Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

(scott is in a tavern washroom alone, he's been there for quite some time, he's struggling to take off his chest binder)

knock

(pause)

dex: hey scott, there's only one washroom would ya hurry up?

scott: oh yeah, i'm almost done

scott verbally winces

(pause)

dex: are you...ok?

scott(somewhat defensively): yeah i'm fine buzz off would ya?

dex: ok jeez, i was just trying to be nice.

(time passes)

dex: scott, jeez, dude it's been way too long.

(no response as scott is struggling to get words out)

dex: alrighty i'm coming in, stop hogging the...

(dex elbows the door breaking it open to find scott sitting in the corner, on the ground, a nasty bruise on his side, holding his binder, trying to patch it up without wasting a spell slot)

(pause as dex absorbs the scene, taking a moment to process it, it takes a moment but he quickly slips into the room and shuts the door behind him)

(scott visual braces for ridicule from dex)

(dex silently sits down next to scott)

dex: yk you really can't wear this thing(the binder) while fighting, it's gonna fuck up your ribs.

scott(defensively): yeah well you don't get it!! it's-

dex(cutting scott off): shut up, here, hold still.

magical sounds as dex casts healing elixir

dex: drink this

scott: what? no, i don't need your help? don't-

dex: just. drink. it.

(scott drinks it begrudgingly and the damage to his ribs heals as the bruise disappears)

dex: wait here

(dex leaves the room to retrieve something)

(time passes)

(dex returns)

(dex pulls out a small roll of trans tape and tosses it to scott)

(pause)

dex: if you have to bind at least use this

(scott raises an eyebrow and then furrows them)

scott: why, how do you...have this?

dex(sitting next to scott making a gesture to offer help, scott accepts): oh, uh, one of my bandmates binds and will forget their roll for shows and you can't really perform in a binder so i keep a roll on me just in-case.

(time passes)

(the two exit the bathroom)

clarissa(raising an eyebrow): y'all took a bit didn't ya? what did you get up to in there huh?

(scott starts to answer but is interrupted by dex)

dex: oh screw off, it's none of ur business.

clarissa: oh, ok, well jeez, i was just wondering.

~fin~

Chapter Text

Scott stared at himself in the mirror. His hands traced his face, feeling every bump, every perceived imperfection. He tugged at his cheeks that didn't quite fit and his lips that didn't look quite right. His eyes traced lower on his body. Upon reaching his bare chest he grimaced and quickly turned away.

A voice called from the other side of the room's door. "Scott, hurry upppp," Dex drawled.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming!"

Scott quickly threw on an outfit and swung open the room door. He's greeted by a grinning Dex, hands, and shirt, full of cheese.

"I'm not even going to ask why you have so much...cheese."

"I was hungry!" Dex says through a mouthful of cheese, "You want some?"

"I, uh, no thanks."

Scott looked away from the man standing before him, hiding a smile and stifling a laugh. Dex was so stupid, this whole situation was ludicrous. Who shows up, carrying an incredible amount of cheese in their shirt, at someone's door, and then offers to share? Something about Dex's idiocy warmed Scott's insides, but he quickly shook the feeling and reminded himself he and Dex weren't friends, they were simply stuck together.

"Are you using the tape I gave you?" Dex said through another mouthful of cheese.

"Chew your fucking food you idiot...but yes, I am"

"Good, I can't fuck with you if you're dead, after all."

There was the warmth again, and again Scott shook it off.

"Yaknow, I really like cheese, it's like spice, you know? Like, good pain," Dex continued talking as Scott followed him down the tavern hallway.

Scott stopped walking, "It's...what?" Scott asked, puzzled.

Dex also stopped walking, turning back to face Scott "You know, good pain like when your partner-"

"Dex...eating cheese shouldn't be painful?"

"...What?"

"Dex, are you lactose intolerant?"

"I try to be tolerant of all kinds of people so I don't think so?"

"Dex...put the cheese down."

"But, I like cheese..."

"...Nevermind," Scott said, briskly striding past Dex, sighing loudly.

Dex broke into a trot to catch up with Scott and said, muffled by another mouthful of cheese, "Preston and Clarissa are already downstairs at a table, I think they said we're having waffles."

For the next half hour or so, the four, not-quite friends, enjoyed breakfast around a tavern table, joyfully conversating about the events that had transpired during their time in this world that wasn't quite as unfamiliar as it used to be. Eventually, the quartet fleshed out their plans for the day and set off into the town, hoping whatever the day brought about was in their favour, unaware that what was around the corner was something they could never have predicted.

Chapter Text

Scott saw his body drop.

Fear coursed through his entire being. As a druid, he could literally feel the light of his soul extinguish. It felt like sitting next to a campfire that suddenly went out, a missing warmth you'd just gotten used to, like a sun setting all too fast. He'd watched many creatures die during his time in this world, many lights extinguished. This was different. The other deaths were like torches in an empty hall, there was always another, another light, another warmth. This was like a giant bonfire going out in a sudden rainstorm, with no way to relight it. The world around him almost seemed to cry out as this light went out; it knew it had just lost something, someone, it would never be able to replace.

The next moments of combat felt like a blur. Scott could barely see anything through the tears that coated his vision. He tried to hide the tears of his anguish, but despite his efforts, his tongue was salty with the taste of his sorrow. He desperately tried to reach the body of his fallen teammate,  but the enemy blocked his way.

Finally, the body of the opposing enemy dropped. A light went out, but it was nothing like the previous life he'd felt leave this world.

Scott didn't hesitate. He fled towards the body of his friend.  Sinking down to the limp body, he cradled it, struggling to hold concentration long enough to cast anything. His hands were shaking as he feebly attempted to cast a spell. He was exhausted, but if he could just, get something, anything else out, anything, anything at all.

"Dex, Dex, please, please, wake up, come back to us. You can have that lollipop, I don't care, I don't care; you can have anything, everything, in that entire spiteful store, just please, for heaven's sake Dex, please, please," Scott wailed, cradling the body of his fallen friend, his voice cracking as tears continued streaming down his face.

He felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He looked up to see Clarissa and Preston. Clarissa was desperately trying to hold in tears. Meanwhile, Preston was turned away in an attempt to hide his leaking eyes and nose.

"Scott, he's gone, he's gone," Clarissa choked out through her own tears which she had given up holding in.

"No, no, he'll be fine," Scott whimpered, holding out his shaking hands over the cold body in another, futile attempt to bring back what he had lost.

It was no use. Dex was gone. Scott wanted to hate himself, for the fights, for the bickering with Dex. Maybe if he had warmed up to him a bit faster it would've all gone differently. If he had just done, or said something, anything differently, maybe Dex would still be with him. He'd crack a stupid joke about the fact he'd nearly died and then somehow tie in the fact he was sleeping with Preston's mom, then he'd sing a stupid song about how he almost died. But he was gone. Scott wanted to live in this regret for the rest of his life, but then, as if a whisper from Dex himself, Scott got the sense that Dex wouldn't want that. Something told him Dex would want him to live without regrets, and so he would do his best.

~FIN~

Chapter Text

Dex saw his body drop.

Fear coursed through his entire being. As a warlock, Dex felt a wispy, smokey release. It felt as if a large bonfire you were unaware of, had gone out. The bonfire's warmth was suddenly gone, and all you were left with were tendrils of smoke. With this, you suddenly miss something you never even knew you could lose more than you ever thought you could miss anything at all.

~

Clarissa felt shock run through her limbs as the body dropped. She turns toward her teammates to see black clouds enshroud Dex's eyes, as black smoke hisses out of his mouth and ears. Clarissa watches as Dex shoots towards the enemy, hunched over in an almost feral position; like a cat lunging at its prey. Dex had never hesitated during a fight, but somehow this was different. Not only did he seem to be moving faster than ever before, but he seemed more feral than usual. His movements were erratic and yet somehow also that of flowing water, one strike flowed into another and another until the shredded body of his opponent dropped.

~

As Dex came to, his ears rang and his vision blurred. He stumbled, almost tripping over himself as he made a break for the motionless shape of his friend. Dropping to his knees he held the unmoving body in quivering hands. He held the body of his dying friend, tears rising to his eyes, his hands shook as he searched his memory for something to help as he felt the last of Scott's life seeping out of his body.

As Dex felt the last of his friend leave him, anger rose to his face. In a sudden outlash,  Dex let out a furious scream, sending needle-like pain through the mind of those around him. "Why, why, fucking damn it why," Dex howled as his companions doubled over from the psychic pain echoing in their minds and the entire plane seemed to shake with his agony. "Fuck, all this over a goddamn lollipop, fuck!"

~

Clarissa struggled to stand as the echoes of pain still rang in her ears. Upon pulling herself to her she was greeted by the sight of Dex laying, collapsed, beside the cold body of Scott, clasping Scott's hands in his own. Familiar smoke was trailing out of Dex's face. She turned to Preston, helping him stand as he held his head in his hands. As the two supported each other, they hobbled to the motionless bodies of their friends. Clarissa laid her hand on Dex's neck. Finding a steady pulse, she sighed in relief. Next, she turned to Scott.

"Please," she muttered in a wistful whisper, going to rest her hand on Scott's neck. Upon placing her hand on his neck and finding no pulse, a tear ran down her face. She laughed, "Hmm, it has been a while since losing something hurt this much." Tears continued to slip down her face. "I hate this, haha, I hate needing other people. I'm supposed to not care, I've never needed anyone. God, why does this hurt? Fuck."

~

"TONY, YOU MOTHER FUCKER. WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Hmmm, I thought you were the mother fucker?"

"Bring him back, I know you can."

"I can't do that, kid."

"Why not?"

"Life and death aren't mine to control. I may be a g.o.a.t. but even the greatest have their limits boy."

"I'll do anything. Just tell me."

"Anything? Ah, well...let's see what we can do."

~

Dex jolted awake, gasping for air, but not feeling anything enter his lungs. His vision was still blurry, but he shook it off. Looking around he was met by Clarissa and Preston's eyes, still misty with tears. Quickly he looked to his side, he could see Scott begin to move as if stirring from a deep sleep. Tears of relief begin to fall from his eyes as he turns to meet the eyes of his teammates, who were flabbergasted by the resurrection of their formally deceased teammate. He turned back to Scott, who was holding his head in his hand, shaking it. Dex stood, offering a hand to help Scott.

His teammate accepted Dex's hand, but upon touching it he pulled back slightly.

"Dex...why don't you have a pulse," Scott questioned, as terror filled his eyes.

~FIN~