Archive of Our Own

At first, it didn’t really bother Scar.

Maybe he would have, at the very least, appreciated a little bit of a warning from Grian. Maybe he wouldn’t have felt lied to when he saw the cookies in one of their chests, screaming BigB’s name at him like a taunt. Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t have felt so abandoned when he saw how happy Grian looked with BigB.

Hell, BigB could’ve at least told him about it and he wouldn’t have felt so cheated.

Scar stands on the outskirts of Box. He hated confrontation, despite being one of the many people on the server who were known to cause it. He shouldn’t feel so nervous about it, it was just going to be a simple conversation; a simple talk between friends; allies?; whatever you call your soulmate’s secret soulmate. He watches as Ren and BigB step out from the doorway, and as Ren goes ahead on his own, Scar catches BigB by surprise.

“Oh, hey, Scar!” BigB greets, a polite smile on his face. “What brings you to Box? Need some resources?” Always offering to help, even when he stands with a crimson colour to his dark eyes.

“No, I need you, actually!” Scar feigns his cheerful tone, not letting it waver for a moment. “Come, come, let’s go speak over here! I’m sure Ren won’t mind?” He wraps his arm around BigB’s shoulder, ignoring how his blood boils at his own action. He ignored the bloodlust in his veins, whispering and hissing at him. He couldn’t attack BigB, especially when the man was in his red life; Scar would like to be in the green for just a week longer, thank you very much.

“Well, what is it?” BigB chuckles. He shoves his hands in his pockets, swaying on his feet subtly as he waits for Scar to explain this rather sudden conversation. Sure, maybe it was a poor choice to not at least have Ren on standby; if Scar tried to attack, and BigB was alone, it would only mean certain death.

“I know what you and Grian have going on,” Scar deadpans.

How did he find out? Is the first question that comes into BigB’s mind. He stiffens, letting his guard rise up for a fraction of a second.

“Sure, I may not be the first to always catch on, but I saw how happy he was with you,” Scar continues, his brow furrowing as he talks. “I have plenty of reasons to hate you right now, BigB, but you know what? I’m giving you one last chance.” He holds out his hands as he talks, giving a small shrug as he speaks one more time.

“Explain it all to me. Enlighten me on yours and Grian’s little alliance.”

It felt like a trap— no, it was a trap.

BigB purses his lips, his hands tightening into fists at his sides. He could see the hurt in Scar’s eyes, and as much as he knew it wouldn’t matter in the end, maybe it would at least spare the ranger some more hurt. Maybe it would spare him from feeling so abandoned, so cheated, by his own soulmate.

“Let me phrase it differently, actually,” Scar says. BigB curses. He must’ve been silent for too long. “BigB.” Scar grabs one of his shoulders, his grip firm on the blue sweater.

“Is he happier with you?” The question leaks into a vat of hurt that makes Scar’s voice shake, ever so subtly. BigB’s eyes widened at the question. At first, it seemed illogical to think so; Grian was happy with him, sure, but he always seemed to be equally happy with Scar. Though, maybe it was a facade, something not understood from an outsider’s eye.

“He’s happy with me in general,” BigB chuckles out. “I— don’t know what he feels about you. He never really talks about you when it’s just him and I.” He phrased it all wrong, maybe it seemed too harsh, but something about the answer only made Scar all the more upset. His grip tightens on his shoulder, his eyes glossed over with offence.

“So I’m really just that forgettable, am I?” Scar hisses. “Oh, and of course you would cover for him, because you two are meant for each other! ” His tone becomes taunting at the end, his face flushed in an indescribable rage. He lets out a breathy laugh, shaking his head as he steps back from BigB. “God, BigB, I hope we’re not red at the same time, because your blood will be the first on my hands.”

“Scar, wait—”

“Don’t even think about giving me your god damn sympathy!” Scar’s hand twitches, the hilt of his sword now in view. “You don’t get to act all sad and upset now! You had your chance, and you ignored it! You could’ve rejected it, and you didn’t! God, why did I even bother?” He laughs through the question this time more hysterical as tears sting at the corners of his eyes, threatening to spill out from the floodgates.

Scar was always one to consider emotion over logistics — his heart was always worn on his sleeve, open to anyone and everyone. It was both a strength and a weakness, depending on who took that heart of gold and held it with care, or who would crush it under their boots and watch its amber drain into the earth, poisoned by hate and anger.

“I know you’re upset, and I understand your anger, but—”

“No! You don’t understand my anger! You have Ren, one of the most loyal people on this server, and you don’t have to worry if he’s going to throw you away like you’re some fucking street dog!” Scar snaps. The tears began to fall, and as his shoulders trembled from repressed sobs, he shook his head, still wearing a lopsided smile even through all of the pain that contorted his expression.

BigB opens his mouth to speak, silenced as Scar shoots him a glare.

“I’m done here. I don’t know why I came here, anyway. It was stupid.” Scar turns, beginning to follow the path back to the ruins of the Red Velvet Keep. He doesn’t make it far before he feels a firm hand seize his arm, reeling him back and forcing him to meet BigB’s eyes. He snatches his arm away on instinct, his brow creasing with irritation.

“Just listen to me before you get upset again,” BigB says, holding his hands up in surrender. “Please. I don’t want to make you more upset than I already—”

“More upset? More upset?” Scar roars. “You have no idea what you’ve done to me! You have no idea how many nights I’ve spent, knowing that Grian’s happier with his chosen soulmate than me! You have no idea how I’ve laid awake at night, knowing that I can’t be what Grian wants!” His shouts echo throughout the open savanna field, his chest heaving with each harsh, rage-fuelled breath.

“Let me explain—” BigB can feel the irritation itching at his own skin, humming in his bloodstream. His heart is in his throat, and it’s impossible to speak past it. He knows that the betrayal and hurt dancing in Scar’s soul is nothing in comparison to a similar one he had felt, only two seasons ago, but if Scar would just let him try—

He flinches as a blade is raised to his throat, pressed against his Adam's apple. He swallows, hard, as Scar’s eyes flicker with a raging amber-yellow. It’s a rage that BigB knows well, from when a desert was surrounding him and clinging to his blue cardigan. It’s a rage that a lonely wizard once held as he threw potions into a large crowd, laughing as poison filled the air and choked everyone of precious oxygen.

It’s a rage that only Scar could muster.

“You’re lucky I can’t kill you right now,” Scar whispers, though the words are as sharp as the tip of his sword. “If I didn’t care about these rules, I would slit your throat in an instant.” He lets the words hang in the air, studying BigB’s furrowed brow that creases with worry and fear. He can only imagine how Ren feels, the phantom ache of a sword against the skin of his neck, that threatens to cut down and spill his blood into the grass.

The idea of the fear makes Scar sneer.

He lowers his blade from BigB’s neck, leaning against it.

“I’d suggest you watch your back,” Scar hums, “because the next time we see each other? I may follow you up on my little promise.”

The threat lingers in the air like smoke, pressing into BigB’s lungs with as much force as TNT. Scar eyes him for a moment longer before turning back to his path, following it down to his and Grian’s towering base across the ravine.

“What was that about?”

BigB jumps out of his skin, whipping around and seeing Ren standing a few feet behind him, a bundle of wheat in his arms. The werewolf chuckles, stepping closer to BigB. He frees one of his hands from the wheat bundle and settles it on his shoulder.

“Just me, dude, don’t worry,” Ren smiles. He looks towards Scar’s direction, pursing his lips into a concerned frown. “Did he threaten you? We can go kill him if he did.”

“No, no,” BigB assures quickly. “I’m fine. We’re fine.” He gives Ren an assuring smile, setting his hand over Ren’s.

“Alright. Well, I’m going to feed the cows. Don’t stay out here too long, it’s getting late,” Ren hums. He turns back to the direction of the Box, his tail lashing aimlessly as he walks. BigB watches him for a moment before turning back towards the towers across the ravine.

Maybe he shouldn’t hope that he’ll make it to see Scar and Grian on red. If Scar was true to his word, then not only would he take down BigB, he would drag Ren down with him. The last thing BigB wanted was to be at fault for causing Ren’s death, to drag down the werewolf.

So, he made the decision, right then and there, to never let any harm come to Ren.

He wouldn’t let Scar get his away, Void be damned.