Work Text:
It was hard to fully explain what led to this moment. And especially why that content smile on Fluixon’s face down in the colosseum made him so angry now.
This wasn’t the first time Thomas had seen it on his face.
Back when he had realised his trap against the island 2 leaders had proven effective.
Back when he had successfully scared Legacy to step down in the election.
Back when he had escaped from his pursuers with a trap through the Luminara mountain mine.
But this was hardly an appropriate time to look like this. They had just escaped from Infernus, Fluixon barely alive after almost drowning in lava. Back then, Thomas had been so relieved to see him. Not quite unscathed, but not dead either!
They wanted to run away together. He and Flux. As the only ones left who truly understood what this world needed. Maybe Fluixon would’ve had another masterplan, maybe they would’ve gone into hiding. Thomas had never cared, as long as he could continue to stand by his side, be his right hand man, his everything. Although he knew…he would have never been that for him.
Not while Saparata was still alive.
Maybe this was another reason why he felt so angry now. Flux had made the decision to accept Saparata’s request for a proper duel just between the two of them and still, Thomas couldn’t understand this moronic decision. Flux might not have won in the traditional sense, but he had managed to survive while an army of around 400 people had been out to kill him in that battle. Why jeopardize that, the chance to escape, to fight Saparata? Not to mention everyone except Thomas watching seemed ready to step in and kill Flux themselves if he were to defeat Saps right here and now.
It was clear from the start that this decision would lead Flux to his death, one way or the other. So why that smile??
Thomas tried taking a deep breath. The duel hadn’t even really begun. Right now they were still just circling each other, muttering some stuff about old friendship and betrayal. Thomas scoffed. “Friends”, yeah right!
Then, Flux started swinging at his opponent with determination. He wanted to win against him. At least that gave Thomas a slight bit of reassurance. He had feared that Flux was ready to die by Saparata’s hands simply because it was Saps…and the content smile from earlier had only deepened those worries. But now, Flux’s expression conveyed nothing but purpose and Thomas hated how his insides clenched seeing it.
He had to win this. Flux had to win this. And maybe then, he and Thomas could defend themselves once again, against all those who want to hurt them and finally escape together, leaving Saparata for dead in the past. There was nothing, Thomas wished for more than that.
Because… what was he to do if Flux died? What would become of him? A lonesome fugitive? Would people even have interest in pursuing him? After all, to them he must seem like just another one of Fluixon’s puppets, who will do anything he asks and follow him blindly. Without Flux, Thomas wouldn’t pose much of a threat.
He wasn’t Fluixon’s puppet. That much he knew.
Because this devotion wasn’t born out of a manipulation technique used by Flux, or a false sense of security within the conspiracy. No, he had chosen this by his own volition. For a much more pathetic reason than anything the other people watching with him right now could think of.
The same reason, that Oppenheimer guy was now marrying the leader of Barbieland…
The same reason why Emperor Schpood had been devastated to hear about Jophiel’s death on day 4…
And, sickening Thomas down to his stomach, probably the same reason Flux had decided to agree to this duel with Saps…
He had known the reason since the very first day when all of them went mining together, back when even Saparata had been a part of them. Oh how much had changed between then and now.
Both of them were adamantly getting in hit after hit on each other now and Thomas had lost track of how hurt they both were.
He gripped the railing around the center of the colosseum tighter, his knuckles still bruised from the fight. Flux had to win this. Flux had to win this.
Otherwise, he also wouldn’t want to live in this world anymore…
The fight seemed to look pretty even until Saparata changed the weapon in his hands quickly from a diamond axe to a bucket filled with lava which he then threw at his adversary. Thomas watched in shock as parts of Flux’s clothes started to burn as the lava made contact. Flux didn’t scream though…He just grinned, whether from pain or whatever other revolting feelings were starting to come to the surface inside this hateful man.
Yes, despite his feelings, Thomas was acutely aware of the evil Flux had done. He never wanted to excuse his actions in any way. His decision to stay by his side had nothing to do and did not align with his moral compass in the slightest. And yet, he could never be caught dead wanting anyone else to win. Anyone else to live. For all he cared, every single other person on both islands could die, if only Fluixion stayed alive with him, he would be happy.
Flux was now running from one side of the arena to the other and Saps followed him closely. They didn’t yell at eachother, didn’t say anything. Oh, how Thomas wished to know what was running through both of their heads at this moment. Would Saparata even be able to kill his old friend? Would Flux be able to?
He had deluded himself into thinking he was Flux’s closest friend but in reality, he didn’t even really know him at all. This became more clear now than ever, seeing him fight the person he was truly closest to. And losing.
Flux took more and more hits, tried to parry some, tried to attack Saparata, who expertly dodged each and every one of them. Thomas so desperately wanted to jump down there, to stay by his side, to help him in any way. To keep the man he loved alive, if only for a few minutes more.
But something held him back. Some grueling part of him that recognized, this was what Flux had wanted. This was what that content smile had been for. If he had to die, he wanted to do it by Sap’s hand. He had always been one for a dramatic exit, huh?
It was almost funny, could be described as poetic irony. But Thomas was feeling nothing except despair watching the fight unfold further.
Saparata hit.
And hit.
And hit.
And-
His body fell limb to the ground, a massive wound planted across his chest and desperate heaving breaths escaping him.
This was it, so much was clear.
Saparata threw away his axe quickly, and rushed to kneel beside him, taking his face into his hands. After a slight pause he dared to look into the other’s eyes, still filled with that last bit of light that was oh so easy to disappear at any moment.
“Fluixon…” he mouthed as he put their foreheads together. “Why?”
Thomas swallowed. Saparata and him had been the only ones who ever called him by his proper name. The rest of the world only called him either “Flux” or “Fluxion”, not really bothering with the proper pronunciation.
And then…there it was again. That content smile fluttering across his expression, even as he was seconds away from dying. A smile that said more than anything he could’ve muttered out in this state. A smile that made both Saps and Thomas recoil in shock. Saparata shook his head in disbelief, his lips trembling in feelings unexpressed, as the light in Fluixon’s eyes slowly faded away. Thomas just stood there, his mind so many miles away from the events transpiring. He stared with a blank expression as more and more people went down there to make sure of Flux’s death.
As one of them looked Thomas’ way, he acted instinctually, ran away, out of the colosseum. It was like he was on autopilot. There was nowhere to go, nothing he still felt like doing except running, getting away, as far away as possible. Despite his heart aching to be by his side even in death, he continued.
Quickly enough, he arrived at the shores of island 1 and jumped into one of the two boats he had kept with him just in case. His arms started rowing, his legs stayed still inside the wooden structure gliding him across the sea, his face stared straight ahead into the beautiful sunset. His soul however, had gotten lost somewhere, he didn’t quite know where…
He hoped it was down in the arena of the colosseum. He hoped it took as big of a spot beside Flux’s dead body as Saparata did. Still being there for him, caring for him, staying loyal until the end. Thomas looked down at his charred armor, the blood splatters from both him and the people he killed. How pathetic could he be? Took so many lives for a man he couldn’t even stay loyal to in the end…why did he run? What did he still have to run towards? Or away from…
If anything, death couldn’t come quick enough. He could be reunited with all of them. Seraphim, Snowbird, NewKids, Hyvrotation, Gotoga…
And him.
Though, could he even face Fluixon now that he had run away from him in his last moments?
Thomas sailed for a few hours, racking his brain over what had happened, what he’d done. Finally, he even allowed himself to cry.
Then, as he slowly started arriving back at island 2, a few loose papers flowed through the air, seemingly scattered all across the island by the wind, and as Thomas reached out to catch some of them, his eyes widened a bit. Staring at him, was Fluixon’s face, filling up an expertly crafted wanted poster, along with a massive bounty.
He closed his eyes for a brief second. Thomas knew, he could never in his remaining life let go of this. His ghost would forever haunt him. So, when he looked at the other wanted posters flowing around and saw his own visage on one of them, he resigned himself to do another thing Fluixon would’ve hated him for. As the nation of the Conquesadors came into view on the horizon, he took a deep breath.
Now knowing, it would be one of the last breaths he would ever take.
Now knowing, it would be one of the last breaths to take before he would see him again.
And that was enough.