Chapter Text
Flames everyday life was usually the same. He’d get up at dawn, feed himself and his dogs, train a bit and than do whatever the hell he had on his agenda for the day before coming home, eating and promptly passing out on his bed at around midnight.
This regime helped him have a sense of domesticity when the server was known for its lacking of it. Now though, he had a new part of his routine.
Wemmbu was notorious for not actually building his own base, always opting to either sleeping in some hidden cave or running to the end and freeloading off of Minuteteach, now though he had a new person to leech off of.
See, ever since Flamefrags and him actually confessed, Wemmbu took that as a sign of passage. Almost daily he’d drop in just to take some of Flames stuff to restock or just to annoy him and he’d always come back at around 11 so they could go to bed together.
As much as Flame would start bashing Wemmbu about stealing his stuff, it made him feel more joy than he’d ever admit as it ment that the purple macer saw him as home.
Waking up, Flame rolled to the side and stretched his arm, trying to search for the other in the bed. After flailing his hand around for a bit he opened his eyes just to be met with a bare bed with wrinkled sheets.
He sat up, rubbing his eyes and tried to recall what happened the day prior.
He’d gotten home after a gruesome day of pure hard labor after Lomedy threatened to dox him if he didn’t help with the farm.
He had to move literal tons of dirt and animals before he was given the privilege to go home so it was only natural that as soon as he stepped into his bedroom it was lights out in both ways.
That’s why I don’t remember if Wemmbu came home.. I was fuckin asleep.. Mumbling some incoherent thoughts, he stood up and started to get ready.
Walking to his closet he changed clothes and grabbed his armor, equipping it. He didn’t have much to do for today but he was running low on gaps so he had to make a quick run to Capital City.
After feeding his dogs and grabbing some diamonds and netherite he left to go trade.
Capital City had gotten more lively in the months after the Laws downfall. Hundreds of players walked around the territory fearing close to nothing as theft was unusual, not counting the time Flame got blinded.
Walking in the entrance he noticed immediately that the paths were stacked with people, some trading, some selling and some just walking around aimlessly.
He walked deeper into the city and stopped by what looked to be a new golden apple shop so, he walked in.
The place seemed to be just a regular shop but inside it was actually more like a cafe. It had small tables with equally small plates and chairs in pairs.
Walking to the counter he was met with a random player.
“What can I help you with today?”
“Yea, I need gaps, like maybe a shulker.”
“Woah there, that’s gonna cost ya. One stack’s usually sold for 10 diamond blocks or a netherite.”
“Bro what? That’s bullshit where’s the old gapple store??”
“Well that one went out of business so we’re the only ones left!”
“Bro. I’m not giving you 10 diamond blocks or a damn netherite for gapples!”
“Well I guess you won’t have gapples then!”
As Flame continued to bark at the owner 2 other people walked into the store, one looking a bit tired while the other clung to him.
“No! You either make them cheaper or I’ll personally go into the nether and force Clownpierce to cut his cold farm from you-!”
“Flame?”
“..huh”
Flame turned around just to be met with Wemmbus slightly amused face. Looking to the side he saw.. Zam..
“Bro, why are you even arguing with this kid?”
“I.. he’s selling gaps for an arm and a leg bro why wouldn’t I??”
“Well, I also needed gaps but I’m not poor so I can probably afford it.” Wemmbu gave Flame a smug look and walked over to the counter, Zam hot on his tail.
“Give me 10 stacks of gapples.”
“Sure! That’ll be 95 diamond blocks with a discount!”
“…bro what.”
“See!? His prices are stupid!”
“Well, I don’t really have that many diamonds on me right now.. but I could definitely afford it-“
“I can get it for you Wemmbu! I have some in my enderchest hold on!” Zam interrupted him before grabbing his e-chest and digging out a shulker. “Here you go!”
“I.. thanks?”
The hell was that? Flame thought.
“Ya know, earlier today I was thinking of trying to make a base! Maybe you could help out? I promise to make it worth your while!”
Ok, what the hell did that even mean? Worth your while? Flame was getting irritated, especially because Zam was once again all over Wemmbu, hugging him and clinging to him.
“I mean I guess-“
“Nah, actually Wemmbus gonna come with me today.”
“..what?” Wemmbu looked over at Flame, confused.
“You said you’d help me cook something the other day, don’t you remember?” Now, Flame was pulling this reason straight out of his ass but he’d rather get skinned alone than let the reality of Zams “worth your while” be true.
“Uh, no? I guess I just forgot.”
“Yea you definitely did bro, we need to get you checked for dementia soon, fossil.”
“Yo! I’m literally like, a month older than you!”
“What were the Neanderthals like?”
“Bro I swear to god-“
“Can you guys leave? You’re ruining my business.”
“Oh you wanna see ruining your business?? I’ll blow this whole thing up!” Wemmbu opened Zams enderchest and grabbed a stab shot from it.
“Woah! Bro calm down!” The owner desperately tried to de-escalate the situation but was failing miserably.
Flame walked up behind Wemmbu, shoving Zam out of the way, and grabbed his shoulders.
“Wem, cmon let’s go home.” That small, stupid nickname made Wemmbu go soft. He calmed down and put his fishing rod away before following Flame outside.
Walking to the exit Flame turned around, feeling like there was someone following them.
“Bro Zam leave!”
“I’m really good at cooking! I bet I can help out a lot!”
“No.”
“Please! Wemmbu tell him my cookings good!”
“..wha, you’ve tried his cooking?”
“Well.. yea, it was decently good I guess.”
“See! I’ll be even better if you let me join!!”
A hint of jealousy carved itself right into Flames core as he heard that. Wemmbu enjoyed food that wasn’t made by him? I mean, he spent almost all of his free time cooking after he and Wemmbu got together so he could feed him the best of the best.
There was no way Zams cooking was actually better.
…
What the fuck.
Flame left for literally a second and he came back to a perfectly cooked steak with mashed potatoes and fucking fries somehow as a side and wine?
“Take this as my apology to you for not understanding how amazing you are earlier!”
Ok it was getting vastly more annoying by the second. Didn’t this guy pay him to murder Wemmbu? Didn’t he openly flaunt that Wemmbu was useless and couldn’t win a fight for his life?
“Thanks I guess? Again?”
“Can we go to our spot again?”
Their spot? When did they have a spot??
“Zam, I told you I’m busy. Go do it with Fanst or something.”
“Awh come on boo!”
A second passed and no one moved, then all hell broke loose.
Flame basically jumped Zam and burned him hard enough even a full todem regeneration wouldn’t fix it and sent him running to the door.
Wemmbu just stood there, unfazed. Zams constant nagging and love bombing we’re getting out of hand. He endured it only because of long lost and locked away feeling he had for the former emperor when working under him.
He sighed and thanked whatever god exited out there for giving Flame the anger management of an overstimulated toddler.
Flame turned around and awkwardly stood next to the purple man, not knowing what to do next.
Wemmbu lifted his hands and pulled the other into a tight hug.
“Thanks Flame.. sorry for letting him be an asshole like that.” The look on his face was pure shame. It felt like he’d just lost his spark all together.
“Hey, don’t be like that bro. It isn’t your fault he’s a dumbass.”
That made Wemmbu giggle a bit before he let his smile die down a bit.
“You wanna talk about it?”
“..I, I don’t know how to describe it well. It’s just.. he was one of the first people to make me feel worthy, wanted, and him just up and betraying me like that felt bad already, but him changing the way he thinks about me now, just because I’m the strongest, makes it worse.” He took a deep breath in, “Because now I know he was only after what I could do for him. All that affection was for nothing.”
Flame just pulled him closer, placing his head on his shoulder and raking his fingers through thick purple hair.
“I’m sorry Wemmbu.. just know that Zam was nothing but ten times worse than you when he stabbed you in the back. He was a man who was desperate for power and would humiliate himself if it ment he’d gain more of it.”
Deep down, Wemmbu knew Flames words were nothing but factual. Zams actions displayed his core morals without doubt, but he still wished he wasn’t.
“Thank you Flame.” Wemmbu glanced up at him, smiled and started to walk to the kitchen, dragging the demon along with him.
“Alright! Let’s make some real food!”
“Genuine question though, how did Zam make that so quick??”
“He didn’t. He just had a 5 star meal in his ender chest for some reason. It’s like he’s still a king.”
“HA! SO HE CANT COOK BETTER THAN ME!”
“You’re… oddly happy about that?”
“OF COURSE IM HAPPY! I DIDN’T SPEND THAT LAST MONTH COOKING JUST TO BE TOPPED BY ZAM!”
“Wait, you learned how to cook for me?”
Flame froze as he realized what he let slip. Blushing profusely he tried to backtrack.
“Whaaat?? Nooo! Bro I just learned how to cook because I need to survive!”
“Yeah.. and you just so happened to realize that when I came into the picture?”
“..yes.”
They looked at each other for a minute before both started laughing and giggling.
“You’re so dumb!”
“I’m not bro!”
“Sure bro!”