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He didn’t think removing the obsidian would do anything. He felt he needed to see the egg, at least once, before it was covered forever. He didn’t think anything would come from it. He ignored Bad’s whining, as he did normally. Skeppy was usually right. Skeppy was almost always right. But when Skeppy turned to face Bad, he felt his heart drop. Bad looked… different. His face lacked the usual playfulness it had. Only the seething anger remained, accompanied by something new. Skeppy knew immediately that he fucked up.
“You need to leave,” growled Bad, “I can’t risk you hurting the egg.”
“You...You’re choosing the egg over me?” Skeppy asked meekly.
“Skeppy, leave,” Bad said, brandishing his sword. Skeppy took a step back.
“I…”
“Skeppy. Leave.”
And Skeppy did as he was told.
Running out and away, heaving and panting, Skeppy felt tears stream down his face.
“Damn it. Damn it!” Skeppy shouted into the cool night air. He struggled to breathe, and eventually, his legs collapsed beneath him and he kneeled on the path and gasped for air. He hated this.
Whenever he and Bad had argued, it was always like this. Bad would whine and complain, and Skeppy would ignore him, and make it all worse. They would argue in circles until one of them broke from the pressure. And the worst part was, they would argue all the time and no one would ever win. In the end, no conflict was ever resolved, and every little squabble piled up until one of them burst. Bad was just too stuck in his ways. Skeppy supposed that maybe, he was too. Maybe if they both weren’t so stubborn, it would hurt less. Fuck, it hurt so much. He loved Bad, he really did, but it hurt so much to love him. Despite everything, behind all the teasing and cursing and fighting, he really did love Bad. He couldn’t stop himself from loving Bad. It was just so hard.
And never, ever, did Bad ever choose someone else over him. Something That’s what hurt the most, this time. Skeppy tended to be annoyed by Bad’s clinginess, and seeing Bad turn him away, threaten him, and tell him to leave, without even a hint of sadness or affection in his eyes? It broke him. This time, everything was different. He hated it.
He knew he had to do something. Something about the egg. Pulling himself to his feet, he turned around, and marched back to the egg, a new determination stirring inside him. He would fix things. Make it all go back to normal. Apologize to Bad a million times over, no matter if Bad told him it was okay after the first one. Everything would be fine. It would be fine. They could go back to Quackity. Try more therapy. Anything. Skeppy would fix things. He would fix this. He needed to.
When he arrived back at the egg’s cavern, it was empty. It looked like everyone had left. Sighing with relief, Skeppy approached the egg once more, obsidian in hand. All he needed to do was put it back and things would go back to normal.
But ‘normal’ isn’t so fun, is it? Whispered a voice behind Skeppy’s ear. Skeppy snapped to look behind him. The cavern was still empty. Touching his ear, he felt a shiver rush down his spine.
“Who said that? Who’s in here?” He shouted into the empty stone room.
Skeppy. Don’t be stupid. It’s me, of course, The voice whispered again, once again behind him. He didn’t recognize the voice. Turning around once more, Skeppy slid into a combat stance. But there was no one there. Just the egg, glowing softly in the torchlight.
“Y-You? As in, the egg? You can talk?”
Of course I can, whispered the egg. Bad may be a lot of things, but he isn’t a liar.
“You. You took away my best friend. I’ll shut you up for good. For his sake,” Skeppy spat. He wanted more than to just cover the egg, now. He wanted it dead.
Best friend, hm? For a best friend, he certainly causes you a lot of pain.
Skeppy stopped in his tracks, and whispered, “You don’t know anything about me. You don’t know how I feel.”
Oh, but I do. I know your deepest desire, Skeppy. In fact, I have a deal for you, said the egg.
“A deal? Who are you, Jschlatt? I’m not an idiot, you know,” Skeppy said, his voice wavering and betraying his anxiousness.
I can make it stop hurting, said the egg. At this, Skeppy swallowed. The air felt thick. I can make it so you never feel again. You can be one with me. He’ll never hurt you again under my protection. He protects me. Protects us. Don’t you want that? For it to all stop hurting, for him to never hurt you again?
“But I… I can’t. I need to cover you. I can’t have you affect Bad. Not anymore.”
The egg was silent for a moment, the crackling of the torches the only sound in the room. Then it whispered, slowly, deliberately, You may do so, on one condition. You encase yourself with me. We can talk more about the deal, and you get to encase me like you want to. It’s not like anyone will miss you while we talk. What do you say?
Skeppy stared at the obsidian in his hands, and then he turned to look at the door. No one was coming. He could do this. He could do this, for them. For him.
“...Okay,” he said, “Let’s do it.”
---
“Skeppy…?” Bad asked timidly. He covered his hand with his mouth. In front of him, Skeppy stood, lifeless. The diamond ore poking out of his cheekbones were no longer the bright crystals they usually were but instead were painted a deep shade of red. His eyes were glazed over, his hoodie stained with red dust, his skin waxier than normal. Something was very, very wrong.
“Yes, bad?” Skeppy said, robotically.
“Are you...feeling alright?”
Skeppy looked to the egg, to the hole he had just been mined out of, and then back to Bad, and with a cold, emotionless gaze and a forced grin, he said, “I’ve never felt better.”