Chapter Text
007n7 had finally finished reading through an unnecessarily large amount of articles for how to properly care for a baby crow. Well, it seems he had his work cut out for him. He took the bundled up blanket in his arms and carefully stood up.
“We should see if you’ll eat, mind if I go try and find some bugs for you?” 007n7 softly spoke to the chick, gently petting it with his pointer finger.
He took the small vocalizations as an agreement, setting off to find some kind of bug for this chick to eat. He opened the door and walked outside, scanning the ground closest to him for any kind of rock that could be upturned. Luckily enough, he had found a rather large and flat stone. He flipped over the stone to reveal rich soil brimming with worms and other bugs. How did these animals even get into this realm? Have they always been here? The cabinsite looked like it was obviously supposed to be teeming with life, yet it was always so eerily quiet. Maybe there really was wildlife beyond the fences surrounding the cabins. Were the dangers being kept out, or were the survivors just being kept in?...
007n7’s hands were now full of grubs and worms, squirming in the grossest ways. The worms unsettled him, they looked so alike to him and his teammates’ spilled guts when their stomachs were gashed open. His hands felt so dirty holding them… He could imagine himself ripping one of the poor survivors apart, digging through their writhing bodies. His hands would be warmed by their depleting body heat, replacing his rotting core with their lively one. It almost made him smile— seeing their terrified faces. His teeth itched to dig into any organ he could get his hands on, hearing it squelch between his sharp teeth as he bit down-
“Seven? Hey, you ok?” Guest’s voice cut through the building thoughts, clearing the smog from his mind and revealing a shameful clarity.That’s when 007n7 realized there was a warm hand on his shoulder, firmly holding him as his hands slightly tightened around the lives in his hands.
“I’m fine Guest, what do you need?” 007n7 struggled to keep his voice from shaking, the adrenaline from his recent thoughts still fading.
“Well I just wanted to come remind you about the team meeting happening soon. But… you’re over here holding worms and insects and now I’m curious, why?” Guest seemed concerned, his dark eyes tightening in a worried look.
That look always sent a chill down 007n7’s spine. Not because he’s afraid of Guest, of course not! Even if the man is a well honored veteran, not to mention muscular, he wouldn’t hurt the other survivors. The blue haired man was sweet, not like Seven. He was caring, generous, and empathetic, 007n7 wasn’t. He was blunt and reserved at best, snarky and violent at worst. Yet in one way they were the same… They would do anything to keep their loved ones safe.
“Nothing. It’s none of your business. Please leave now.” The brunette had replied blankly. Though the vocabulary was brash enough to make it come off as snippy.
The look on Guest’s face reminded 007n7 of a kicked puppy. It made an ice cold lump settle in his chest, but he really just wanted Guest to go away. Really, he shouldn’t even be feeling sorry! The veteran kept coming back no matter how many times he’d been pushed away. He was the one who should’ve gotten the memo… And yet, something still simmered deep within Seven. The guilt only built up further as he watched Guest start to walk off dejected— and so he spoke.
“Wait! Gosh, I’m sorry I said it like that. It’s just that these are for something I don’t want the other survivors to find out. You know they already don’t like me very much, so please don’t tell them. Please Guest…” The ex-hacker’s voice took on a more desperate tone, He couldn’t risk them finding and taking the chick.
“Alright then, Sev. But just know that we’re more open to talk to you than you’d think. If you ever need to then I just ask that you seek one of us out… please.” When Guest looked back towards 007n7, the veteran looked like a perfectly carved out statue, radiating with a warm, easing aura.
“...Fine. Seems your natural charm worked, magic man. Thank you for still trusting me, I won’t let you down.” Seven joked, chuckling under his breath as he stood back up.
Really, it was an easy promise to break. ‘Yeah I’ll definitely try to confide in the people who hate my guts with something that’ll make them hate me more!’... How stupid. But, it’s better to just say it and make someone feel better for that moment than to tell them outright that you won’t do it. Life is too confusing, trying to make people like you when you’d rather not have to deal with them at all… But then why does he miss it so much? Talking to people, conversations that he’d rather lie dead in a hole than participate in. He misses them, but that’s probably just because his life now is just so plain and exhausting. Maybe that’s why he was given the bird, just so he wouldn't try to kill himself or give up and ruin the fun of seeing him suffer. It was so stupid, all of it, so STUPID-
A trill and clucking sound knocked him out of his thoughts again. This bird really had a knack for that, huh? Yet she was so cute, Seven couldn’t stand to be upset.
“You hungry my little Sweetie-Belle? Hey, maybe that could be your name! You like it?” 007n7 beamed as the chick piped up in a noisy agreement.
He started preparing a small meal for Sweetie-Belle, a scoop of an unexpired jar of baby food (probably put in his cabin to taunt him), and a few bits of various worms and soft bugs. He had saved the rest in the barely-working fridge given to every cabin. Honestly it was a pretty nice edition to this hell if he had to say so himself. He then fixed some room temperature water in an old ashtray he had never used. It had been years since he smoked, having given it all up for the sake of CoolKid’s health. Funny enough, he basically got rid of everything that made him… him as he raised the kid. Nothing from his past lifestyle was safe for him, much less a kid for Telamon’s sake! But it ended up making him a better person, even if only slightly. It’s funny how much one little thing can change, like a row of dominos being knocked down from the flick of a finger.
Sweetie-Belle had taken a liking to the food, gobbling down every little bit she could. 007n7 had urged her to slow down, moving her away slightly with a worried look. What if she choked on a bit that lodged in her throat? Or will she get sick and die from eating so much so quickly? Will he have to hold her frail body as it slowly grows colder? Will he have to bury her corpse behind his cabin to avoid stares? Would the admins question how he had gotten his hands on a live animal? There were so many things that could go wrong, why hadn’t he thought this through… This poor animal was in his hands and he’s just gonna let it die so easily. How cruel does he have to be to let this chick eat herself to death?
Yet— Sweetie-Belle had finished her food just fine. In fact, she looked so much more comfortable than she had when he’d first found her. Her little gleaming eyes caught his heart in a whirlwind of warmth. She scrambled over into his hands which had started to reach out for her.
“My little Belle, you’re so adorable.” 007n7 cooed as he lifted her tiny head with his pointer finger, trying his best to make out the details of her face.
Her eyes stood out in such a brilliantly light blue, like a clouded, dim sky. The chick cocked her head to the side in a comedically curious way, making small chittering noises. She was quite the talker, but that only served to help ease the worries for her health. She certainly wasn’t weak for being so young and small. Do her parents miss her? Do they miss the curious, loud chick who gave them a purpose besides just surviving? Do they miss taking her under their wing and raising her for the short time they had with her? Had they even noticed she went missing? Are they searching for her? Mourning the life that they weren’t able to protect and watch grow up, how familiar.
Once again, it seems Seven’s mind could only float back to CoolKid. The kid was a firecracker, a ball of energy who was capable of chaos like no other. Yet, he was still so cherished by his father… a man who gave everything he had to this beacon of hope that radiated the idea of new beginnings. Where did it all go? Where did he go? The last 007n7 remembers of their interactions was them arguing because of the fire at Builder Brothers…
“I already said sorry!” CoolKid’s voice rang out with an emotional crack as he stomped his foot.
“‘Sorry’ doesn’t fix ARSON! Are you even comprehending what you’ve done?! We were already blacklisted and now here you go trying to burn it down! Who do you think has to pay for that? I’m already being stretched thin raising you by myself. I’m taking any job I can just to have enough money to give you a good life. And now I’m paying thousands of dollars in damages because you couldn’t follow ONE simple rule!” 007n7 explained, his voice fuming and exhausted as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
CoolKid had stolen the C00lGUI while 007n7 was working, taking it straight to the Pizzeria that had garnered serverwide popularity in its decades of being run by the Builder family. It had been a terrible incident, many coming out with minor to severe injuries, some even losing their lives among the roaring flames. By the time Seven had heard what happened, CoolKid had already been caught red-handed. The confrontation and punishment had only made things worse for the single father. An act of immaturity caused this, the accidental neglect of a father overworked had led to the destruction of many livelihoods. And now the child stood guilty as his father berated him for his choices that day.
“You’re grounded, go to your room.” The father finally ended his scolding, sighing as he walked off to his own room to cool down and figure out a plan for the future.
Seven wished that they hadn’t ended off on such bad turns. That they could’ve talked it out instead. Now, his son was missing, his pride and joy was gone. That mischievous face, garnished with the rosiest of cheeks— was now printed on missing posters, having been hung up around the town by the grieving father. Days of no info turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months brought along bad thoughts. It didn’t help that they were true— the police had found the rotting corpse of a boy in a ditch. They called 007n7 to come identify the body, and their suspicions were right.
The body was long into its decay, looking as cold as it felt. There was no sign of the bright-eyed boy anymore, yet the carcass was far too familiar. He was even wearing the same clothes as when he left, bringing harsh memories back to the surface of 007n7’s mind. He had tried to reach beyond the barrier of policemen blocking him, screaming and thrashing as he tried to hold onto his baby one more time.
The funeral had somehow been worse. There were so few mourners as CoolKid had been laid to rest. It was ironic— his final moments with the boy who had filled his life with noises he loved had been so quiet, so peaceful unlike the life his baby lived. Would it have been different if he had said something else? Could he have prevented this outcome?
“I’ll take care of you for them, they would probably want that.” 007n7 promised, his voice a quivering whisper. Is this a second chance? The exact thing he had been wishing for this entire time?
Yet Sweetie-Belle was completely oblivious to the spiral of her caretaker, only feeling happy in the warmth and safety of his cupped palms. She hadn’t been through the life of a troubled man, she was just starting her own. She wouldn’t focus on the glares of others around her, fearing that they’d judge her. She only thought about the man holding her, not his crimes, not his losses, not even his inner turmoil as he held her. It was beautiful, really— the freedom of not knowing just how bad the place you’re in is, what kind of person the one caring for you is.
So Seven cried. He let the tears fall as he held her. He cried for his son, cried for himself, and cried for her. Maybe if he mourned the life they could’ve had, then things will finally change. The fantasies will be watered by the tears of mourning, soon to grow into a beautiful reality where they have everything they could ever want… But that too, was just a fantasy to never be fulfilled. So there he will sit, crying until he has no more tears.
But at least now in this hell, he has someone to keep going for. Now he lives for not only himself, but for another life too. And he wouldn’t trade it for the world…