Chapter Text
The lion hybrid, ManePear was lounging on a tree, eating golden apples and minding his own business. Peaceful. Actually peaceful for once. Until—
A loud crackle of fire explodes right behind him.
ManePear nearly drops the apple as he spins around, claws digging into the bark out of reflex. His heart jumps straight into his throat. For half a second, instinct screams enemy.
Instead, he’s met with a familiar, wide, grin.
Flamefrags stands there, flames still licking lazily around his shoulders, looking way too proud of himself for someone who just jump-scared another living being.
“What’re you doing, bro?” Flamefrags says, both arms planted on his hips like he hasn’t just taken ten years off ManePear’s lifespan.
ManePear blinks under his blindfold. Once. Twice. …Of course it’s him. Who else would it be?
“…What’re you doing here?” he responds, voice flat, though his tail flicks in clear annoyance.
Flamefrags lets out a chuckle. “So… I found this really tall abandoned tower. Like tall tall bro.” His grin widens, sharp and excited. “Can you climb it with me? Asking for a friend.”
ManePear paused.
Climb… a tower? With him?
The image hits him instantly, uninvited. Smaller hands slipping. A startled shout. The sickening drop. The sound of impact echoing far too loudly in his ears, even now. His chest tightens before he can stop it.
“…Climb an abandoned tower?” ManePear repeats slowly, turning his head toward Flamefrags. “Really???”
“For real, bro,” Flamefrags confirms, confidence dripping from every word. No hesitation. No fear. Not a single thought spared for consequences.
ManePear exhales through his nose.
This is a bad idea. A terrible idea. An incredibly bad idea.
He should say no. He knows he should. But instead, he sighs, shoulders relaxing just a fraction, and flashes a small, resigned smirk. “I mean… sure, bro. I guess we can go on an adventure once in a while.”
Flamefrags’ eyes light up instantly.
⸻
After blocks of traveling and pearling through numerous biomes, they finally stop in front of the tower.
ManePear cranes his head back.
…Yeah. That’s tall.
Way taller than he expected, stretching up into the clouds like it’s daring them to try. The structure looks ancient, forgotten by time. Most of the metal has oxidized into a dull coppery color, and the ladder running up its side looks thin. Fragile. One wrong move and—
ManePear’s gaze lingers a second too long.
That thing would NOT survive a bad slip.
Flamefrags, meanwhile, sets down his ender chest like they’re at a picnic. He hums to himself while sorting through his gear, completely unfazed. The tension creeps into ManePear’s chest, low and tight, refusing to leave.
He opens his mouth to say something. Anything. Maybe suggest caution. Maybe suggest literally anything safer.
“You’re not gonna back out of this, right, bro?” Flamefrags cuts in, grin wide and taunting.
ManePear exhales sharply. I knew he’d say that.
Memories claw their way back in. Hands losing grip. The split second of horror. The fall.
He pauses. Then straightens, forcing the tension out of his shoulders. “Yeah,” he says quietly. “No backing out.”
“Great! Race you to the top then, bro!”
Before ManePear can protest, Flamefrags is already climbing.
“—hey!” ManePear snaps, instincts flaring instantly.
Idiot. Absolute idiot.
Not wanting to leave his younger brother alone on a corroded tower, especially this tower… ManePear grabs the ladder and climbs after him, claws careful, movements precise. His eyes never leave Flamefrags’ netherite boots.
If he slips again…
Nah. He’s fine. He’ll be fine. Right?
⸻
By the time they reach the halfway point, well… barely. ManePear’s arms are already starting to ache.
They crouch on a small wooden platform they’d slapped together with oak planks, barely big enough for the both of them. The wind is stronger up here, tugging at ManePear’s mane, whistling softly through gaps in the metal.
Flamefrags chomps down on a golden carrot like it’s nothing.
ManePear chews slower, eyes drifting back to the ladder.
He could’ve sworn it twitched.
Just for a second. A tiny shudder, barely noticeable, but it’s enough to make his stomach sink. His grip tightens around the carrot without him realizing.
He blinks. Shakes his head. Get a grip. You’re seeing things.
Maybe he’s just paranoid. Severely paranoid.
This is Flamefrags he’s climbing with. The so-called Immortal Demon. The guy who walks out of PvPs laughing, who treats danger like a joke. There’s no way a simple fall could take him out.
…Right?
Flamefrags taps his shoulder, snapping him out of it. “Let’s go back to climbing, bro.”
Then he pauses, smirk creeping in. “Unless…” He tilts his head slightly. “You’re giving up, bro?”
ManePear snorts. Of course he’d say that.
“Yeah, real funny, dude.” he mutters, standing up and brushing his hands off. His eyes flick back to the ladder one more time, lingering just a second longer than before. “I’m not giving up.”
He steps forward, positioning himself right behind Flamefrags as they resume climbing.
Close enough to grab him.
Just in case.
And as they climb higher, the wind howls louder around the tower, and ManePear can’t shake the feeling that something, somewhere beneath them…
is waiting for one wrong move.
They leave the platform behind, and the ladder stretches on again.
Longer this time.
ManePear notices it immediately, the spacing between rungs feels off. Some are bent slightly inward, others warped from age and heat, like the metal’s been tired for a long time. He tests each step before committing his weight, claws scraping softly against coppered iron.
The height doesn’t bother him. Never has.
He’s climbed worse. Higher. Towers, cliffs, floating ruins with nothing but air beneath his feet. Heights don’t scare him.
Flamefrags does.
Well… not him exactly. Just the way he climbs.
Too fast. Too confident. One hand instead of two. Sometimes no hands at all, just boots and momentum, like the tower is nothing more than a suggestion.
“Oh my god, bro.” ManePear calls up, keeping his voice steady. “Slow it down a bit.”
Flamefrags glances back over his shoulder, upside down for half a second, grin still intact. “Relax, bro. Like, I got this.”
ManePear’s jaw tightens.
That’s what you said last time.
The ladder creaks as Flamefrags shifts his weight, and ManePear’s focus sharpens instantly. Every sound matters now, every scrape, every metallic groan carried by the wind. His body stays loose, controlled, but his attention never strays from Flamefrags’ movements.
A rung above them shudders.
Not enough to break. Not enough to panic. But enough.
ManePear freezes mid-climb, one claw hooked securely, the other tightening around the rung. He waits. Counts a breath. Then another.
The ladder settles.
Flamefrags doesn’t even notice.
ManePear exhales slowly through his nose.
You’re fine, he reminds himself. You’re both fine. Just keep close.
He climbs faster, closing the gap between them, positioning himself just one rung below Flamefrags now. Close enough that if something goes wrong, if a hand slips, if metal gives—
I’ve got you.
The wind picks up again, rushing past the tower’s frame, tugging at Flamefrags’ coat. ManePear reaches out on instinct, steadying him briefly by the ankle.
Flamefrags looks down, surprised. “You good, bro?”
“Yeah,” ManePear replies immediately. “Just— ladder’s older up here.”
That’s not a lie.
Flamefrags shrugs, unfazed. “Guess we’ll be faster then.”
And he keeps climbing.
ManePear follows without hesitation, muscles coiled, movements precise, eyes never leaving his brother’s back.
Not afraid of falling.
Just not willing to let history repeat itself.