Work Text:
April 2020
Skeppy had rather enjoyed his busy upload schedule, he and Bad got to talk and hang out almost everyday making content and just be who they were minus the clear signs they were dating, like pet names. And the fans ate up the content. They were both stolen by their busy schedules when they didn’t schedule recordings.
A meetup was actually planned in between Extreme Corner events, Skeppies has won two. If the kid could see the future, Skeppy would want to know how the meet up goes. He was honestly very nervous to meet his boyfriend.
Bad was the best person Skeppy had ever met and Bad actually helped Skeppy become a better person and a better version of himself, while loving him unconditionally. Skeppy and Bad both loved with their all and that is what made it so much better.
As the months went on their one year was getting closer as Bad read out an invite to Dream’s SMP to Skeppy in one of their late night calls. Skeppy was editing a video to get another upload out as they had a 14 corners event that next morning and it would take his usual time away. Bad claimed he would stay awake. Skeppy watched the time click to midnight as the date changed from June 24th to June 25th. “Accept the invite, he is your friend. You literally recorded 3 hunters final with him a few days ago or whatever.”
“It was almost 3 weeks, Geppy. But I don’t see why not. I probably shouldn’t text him now, I doubt he’s awake.” Skeppy only chuckled and posted the video he was finishing making final touches to after his editors to post in the morning. He trusted his editors with his life (and channel) but he did like to make his own tweeks just to have fun with it. It was something he always never minded about recording, editing. But eventually he was falling behind and getting too busy and needed someone else to take over. Especially when he plans to do daily uploads soon and needed the good little break to avoid overwhelming his editors. He planned to pull his weight and edit.
“I’m willing to bet he is.” Skeppy stretched and put his hands behind his back. “My Pc, my comforter, pillows and charger are the only things not yet packed, but they are coming into the car with me.”
“You’re going to call me before you leave and when you get there, right?” Bad asked, worry lacing his voice.
“Of course, hon.” Skeppy’s voice grew soft. “It’s been lonely in Texas. At least in LA I’ll have some of my friends.” Skeppy flopped onto his bed as Bad hummed.
“At least we can plan a meetup soon.” Bad spoke softly.
“I can’t wait..”
*
“I’m worried about you.” Bad spoke despite Skeppy having their conversation recorded. He would cut it out before he let anyone see it. “It’s been weeks, Zak.” He really would cut this out now that Bad dropped his actual name.
“About what, Hon?” Skeppy asked in a soft voice, his youtuber persona quickly diminished.
“Daily uploads. They’re not good for you, even if they make you and the fans happy.”
“I said I would stop when it became a problem and it hasn't. I still hang out with my friends, talk to my family, hang out with you outside of recording and plan for the meetup.”
“And I am happy that you can maintain all of that along with editing and recording everyday, I just think it’s time you take a break, I don’t want you to have to suffer the inevitable crash and you shouldn’t have to, Zak.” Bad was clearly irritated with Skeppy’s recent endeavors and Skeppy didn’t think he was wrong, maybe he wished Bad was wrong. Skeppy let out a breath.
“Can you seriously not get behind what I’m doing content wise? Our meetup is in a week, daily uploads will end then. It’s just 7 more days.”
“Zak, I love you.” Bad started.
“But?”
Bad let out a shaky breath, “I think maybe we should take a break from our relationship. .I have been watching you slowly kill yourself for weeks now and it hurts. I can’t watch my boyfriend go through that, but I could tolerate a friend doing that for another week.. I just can’t keep hurting like this.” Bad sniffled a bit and Skeppy hummed, rolling his shoulders back to keep his posture despite no one actually seeing him.
“Okay.. yeah. Uhm.. yeah. Thank you, Darryl, for this last year of being my boyfriend.. You were the best person I could have ever hoped for and you showed me what being loved genuinely felt like.. You showed me that being happy was okay and that I could open up and let myself love someone. I never imagined to love you as much as I did but I do not regret it. I’m going to do this recording by myself today to let you have time. We can start recording together again when you are ready.” Skeppy left the call and his hands fell to his lap as tears slipped down his face.
Skeppy took his headset off and chucked it away from himself before grabbing his keys off his desk and his phone before storming out of his house and making his way to his car. He didn’t know where he was going, he just wanted to drive until he couldn’t anymore. Until he had to stop and come home.
Skeppy @Skeppy
Hey guys! No upload today :( smth came up
See you guys in a few days :D
Skeppy tossed his phone into his passenger seat and started his drive. He did not expect to make a 20 hour drive halfway across the country to the address he was meant to be at in a few days. He was just sitting outside of the house, parked with his hands over his face.
What the hell was he doing?
He reached for his phone and opened discord.
Ping Spoofing Idots
Skepster > anyone online?
Finn > Everything alright? You’re using proper punctuation and spelling
Bad > I just woke up
Mega > Isn’t it like 4am for you, Bad?
Bad > Couldn’t sleep ig
Zelk > I’m here
Verb > ^
Skepster > can anyone call? I did something kind of stupid
Zelk > Bad that sounds like a great job for you, buddy
Finn > I was about to say that
Skepster > let me rephrase
Skepster > anyone but Bad please
Mega > ???
Mega > I think I should schedule an eye appointment
Verb > Make one for me 2
Finn > Zelk and I will meet you in vc 4
Zelk > Its locked for 3 ppl
Skepster > thanks..
Techno > What happened with them?
Hannah > No bc I was wondering the same thing
Hannah > like we never usually need this server for anything
Bad > just a disagreement
Skeppy joined the call and he let out a shaky breath, “I’m outside of Bad’s house right now.”
“Way to go man!” Zelk praised.
“Yeah! Even though I thought that was in a few days, I guess I got the dates wrong.” Finn said.
“No, you’re onto something.” Zelk started, “You, Skeppy and I have a recording planned with Bad in like 3 hours for Skeppy’s daily upload shit. His meetup isn't for 6 more days.”
“That’s the mistake.” Skeppy spoke softly. “It is 4am and I drove 20 hours to get here now I’m just in my car and I’m freaking out.”
“Dude, he’s your boyfriend. Go knock on the door and have your meetup early. You can say you wanted to surprise him, it’ll be cute.” Finn suggested.
“He’s not my boyfriend. He broke up with me about 20 hours ago.” Skeppy’s voice broke a little. “And I totally overreacted.” Skeppy looked at general chat seeing Bad explaining to the others of their breakup.
Mega > People break up all the time
Mega > shit happens
Mega > neither of you better do something drastic because that’s idiotic
Mega > you’ll be friends again in days like nothing happened
“Ignore him.” Zelk said. “You’re allowed to be upset that you were dumped.”
Skeppy groaned, “I drive a bright yellow lamborghini, all he has to do is glance outside and he’ll know it’s me.”
“Skep, please just start driving, I’ll google hotels in the area and give you a name.”
“Bad will freak if he finds out what you did.” Zelk said.
“What will I freak out about?” Bad asked. He had override permissions since Skeppy allowed him full access to the server.
Skeppy quickly put his car in drive and started driving while Finn started frantically finding a good enough place for Skeppy to stay. “Skeppy started driving to Spifey’s without realizing how late it was. And he’s the only one who is still asleep in the server.”
Spifey > why is everyone so active? It’s not even 5am.
“Speak of the devil.” Zelk said.
“Skep I sent you the uhm thing.” Finn said. “Also I’m going to move us to vc 1 that way anyone can join.” Finn moved them all and Spifey joined.
“Oh hey George!” Bad greeted in a cheery tone, “Zak was on his way to yours but then he realized you were sleeping so now he can go! Isn’t that great! You guys have been meeting to hang out in person again.”
Spifey hummed, “Yeah, I’ll make sure to leave the door unlocked for you, Skep.” Skeppy let out a breath. He was glad he had this talk with his friends the minute he got Bad’s address. They came up with a plan that if Skeppy ever went to Bad’s but backed out they would say he was going to Spifey’s if he were caught in his car for way too long. And Spifey would respond with the words ‘I’ll make sure to leave the door unlocked’. They all thought they wouldn’t need the plan but here they were.
Skeppy said he had arrived (he was at the hotel) and he left the call. He would head home in the morning and pretend nothing happened.
Early April, 2022
Bad stared at the YouTube notification from Skeppy’s channel on his phone. I Play Minecraft with A6D . He felt his stomach drop. He was doing daily uploads again and has been for almost 2 weeks now. His fans are not going to like this.
No one is going to like this. The poor Skeppy Updates Twitter account is clearly not happy with this announcement and no one is happy getting it. Surely Skeppy would be looking at replies and comments to see it was a mistake.
But this was never in the upload schedule. Skeppy told absolutely no one. He should have brought it up with Bad, at least.
A6D was his friend too. And A6D hurt him too. How could Skeppy do his to everyone?
Ping Spoofing Idots
Bad > Zak. Get into Vc 5 with me. Right now. :D
Finn > why am I scared?
Zelk > there’s a dark energy radiating (as there should) and it’s terrifying me
PDL > oh look- there’s a hacker or smth.. on the server- or just anywhere but here
Vurb > I’m going offline and hiding
Vurb > No Skeppy you can’t come hide with me
Finn > did he just tweet a heart on his private?
Finn > what kind of damage control is that!?
Zelk > I’m kinda scared that Bad hasn’t said anything else
Zelk > especially when Skeppy just tweeted
Skepster > why are you upset right now?
Bad > maybe I just missed talking to you :D
Skepster > rlly?
Bad > Really :)
Skepster > okay I’ll be in the vc!
Zelk > he’s clearly a bigger idiot than he lets off
Zelk > this is embarrassing
Techno > didn’t a6d do some fucked up things
Techno > like I was around for Muffin Trio
Techno > best trio on the internet
Hannah > yeah I bet I could find you a YouTube video or something about it
Techno > right it’s been so long
Techno > like almost 2 years
Techno > why did Skeppy make a video with him?
Zelk > no one knows..
Zelk > but it has hurt everyone
Finn > Skeppy was the one who told Bad..
Finn > and Bad said that he was still friends with a6d at that time
Finn > Skeppy had announced the friendship as over
Hannah > https://youtu.be/1RVCm6XarEg
Hannah > that’s a good video to explain it
“Bad!” Skeppy sounded very happy for someone who just did what he did.
“Hey Skep.. have you seen Twitter yet and what they’ve said about what you- about the collab?” Bad asked.
“YouTube comments have been so positive! Everyone is so happy to see us collabing! They even missed a6d.” Bad felt his eyes starting to water as the words filled his mind of the mistakes he made.
“I thought you said a while ago you weren’t friends with him anymore and that you couldn’t be friends with him.”
Skeppy hummed, “we talked it out and time healed us…” Skeppy paused, “Aren’t you happy?”
“I haven’t been happy in a while, Skeppy. And I think that notification after you deliberately kept this collab a secret from everyone just made it much worse. I think I’m going to back out of our recording for tomorrow, find someone else please.”
Skeppy huffed, “I thought you would be happy about this. You’re the one who chose to stay his friend at the end of it.”
“No. I chose to stay his friend till the end, till I finally opened my eyes like you had. We all blocked him in the end, Zak. So no, that did not make me happy. And maybe the heart you posted on private was you showing your appreciation for all the love you were getting on YouTube but you have hurt so many people. So maybe you should check in on those you have just hurt and betrayed.” Bad left the call and went offline completely. Usually he stayed on Idle or Do Not Disturb, but not today.
He was making a point.
He manually switched his status.
*
Skeppy knocked on a door after driving for 20 hours and being very sleep deprived.
“What are you doing here, Skeppy?” Bad asked and Skeppy looked at the ground. Bad kept his door open and stood in the doorway.
“I just needed to see you in person.” Skeppy looked back at Bad. “I needed to hug you at least once in this lifetime.”
Bad stepped forward and took Skeppy into a hug. Skeppy hugged him back instantly. “I’ve always loved you, Bad.”
“You actually believed you loved me?” Bad asked and Skeppy shook his head, squeezing Bad tighter.
“No, I knew I loved you.” Skeppy pulled away and stepped a step away from Bad.
Bad let out a breath, “You don’t love me beyond best friends, Skeppy.” Skeppy’s eyes found the ground. “But that’s alright. I’m okay, I promise.”
“I’m sorry.” Skeppy whispered, “I don’t want to lose you.”
Bad wiped a tear from Skeppy’s face, “Aww Muffin, you won’t lose me.” Bad offered a sweet smile, “You’ll always be my best friend.”
“Really?”
Bad put his hand on Skeppy’s shoulder, “Really, and to whoever you fall in love with next I have a favor.”
“Okay?”
“Promise me that you’ll tell them how we met, okay? Because you weren’t always so serious and so quick to shy away from jokes and stupid antics. And I know how you get when you aren’t on camera. So let them know how sweet and outgoing and ridiculous you can be because I’ve always known that, but you don’t like to let people see it.” Bad shied away from Skeppy wiping a tear from his face, “Promise me you’ll treat them with more respect than you knew you could..”
“I’ll let them know everything..” Skeppy said with certainty and Bad dropped his hand. That could have been the last time they ever made physical contact.
This could be the last time for a lot of things between them. “Be kind to yourself as well, Zak. You’ll hurt them if you don’t.” Bad stepped back into his house and gently shut his door while Skeppy stood on his porch.
Skeppy took a quick breath and went to his car, ready to make his long drive back to LA.
He never looked back at the house.