Chapter Text
“Where’s Color?”
“Why do you need him?”
There was a bitterness in Delta’s voice, he didn’t even turn to face Killer when he answered them.
“Why do you hate me?”
Color was not lying when he said Killer was incredibly, uncomfortably, spontaneous.
“What’s your body count?”
All the more reason they couldn’t be trusted.
“Exactly.” Delta spoke after a moment with no response from Killer. He couldn’t care if it was Killer genuinely trying to count how many souls they’ve killed or if they were trying to come up with a witty quip. “I am a judge, Color is too, you were once. I don’t understand how Color deals with you, can stand being around you. Even just sensing your EXP and LV is sickening.”
“I don’t know what he sees in you. What is worth it to him?”
Blade against glove, before either could even blink. Killer’s permanent smile grinned back at Delta, but he could see the other was seething through their teeth.
“Now that isn’t very nice, is it?” Killer pressed the blade harder into Delta's grasp. “Color taught me the golden rule, so why don’t I treat you how you treat me, huh?”
Delta grunted, pushing Killer away as they took a ready stance. Killer landed delicately on their feet, knives spinning in their hold, staring the other down.
Charging his way, Delta held an arm up, the other arm pulled back preparing to counter an attack. Bending his knees and tensing his legs, preparing for an impact, he blinked, confused as too much time had passed for the speed Killer was coming towards him.
Taking a chance, he lowered his arm and searched for where Killer could have gone if they weren’t attacking him like their actions set up before.
A blade, near moments away from cutting him down, frozen in the air as Killer studied him.
“But…”
Bravery, strength, calculation.
Fear, hesitance, suspicion.
All in Delta's expression. Made sense, he did have the Bravery soul in him, right? Though, when something comes charging at you, full speed with sharp, pointy objects, that really isn’t a calming thing.
“Color also said it was ineffective to fight fire with fire, didn’t he?”
Killer dropped their knives, letting them despawn as they took a step back. They watched as Delta, too, dropped their fists to their side, eyeing them carefully.
“Don’t act like you’re any better than me, just look at you.” Killer started, holding Delta’s gaze. “Color hasn’t told me anything ‘cause he's respectful like that, and you haven’t told me shit cause you’re cautious.”
“Not a bad thing, but can be a restricting thing.” Killer chuckled, Delta making a face. “I’m sure you know that.”
“Just wanna talk to Color, that such a crime?” Killer turned away, facing the door he came from. “He’s the only one who listens and doesn’t treat me like it was all my choice.”
“That I wanted to kill everyone. That I wanted to stay with Nightmare. And that I can’t be better than who I was forced to be to survive.”
“Forgive me if my instinct to not trust a murderer is offensive to you.” Delta sneered back. Their intentions did not justify their actions. Maybe they didn’t want to hurt anyone, but they did. And they couldn't be exempt from consequence because of a sob story.
“Do you think,” Killer started, Delta couldn’t see their face as their back was towards them. “That even the worst person can change?”
There was a moment, the words processing in Delta’s head, before he sighed, almost laughing to himself.
“That everyone can be a good person, if they just try?” He finished, Killer faintly laughing with him as it seemed to fall halfheartedly forced out of Delta’s mouth.
“I used to not think so.” Killer spoke, debating with themself if they should even say it.
“I still don’t think so.”
“But Color does, to some extent.” Killer smiled softly at the thought of Color. Oh Color. So sweet, trusting, determined, kind. But smart enough to know when to stop, but not without trying every option possible, no matter how absurd.
“And I agree with you, it might be his downfall one day.” Delta didn’t trust Killer, he had to be careful as he's been warned of their silver tongue. They may sound heartfelt and sincere now, but how much of what they were saying could be sweet lies to win him over?
“I don’t know why he chose me, why he believed in me, why he took the time, why he still does.” Killer went on either way, Delta giving no reason for them to believe he was still there and listening. “I don’t know what he sees in me. What’s worth it to him, but I want to believe him.”
“I want to believe that I can change, that maybe I can have a happy ending. That I’m more than what I was, and I can be better.”
“I don’t believe it, but I want to.” There was a pause. “He makes me want to.”
“You don’t care, do you?” Delta blinked after being directly referred to, Killer looking over their shoulder, a forced smile on their face as they barely made eye contact with him.
“A part of me hates you, and wants to get as far away from you as possible.” Killer admitted, venom in their voice. Venom? Hatred? Acceptance? Fear?
“But another part of me wants to get to know you, and ask why.”
“Why you hate me, why you won’t get to know me, why you won’t give me a chance.” Killer went on, smiling but spitting out words as if truths they didn’t want to admit. “Why, even though you’re right, you won’t encourage me to try.”
“What part of me I listen to determines on you. I can keep barking up a tree, but if the squirrel never comes down, I won’t waste my breath.” Delta didn’t soften his gaze as Killer turned back to look at him. Why were they trying to act like he was the bad one here? As if being dubious of a person with buckets of blood on their hand was a shameful thing to do.
“Color was lucky because his barking was so annoying, I could do anything but come down and shut him up. But… I found I missed the noise when he finally did.” Delta narrowed their gaze as Killer seemed to drift off, chuckling under their breath as they mentioned Color’s name.
It’s not that Delta didn’t want to trust Killer, they couldn't. With their history, with their unstable soul, with how long they’ve been with Nightmare, with how quickly and easily they could flip like a switch, they couldn’t take that risk to trust them. What were lies, what were genuine truths. What were they saying to satisfy Color, what were they doing to gain their trust? He just… couldn’t trust them.
“I don’t know. Maybe you’re right.”
Like they said, a flip of a switch, their soft, vulnerable voice was replaced with a carefree, joking tone. Anyone could say anything in any tone, especially Killer, they would know better than most how to present themselves to get what they want.
“We both know I’m nothing but a murderer.” Killer laughed, a knife suddenly in their hands as they twirled it around, shrugging as if the previous conversation meant nothing at all. And maybe it did, Delta couldn’t tell. He could never know for sure. “I can’t change, no matter how hard I want to be anything else.”
“I don’t know why I try.” Killer pocketed the knife, heading for the door. “See ya Cheddar Cheese, I’m gonna find the Fire Hazard.”
“That’s a bad one and you know it, Red Dead.” Delta grumbled at the nickname, firing back his own.
“If it pisses you off, I think it’s perfect.”