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It had been only a day since Martyn had killed him, since the server was full of yellows and in a temporary state of peace.
What was not at peace is Scott's brain.
After the adrenaline of the run dwelled, he had time to think, to process everything that's happened but he was stuck on one thing.
Jimmy.
Jimmy who had the choice of letting him run away, maybe help hide him.
But no, he threatened him, it wasn't very intimidating because it was Jimmy, but still.
And he didn't even respond to his 'I love you's, that hurt even in the daze of the adrenaline.
After thinking so much about it, maybe too much, he realized that he had unwillingly set Jimmy in front of a choice: leaving him or Tango to be the last green alive.
His rabbit hole of thoughts about Jimmy's decision was interrupted by a voice.
"You're doing an awful lot of thinking" Martyn pointed out "penny for your thoughts?" he asked in his usual joking tone, subtly laced with worry.
"It's about Jimmy" Scott answered truthfully, there was no need in lying, he turned his head over his shoulder only to be met by Martyn's gaze, the "go on" was left unsaid.
"He wanted to hunt me down, he wouldn't have spared me even if just long enough for Tango to die, and he didn't tell me he loved me back... it sounds so silly now that it's out there" Scott let his tongue run and tell every concern of his mind to his ally.
"I think he didn't say it back because of the bad boy thing, which pretty dumb if you ask me, no toxic masculinity here at the Coral Isles tho" that got a snicker out of Scott "yeah definitely not" Martyn laughed as well.
"I think you should talk to him tho, wait for the break day and sit him down, I love the guy, but sometimes he doesn't even realise this type of stuff" Martyn continued back on the topic.
"Yeah, I know that, I didn't think I'd be getting love advice from you, but thanks" Scott grinned.
"Hey what's that supposed to mean?!" Martyn yelled but Scott had already run off in the forest.
The rest of the week passed painfully slowly and shockingly quickly at the same time. Scott woke up on the break day with only one thought in mind: "talk to Jimmy".
He rose and barely did anything except grab a piece of food from a chest to eat on his way. He swam across the water passing the TIES tower to reach the Clocker's base and then walk on the Bread Bridge.
He got stopped dead in his tracks when he bumped into someone walking towards the tower "sorr-" he went to apologise, when he looked up he's met with a leather jacket framed by golden wings.
"Jimmy? where are you going?" he asked before he could stop himself to think about it.
"Oh, hey Scott, I was going over to Tango's" he could see a faint rose tint make its way on the blonde's cheeks "where are you going?" he got his question back.
"I was coming over to see you, but I guess you're busy, Tango eh?" if the teasing had a bitter tone to it, Jimmy didn't notice and just gave one of his bright smiles.
"You should come with me, I'm sure Tango won't mind" he suggested, still wearing that smile that Scott couldn't help but give a small one in return.
"I actually had to talk to you, wouldn't wanna sour the mood, we can meet later-"Jimmy stopped him "just talk or talk talk?" the small smile disappeared from Scott's face.
"Talk talk, it's fine, it can wait" it wasn't a lie, it could wait, it would eat him alive but it could wait.
"If it can wait then you can come with me and we can spend some time together" Jimmy grabbed his hand and started pulling him along the path to the TIES tower.
"Jimmy- Jimmy I'm sure Tango wouldn't want me there when you two are supposed to spend time together" he tried to reason while he was pulled along, he would understand that, obviously, they were soulmates they would want to spend time together.
He couldn't understand why Jimmy was so adamant about this, from how he acted the past week it seemed he forgot they were even married in the past.
"Why wouldn't he?" came Jimmy's answer that made him point his feet and stop them both.
"Jimmy, you two are clearly in love with each other, soulmates, ranchers, and whatever, why would you want me intrude?" did he just let one of his sick stupid worries out? yes, was he gonna damn himself about this later? also yes.
"We are married, Scott-" "it didn't seem like it" he mumbled bitterly, okay what in the world was wrong with him? he's usually so careful about what he says, why can't he think before talking these days?
"Sorry.." he added after Jimmy's face dropped "I don't know what's wrong with me these days".
"I didn't mean to make you feel bad, I still l-" he stopped himself. Scott placed a hand on his arm.
"He's waiting for you, go" Jimmy's face scrunched up "but I want you there"
"Jimmy-" the tower door opened with a slightly worried Tango behind it, his expression relaxed the moment he spotted them on the bridge.
"Hey guys!" he called out while striding towards them "was kinda worrying you weren't showing up, Jimmy-" he seemed to feel the tension the moment he reached them "what's happening?"
"Nothing"
"Can Scott come over as well?"
They started speaking a the same time, leaving Tango confused for a moment, Jimmy's words making Scott tense "of course, was that the problem? I feel like I'm not getting something".
"Can we go inside? I think i messed up" worry returned to Tango's features, as he turned and guided them inside to a sitting place.
He hated this, he messed up someway but he doesn't know exactly how, he and Scott hadn't spent that much time together lately, not in that way at least. Was that the problem? He's not sure, but he's sure that he doesn't like this.
The tension is thick as they walked inside the tower, he could see that Tango was also nervous, they sat at the table.
"So what's up guys? I'm kinda worried" Tango started. "I'm sorry" he blurted out, met by Tango's questioning noise and Scott's wide eyes.
"Scott said he had to talk to me, and it's a bad talk type, I probably did something and I'm sorry" he explained his assumption, wings coiled tightly to his back and head down.
"Jimmy, it's okay, it's probably just me overthinking stuff, I'm sure you didn't even do it on purpose" Scott tried to reassure him, but it didn't seem to work when blonde hair raised to look him in the eyes "what did i do? cause I don't know" the look in his eyes almost pleading.
"You chose" Scott answered like it explained everything, "chose what?" he heard Tango ask but it was distant, he was too focused on his thoughts.
He chose? no he didn't, he couldn't choose, how could he choose between them? his flower and his rancher, he was trying to avoid choosing from the start, that's why he didn't try to team up with either. But he was still going to come cuddle with Tango all day, but he was overjoyed when Scott gave him the Pufferish of Peace. He can't choose.
"When did, did I choose?" he gulped as he said it, realising they were still talking to each other.
"When I asked you if you'd leave me to be the last green, you threatened me, you didn't even tell me you loved me back" he's not sure if Scott's tone was meant to be as accusatory as it sounded. Tango tensed beside him.
"I didn't mean to, I don't want to choose" his wings wrapped around himself, "I couldn't choose who to kill between you two, I let you go so I wouldn't have to" he could feel their stares on him, he shuffled on the chair to pull his knees to his chest and wrapped his wings a bit more around himself, as if to hide.
"What about the 'love you'?" Scott asked, again sounding accusing. "In game I won't say that to anyone because I'm a bad boy" he laughed humorlessly, "earlier I couldn't bring myself to say it to you because it's unfair, how can I say that to two people and-" his ranting was cut off by both Scott and Tango chuckling, he gave them a confused look.
"Is this how you tell us you're polyamorous?" Scott looked back at him from his shared looks and laughs at Tango.
"What? what does that mean?" he asked genuinely confused, "that you can fall in love with more than one person!" Tango chimed in giddily.
"That's an option? like it's, it's something that happens?" his eyes were wide and bouncing between the other two's faces.
"Didn't I tell you? I am poly, I'm datificating Impulse, Zed and Skizz" Tango said like it's the most obvious thing in the world, Jimmy blushed "if you told me, I probably forgot about it" he admitted. "I guess that's resolved then" Scott announced with a smile.
"But is it okay with you two if I, um, date? both of you but like separately" he was fumbling over his words and blushing like he was about burst, and he probably was.
Scott and Tango looked back at each other, they seem to have an entire conversation with only their eyes before smiling and turning to him.
"It's fine with us" Scott started "but we can't promise you we won't fight over you" Tango grinned and Scott mirrored it "I can definitely promise we will in fact fight over you" they both chuckled, he smiled.
"I guess I can say this now, love you" he looked between them as if to say it's for both, and they answered it with a chorus of "love you too" and twin soft smiles.