Work Text:
Stray Dogs
“What’s wrong? Scared? You really thought you could lie to me and get away with it? You’re funny Win. Real funny.” Clowns voice is cold and venomous. Every word was laced with poison and hatred for the figure in front of him.
Winsweep chokes, coughing up blood. His mask lay next to him, shattered.
He can feel the blood trickling down his arms from where he tried to block clowns blows again and again.
Winsweep had tried to fight back, originally, he fought tooth and nail because maybe it was just another test maybe he was going to give him another chance-
Clown strikes winsweep in the stomach hard. Knocking the wind out of him as his back hit the netherrack below him.
He wasn’t getting another chance.
Clown steps away from winsweep, scythe lowered at his side as winsweep choked, desperately trying to get air into his lungs.
“Get up.”
Winsweep struggled, pushing himself up off the floor.
Did he pass..? Was he okay could he find a way to-
Clown loads a crossbow. It shines with enchantment as Winsweep tenses
“I don’t want a liar as my commander, Win. I don’t want my commander to be someone who can’t even follow the basic orders to kill someone, I can’t even trust you’ll be loyal.”
Winsweeps throat feels dry, like getting word out are difficult “No- cmon clown you know me i am loyal I- I know I fucked up big time but I can fix this I promise I won’t let you down again I swear I won’t I just-“
“No Win, you don’t get another chance.” Clown points the crossbow at him, and the arrow lodges into his shoulder.
Winsweep holds back a sudden yell of pain as the arrow burns more than a normal arrow should, it made him feel like something was pulling the energy and life out of him. His open wounds drawn from clowns scythe ached and screamed at him .
Tipped arrows.
“Start running Win. Let’s see how far you can get before you fall.”
On shaky legs, winsweep pushed himself up, and ran. Netherrack, souls and black stone under his feet as he ran, lava sizzled and cracked as he ran, further and further. Heart pounding in his chest as fear and adrenaline coursed through his veins as he felt his left eye open, tracking blood down the exposed side of his face.
He clutched onto a pillar of black stone in an attempt to catch his breath when there was a whizzing of an arrow and pain exploded in his back as Win gasped in pain.
There was a familiar chuckle behind him as he heard Clown reload his crossbow.
It was like he was a hunter playing with a piece of prey.
Winsweep had followed every order he didn’t understand . He did everything clown asked every innocent life- yes winsweep let him get away again yes he lied he was sacred he was sorry-
Another arrow.
Win's vision was getting blurry. He was stumbling more as he felt himself wearing down, he couldn’t continue like this.
He trudged forward, stumbling, teeth grit together.
Then he spotted them, people up ahead.
Silhouettes. That slowly turned familiar as Win felt his eyes widen as he got closer to the others.
No . No no anyone but him anyone but him, not like this.
He made the mistake of standing still for too long, and an arrow lodged into his leg and winsweep buckled, hitting the ground hard as he yelled out a muffled cry of pain.
Josh-
No . Nonono not him please just- he’s down he can’t-
Winsweep struggled, his entire body felt like it wouldn’t move properly, everything took so much effort. He made a choked off sound, it wasn’t a plea. It would never be a plea not to him but he needed help. Desperately.
Why hadn’t Clown killed him yet?
—————————————
Clown watched, winsweep was definitely going to die soon if no one gave him any aid. And if Clown was lucky, josho would just finish his job for him. It would be easier to slaughter them all right there but..maybe winsweep getting killed by the person he was suffering for in the first place would be a fitting death.
Clown gave a little mock bow, he knew josho and those damn wastewalkers could see him.
Well he supposes things just got a little more interesting. He would have to keep an eye on those ones.
And with that, Clown left Winsweep to the wolves.
The wolves were the last thing he wanted. But this was fair wasn’t it for all he did. Maybe he would just be finished, Josh had every right too.
There was a sharp inhale as he tried his best to keep awake and pull himself up off the floor. He couldn’t let them get to him, it couldn’t happen. Even still it was impossible his body was in pain from the poison and beating he took.
Lucidity was slipping and fast he could tell even as he could hear the footsteps quickly come towards him.
Words.. that was the next thing he could hear. He guessed from Josho? But it wasn’t clear with how much his head was swimming.
“Win..?” Winsweep swore he could hear Josho say with panic in his voice, “…in sta… awak..”
Oh words were getting harder to hear now. It was odd how hard it was to listen. To even fight as one of those damn waste walkers forced his head up to look at them.
It wasn’t harsh.. which was what confused him, the hands careful to lift up his head and face so they could look over the wounds as the other two kept enough guard that Clown left them.
“Just, kill me” Winsweep pleaded, the words barely slipping past his lips as his eyes barred into Josho’s.
Even with the plea he knew it wouldn’t be listened to. This was his punishment, wasn’t it, to be forced to live and saved by him. How cruel fate was for this.
There was more shifting before he was helped up, arms around his shoulders as they started to drag him towards a safe place. Their safe place. The very place he was told to find and destroy.
“You're not dying on me now, Win.” Joshos voice was robotic, fizzling with static as a hand was around his shoulder beginning to help pull win to an area of safety.
Safety. That was ridiculous. This wasn’t safe they would probably kill him after all of this was done he was just-
Just..information.
How ironic.
They were muttering something to each other, the wastewalkers. He didn’t like how the one with white hair stared at him, almost expectedly. But Win couldn’t tell what the other wanted. He just stared at him with an almost dead look in his eyes. Something haunting. Winsweep knew what clown had done to the wastewalkers, he’s not surprised they’ll probably have a hand in getting the information out of him they’ll probably enjoy their revenge-
Winsweep was carefully set down against a smooth stone surface, they had reached the base. The very reason Win had failed the very reason for his punishment was because he couldn’t manage to do a simple thing like find cords to a base.
And here he was, sitting in that very base battered and bruised, he couldn’t even win a fight against any of them in this state. They could cut him down easily.
..so why hadn’t they? For information yeah but they had never even been rough they hadn’t dragged him against the ground as he kicked and screamed they hadn’t thrown him against the wall and started yelling or taunting it was just. Quiet murmurs.
He had seen how clown had treated those who stood against him, how Win had treated those who stood against him so why-
Why was this so different?
“Drink this” that was josho again, his voice sounded hazy past the robotic parts. He was pushing something into winsweeps hands, a potion. Winsweep shook his head, this was a trick. They wouldn’t waste resources on him like this.
“Win. Drink the healing potion before you bleed out you dumbass.”
Well. That was something. Joshos voice was more urging than anything else, his arms felt weak as he slowly tipped back the potion, going to remove his mask only to remember it had been shattered, left behind. Though it would probably be back, whenever he lost the damn mask it always showed back up beside him somehow. Weird binding effect or something. He hated how exposed he was without it, no unwavering smile, just wide eyes glancing around unsure, scared.
He drank the healing potion, feeling a good amount of his cuts start to seal up as the arrows piercing his skin still stung. Burnt.
All of their eyes were on him and win attempted to straighten himself up, he was- he wasn’t a commander anymore but he was still winsweep he was still strong and powerful he could still swing a sword.
Winsweep sat against the ground, josho sat across from him, the wastewalkers stood guard behind him.
“Was this your punishment for me escaping? For failing him again?”
Winsweep hated the way he tensed, he nodded. “Yeah” Winsweeps voice was rough, but the potion had helped, he felt like he needed to say something not just sit here in the silence.
A dog with no master, no orders, winsweep was utterly lost. Failing the one person he had been following for ages. Now he was here in front of the person he had hurt more than anything, and yet. The other had made no moves to harm him.
He had never felt so utterly useless. That thought struck him as he could feel the look of pity That was given to him. Winsweep hated that feeling, the looks, how it made him feel. If they didn’t want him for information then what was he good for? What good is a guard dog without its master.
For a moment Winsweep watched as Josho spoke with a low voice to the wastewalkers, sending them inside. During that pause Winsweep tried to move his hands with a sharp inhale, trying to start pulling those damn poison arrows from his skin.
Unfortunately, though, Win knew it well with how clown crafted and had the arrows crafted, the sharp barbed edges caused them to catch and tear on his skin making him hiss and bite his tongue. Winsweep only stopped at a hand on arm, pushing his own hand down and away as Josho crouched down.
“Don’t do that” Josh spoke, moving to start looking over how the arrows looked. “You’ll make it worse”
“Why” Was all Win could say back, the words heavy and quiet as the end of the question was said without a word. He couldn’t understand this mercy, it felt… cruel. He didn’t deserve this. If he was to be used for information they should just torture him and take it before killing him. Why are they helping him. Why.
There was a sigh that left Josho’s mouth as the waste walker with white hair huffed and rolled his eyes before looking away. Win couldn’t help but let his eyes stare at Josh as the other pushed the arrow the rest of the way through to remove it cause Winsweep to tense with a muffled yelp
“Maybe I’m teaching you about mercy” Josh answered back, glancing up to him, “maybe this is my way of revenge,” he continued taking bandages from the waste walker that just arrived back, moving to stop the bleeding from his shoulder, “my reasons are mine and I simply won’t let you die, alright?”
"You-" winsweep gritted out as Josho started to wrap the wound on his shoulder. the metal hand brushing exposed skin, as the bandages gradually stopped the bleeding in his shoulder.
"It's a little late for life lessons Josho." Winsweep said through a sharp intake of breath as Josho began to remove the arrow stuck in his legs, barbed arrows tearing at flesh as the pain flared up and win's fists tightened.
He simply wouldn't let him die.
The pang in his heart was sharper than any barbed arrow. That he could sit here, as Josho tended to his wounds, like it was nothing. The other moved with such care, trying to make sure win wasn't *hurting.* Winsweep hadn’t hesitated to dive his sword into the other to start ripping and tearing at flesh .
Mercy.
Something Josh had, and Win lacked.
Winsweep breathed, in and out, as the arrow was pulled. A pained noise slipping through his teeth as he tensed
Josho made a small shushing sound that buzzed with static "There's only a few more arrows, im almost done"
"Just- rip them out or something that would be faster"
"Yes but it would hurt you more, which isn't my intention here, win."
"It should be."
"But it's not. And you can't seem to comprehend that"
"Because I don't deserve this I don't know what you're trying to do here Josh but it wont work-"
"Win."
Winsweep goes quiet, stilling as there's a hand on his arm
"I already said. I'm not letting you die. And I'm not letting you hurt anymore than you already have right now, do I make myself clear? Stop trying to fight me on this win. Now's not the time."
Winsweep glared at the other, the words hurting more than any blade really could. Every bit of him was fighting itself, between listening or fighting against the words. He hated it, the kindness, the stupid mercy. Josho wouldn’t let him die, he wasn’t allowed to die and that felt wrong.
After a moment he opted to look away, trying to tilt his head down to keep his face hidden. There was too much emotion happening and he didn’t need to be any weaker in front of them. No not when this felt like torture enough.
Maybe that’s what this was, mercy as a form of torture. How ironic. The kindness of someone he once knew, someone he hurt.
“You're an idiot, maybe I’ll just kill you” Win threatened softly, making the other hesitate before shaking his head.
“You won’t. You never could” Josho answered back, carefully removing another arrow from his skin.
It was true, he never could. He never could kill him. The one person he was told to kill and Winsweep failed that simple mission. Even now what would his death do, maybe gain him some small favor? It wouldn’t truly matter, that was clear now.
“I could” he repeated, looking up at Josh as the other moved on to the next arrow
“What would it do? Finally kill me and report back then what, Win?” Josh asked, sighing as he looked to the other, “don’t pretend you didn’t know this would happen. Not after the last time.”
That shut Winsweep up, the words making him sharply breathe in as he thought about it. He was told no third chances, nothing and now look where he was. How funny, the very stray that broke from them was now saving him.
Winsweep continued to stare at the ground, as the final arrow was removed from his back.
Josho stood up, walking over, picking up a rag, before he walked back and started cleaning at wounds on his back, covering them up with bandages
"Win, look at me"
Winsweeps eyes stayed firmly staring at the ground. He didn't want to be here, he didn't deserve to be here, he deserved to be dead in a ditch. That would be better than whatever this was supposed to be. This mercy, this punishment.
There was an irritated sigh, before a cold metal hand tilted his head up, as josho carefully wiped away blood from the not rotting side of Winsweep’s face, as the other attempted to look anywhere but at the person in front of him.
"You can't avoid me forever, y'know. You tried, and it didn't end well for you, did it?"
"I'm not avoiding you, it's hard when you're sitting right in front of me."
"Then stop looking away."
Maybe it was hard to look at him because it was a reminder. An ache as he looked at someone who was once whole, someone who once held him as gently as this. Someone who was once a friend. Josho was always too forgiving. And here he sits, tending to Winsweeps wounds like he was a wounded animal, some sort of dog thrown to the streets.
Just another stray.
Ironic, how both of them ended up.
There was a pause before Winsweep pulled his face away and stared at Josho’s face, looking at the metal that went down and covered his neck. He was the one to cause that, causing the need to have those mechanical parts. He was the one to betray his friend.
“There” Winsweep huffed, before looking away, “happy?”
Josh rolled his eyes quickly taking his face again so he could finish his work of cleaning up any cuts, “you are always so stubborn”
“And you are too kind, Josh. Kindness will get you killed”
“So will blind loyalty, Win.” Josh quickly counters, moving to patch up the cuts that needed it, “like I said, maybe mercy is a lesson you need to learn”
With that Josh’s moved, helping the other back up before giving a nod to the waste walkers. “You don’t need to stand here with me. I’m going to go make sure he rests”
The moment of standing made the injured man groan softly, eyes looking up as the white haired waste walker glared at him before saying something to the other two waste walkers and leaving.
Winsweep exhaled, unable to really fight with the lingering poison in his system as Josh led him to a room to lay down in, carefully sitting him down.
“You know, strays are just as capable of making a pack” Josh starts, walking to the door and letting Winsweep sit there silently, “sometimes even stronger than a lapdog could ever be”
The words were taunting as Josho left, leaving Winsweep alone as the door locked. How ironic.. he always was led to believe that others were weaker than him and here they were, somehow proving him wrong with just words.
Even still, with those longer words he knew, all a sword was ever good for was to let a master use it and if it lost its edge it was nothing.
That’s all he was now, no master, a dull weapon. A guard dog with nothing to guard and a failure.