nightshade and greet our God once more.”

Shedletsky dragged a hand down his face. “…You’re serious.”

Before he could say more, a timer of a clock ticked. A single, low note that made the cabin shudder in its foundation. The fire guttered out. Darkness swallowed the space whole.

And then the world shifted.

They moved carefully through the cracked lobby, each step sinking into the soggy, waterlogged carpet. The hallway lights flickered weakly overhead, casting sickly yellow glows that barely reached the floor. From the soaked ground, pale, decayed hands clawed their way out, cold fingers snatching at their ankles. The grip wasn’t strong enough to pull them under, but it was enough to drag their pace down, that creeping Slowness wrapping around their legs like wet chains.

Two Time’s breath hitched, but Shedletsky just cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. “Alright. Welcome to your first round, kid. Stick close. I’ll explain as we go.”

Two Time nodded quickly, clutching their ritual dagger like it was both a weapon and a prayer. They followed as Shedletsky pushed open the warped front doors, the hinges crying out like something alive.

“First thing,” he whispered, ducking behind a crumbling reception desk. “If you hear music, that means the killer’s nearby. Don’t be a hero, just run. See the timer above? That shows how much time we have left to survive, the timer will decrease once we complete a generator, however the timer also adds time if a survivor has been killed. And if you see glowing red eyes… pray faster.”

Two Time’s grip tightened. “Pray?”

Shedletsky’s grin returned, crooked. “Figure of speech. Or not. Depends on your god, apparently.”

They moved carefully through the cracked lobby, each step sinking into the soggy, waterlogged carpet. The hallway lights flickered weakly overhead, casting sickly yellow glows that barely reached the floor. From the soaked ground, pale, decayed hands clawed their way out, cold fingers snatching at their ankles. The grip wasn’t strong enough to pull them under, but it was enough to drag their pace down, that creeping Slowness wrapping around their legs like wet chains.

Two Time’s heart thudded against their ribs not from fear, but awe. The way he moved casual but sharp reminded them of the altar nights. Standing at the brink of death and whispering prayers to the Spawn they thought untouchable. Now he was right here. Inches away.

“What’s that look for?” Shedletsky muttered, glancing back.

Two Time quickly lowered their gaze. “Nothing, my Lord—”

“Stop with the ‘my Lord’ thing,” he sighed. “You’re making me sound like a cult leader.”

“You are our God,” they whispered, like stating gravity exists.

Shedletsky gave a short laugh, but something behind it stiffened. Then—

a rustle.

A low hum, deep like a blade dragged against bone, threaded through the hotel’s halls. The music started slow, warped, like an old phonograph playing a lullaby in reverse.

And then came the Slasher.

A tall silhouette emerged from the broken doors, clothes soaked in blood from the unfortunate survivor he just slaughtered (Probably Chance due to the amount of weakness they stacked while gambling his luck). His cracked white mask gleamed faintly in the flickering lights, a blood stain seen in its side. A massive butcher’s blade trailed across the floor, carving marks in the wooden floor. His breath rasped, steady, like someone savoring the hunt.

Shedletsky clicked his tongue. “Speak of the devil.”

The Slasher lunged.

Two Time froze for a heartbeat, instincts wound up like a spring then snapped loose. They slipped behind the killer in a flash, dagger lifting from their grip with deadly grace. 

Shnk—!

The blade plunged in, the impact bursting through the silence like a shockwave. Slasher reeled, his mask jerking as he staggered back, breath hissing through his teeth

“Nice hit, kid!” Shedletsky barked, seizing their wrist and pulling them down a hallway. “Looks like you're a Sentinel. It means you can do stuns like me. Good.”

Two Time stumbled after him, adrenaline burning like holy fire. “I—did that?”

“Yeah,” he panted. “Welcome to the game.”

What followed was blurred. Running through flooded hallways, ducking behind shattered doors, feeling the Slasher’s presence bleed through the walls like smoke. Two Time learned fast. Shedletsky’s instructions were quick, almost casual, as if death wasn’t breathing down their necks. At one point, Two Time struck from behind, another clean backstab. Interrupting Slasher into killing another survivor, Slashee roared as the light swallowed him whole. The timer above turned into 00:00 

The round has ended, Survivors Win

The world snapped back to the cabin.

Two Time sat on the chair, trembling faintly, the dagger resting on their knees. The others in the room laughed weakly, patching each other up, making death sound like a punchline.

But Two Time wasn’t laughing.

Azure. The field of nightshade. Their hands pressing the blade down. The whisper of someone they loved choking on their last breath.

The air felt too thin.

Their fingers dug into the dagger’s hilt, knuckles whitening. If they closed their eye, they could still hear, “What have you done?”

Shedletsky didn’t say anything when he approached. Just lowered himself beside them with quiet weight, elbows on his knees.

“First round’s always a bit much,” he said eventually, voice softer than smoke. “Doesn’t matter if you win or lose. The noise still sticks.”

Two Time’s throat tightened like it was closing from the inside. “No… no…” their voice cracked, breath hitching. “No. No. NO—”

The panic hit fast. Their chest seized up, breath coming too shallow and too loud. Their fingers went slack, and the dagger slipped from their hand, clattering against the floor.

“Azure…” The name fell out of them like it had been hiding under their ribs this whole time. Their knees almost buckled, hands trembling uncontrollably as the sound of that name echoed in the quiet cabin.

Shedletsky stilled, the warmth in his face dimming into something steady and real. He didn’t reach for the dagger. He reached for them.

The fire painted Shedletsky’s profile in gold and shadow. He’d heard confessions before, most panicked and selfish. This one was neither. Just… broken.

He let out a slow breath. “Hey.”

Two Time flinched at his touch, but his hand only rested steady on their shoulder. No demand. No sermon.

“Whatever you did before this place doesn’t decide who you get to be now,” he said quietly.

“I don’t deserve—”

“Kid.” His voice cut gently, not sharp. “I’ve been called a lot of things over the centuries. God. Lord. Monster. Take your pick. (Fatass, Chicken, Bigback. Anyways continue the story..yeah..?) But even if I was what you think I am… I don’t need a worshipper who hates themselves.”

Two Time’s breathing hitched.

“Start with breathing,” he added. “Later… maybe, figure out how to stand without kneeling.”

Their chest trembled. They leaned against him, forehead pressing lightly to his arm. Shedletsky didn’t move away. He just let out a dry laugh.

“Careful. I might start thinking you actually like me.”

Two Time huffed out a shaky laugh too. “Spawn smiled at me once again!” they whispered like a confession.

Shedletsky groaned lightly but ruffled their hair anyway. “You’re a little dramatic, you know that?”

“I know.” Their voice cracked. “But you smiled.”

The fire crackled between them. Their breathing began to even out. But Shedletsky noticed the way their hands still trembled, the way guilt clung to them like smoke. So he shifted, tilting his head a little.

“…Alright, listen,” he murmured, lowering his voice to something conspiratorial. “I’ve got a trick.”

Two Time blinked, confused.

Shedletsky stood, then extended a hand down toward them. “Up. C’mon.”

“…What are you—”

“Just trust me.”

Two Time hesitated, then slipped their hand into his. He pulled them to their feet with effortless strength. The cabin floor creaked beneath them. The other survivors were half-dozing, firelight soft.

“Now,” he said, stepping closer, “we dance.”

“What.”

He grinned. “Yeah. Terrible idea, I know. But trust me,it’s a good distraction.”

Before Two Time could protest, Shedletsky set their hands in place, guiding them gently into a slow, stupid waltz in the middle of a blood-soaked cabin. No music played, except the faint wind pushing against the walls. His steps were unreasonably steady for someone who’d just dodged a killer.

At first, Two Time was stiff as stone, looking like someone had asked them to defuse a bomb. But then something in their chest cracked just enough to let air in. Their feet started to follow. It wasn’t elegant, more like two idiots shuffling on old wood, but it was… warm.

“There,” Shedletsky said, voice low near their ear. “Not so terrifying, huh?”

Two Time almost laughed. “You’re insane.”

“Yeah, but effective.”

By the time they pulled apart, their breathing had fully steadied. The heaviness wasn’t gone, but it didn’t feel like it was crushing them anymore. Just… sitting quietly in the corner of the room.

Later, when the others had drifted off, Shedletsky was still there. Two Time slumped beside him, body heavy with exhaustion. Their head eventually tipped onto his shoulder, evening into the soft rhythm of sleep. Their hand still clutched the dagger, but their fingers had finally loosened.

Shedletsky looked down at them, his smirk fading into something quieter. “…You’re gonna be trouble,” he whispered.

But his arm didn’t move away. The god who pretended to be human sat there in the flickering dark, letting someone lean on him without pushing them off the edge.

2.9k Words

Chapter Text

Chapter 3 ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ BetrayedDagger

“The cultist looks hot—”

The air had that static hum again. A quiet sort of charge that sat under the skin like a pulse, waiting to break. Fog slithered through the corners of Brandon6875935’s Place, pale as old bone, crawling between maze-like wooden walls and half-built structures. The map was open, exposed, but it breathed like something alive.

1x1x1x1 moved through the mist like a shadow with teeth, slow, deliberate, unbothered by the silence. Black and green flames licked at the edge of their Daemonshank blades, a faint hiss threading through the fog. Their presence bent the air, like a storm that already knew how the night would end.

Then came the sound, footsteps, fast and sure.

Not fleeing.

Chasing.

Two Time wasn’t running away from them. They were running at them.

Their blade swung up on instinct, a clean arc meant to tear through the first thing that got too close. But the cultist was quicker, sliding in close, ducking just low enough that the swing caught fabric instead of flesh. A shallow cut still bloomed red against their side, proof of how close they’d danced to the edge.

For a heartbeat, that should’ve been it. One step closer, and the Daemonshank would’ve carved the rest. But Two Time twisted, body snapping like a whip, dagger slipping behind their back in one smooth motion.

A trickstab.

Pain flared through 1x1x1x1’s ribs as the blade found its mark, not deep, but sharp enough to make the fog splinter around them. Their grip faltered for the first time that round. A flash—stun—and the world tilted just a little off centre.

“Come on~,” Two Time sang out, their words stretched like honey, thick and sweet with trouble. “You’ll have to do better than that.”

Their voice wasn’t afraid. It never was. It curled through the fog like smoke, a dare wrapped in silk. A challenge.

Their target.

Their enemy.

Their… distraction.

1x1x1x1 steadied themselves near the stone frame by the fence, one red eye burning through the mist. Two Time was out there. They could feel them. Not in some clean, logical way, this was deeper. A pull. Like a match calling out to gasoline.

That shouldn’t have mattered. Nothing has ever been done before. 1x1x1x1 was born from hatred. They didn’t flinch for anyone. But something had begun to crawl beneath their skin like rot that refused to stay quiet. Every time the cultist slipped past with that grin, every step too sure, every look too sharp, it clawed at something buried deep inside.

The cultist’s robes flashed through the fog again as they vaulted a wall, that damned smirk catching the lantern light just enough to burn into memory. For a second, the night felt hotter. Tighter.

1x1x1x1 didn’t feel.

They weren’t made for softness.

…Then why did it burn like this?

The air thrummed again. That same static charge that made the night feel too still. Fog curled through the castle ruins, pale and heavy, swallowing the edges of the broken fountain at the center of Brandon6875935’s Place. Lanterns flickered like they were holding their breath.

He found Shedletsky first.

Of course he did. He wanted to.

Shedletsky lounged against the cracked stone like the round was a joke only he understood. One leg crossed, blade twirling lazily in his hand. The grin he wore was the same one he always had, like nothing could touch him. Like 1x1x1x1 was something he owned.

“Ah, finally,” Shedletsky drawled. “My little monster.”

1x1x1x1’s boots dragged against the stone, the fog shifting faster with every step. Black and green flames licked at their blades, hissing through the silence. This wasn’t just another hunt. This was old rot breathing.

“Don’t call me that,” they said, voice low and coiled tight.

“What? Monster?” Shedletsky tilted his head, grin sharp enough to cut. “You were my best mistake.”

Steel answered before words could. 1x1x1x1 lunged, blade skimming his arm. A clean, shallow slice. The grin faltered, just for a blink.

“Still got that temper,” he said, stepping back. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“I hate you.”

The words didn’t shake. They landed like a blade in the dirt.

Shedletsky’s laugh was soft this time, almost quiet. “Yeah. I know.”

For once, there was something behind that grin. Not arrogance. Not smugness. Just… weight. Regret caught in the edges of a man who’d built something he couldn’t undo.

“I made you from everything I couldn’t stand,” Shedletsky said slowly, dropping the blade into the ground with a dull clang. “And then I left you with it. You were supposed to burn out, not… become.”

1x1x1x1’s grip tightened around the Daemonshank, knuckles bone-white.

“You abandoned me.”

“I did.” His voice didn’t dodge anymore. It sank straight through. “Because it was easier to look away than admit I made something that could feel.”

The fog stilled, like it was listening.

“You should’ve erased me,” 1x1x1x1 muttered.

Shedletsky huffed out a breath that wasn’t quite a laugh. “Yeah. Maybe. But look at you now. A storm I can’t control.”

Their breath hitched, quiet, unsteady.

“There’s…” The words dragged rough through their throat. “…something wrong.”

“With what?”

“With me.”

Shedletsky tilted his head, grin sliding back in place like a knife being sheathed. “Ah. The cultist.”

A flash of green burned in 1x1x1x1’s eye.

“Of course it’s Two Time,” Shedletsky chuckled. “It’s always the weird ones.”

“I’m not—”

“—supposed to feel?” he cut in, voice soft and almost rueful. “Yeah, I didn’t build softness into you. But it slipped in anyway.”

“Desire,” 1x1x1x1 hissed, the word tasting like ash.

Shedletsky leaned heavily against the wall, blood leaving a dark trail on his sleeve. “That look you wear when you hunt them? I’ve seen it before. On myself.”

“I want to destroy them,” they growled.

Shedletsky’s grin thinned, voice dropping lower. “—and touch them.”

The words hit like a blade turned inward. No mockery. Just something raw and a little broken.

“Hate and love don’t live far apart,” he said quietly. “You just crossed the street.”

For a blink, the rooftop shifted. No creator. No monster. Just two broken things standing under a moon too bright for either of them.

Shedletsky stepped forward, slow and steady. “You don’t have to understand it. But don’t pretend it isn’t real.”

They didn’t wait.

The blade slid through his chest clean, the sound wet and quiet. His body leaned into theirs for a fraction of a heartbeat, breath trembling out like smoke.

“Heh…” Shedletsky’s voice rasped, small and almost fond. “You really were my best creation.”

Then the fog took him.

And the heat beneath their skin didn’t die with him. It burned hotter. Louder.

Somewhere out there, beyond the maze, Two Time’s laugh curled through the night.

Timeskip —> LMS

The last round bled into silence. Standard LMS music played. No panicked footsteps. Just the soft groan of wind slipping through cracked wood. Brandon6875935’s Place had that strange heartbeat again, fog swallowing the map whole like the night wanted to keep its secrets close.

1x1x1x1 wiped the blade clean with the back of his hand. Elliot’s body had barely hit the ground before the quiet settled in. One more. Just one.

 And he already knew who it was.

“The cultist…” he muttered under his breath, mouth curling up in something that wasn’t quite a smile. “…looks hot—”

The thought slammed in like a misplaced glitch. It shouldn’t have even existed. But it did.

Two Time.

The fog shifted as if whispering their name too.

Two Time moved differently when they were the last one standing. Not fast. Not reckless. It was a glide—like they trusted their feet more than the ground itself. Lantern light brushed their face, catching the sharp angle of their grin. Their dagger swung loose at their side, steady. Unafraid.

1x1x1x1 crouched low on a broken platform, watching. Not hunting. Not yet. Just watching. The way the cultist’s robes clung when the wind pressed against them. The way their hair stuck to their face, damp with sweat and stubborn fire.

His heartbeat didn’t skip. It lunged.

Their face looks so cute when flushed bright red.

 They even look better up close.

1x1x1x1 shook his head, annoyed at his own distraction. Focus. Win the round. That was all that mattered.

But Two Time turned, eyes locking with his through the fog, and the world forgot how to breathe.

“Come out, big bad killer,” Two Time called out. The smirk in their voice was sharp enough to draw blood. “Or are you just gonna stare all night?”

A growl crawled up from 1x1x1x1’s chest, low and quiet. He stepped down from the platform, boots hitting the soaked ground with a solid thud.

Every step closer, the night felt tighter.

Two Time didn’t back away. Of course they didn’t. They leaned against the wall, arms crossed, like they were waiting for a date instead of a fight.

1x1x1x1 lunged first, because that’s what he was supposed to do. His blade cut through air, slicing dangerously close. Two Time ducked under it, breath brushing against his chest as they slid past. Too close.

For a second, the cultist’s hair brushed against his jaw. Warm. Real.

His blade should’ve followed through, but instead his hand slammed against the wall beside Two Time’s head, pinning them without even meaning to.

Oh.

Two Time froze for a heartbeat. Then that stupid smirk slid back into place. “Aw, pinning me already? Bold move, monster.”

Up close, the cultist was worse. Worse in the way that made his stomach twist into knots. Eyes like they could cut glass. Lips curved just enough to make everything around them feel like static.

Their face really does look better up close.

1x1x1x1’s blade hovered by their throat, not pressing. Just… there. His other hand still caged them against the wall.

“Why aren’t you running?” he asked, voice rough around the edges.

Two Time tilted their head, eyes glittering. “Why would I run? You’re cute when you’re mad.”

1x1x1x1 blinked once, twice. Cute.

That wasn’t supposed to hit as hard as it did.

“You’re supposed to scream,” he muttered.

“I don’t scream for people who look at me like that.”

“…Like what?”

Two Time leaned forward until there was barely an inch left between them. “Like you want to ruin me and keep me all at once.”

The breath that left his chest was quiet, almost shaky. He hated how easy it was for this cultist to crawl under his skin like that.

He could end this right now. One swing. One clean strike.

But his hand stayed where it was.

“Careful,” 1x1x1x1 murmured, the blade tilting just enough to graze their neck. “I might.”

Two Time’s smirk deepened, cheeks flushed. “Maybe that’s why I’m not moving.”

Silence pressed between them. Thick. Heavy. The kind that knew how to drag.

The round timer flickered low at the corner of his vision. The night was almost over.

“Find me,” 1x1x1x1 said suddenly, voice quieter now. A growl wrapped in smoke. “After the round. Woods. Killer cabin.”

Two Time’s eyes flicked down to his lips, then back up. “...Yeah. Alright.”

1x1x1x1 finally stepped back, letting the cultist breathe again. But the ghost of his touch lingered like a brand.

“Run,” he said.

Two Time did. But their laugh curled through the fog like a promise.

The round ended. Two Time slipped away as the survivors were corralled toward the safe cabin. Everyone else cheered, clapped backs, shouted over each other. Victory noise. It barely reached 1x1x1x1.

Shedletsky was leaning against the chair, watching Two Time with a grin that had too much knowing in it.

Two Time had already slipped into the treeline by then. No noise. Just the shadow of a grin lingering in the dark.

The woods were quieter than usual. Fog pooled low to the ground, heavy like the night itself was holding its breath. The cabin sat crooked in the middle of it, its broken roof catching what little moonlight managed to fall through.

1x1x1x1 leaned against the doorframe, Daemonshank strapped at his hip, hair still clinging to his jaw from the fight. Every part of him buzzed like a wire pulled too tight.

And then he saw them.

Two Time stepped into the clearing with that same loose stride, hands in their pockets like this was a game they’d already decided to win.

“Wow,” they teased lightly. “Romantic spot you got here.”

“Didn’t bring you here to talk,” 1x1x1x1 muttered, voice dragging like smoke against stone.

Two Time raised a brow. “Then what?”

1x1x1x1 didn’t answer. He just reached out, fingers sliding against the fabric of their robe and pulling them closer. The fog seemed to tighten around the two of them like it wanted to keep the world out.

 Up close again. Heart hammering again.

The cultist looked up at him, cheeks faintly pink, breath hitching just enough to give them away.

 Their face looked so stupidly cute flushed that bright red.

His hand lifted slowly, almost hesitant, brushing against the edge of Two Time’s jaw. Warm. Real. Dangerous.

Two Time tilted their head slightly, eyes glinting. “If you keep looking at me like that,” they murmured, voice low, “I might start thinking you actually like me.”

1x1x1x1’s thumb dragged across their jaw, just enough pressure to make them shiver. “Maybe I do,” they muttered back, rough around the edges.

They huffed a laugh, soft and breathless. “That almost sounded like a confession.”

“It wasn’t,” he lied, too smooth to be convincing.

Two Time leaned in until their noses nearly brushed. “Then quit looking at me like you’re starving.”

He chuckled under his breath, the sound slipping into the fog. “No promises.”

Two Time’s hand brushed against his chest, fingers hooking into the fabric just enough to pull him down an inch closer. “Cocky.”

“Accurate.”

That grin flickered back. “Welcome to my place.”

Two Time’s lips curved slow. “Hm. Kinda creepy.”

“Yeah?” He leaned closer, voice a whisper near their ear. “Good thing you like creepy.”

They didn’t deny it.

Two Time stepped inside the cabin after him, the door creaking shut behind them. The air inside was warmer, thicker, carrying the faint scent of wood smoke and something earthier, like damp moss from the forest. Dim light filtered through a single grimy window, casting long shadows across the sparse room, a rough-hewn bed in the corner, piled with furs and blankets; a wooden table cluttered with candles and forgotten mugs; a stone hearth cold and empty. It felt isolated, just like the fog outside, wrapping them in their own world.

1x1x1x1 turned to face them, his back against the door, arms crossing over his chest. His eyes roamed over Two Time's form, lingering on the way their robe clung slightly from the mist, outlining the curve of their hips. The tension from the conversation had simmered into something hotter, more insistent, like a fire waiting for a spark.

Two Time met his gaze, their pulse quickening under that stare. They took a step closer, the floorboards groaning softly under their weight. “Creepy or not,” they said, voice teasing but edged with breathlessness, “it's got potential.”

He uncrossed his arms, pushing off the door.”'Potential for what?” His tone was low, challenging, as he closed the distance between them in two strides.

Their breath caught when he stopped inches away, close enough that they could feel the heat radiating from his body. Two Time tilted their head up, lips parting slightly. “For whatever you're thinking.”

1x1x1x1's hand came up, cupping the back of their neck, thumb pressing into the soft skin there. He didn't pull them in yet, just held them there, letting the anticipation build. “And what if I'm thinking about kissing you? Right here, until you can't think straight.”

Two Time's eyes darkened, a shiver running down their spine. “Then do it.”

That was all the invitation he needed. His mouth crashed down on theirs, hard and demanding, lips parting theirs immediately. Two Time gasped into the kiss, hands fisting in his shirt as their tongues met, sliding wet and urgent. He tasted like the wild, smoky, sharp, with a hint of the forest's bite. They kissed back fiercely, bodies pressing together, hips grinding instinctively as heat pooled low in their belly.

1x1x1x1 groaned against their mouth, one hand sliding down to grip their waist, fingers digging in just enough to bruise. He backed them up against the table, the edge biting into Two Time's ass as he deepened the kiss, teeth nipping at their lower lip until they whimpered. Their robe loosened from the friction, the tie coming undone, fabric slipping off one shoulder to expose pale skin.

They broke apart for air, chests heaving. Two Time's lips were swollen, red from the pressure, and they licked them slowly, eyes locked on his. “Fuck” they whispered, voice rough. “That was…”

“Not enough,” he finished, voice gravelly. His hand tangled in their hair, tugging lightly to tilt their head back, exposing their throat. He leaned in, lips brushing the pulse point there. “I want more. All of you. But only if you want it too.”

Two Time's heart pounded, arousal thrumming through them like electricity. They nodded, but he shook his head slightly, eyes serious now amid the hunger.

“Say it,” 1x1x1x1 demanded softly, his grip loosening just enough to give them space. “Tell me you consent to this. To me taking control, pushing you, making you mine tonight.”

They swallowed, the words sending a thrill straight to their core. “Yes” Two Time breathed, meeting his gaze steadily. “I consent. I want you to take me, dominate me, all of it.”

A slow, predatory smile spread across his face. “Good.” With that, he yanked the robe fully open, letting it pool at their feet. Two Time stood bare before him, skin prickling in the cool air, nipples hardening instantly. Their body was lithe but curved in all the right places, breasts heaving with each breath, hips flaring out to a trimmed patch of hair above their slick pussy.

1x1x1x1's eyes devoured them, his cock twitching hard in his pants. He shrugged off his shirt next, revealing a muscled chest dusted with dark hair, scars faint across his ribs from who-knows-what. Then his boots, pants, until he stood naked too, his thick cock standing erect, veined and heavy, pre-cum already beading at the tip.

Two Time's mouth watered at the sight, their thighs pressing together to ease the ache. They dropped to their knees without a word, the rough wood scraping their skin, but they didn't care. Looking up at him through their lashes, they murmured, “Please, let me suck your cock. I need it in my mouth.”

He growled low in his throat, hand fisting in their hair. “Such a needy little slut already. Begging for my dick like the desperate whore you are.” But his tone held an undercurrent of praise, eyes gleaming with approval. “Go on, then. Show me how much you want it.”

Two Time leaned forward, hands wrapping around his base, stroking firmly as they parted their lips and took the head into their mouth. They sucked hard, tongue swirling around the slit to lap up the salty pre-cum. 1x1x1x1 hissed, hips bucking slightly, but he held back, letting them set the pace at first.

They took him deeper, inch by inch, relaxing their throat until his cock hit the back, gagging them just enough to make tears prick their eyes. Two Time hollowed their cheeks, bobbing their head, saliva dripping down their chin as they deepthroated him fully. The stretch burned sweetly, their pussy clenching emptily with each thrust into their mouth.

“Fuck, that's it,” 1x1x1x1 grunted, his grip tightening in their hair, pulling hard enough to make them moan around his length. He started guiding their movements, fucking their face with shallow thrusts, the wet sounds obscene in the quiet cabin. “Look at you, choking on my cock like a perfect cocksucker. So eager, so filthy, Oh Telamon, you're beautiful doing this for me.”

The mix of degradation and compliment made Two Time's clit throb, arousal slicking their thighs. They hummed around him, taking him deeper still, nose brushing his pubic bone as they swallowed around his shaft. Their hands gripped his thighs, nails digging in, urging him on.

1x1x1x1's breaths came ragged, muscles tensing. “Shit, your mouth is heaven—tight and wet, just like your pussy's gonna be.” He pulled their hair sharper, yanking their head back slightly before slamming in again, over and over, until his balls drew up tight. “Gonna cum down your throat, slut. Swallow every drop like the good little cumdump you are.”

Two Time nodded frantically, sucking harder, and with a guttural moan, he exploded. Hot spurts of cum flooded their mouth, thick and bitter, coating their tongue. They swallowed greedily, milking him through it, not spilling a bit even as it overflowed slightly, dribbling from the corner of their lips.

He panted, easing out slowly, cock glistening with their spit. “Beautiful,” he murmured, thumb wiping the stray cum from their chin and pushing it back into their mouth. Two Time sucked his thumb clean, eyes hazy with lust.

1x1x1x1 bent down, scooping them up effortlessly, arms strong around their waist and under their knees. He carried them to the bed, laying Two Time down gently on the furs, the mattress dipping under their weight. Their bodies sank into the softness, legs spreading instinctively, pussy exposed and dripping.

He knelt between their thighs, hands roaming their body, squeezing their breasts, pinching nipples until they arched with a gasp. “So responsive,” he said, voice husky. “Gonna prep you now, make sure you're ready for my cock.”

Two Time nodded, biting their lip as his fingers trailed down, parting their folds. They were soaked, slick coating his digits as he circled their clit teasingly before sliding two fingers inside. The stretch was immediate, walls clenching around the intrusion.

“Fuck, you're tight,” 1x1x1x1 groaned, pumping his fingers slowly, curling them to hit that spot that made stars burst behind their eyes. He added a third, scissoring them, thumb rubbing their clit in firm circles. Two Time moaned, hips bucking up, chasing the pleasure.

“Please,” they whimpered, hands clutching the furs. “More—” He leaned down, capturing a nipple in his mouth, sucking hard while his fingers fucked them relentlessly. Wet squelches filled the air, their arousal dripping onto the bed. “Such a greedy hole,” he murmured against their skin, teeth grazing. “But it loves being filled, doesn't it? My perfect, slutty darling.”

The praise wove through the dirty words, heightening everything. Two Time's orgasm built fast, coiling tight, and when he crooked his fingers just right, they shattered, crying out as their pussy spasmed around him, juices gushing over his hand.

1x1x1x1 withdrew his fingers, licking them clean with a smirk. His cock was hard again, throbbing against his stomach. He positioned himself at their entrance, the fat head nudging their slick folds. “Ready for me to fuck this pretty pussy?”

“Yes,” Two Time gasped, legs wrapping around his waist. “Fuck me, please.”

He pushed in slowly at first, inch by thick inch, stretching them wide. Their walls fluttered around him, accommodating the girth, a burn that turned to bliss. 1x1x1x1 bottomed out with a groan, balls pressed against their ass. “So fucking tight, gripping me like a vice, you desperate whore.”

He started thrusting, deep and steady, pulling out almost fully before slamming back in. Each snap of his hips jolted Two Time up the bed, their breasts bouncing, moans spilling freely. “Take it,” he growled, hands pinning their wrists above their heads. “Take my cock like the filthy slut you are, you feel incredible, so wet and hot for me.”

The degradation laced with compliments drove them wild, pussy clenching harder with every word. 1x1x1x1 pounded into them, the bed creaking, skin slapping against skin. Sweat beaded on his brow, dripping onto their chest as he rutted deeper, hitting their cervix with bruising force.

Two Time's cries grew louder, body arching to meet his thrusts. “Harder—fuck, you're so good at this,” they panted, lost in the rhythm.

He released their wrists, hooking their legs over his shoulders instead, folding them nearly in half—the mating press. The angle was devastating, his cock spearing straight into their deepest spots, grinding against their g-spot with every plunge. “Like this, you little cumslut? Folded up and fucked raw?” He slammed in harder, pace brutal now, the headboard thumping against the wall. “Scream for me, let me hear how much you love being my dirty, perfect fucktoy.”

Two Time did scream, voice breaking as pleasure overwhelmed them. The new position made everything more intense, his body weight pressing down, trapping them beneath him. “Harder” they begged, nails raking down his back. “Please, fuck my pussy harder, wreck me!”

1x1x1x1 obeyed without hesitation, hips pistoning like a machine, cock hammering their sopping cunt. The wet sounds were obscene, their juices foaming around his base, dripping down to soak the furs. “That's it, beg like the needy bitch you are,” he snarled, but his eyes burned with adoration. “So brave, taking me like this, you're fucking amazing, my sweet slut.”

Their second orgasm hit like a tidal wave, walls convulsing around him, milking his cock as they wailed his name. 1x1x1x1 didn't stop, fucking them through it, prolonging the ecstasy until tears streamed down their face.

“Can't hold back,” he grunted, thrusting erratically now, chasing his own release. “Gonna fill this pussy up, breed you like the whore you were made to be.” One final, brutal slam, and he came, cock pulsing as ropes of hot cum flooded their depths, creampie overflowing around him, leaking out with each twitch.

They stayed locked like that for minutes, breathing harsh, bodies slick with sweat and cum. 1x1x1x1 collapsed gently onto them, peppering their neck with soft kisses. “You okay?”

Two Time nodded weakly, limbs heavy. “More than. That was... incredible.”

He pulled out slowly, a gush of cum following, staining the bed. 1x1x1x1 scooped them up again, cradling Two Time against his chest as he carried them to the small adjoining washroom, a basin of water by a pump, simple but functional (Spectre give them smth better). He sat them on the edge, fetching a cloth and warming the water with his hands.

Gently, he cleaned them, wiping away the sweat and stickiness from their skin, lingering tenderly between their legs where cum still trickled out. “Easy,” he murmured when they winced at the sensitivity. “I've got you.”

Two Time leaned into his touch, the care after the intensity grounding them. Once clean, he dried them with a soft towel, then back to the bed. He stripped the soiled furs, replacing them with fresh blankets from a chest, the mattress now crisp and inviting.

“Here,” 1x1x1x1 said, handing them one of his shirts, oversized, soft from wear, and loose pants. Two Time slipped them on, the fabric smelling like him, comforting.

He joined them under the covers, pulling Two Time into his arms, their head on his chest. The fog outside muffled the world, leaving only the steady beat of his heart. “Sleep now,” he whispered, hand stroking their hair.

They did, drifting off wrapped in warmth, safe and sated unaware that two pairs of eyes had just seen everything

→ Meanwhile with the others ←

“Hey gang, where's Two Time at? He didn't even eat anything yet,” Elliot asked, concern creasing his brow as he glanced around the flickering fireplace, poking at the roasting marshmallows with a stick. (Taph saw a bunch of marshmallow packs and convinced the others to make s'mores lol) 

“Don’t worry about it…” Chance said, smirking into his mug of whatever herbal brew they’d scrounge up, his eyes glinting with mischief in the firelight.

“Yeahh, they’re def full already…” Noob added, chuckling under his breath, barely containing a grin as he leaned back against a log.

“YEAH, FULL OF 1x1x1x1’s C—"

“CHANCE, STFU!!” Noob interfered, lunging forward to clamp a hand over Chance’s mouth, the two tumbling into a heap

“You guys own me 3 buckets of chickens” Shedletsky said as laughter erupted from the group, the fog swallowing their chaos while Two Time slumbered peacefully miles away.

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Chapter Text

Chapter 4 ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ AzureTime (Angst to Fluff)

“Why did you do it, my nightshade?”

The survivor’s cabin was unusually lively that evening. The smell of cheap instant noodles and the warmth from the rickety fireplace filled the air. Laughter clung to the wood walls like steam. Someone had set a deck of cards on the table. Someone else had burned their toast—again.

And somewhere between the gossip and the static of the TV in the corner… people whispered about a new killer.

Two Time sat at the edge of the room, hoodie half-zipped, staring blankly at their chipped mug. Their fingers traced the rim, not really listening. Talk about killers was just noise to them. They’d learned a long time ago that some things were much scarier than what lurked in the fog.

Still, the voices pulled them in.

““Heya, Time! Did you hear about the new killer today?” Chance leaned closer, grin stretched wide like someone who didn’t quite understand the meaning of danger. The glint in his eyes danced between thrill and fear, both feeding off each other.

Two Time looked up from fiddling with their gloves, lips pressing into a thin line. “Yeah…” Their voice was steady, but the way their thumb tapped against the fabric gave them away.

“I heard the new killer’s strong… hopefully we can survive whoever they are this round.” Noob laughed, though it came out thin. He spun his rcan of empty bloxxy cola like it could actually save him if things went south.

Guest 1337 crossed his arms. “Doesn’t matter who they are. We stick together, we survive. We survive. Remember, be strong, always be strong...” He said it like a mantra, something he’d clung to in every match before this. But his gaze flicked toward the ticking countdown board overhead.

tick.

tick.

tick.

The lobby air seemed to tense along with the sound.

“Everyone, be prepared. Round’s about to start,” Builderman called out from where he leaned against a ruined lamppost. Calm, composed. That’s what made his words heavier.

Shedletsky sighed, still crouched on the curb with a bucket of greasy chicken. “Aww, already? I haven’t even finished my chicken.” He licked a streak of oil off his thumb like he didn’t have a care in the world.

Chance snorted. “Bro, you’re literally about to get hunted by a murderer and that’s your priority?”

“Listen,” Shedletsky said with full seriousness, “a man must know his priorities. Chicken first. Screaming second.”

That earned him a shaky laugh from Elliot, which helped cut through some of the tension. Even Two Time cracked a small smile. For a second, everything felt… almost normal.

Then the siren wailed.

The bright lobby lights snapped off, replaced by the sickly red glow of the starting round. The world around them bled into the map — dark forest edges, twisted buildings, flickering lamps. A fog rolled in, thick and damp, wrapping everything in a heavy chill.

Somewhere in that fog, Azure waited.

The new map loaded in slow and creeping. Vines wrapped around trees like they’d been waiting for years. Flowers curled open like mouths.

Two Time spawned in the middle of a clearing, a field of nightshades. The deep purple petals swayed in the wind like they recognized them. Normally, these flowers were poisonous to survivors, but the poison didn’t touch Two Time. Couldn’t. Not when those same flowers bloomed inside their own lungs. A curse they’d worn like a second skin for as long as they could remember.

“This place…” Two Time whispered, their breath hitching.

Their last memory here was soaked in blood and moonlight.

Flashback

 The night had been cold, too quiet to anyone's liking. The moonlight dripped like silver water over the clearing, painting everything in soft light. Nightshades bloomed all around, their petals open wide like they were watching.

But the flowers weren’t the haunting part.

It was the body lying among them.

One body, still and ruined. Skin pale, bones peeking where the flesh had given up holding on. Flies moved lazily above the corpse, their buzzing the only sound.

Azurewrath.

Once warm, once alive.

Beside him, Two Time knelt like a cracked statue. Their skin was pale, bruised in the places where purple veins crawled outward from their chest. Flowers bloomed through their wounds, velvety, cruelly beautiful. One of their eyes had rotted away, leaving nothing but a hollow darkness.

This was the curse of Hanahaki. Love unreturned. Flowers thriving where the heart had died.

They weakly brushed the flies away from Azurewrath’s body, fingers shaking. Their single good eye stayed fixed on him, glassy with exhaustion.

“Why aren’t you respawning yet… my flower?” Their voice was barely a breath.

The night didn’t answer.

“Has the Spawn turned away from us?” their voice cracked. “Is this… divine punishment granted by the Spawn…?”

Their body sagged, strength slipping through their fingers like water.

“Maybe in another life,” they whispered to the sky, “I wouldn’t have sacrificed you, Azurewrath. Maybe then… we’d still be together.”

The forest around them now felt like a mirror. Too familiar. Too cruel.

Tears welled up fast. Two Time didn’t even notice their teammates dropping like flies to the killer. All they could hear was the echo of a night they’d never escaped.

Their first meeting had been almost laughably simple. Almost.

Two Time had only just arrived in the village of the Spawn’s devotees, half lost, half swept along by the strange rhythm of the place. Amarah had been the one to give them a name, a bed, a purpose. The world felt louder here, more alive, but also… heavier.

That afternoon, with nothing but curiosity guiding their feet, they wandered. The air smelled faintly of ash and damp soil, the kind that stuck to boots. Their eyes caught on something unexpected at the far edge of the settlement: a splash of green and color like a secret someone forgot to hide.

A garden.

It was vibrant, stubbornly alive amid a world that seemed to chew life down to bone. Sunlight spilled through cracked wooden fencing, catching the leaves like glass. Flowers leaned lazily over the path, vines curled around worn trellises. It was the kind of beauty that made your chest go quiet for a second.

Two Time pushed the gate open without a second thought. It creaked, loud and accusing.

“Hey, you!” a voice cut through the stillness. “Who gave you permission to come into my garden?!”

The words struck like a whip. Two Time froze mid-step, hands jerking up as if caught stealing. Their breath stuck in their throat, and for a ridiculous second, they genuinely considered bolting.

Azurewrath stood a few feet away, sleeves rolled up, dirt smudged on his cheek and caked under his fingernails. His scowl was sharp enough to slice the air. But the moment his eyes landed on them, wide, awkward, clearly startled—something in his posture cracked.

“I—uh—Apologies,” Two Time stammered. Their ears burned. “I didn’t… I didn’t know we needed permission to come in here.”

Azure’s brows knitted tighter at first, like he was trying to stay annoyed out of principle. Then his shoulders softened. The bite in his voice dimmed. “…Ah. I see. You’re new, huh?”

Two Time nodded, unsure what else to do. Their fingers twisted nervously in their sleeves.

Azure tilted his head, taking them in properly now. This stranger standing in his little patch of peace—soft edges, curious eyes that didn’t look like they belonged in a place built on worship and ash. Something about them… made the garden seem even warmer.

Two Time swallowed, words tumbling out too fast. “I’m Two Time. I—uh—didn’t mean to intrude. It’s just… it’s really pretty here.”

For a heartbeat, Azure said nothing. His mouth twitched, like he couldn’t decide between staying cold or smiling.

“…Thanks,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. A bit of dirt smeared across his jaw. “I built it myself. Well. Tried to.”

Two Time’s eyes lit up, and their voice picked up a shy spark. “Really? That’s… actually kind of amazing.”

Azure cleared his throat, trying way too hard to sound casual. “Yeah, well… someone’s gotta keep something alive around here.”

They both laughed, awkward, soft, but real. The tension uncoiled just a little.

“Azurewrath,” he finally said, straightening his gloves like it mattered. Then, quieter, as if handing them a secret: “Azure. You can call me Azure.”

Two Time’s lips curved into something small and warm. “Nice to meet you, Azure.”

And just like that, beneath the stubborn little sun and the smell of soil, a thread tied itself between them. Not tight. Not yet. But enough to pull them back to each other later

Their “friendship” started blooming fast after that.

The next morning, Azure found Two Time standing awkwardly at the edge of the garden, sleeves rolled up like they were ready to wrestle the dirt itself. The morning light cut through the mist in ribbons, and the air smelled like damp earth and stubborn little petals trying to live another day.

Azure raised a brow, leaning lazily against the fence. “You don’t exactly look like someone who gardens.”

Two Time puffed out their cheeks, crossing their arms. “I can help.”

“Oh yeah?” His smirk was pure mischief. “We’ll see about that.”

Fifteen minutes later, the garden looked like it had survived a very personal apocalypse.

Two Time had somehow managed to uproot half the flowerbed, topple the watering pail, and faceplant in the mud like it had called their name. Their hair was plastered to their forehead, their hoodie stained beyond saving.

Azure stared at the wreckage in silence… and then absolutely lost it. A snort turned into a laugh, and the laugh spilled into the quiet morning like sunlight breaking a cloud.

“…You’ve successfully committed floral homicide,” he said, wiping his eyes.

Two Time spat out dirt with a half-hearted glare. “Shut up.”

Azure grinned wider, eyes glinting. “You’ve got mud on your nose.”

“Do not.”

“Do too.”

They tried to swat at him, but Azure knelt down instead, close enough that Two Time could smell the faint mix of soil and mint from the leaves he always crushed between his fingers. He reached out, brushing his thumb over their nose to wipe off the smear of mud. The touch was feather-light but enough to make their heart stutter.

Azure pretended not to notice the way their breath caught. “You’re hopeless,” he muttered, but his voice had softened.

“Then teach me,” Two Time shot back, quieter this time.

Azure blinked. Something in that small, clumsy request made the world still for a second. Then he picked up a fallen trowel and guided their hands to the soil. “Like this,” he said. “Gently. You’re not digging a grave, nightshade.”

Their fingers brushed once, just once, over the same flower stem. It was quick and almost accidental, but it burned hotter than the sun overhead.

That garden became their hang out place after that.

Azure talked, Two Time listened. Then Two Time talked, and Azure listened. Sometimes they didn’t talk at all. They just existed between flowers and dirt and the quiet comfort of each other’s presence.

Two Time choked on a sound that wasn’t quite a sob but close. They pressed the back of their hand against their mouth, but the shake in their breath betrayed them anyway. It felt unfair, remembering him like that, feverish, laughing through the smoke, calling their disaster a miracle. A tear dropped onto their knuckles, smearing with the dirt and ash of the trial. It stung like it knew what it was replacing.

One night, they snuck out just because they could. No Amarah watching from the shadows. No heavy eyes of the others tracking their every step.

Azure threw pebbles at Two Time’s window until they climbed out, hoodie half-zipped and eyes still heavy with sleep. They crept through the edges of the village, past the flickering torches, laughing under their breath like kids breaking rules that didn’t matter anymore.

They found a hill beyond the fence, just far enough for the night to feel like theirs alone. The sky split open with stars, scattered like glass.

Azure flopped back onto the grass, hands folded behind his head. “Have you ever thought about what’s beyond the border?”

Two Time tilted their head at him, lying down beside him. “I don’t even know what’s on the border.”

Azure snorted, a quiet laugh that buzzed between them. “Figures.”

For a long time they didn’t speak, just let the night breathe around them. Two Time traced constellations with their fingers in the air. Azure watched them instead of the stars.

“You’re weird,” Azure said softly.

“You’re one to talk,” Two Time shot back, grinning.

And then, out of nowhere, he whispered it. “Nightshade.”

It landed soft, like a nickname no one else was allowed to use.

Two Time squeezed their eyes shut so tightly stars burst behind their eyelids. It didn’t stop the tears. Their throat burned. They could still hear the faint thud of pebbles against glass, still feel the grass cool against their back, still taste the air that had belonged only to them for one single, infinite night. Their knees wobbled. They pressed a trembling hand to the nearest tree like it might anchor them, but it didn’t. Nothing did.

The present snapped back like a rubber band.

Two Time’s chest ached. Not from the flowers. From everything they’d lost. Everything they’d broken.

The nightshade field swayed like it remembered. The forest pulsed. Somewhere, someone screamed.

And Azure stepped out of the fog. Not as the boy with dirt on his hands. But as the killer wrapped in the vines of something ancient and cruel.

His eyes glowed faintly, almost human. Almost.

“You,” Azure said, voice too soft to be safe. “You really came back here.”

Their breath caught. “Azure…”

“Why did you do it, my nightshade?”

The nickname hit like a kiss and a knife all at once.

“I didn’t—” Their voice broke. “I didn’t kill you.”

“You sacrificed me,” Azure whispered. He didn’t need to raise his voice; the weight of it was enough to crush. “For a god that never existed.”

Tears blurred their vision. “Amarah said the Spawn would give us a second life! That we’d both come back. And look, look at you! You’re here. How is that fake?”

Azure’s smile curved bitterly. “Idiot. This is their game. Not salvation.”

The tendrils slid around their wrists, not hurting, just holding. Not a hunter’s trap. More like… a tether.

“If you wanna kill me,” they whispered, “do it. I deserve it.”

Azure stared at them for a long time. Then the tendrils loosened.

And instead of killing them, he pulled them forward.

Two Time crashed into his chest, and the sound that broke out of them was half sob, half relief. His arms wrapped around them, warm and terrifyingly real. They gripped his shirt like it was the only thing keeping them alive.

“I know you didn’t want to,” Azure murmured, voice rough against their ear. “They cornered you.”

“I’m sorry,” Two Time choked out. “I’m so sorry.”

“I know.”

Silence swallowed the clearing. The nightshade stopped swaying.

Two Time’s voice shook. “Do you remember the garden?”

Azure’s laugh was small, barely there. “You destroyed half of it.”

“You kept the flowers I planted,” they whispered.

“They were crooked and dying.”

“But you kept them.”

He didn’t deny it.

“And the soup,” they breathed. “I burned the water.”

Azure let out a soft, hoarse laugh. “It tasted like smoke.”

“You still ate it.”

“I’d eat worse if it came from you.”

The tendrils fell away completely. He brushed his thumb under their eye, wiping away the tears that kept coming.

“And the stars,” Two Time whispered.

Azure tilted his head, glancing up at the faint, trembling lights through the canopy. “Yeah. The stars.”

Two Time pressed closer. “I thought the Spawn was real because… I didn’t know how else to keep you.”

Azure’s hand tightened on their back. “You already lost me once,” he whispered. “Don’t do it again.”

Their foreheads touched. Breath mingled. The nightshade bloomed brighter around them, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.

For a moment, there wasn’t a killer or a survivor. Just Azure. And Two Time. The garden. The smoke. The stars.

Then, finally, their lips met.

It wasn’t desperate or rough. It was soft, almost fragile. Like they were kissing the memory of everything they’d ever been, and everything they weren’t sure they could be again. His fingers slid against their jaw; their hands curled in the fabric of his shirt. The world didn’t disappear. It just… quieted.

When they finally pulled apart, the world crept back in. The Entity’s claws. The screams. The ticking clock.

Azure’s voice was low. “The round’s not over.”

Two Time nodded, shaky but certain. “I know.”

“But neither are we.”

The nightshade shivered like the forest exhaled.

They stood together, tangled in nightshade and everything that hurt and everything that still mattered.

Azure smirked, the ghost of old warmth flickering beneath the killer’s mask. “You’re still a terrible gardener.”

Two Time let out a wet laugh. “And you still look like you rolled in dirt.”

“Yeah. And you loved it.”

“Yeah,” they admitted. “I did.”

And for once, neither of them ran.

Some wounds don’t heal. But some hearts still find their way through the wreckage.

Under the faint light of the stars and the restless whisper of nightshade, Azure and Two Time kissed again. Not as a killer and survivor. But as the boy and the mess who fell into a garden together.

Not forgiven. Not fixed.

But no longer alone.

Chapter Text

✦ Bonus Chapter ⋆. 𐙚 ˚

“Spectating Gone Wrong”

The round had ended, but instead of usual chatter everything seemed silent for a moment.

Everyone, every single killer and survivor, had their eyes glued to the spectator screens floating in the void. The last image was still burned into the fog like some tragic fairytale: Azure and Two Time, wrapped up in nightshade, kissing like the Entity hadn’t just been watching the whole thing, held at gunpoint by the author.

There was silence. Not the respectful kind. The post-shock kind. The kind where half the cabin needed a reboot.

Then chaos hit.

ELLIOT'S POV:

“...BROOOOOOOO.”

Elliot was the first to crack, slamming his hands against the armrest of the cheap spectator's bench. His voice echoed through the empty lobby like someone just got their legendary brainrot in Steal a Brainrot.

He threw his hands up, laughing and groaning at the same time.

“I can’t believe this—!! I lost the bet. Chance, I hate you. I literally have to waste two extra boxes of pizza for you now.”

From across the row, Chance leaned back with the most obnoxious grin humanly possible. “Told you they were in love, dude. I got the shipper’s intuition.”

Elliot groaned louder. “I was rooting for trauma, not a IvanTill moment!”

BUILDERMAN'S POV:

Builderman was rubbing at his temples like this wasn’t the first or second time, but the twelfth time he’d had to deal with emotionally unstable players.
He squinted at the screen like he was questioning every choice that led him here.

“I’m too old for this,” he muttered, pushing off the bench. “Anyone want coffee? I’m getting coffee. I can’t do another romantic arc in the cabin without caffeine.”

Nobody even answered. He just sighed and started walking toward the vending machine in the corner of the void like a man clocking in for overtime.

SHEDLETSKY'S POV:

Meanwhile, Shedletsky sat there with a literal bucket of fried chicken, greasy fingers reflecting the red glow of the screens.
He didn’t blink once.

“Damn,” he said, mouth full. “They kissed.”

That was it. That was the entire contribution.
He shoveled another wing into his mouth, completely unbothered by the fact the world might’ve just shifted axis for Two Time and Azure. (fatass)

Chance leaned over. “That’s all you’re gonna say?”

Shedletsky licked the grease off his thumb. “Yeah. It’s not like I can kiss chicken.”

Elliot deadpanned. “You’d probably try.”

TAPH'S POV:

Taph was a blur of excited movement, practically vibrating in their seat. They signed fast enough for their hands to be a blur: “OH MY SPAWN THEY’RE CANON. THEY’RE ACTUALLY CANON.”

Noob, sitting next to them, squinted and translated through a mouthful of bloxxy cola. “They want someone to write a fanfic.”

Taph turned to Noob and grabbed his sleeve, signing even faster.
“YOU. WRITE IT.”

Noob choked on his drink. “ME?! BRO WHAT— I CAN’T WRITE THAT KIND OF—”

Taph did not care. They were already signing “DO IT. AO3 MOMENT. ANGST TO FLUFF. EPIC.”

Noob’s soul left his body right then and there.

DUSEKKAR'S POV:

Dusekkar, perched a little apart from the chaos, stared at the screen like a prophet watching fate itself get rewritten.
His voice came out in low, sing-song riddles.

“The nightshade blooms, the cult undone,
a heart once chained now seeks the sun.
I spat my scorn at faith’s old lie… yet here love’s ember will not die.”

Elliot leaned over to Chance. “...Is he doing the Shakespeare thing again?”

Chance whispered back, “Yeah bro, just let him cook.”

But under the riddles, Dusekkar’s eyes softened. He hated what Two Time once believed in. Seeing them finally tear free and live left something unspoken in the air. Relief, maybe.

GUEST 1337'S POV:

Guest 1337 had gone oddly quiet. His eyes lingered on the last frozen frame of Azure and Two Time together.
Azure… the killer. Two Time… a survivor.
He shifted uncomfortably.

“It’s messed up,” he said softly. “He’s still a killer.”

The others didn’t argue. It was a fair point. Love stories don’t exactly end well in this place. However, he supported his fellow survivors regardless.

CHANCE'S POV:

Chance stretched like a cat with no shame, still smirking. “Anyway, pay up, Elliot. I bet Azure was Two Time’s old flame, and I won.”

“You’re insufferable,” Elliot muttered, digging for coins.

Chance winked. “Correct.”

NOOB'S POV:

Noob had fully spiraled into fanfic brainrot mode at this point. “Okay but like… I could write it. Like… the flower field scene but from Azure’s POV. And maybe a ‘what if they escaped together’ AU…”

Taph fist-pumped. Noob groaned. He’d basically sealed his fate. Better than doing nothing actually

007N7'S POV:

Father-figure mode activated. 007n7 leaned against the railing with a faint, warm grin.
“Good for them,” he said. Simple. Genuine. “They’ve been through too much.”

Elliot pointed. “SEE? 007 gets it.” 

JANE DOE'S POV:

Jane Doe crossed her arms, muttering under her breath. “If Azure ever lays a hand on them the wrong way, I will snap his spine like a glow stick.”

Chance raised a brow. “Damn, protective much?”

“She’s serious,” 007n7 said.

And she was.

Meanwhile… the Killer’s Cabin

It was… different energy.

c00lkid's POV:

c00lkid was just sitting there, completely lost. “Wait… wait… why’d they put their faces together like that?”

Noli snorted from the back row. 1x1x1x1 froze.

“Uhhh—” 1x1x1x1 reached over and slapped a hand over c00lkid’s eyes. “Nope. Nope. Not explaining that to a literal child.”

“HEY— LET ME SEE—” c00lkid tried to fight his hand off.

“NO.”

1x1x1x1'S POV:

1x1x1x1 just sighed, like this whole thing was a migraine he hadn’t signed up for. “Every time a new killer joins… some idiot falls in love.”

“Sounds like a skill issue,” Noli said, deadpan.

1x1x1x1 gave him the most done look known to man.

JOHN DOE'S POV:

John Doe, of course, said nothing. Just watched. Neutral.
The silence from him was almost louder than everyone else yelling.

NOLI'S POV:

But then there was Noli.
Noli had a little notebook. Noli was taking notes.

Itrapped glanced over from the other box. “...Why is he writing like a high schooler in a rom-com?”

1x1x1x1 sighed. “Because he is.”

Noli whispered to himself, “Alright… starlight… vines… poetic nickname… forehead touch before the kiss…”
He grinned like a man planning chaos. “I’m so doing that to 007n7.”

From the survivors’ cabin, 007n7 felt a chill. “I feel like something bad’s gonna happen next round…” he said, shivers still running down his spine.

MAFIOSO & ITRAPPED'S POV:

Mafioso was leaning over the railing beside Noli. “Yeah. Yeah. I can use that. Chance’s gonna melt.”

Itrapped froze. Slowly turned.

“Excuse me,” they said, too sweetly. “Chance’s WHAT now?”

“...uh.”

And then, like clockwork, they started fighting over an imaginary date plan.

“You can’t flirt with them—”
“You’re not the boss of me—”
“I am when it comes to Chance—”

1x1x1x1 didn’t even turn his head. “Not again.”

GUEST 666'S POV:

Guest 666 sat in the corner, chained up like usual, blank stare on the screen.

“...I can’t wait to be released,” he muttered.

Nobody answered him. (DEVS DONT RELEASE HIM YET HIS TOO OP)

SLASHER'S POV:

Slasher leaned back, hands behind his head, looking entirely unbothered. “Huh. Cute.”

That was all he said. Man’s soul left his body years ago; nothing surprised him anymore.

pr3ttyprinces's POV:

pr3ttyprinces was off to the side, having a tea party with her minions. She didn’t even glance at the kiss.
She rolled her eyes. “Two Time always has to be the main character.”

One of her minions nodded solemnly. Or maybe it was just badly coded.

“Ugh,” she huffed, adjusting her tiara. “Whatever.”

blu3dudd's POV:

blu3dud had been streaming the whole round.
He didn’t even look up. “Chat says ‘W SHIP.’ I don’t care. But chat does.”

He clicked something on his stream overlay. “Okay, poll time: Do Azure and Two Time survive the next round together, yes or no.”

Taph’s votes came in immediately. So did Noob’s.

Basically

The casts was going feral.

Chance: “PAY UP ELLIOT 🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕”

Taph: “CANON CANON CANON 🫢🫢🫢”

Noob: “im writing the fic rn send prompts 😭”

Dusekkar: “Nightshade blooms beneath the sky / love persists, though stars may die 🌿”

Builderman: “someone save me”

Shedletsky: “this chicken is bussin fr”

c00lkid: “WHAT HAPPENED WHY DID THEY FACE BONK”

Noli: “taking notes for 007 😎”

1x1x1x1: “noli stop”

JaneDoe: “if azure hurts Two Time I swear..🔪”

blu3dud: “chat says 92% yes 💋"

The entity itself probably regretted ever letting spectating mode exist.

Azure and Two Time's POV:

Azure and Two Time, still somewhere in the woods after the round, didn’t even know the cast was losing its collective mind. They were just sitting near the empty flower field, not talking much, just breathing the same air.
Two Time’s hands were still shaking. Azure’s were steady enough for both of them.

It wasn’t some fairy tale fix.
But it was theirs.

And in the void?
Their entire friend group and a bunch of murderers were loudly losing their damn minds about it.

 Elliot kept yelling.

Chance kept flexing.

Builderman was on his tenth coffee.

Shedletsky finished his bucket.

Taph was already making a fan club.

Noob had started typing the fic’s opening line.

Jane Doe had a bat.

Noli and Mafioso were making “seduction game plans.”

Itrapped was yelling at Mafioso.

c00lkid was still confused.

1x1x1x1 was questioning the meaning of life.

Guest 666 was still waiting.

Slasher didn’t care.

pr3ttyprinces hated everything.

blu3dud had gone viral.

And Dusekkar whispered riddles like background music.

Love makes people insane.

Even in hell.

1.5k 

Chapter Text

Chapter 5 ⋆. 𐙚˚ Two Time Centric (Angst to Fluff)

“Hallucinations”

Tick. Tock. Tick.

The lobby’s grandfather clock echoed through the room, steady and calm, completely unlike the survivors’ cabin, which was buzzing with life even after a full day of rounds. They’d just wrapped up the last match, but laughter, gossip, and mayhem still rolled through the place like it was some kind of late-night dorm lounge rather than a shelter in a death game. Chaos in the future? Danger lurking? Yeah, whatever. For now, everyone was vibing.

Elliot was posted up in the kitchen, sleeves rolled, slicing vegetables and prepping tomorrow’s pizza like some kind of stressed-but-in-denial chef. Chance was beside him, kneading dough with no experience whatsoever, and the fact he gambled on how many times he needed to knead the dough. 

Meanwhile, Noob had one (1) job: carry a 10-kilo sack of flour from the pantry to the counter.

It lasted exactly 3.5 seconds.

The moment he walked in, the bag ripped open with a violent POOOF, unleashing a white mushroom cloud that swallowed the entire kitchen. Flour coated every surface, every tool, every person, and yes, Chance’s tuxedo took the hit the hardest.

“O-oh no!! Sorry, Chance!! I didn’t mean—” Noob stammered, panic mode activated as he desperately tried to scoop flour back into the shredded bag like he thought gravity would suddenly cooperate.

Chance blinked, staring down at himself. His all-black outfit was now… frosty.

“Noob… my guy…” he wheezed. “Did we get hit by a blizzard orrr…?”

Then he snorted. “It’s like a snowstorm hit, but hey, at least it smells like bread now.”

Elliot looked up from his cutting board, lips twitching. “Honestly, Chance, you gotta chill. A little chaos spices things up.”

Chance wiped flour off his eyebrow, smudging it even worse. “Bro, we smell like a bakery. Killers are gonna track us by scent alone.”

Elliot, still unbothered, just laughed.

“Worth it.”

He playfully tossed a small ball of flour at Noob.

“Noob! Next time, just hold it like a normal person, yeah?”

Noob nodded, cheeks red but finally smiling a little at how lightly they were treating it.

Chance leaned against the counter, still dusting off the flour stuck to him. “Elliot, you really gotta stop letting them carry the flour.”

Elliot shrugged. “Eh, where’s the fun in a perfect kitchen?”

They all chuckled, the chaotic energy settling into something warm, familiar, almost homelike. For a moment, it felt like everything was chill.

Until—

A scream tore through the cabin.

A sharp, raw, broken sound that instantly shut down every trace of laughter.

Not playful.

Not dramatic.

Not normal.

A scream that froze the blood in their veins.

Chance’s head snapped up toward the living room.

“…Bro. That was Two Time.”

Noob’s eyes went wide. “W-We should go!”

Elliot didn’t waste a second, the pizza pan clattered to the floor as he surged forward.

“Alright, squad. Move.”

And just like that, the warm kitchen haze evaporated.

Chaos of a different kind was waiting.

Meanwhile, over at the dining table, the Admins — Shedletsky, Builderman, Dusekkar, and Taph — were deep in what was supposed to be a strategy meeting for the next round.

Builderman had an entire map spread out, pointing at paths and roles with military precision.

Shedletsky, on the other hand, was only half-listening as he annihilated a bucket of fried chicken like it owed him money.

And Dusekkar and Taph? Yeah… they were in their own world, passing notes, poking each other, acting like the embodiment of “get a room.”

“And that’s the strategy,” Builderman finally said with a sigh, rubbing his temples. “Hopefully, everyone understands their roles.”

Dusekkar threw an arm dramatically over the back of his chair.

“Aye, aye, my wise leader. Thy brilliance outshines even the northern star—”

Taph gently booped Dusekkar’s wand with a smirk.

‘We get it, boss. But maybe don’t forget the chicken situation.’ Taph signed to Builderman

Shedletsky looked up mid–grease lick.

“Mm—ye—chews—aye… aye… captain…”

He shrugged, giving the world’s most unserious salute.

“Seriously,” Builderman muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Focus. Just… focus, all of you.”

But he kept talking anyway, launching into another explanation about rotations and patrol paths. His voice had started turning into background noise at this point, like the world’s nerdiest lullaby.

Shedletsky leaned back, still munching away.

Taph rested his head on Dusekkar’s shoulder, signing something that instantly made the blue pumpkin man flush under his mask.

“And thus, my love,” Dusekkar began, striking a Shakespearean pose, “thy wit pierces my hea—”

“FOCUS,” Builderman snapped, louder this time.

Taph bit back a laugh. Dusekkar pretended to zip his mouth shut. Shedletsky pretended to care.

Builderman took a breath. He was about to continue—

And then it happened.

A scream tore through the cabin.

Everything froze.

The map. The chicken bucket. The flirting. The rambling. Every Admin went dead silent.

Taph’s ears twitched sharply. “That… wasn’t normal.”

Even Dusekkar’s dramatic posture crumbled.

“Indeed… that held no theatrics.”

Builderman’s chair screeched back as he stood up fast.

“That came from the living room. Move!”

Shedletsky dropped his entire bucket of chicken with such speed it launched off the table and rolled across the floor like a runaway grenade.

The Admins jumped to action, no more jokes, no more flirting, just pure, razor-edged urgency as they bolted toward the source of the scream.

Back in the living room, 007n7 and Guest 1337 sat with Two Time in front of the fireplace. The flickering flames highlighted their weary faces as they reminisced about the families they had left behind.

“Ah… look at her,” Guest 1337 said, showing 007n7 a photo of his daughter, the edges worn from constant handling. “I hope… I hope we can make it out of this place. She doesn’t deserve to forget me.”

“She… she looks just like your wife,” 007n7 said quietly, a twinge of sadness in his voice. “Sigh… I miss the old c00lkid before everything changed. I swear, I’ll… I’ll bring him back. Back from what he’s become.”

Guest 1337 nodded, understanding the weight of those words. “We’ll get through this, old friend. For them… and for us.”

Two Time sat silently nearby, staring into the fireplace, as if the warmth could chase away the chill inside their chest. Their eyelids grew heavy, the world beginning to blur.

Two Time’s breath hitched, their hands trembling as they stared into the flames.

“Nightshade… why did you do it?” Azure’s voice echoed again, closer, colder. Almost whispering directly into their ear.

Two Time shook their head violently. “I—I didn’t want to hurt you! It wasn’t supposed to be like that… Azure, please—”

The flickering light warped. The flames twisted into a silhouette resembling Azure’s figure, standing tall, hands reaching out with disappointment dripping from every word.

“You chose them over me,” the hallucination accused. “You chose the Spawn… you chose everything else… but not me.”

“T-that’s not true…” Two Time whispered, voice cracking. Their eyes glossed with tears they didn’t realize had formed. “I chose what would keep you safe! I thought— I thought you’d understand one day…”

“Liar,” Azure hissed.

Two Time flinched like they’d been struck.

Behind them, 007n7 stood up instantly. “Two Time? Hey—hey, what’s happening? Are you good?” He approached with careful steps, hands half-raised like he was approaching a frightened animal.

Guest 1337 followed, worry etched across his face. “Two Time, talk to us. Who are you speaking to?”

Two Time didn’t seem to hear either of them.

“I would never lie to you…” they whispered again, voice trembling. “You were everything to me, Azure… you still are…”

The hallucination’s voice dropped to a chilling whisper.

“Then why am I dead, Nightshade?”

Two Time froze.

The room went silent, even the dads felt the air shift, heavy and brittle.

“I—I tried… I tried to protect you…” Two Time rasped, clutching their head. “If I didn’t do it, the Spawn would’ve— They would’ve killed you first! I had to act… I had to… I—”

Azure’s figure stepped closer through the flames.

“You call that protection? Driving your blade into my heart?”

“I DIDN’T WANT TO!!” Two Time screamed, snapping out of their trance long enough for the dads to finally grab their shoulders.

“Two Time, breathe,” Guest said firmly, squeezing their arms. “Look at me — look, not the fire.”

“You’re hallucinating,” 007n7 added, gently lifting Two Time’s chin. “Azure isn’t here. You’re safe. You’re with us. Stay grounded, okay?”

Two Time’s eyes darted back to the fireplace.

Azure’s figure was still there.

“You killed me, Nightshade… and you’ll never escape what you’ve done.”

Two Time shook, tears finally spilling as their knees buckled.

“No… No, please… don’t leave me again… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” They sobbed, clinging to 007n7’s sleeves like a child.

Guest exchanged a look with 007n7 — both helpless, both hurting for them.

“Two Time,” Guest murmured, voice soft but steady. “Whatever happened… you’re not alone anymore. We’ve got you. Azure can’t hurt you here.”

But the hallucination’s laughter echoed through Two Time’s mind, cruel and echoing, as the flames twisted once more.

Two Time squeezed their eyes shut.

“Make it stop… please… make it stop…please…”

The two groups collided in the hallway.

Chance nearly slammed into Builderman.

“Whoa— sorry! We heard screaming!”

‘We’re going!’ Taph signed, gripping Dusekkar’s sleeve as they ran.

Noob tripped over his own feet but Elliot caught him, pulling him forward.

“Go! Go! Don’t stop!”

Shedletsky, panting behind everyone, wheezed:

“WHY DOES EVERY EMERGENCY REQUIRE CARDIO—”

And then—

They all reached the living room at once.

Two Time was on their knees in front of the fireplace, shaking violently, 007n7 and Guest desperately trying to break the hallucination’s hold on them.

The Admins and survivors froze for a split second, horrified.

Then they rushed forward.

Elliot skidded into the room so fast he nearly slipped, Chance right behind him, and Noob clutching the ripped flour bag to his chest like a terrified child holding a stuffed toy.

“What happened—?”

His voice died immediately.

Two Time was on the floor, trembling so violently that 007n7 had to keep both arms locked around them just to stop them from collapsing entirely.

Chance’s face drained of color. “Oh… man… oh no…”

Noob stepped closer, shaking. “T-Two Time… w-what’s happening to them…?”

Builderman, usually the rock of the group, froze like someone had yanked the ground from beneath him.

Taph’s breath hitched sharply as she rushed to the other side of Two Time, immediately steadying their back with gentle but urgent hands.

Shedletsky stumbled in, chicken bucket still in his grip, but for the first time ever, he didn’t even glance at it. The bucket slowly tilted, spilling a few pieces onto the carpet as he stared in stunned silence.

Dusekkar stopped dead in the doorway, mask glinting, his pupils blown wide behind it. His voice came out quiet, too quiet for him.

The blue pumpkin took a hesitant step forward.

“Thy trembling heart doth echo pain… Yet fear not, friend — thou art not slain…”

Taph elbowed him, eyes narrowed.

‘Dusek. English. Normal English.’

“I—FINE,” he snapped, then sighed with visible effort.

“I’m saying… I care, okay?!” (He can speak normal english guys) 

Taph blinked.

“…Whoa. Genuine English. That’s new.”

Dusekkar made a wounded noise.

“Do not make this harder for me—”

Two Time curled in on themself, nails digging into their scalp as if they could claw the hallucination out of their skull.

“Make it stop… make it stop… make it stop…”

007n7 tightened his grip, grounding them with a steady, warm hold.

“Hey. Hey—look at me, okay? Not the fire. Not the shadows. Me. You're here. With us.”

Guest placed his hand gently over Two Time’s trembling ones, his voice soft but unwavering.

“We’re not letting you face this alone. Not again. Not ever.”

Chance dropped to his knees in front of them, eyes stinging at the sight.

“Hey, bud… I’m right here. Breathe with me, alright? Like this: in… out… in… out…”

He exaggerated each inhale and exhale, trying to guide them back.

Elliot didn’t say anything, he just reacted.

He grabbed the thickest blanket from the couch, draped it over Two Time’s shoulders, then pulled it around them like a protective shell.

“Warmth helps,” he murmured. “Even if it’s just a little.”

Noob, voice wobbling, held out his hand.

“I-I’m here too… I’ll stay… I won’t run away…”

Builderman crouched beside them, all authority gone,replaced by genuine, fragile concern.

“You’re safe. Nothing’s going to hurt you. Not while we’re all here.”

Taph rubbed calming circles up and down their back, signing gently.

‘You’re not that person anymore, Two Time… you’ve grown. You’re trying. We see that.’

Shedletsky, unsure, held out a single napkin.

“I—uh—this is for… tears? Or… snot? I dunno, just… take it.”

He slid it into their curled fingers, softening.

“…I’m here too, man. Promise.”

Finally, Dusekkar stepped forward, dropping to one knee, no theatrics, no rhymes, just sincerity.

He placed a gloved hand over their shaking one.

“Whatever sins thou think’st define thee…”

His voice cracked, and he took a second to steady it.

“They do not. Not to us.

Not anymore.

Thou art not alone, Two Time. Not while we breathe beside thee.”

Taph blinked at him.

“…That was actually beautiful.”

“Shut up,” he murmured, embarrassed.

Little by little, like a fog lifting, Two Time’s breathing slowed.

Their fingers loosened.

Their shoulders sagged.

Their trembling eased, melting into small, shaky exhales instead of panicked gasps.

The crackling fire wasn’t a monster anymore.

Azure’s silhouette in the flames… finally dissolved into nothing.

Two Time lifted their head, eyes red, cheeks wet, throat raw, their usual creepy forced smile gone replaced with guilt and sorrow, but present.

They blinked through the blur of tears, needing a second to even comprehend what they were seeing.

A circle.

A tight, messy, uneven circle of people.

Everyone.

Every single one of them had rushed here like their lives depended on it.

Some kneeling so close they were almost touching.

Some standing behind with worried hands against the wall.

Some still breathless from sprinting across the whole cabin.

Some gripping them like they’d shatter if left alone for even a second.

It was overwhelming, in a soft way.

A way that made something in their chest crack open.

“W…why are all of you…” their voice wavered, barely a whisper, “…here?”

Elliot’s expression softened instantly.

He scooted closer, eyes warm.

“Because you’re one of us, dude. That’s it. That’s the whole reason.”

007n7 squeezed their shoulder gently, grounding them again.

“And we don’t abandon our own. Ever. Not in fear. Not in pain. Not in anything.”

Chance leaned forward, grinning through watery eyes and trying hard to lighten the tension.

“Yeah! We’re like— the world’s most chaotic family. With trauma… explosions… and flour.”

Noob nodded vigorously, clutching the flour bag tighter like it was an emotional support plushie.

“Y-Yeah! We love you! Even if you made me drop flour everywhere!” (No they didn't..) 

Builderman gave a long, shaky exhale, like he had been holding his breath since the scream.

“We came because you matter. A lot more than you think. More than you’ll ever admit.”

Taph added, rubbing soothing circles on their back again,

‘And because you deserve comfort too. Not just guilt. Not just punishment. Comfort.’

Shedletsky awkwardly held up another napkin, already crumpled from his grip.

“And ’cause someone had to bring tissues. And… uhm… emotional support chicken, I guess.”

He pushed the bucket closer with his foot.

Dusekkar clicked his tongue dramatically, stepping forward with theatrical flair, but his voice softened as he knelt down.

“Though thy Spawnly ways offend mine rhyme…”

A sigh. A real one.

He placed a steady hand on their back.

“…I shall stand with thee. Through night and time.”

Taph nudged him lightly.

‘Translation: he cares.’

Dusekkar huffed. “Silence, mortal woman.”

Two Time let out a tiny, fragile laugh, the first one in what felt like centuries.

It cracked halfway through, but it was real.

It was alive.

“…Thank you,” they whispered, voice breaking.

Their fingers curled tighter around the blanket Elliot wrapped around them.

“Thank you… all of you…”

Immediately, the circle seemed to close just a little more, not trapping them, but sheltering them.

Elliot wrapped an arm around their shoulders.

Chance pulled Noob into a side-hug and pointed at Two Time proudly, like “look, they’re okay.”

007n7 didn’t move a muscle, staying exactly where Two Time could see him.

Guest clasped their hand quietly.

Builderman and Taph exchanged a relieved look.

Shedletsky sniffled (but blamed the chicken seasoning).

Dusekkar bowed his head in a silent gesture of respect.

And just like that…

The cabin — flawed, chaotic, loud, ridiculously wrapped around them like a mismatched but warm embrace.

It didn’t matter that they all came from wildly different places.

It didn’t matter that some of them annoyed each other daily.

It didn’t matter that things were messy and scary and uncertain.

Right here, right now…

They were together.

And Two Time wasn’t staring down the fire alone anymore.

For the first time in a long, long time…

Two Time wasn’t alone.

They were home.

And everyone in that cramped, chaotic room made sure they knew it.

Aftermath

The room settled into a warm hush, everyone still hovering around Two Time like anxious mother hens.

Their breathing was slow, steady — exhausted, but real.

Then…

Dusekkar squared his shoulders, cape fluttering like he was powered by sheer indignation.

He stepped in front of the fireplace, pointing dramatically.

“SHOW THY FACE, OH TORMENTOR—

THAT I MAY SMITE THEE WITH RIGHTEOUS WRATH!”

The floorboards creaked from how hard he stomped.

Taph immediately grabbed his collar like a parent catching a toddler before they stuck a fork in an outlet.

“Dusekkar.

Sweetheart.

You cannot smite the fireplace.”

“But it conjured phantoms of sinful sorrow!” he barked.

“I shall cleanse it!”

‘You’re gonna cleanse us out of a heater,’Taph deadpanned.

“It’s literally December. Sit down.’

Shedletsky, eating cold fries he found in his pocket, nodded.

“Honestly? I wanna see him try. That thing’ll explode.”

“WE DO NOT EXPLODE THINGS IN THE CABIN,” Builderman snapped from the couch, rubbing his temples.

Everyone stared at him.

Builderman exhaled.

“…Again.”

Chance plopped next to Two Time, patting their knee like a frantic golden retriever.

“Dude, seriously, if that Spectre tries anything again, I’m pulling out the slipper. Maximum damage. It’s super effective.”

He demonstrated a full combo attack with his hands:

whap-whap-WHAP-TAK-TAK.

Two Time snorted.

Noob, still gripping the flour bag, stepped forward like it was Excalibur.

“I brought… uh… emergency flour… in case we need to blind them. Or bake. Whichever works.”

Shedletsky gave him a thumbs-up.

“Good thinking. Multipurpose.”

The door to the kitchen swung open and Elliot returned with a tray like some caffeinated barista guardian angel.

He set down:

fresh pizza (extra cheese)

warm cocoa

a blanket that looked new

AND a tiny plushie of a ghost holding a “You Got This” sign

“Alright, squad. Comfort arsenal deployed.”

Two Time blinked.

“You… got me a plushie?”

Elliot smiled.

“You cried so hard you deserve a whole gift basket, but that’s all I could grab before the oven timer went off.”

Builderman nodded proudly.

“He’s the best multitasker we have. He once made pancakes while diffusing a capture trap.”

Elliot shrugged.

“It was on low heat.”

Builderman crouched in front of Two Time, eyes softening, which was rare, because usually he had only two settings:

CEO and tired CEO.

“I want you to listen carefully,” he said, voice low but steady.

“You did nothing wrong. You were ambushed. Manipulated.

None of us blame you. None of us ever will.”

Two Time’s eyes wavered again.

Builderman hesitated, then awkwardly patted their head.

The man could lead an empire but apparently could not pet someone without looking like he was handling a fragile lab sample.

Taph snickered.

‘Builder, you’re petting him like a scared cat.’

“I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS PROPERLY,” Builderman hissed.

‘Just—’Taph demonstrated by patting Two Time gently.

‘There. Like that.’

Builderman tried again.

This time it was actually… reassuring.

Two Time leaned into the touch, surprising even themself.

Taph sat behind Two Time and pulled them gently so they could rest against his chest.

‘Lean here. It’s okay. You’ve got nothing to prove right now.’

Two Time didn’t argue.

They sagged into him, exhausted.

Shedletsky grabbed the blanket and tucked it around them with a surprising finesse.

“No drafts. No chills. No ghosts.”

Dusekkar knelt in front of them one more time, placing a hand on their knee.

“Know this, child…” he murmured softly.

“Thine anguish is not weakness.

Thou survived what sought to break thee.

And for that, we honor thee.”

Taph blinked at him.

‘…Okay, that one was actually good. No sarcasm.’

Dusekkar smirked proudly.

“As it should be.”

“And we’re proud of you too,” Shedletsky added, poking Two Time’s cheek.

“Even when you look like you lost a fight with a sprinkler.”

Two Time wheezed a tiny laugh.

Builderman suddenly clapped his hands like a kindergarten teacher.

“Alright. New rule.

Nobody — and I mean NOBODY — goes near that fireplace alone for the next 48 hours.

Buddy system.”

“Even me?” Chance asked.

“Especially you.”

“What about me?” Noob asked.

“You get three buddies.”

“…That’s fair.”

Everyone was finally starting to relax…

until Dusekkar stepped toward the fireplace again, muttering:

“I could still smite it. Just a little.”

Taph yanked him back by the cape like a naughty toddler.

‘YOU ARE NOT SMITING MY FIREPLACE.’

Shedletsky raised his hand.

“I vote we let him smite it once the snow melts.”

“No,” Builderman said instantly.

Chance raised his hand.

“I vote slipper fight instead.”

“No,” Builderman repeated.

Noob raised the flour bag.

“I vote… baking?”

“…Maybe,” Builderman considered.

Two Time, wrapped in a blanket burrito, sipping warm cocoa, surrounded by absolute idiots they adored, whispered:

“…You guys are insane.”

Taph kissed the top of their head.

‘We know.’

While the rest of the cabin spiraled into comedic chaos,

 Guest and 007n7 stayed close, the quiet, grounding presence Two Time needed the most.

007n7 slid back to Two Time’s side, their voice steady, soft, that kind of calm that seeped into your bones.

They crouched down, brushing a stray tear from Two Time’s cheek with their thumb.

“Still with me?” they whispered.

Two Time nodded slowly.

 “Y… yeah. I think so.”

007n7 gave a tiny, relieved smile, rare, gentle, the kind that made the room feel safer.

“Good. Because I’m not going anywhere.

 Not tonight. Not ever when you’re like this.”

They pulled Two Time into a subtle hug, forehead resting against theirs for a moment , grounding, warm, careful.

“If the Spectre tries something again,” 007n7 muttered,

 “I’m dragging its shadowy ass into the nearest deletion zone. Personally.”

Taph, from across the room:

 ‘Language.’ (BBH IS THAT YOU??) 

007n7:

 “…Emotionally dragging its shadowy butt into the nearest deletion zone.”

Two Time laughed shakily.

Guest stepped forward again, their usual soft expression tinged with worry.

They placed both hands gently over Two Time’s.

No words, just warmth.

 A steady, grounding pressure saying:

 You’re not alone. I’ve got you.

But then Guest finally whispered:

“When you screamed earlier…

 I thought I lost you for a second.”

Two Time’s breath hitched.

Guest squeezed their hands.

“But you’re here. And… I’m here.

 And I’m staying. I promise.”

Two Time blinked hard, tears welling again but calmer, grateful ones.

Guest smiled shyly, reaching into their pocket…

 and pulling out an animal sticker sheet.

They offered a tiny frog sticker.

“For comfort.”

Two Time stared at it.

“…Guest, why do you carry frog stickers?”

Guest whispered, sincerely:

 “You never know when someone might need a frog.”

007n7 snorted.

 “That’s… honestly adorable.”

The others were arguing about whether Dusekkar should be allowed to ‘discipline’ the fireplace, so the noise level was… aggressively normal.

But Guest and 007n7 kept their focus on Two Time:

Guest rubbing calming little circles on their wrist

007n7 making sure they drank cocoa

Both making a protective bubble around them

When Two Time’s head dipped from exhaustion, 007n7 gently guided them to lean against their shoulder.

Guest draped the blanket more snugly and whispered:

 “Rest. We’ll watch the fire so you don’t have to.”

Dusekkar, overhearing, saluted dramatically.

 “Verily, I shall join the watch!”

Taph:

 ‘You’re banned.’

Builderman paused mid-argument with Dusekkar, watching the three of them.

His stern CEO face softened.

He whispered to Taph,

 “…Look at them. They’re basically parenting him better than we do.”

Taph smirked.

 ‘Yep, sinced technically they raised kids too.’

Two Time finally closed their eyes, leaning between both Guest and 007n7.

Not crying.

 Not shaking.

 Just… tired.

 Safe.

007n7 gave Guest a knowing nod.

Guest whispered back,

 “We got them.”

And they did.

With the cabin still arguing loudly in the background, with flour bags and slippers and smiting threats flying around…

Two Time rested, held up by the two people who anchored them most. 

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