Chapter Text
"You have come this far... what do you know of the suffering of one that has too much to spare?"
A figure with a white bandana steps in with a growl but the guards are ready. His opponent, Shadoune, doesn't seem to realise that that is too many guards for just two people.
And Shadoune would soon find out why they needed that many guards there. Shadoune's vision is blurry when he looks up to stare at Sapnap, they had been fighting for who knows how long... a punch to the jaw was all he needed to be desperate and put distance between them.
The two of them are cautious of each other. One recovering, the other thinking that this is a ploy. They are enemies after all, it was either life or death for the both of them.
The sacrifice of all of their friends that brought them to this stage... they had to be in vain for at least one of them.
In another universe... could they have been friends instead?
Sapnap shakes the vision of Shadoune smiling and socialising with them during the first few days. Out of the corner of their eyes, they see their friends and happier times despite the circumstances they are in, the betrayal and loyalty.
'Dream... George...' Sapnap grits his teeth.
'Spreen... Conter...' Shadoune takes a step forth.
Their next step decided their fate then and there. Their faces are different but from the floor... they are wearing the same suit, they are in the same desolate situation together. Both of knees buckle and drops onto the ground.
Only one continues to descend however as arms that supported him for a second let his body drop onto the ground. In order to win...
The other however was unable to stand anyway as his hand prevented him from face planting into the ground. Blood mixed with sweat drips onto ground as his white bandana stains red.
Sapnap sighs as he looks up towards the sky as he let's himself be taken in by the guards.
'Dream... George... I did it...' but at what cost? Sapnap didn't spare a glance at the body on the ground behind him as guards tend to him. He didn't see the satisfied expression on his opponent's face, why would he be happy about his own death? Shadoune isn't sure... but the last thing he thought of... was that he fought well... and his suffering... is over. He can see his friends again... if he had looked back at the place he died due to a certain someone... said someone wouldn't know as they were on different planes of existence now.
"Congratulations-"
But he isn't listening at all, he is still back at the top of the mountain, hearing the wind breeze past his ear.
"This is my target."
Sapnap glances at his teammates' bracelets. For a second he thought that he got someone else... Sapnap shakes his head and takes a swig out of his canteen.
"It's part of Shadoune's team isn't it?"
Sapnap pauses, a single drip of water wasted because of a name. It was like hearing something familiar, someone he should know... well he did his research at least and thinks that their team is at most decent.
But why was he so caught up on that name? A flicker of a butterfly... like a friend from another world... he didn't know however that he killed that person in his previous life, how would he know? He is only human after all.
"Watch out!"
Sapnap dives for cover as bullets starts to spray at them.
"Help me! Help me! Help me!"
A flash of darkness made him almost trip and fall into a mine if his friend hadn't pulled him aside.
"Focus up Sapnap!" he snaps as he pulls him into cover, Sapnap takes the chance to load his gun and aim out of the building they were taking cover in.
"Shadoune you do not want to take this fight!"
Sapnap frowns as he quickly scopes into his gun. It is just enemies... not friends... he cannot be sentimental in battle... or...
George's worried expression as he left him to team with their current fourth... the shot from his gun snaps his memories into pieces. George is dead... he needs to focus or he will die too.
Shadoune curses as his horse neigh's in panic as his team quickly backs off.
"(We should focus on the other gringos)," Conterstine pulls Shadoune to the side as Shadoune insists that they should take on this team but they are in no shape to take this fight right now.
The border would move soon and if they were losing resources fast, it could mean the death of the rest of them.
Shadoune didn't know however if the eagerness to see Sapnap was because he wanted to kill him or just... see him again. But they had to focus, they were losing people and becoming more separated... Shadoune struggles to load his gun as he and Conter were separated, now he was alone traversing broken remains of buildings.
"Who's that?"
"That's Shadoune-"
"Is he alone?"
"Don't take that fight!" Sapnap urges as he looks away from Shadoune's name tag that can be seen through walls. "We need to focus on the winning team, if we lose a member... at least we can team with Shadoune..."
His teammate scoffs, "If I didn't know better I'd think you want to get rid of us to team with this guy."
If Sapnap was being honest? Given how he survived as a leader this long? It's probably more viable than his current teammates... except for Hbomb... Hbomb is good and level-headed.
So Sapnap was hell of frustrated when he died behind them while they were escaping from the top gringo team.
"Team! Team! Team!"
Sapnap perks up, hearing spanish made him jittery and on edge. It's not Shadoune... but he seems nice and tails behind them, giving them resources when he can... even if he didn't have much in the first place and his teammates would be kind enough to give him blocks.
They don't know that in another world, they had helped each other. There was that language barrier too, Diffrent didn't know much english at the time and didn't really have a reason to.
But now, they had a reason to...
Sapnap dashes through the border, it is tearing him apart. He had never felt this type of pain before but the will to live tore through to him, running past screams of his own teammates as they struggled on the ground.
Sapnap bandages himself as soon as he sees his health grow too low, he also times the time needed to fully heal himself, ignoring the pain searing into his bones like being stabbed by a thousand swords.
The adrenaline numbing his body, he slams into the wall, thankful that the border stopped right there. Little did he know, someone else had the same idea as he does. Sapnap was still bandaging himself when another figure dashes into the building.
It was his best bet, after all, Sapnap had been with his team the whole mission. The fact that it was only him left...
"Team! Team! Team!" Sapnap exclaims.
"Okay Team! They are near here!" Shadoune exclaims.
Sapnap had a second of hesitation that almost costs his life as bullet rains past the walls and small opening.
"There is two here!" Bullets rain on both sides, given that it was the last rush, Sapnap takes out his sniper to knock the enemy down but they were only two people while they had three.
Sapnap was the first one to go down, he grits his teeth, he should have ran but something pins him to this spot right here and it's not his broken legs. He looks up to Shadoune who is also down.
"No! He was low!"
Sapnap chuckles, despite them bleeding out on the floor. He didn't know why but... he feels like this is better than the alternative... in a world where his friends are all dead... at least he would join them in the afterlife...
But still, he was scared of dying after all and crawls next to Shadoune.
Dream and patches will have to move on without him. The comfort he had from cuddles... not even George is here to give him that. Shadoune spins around, despite lying in a pool of his own blood to be able to lie beside Sapnap.
Shadoune looks at Sapnap who looks happy.
"What are you laughing about?" He asks, grin contagious.
"Nothing... it's just... I'm just glad that I'm not going to betray my friends for the final fight... and the lay with the enemy in my final moments... it's just tragic... that's all..."
"Well... for what's worth..." Shadoune mutters as Sapnap's breathing slows. "I think there are still two opponents left... or is it one-" Shadoune frowns as his consciousness floats in and out, not realising that Sapnap had already stopped breathing beside him.
It is nice though... to not die alone... Shadoune thinks as he leans his head against's Sapnap's hair...
It's smells of gunpowder and sandy wind...
"This is a sick joke!" Sapnap exclaims to the ceiling.
"At least I'm not pressed about it, oh look who is this?"
Sapnap bursts out laughing, prompting everyone in the room to scowl at him. He should be dead but yet here he was, after saying that the game was unfair, fighting for his life against those who seek to pit people against each other in games that meant life or death.
Sorry if he was too passionate in urging for his own life.
The shadows threatened to engulf him before the next day even started but there were a few people... at least the people he least expected that would defend him... people he don't know nor if they knew him.
One of them however he knows somewhat well.
"Everyone seems mad at you," Badboyhalo muses as he pats Sapnap's head who purses his lips.
"I don't really care about what other people think of me... I'm just here to win," Sapnap pouts.
"I know," Bad beams.
They started discussing the game with swirls and another spanish streamer, serpias.
Shadoune glances at the other side of the room as he is smiling awkwardly at other people. He feels bad, because his mind isn't on their conversation even though he should be paying attention regardless of the topic being discussed.
Shadoune excuses himself to talk to his other spanish friends who are lost as to what happened or why they were even here. Shadoune feels a little bad for dragging them into this for being associated with him but now that they are here, he should set an example.
And what a poor example he was setting. He was nore concerned about an english speaker who he had never met before this yet from the way he was talking, he seemed so innocent and experienced.
As if he was an expert in life and death games.
But then again, he was part of the MCC community which is a tournament, while not of life and death, it was still a famous and major event.
"Sapnap didn't do anything wrong... this is the best for both sides," Bad beams as the other community members continue to look distainly at him for still associating with someone whom he had known since he was 12 and was practically a father figure to the little firebug.
"Hey," Shadoune smiles, he feels his fingers tingle a little.
"Oh hey..." Sapnap replies awkwardly, not knowing if he was talking to him at first. If Sapnap felt the same feeling tingle through his fingers, he didn't show it on his face.
"I just want you to know that we support you," Shadoune beams.
"Yes!" Serpias exclaims like an excited puppy or well cat in his case.
"Yeah... thanks..." Sapnap was a little shy, given it's strangers being kind to him... but then again, it seems like everyone here except for Bad and his other friends who had lost previously are strangers.
"If anybody gives you any trouble..." Shadoune mutters, giving Sapnap his number.
"Oh... um... thanks!" Sapnap beams. He usually doesn't except phone numbers but what's the harm of getting someone as popular as Shadoune's number?
"Oh oh! Me too!" Serpias beams, snatching the card mid air.
Shadoune and Sapnap were still staring at each other as their fingers brushed.
Shadoune has the urge to hold his hand but didn't want to be rude. Sapnap glances at his fingertips before putting it down entirely until Serpias was done scribbling on the card.
Shadoune should have really made some name cards for Serpias but they didn't really have any reason to do so... until now apparently.
The next game was starting so Serpias hurriedly gave it to Sapnap before leaving them alone. They needed to say their goodbyes before leaving.
Little did they know, it wasn't done yet as more problems will ensue.
"I did it!" Sapnap exclaims in victory.
"You did it!" Shadoune beams.
"Oh..." Sapnap feels his heart sink, he didn't know why but he was hoping that someone else other than the person who showed him kindness was facing him in the finals.
"Sorry... am I making you feel uncomfortable?" Shadoune asks.
"No! No! It's just... I feel like we have been here before haha..."
Sapnap just said a random excuse but it resonated with Shadoune somehow, somehow...
"Well good luck in the finals, I heard it's connect four," Shadoune beams.
"Ah... really?" Sapnap sighs, he was hoping that it would be physically fighting at the very least. If it was connect four...
"I'm glad that you are here though..." Shadoune smiles.
"Really?" Sapnap asks, surprised.
"Yes... I have nothing against you but... I've heard stories, people comparing us and well... I wanted to see what you were capable of... sorry it has to be here though..." Shadoune smiles sheepishly.
Sapnap's eyes widen before nodding with a smirk more of consolation than anything else.
"May the best connect four player win," Sapnap smiles.