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Light filters through the cave entrance, the cold air from the storm last night circling the inhabitants of one lonesome cave. The fire from last night turned into soot, extinguished by the wind at some point in time.
That was the sight that Saps took in when dawn came.
Half-awake, he barely registers someone's arm looped around his chest. It was a heavy, comforting warmth, much like a thick blanket. He pushes it away, rubbing his eyes, yawning as he sits up.
That was the best sleep he had in a long time.
Saps doesn't remember when exactly did he start sleeping on the cave ground, but it must be some time after he leaned on Thomas' chest, enjoying the warmth of a fire against the harsh night of rain.
He looks to his right, seeing Thomas and Flux still fast asleep, Flux gently snoring against Thomas' chest. It was quite the sight, Thomas and Flux—
Saps springs up, the cold realization sending him a step backwards.
…Right. They were his enemies now.
Said enemies are asleep, completely vulnerable and blissfully unaware of how Saps could end their lives right here and now.
"It's the perfect opportunity." His mind whispers.
It's right. This might be his only chance.
Saps takes a step backwards, then two strides to the side. He slowly takes out his sword, which was miraculously wasn't stolen from him the night prior.
Saps points his sword against Flux's throat, the tip of its blade a bit more than an inch away from his open, vulnerable skin. This close, he could map out the start and end of where his neck lies. From his sharp jawline to his exposed clavicles, just right there for Saps to see.
It is tempting, to trace it with his blade and draw blood to see how its beautiful red paints his enemy's almost milky-like smooth skin.
This was a chance, a chance given to him by luck, to finally take revenge to those who betrayed his trust.
Beside Flux, Thomas moves in his sleep, his now free arm hugging Flux completely in a bear hug. Thomas' head sits right under Flux's chin, exposing more of the latter's long neck.
The sword trembles in his grasp.
Just one more step, that's all he needs to do.
Saps lets out a shaky breath, and slowly retracts the blade pointed at Flux's throat.
He couldn't do it. He just couldn't.
Saps runs away, fleeing from his past that spills in his present, clutching his chest as if its his lifeline.
He needs to get out of here. He needs to build a boat to escape and attend his trial, schemes be dammed, as this was his only shot at proving his innocence.
Saps ran blindly into the woods, taking out his anger onto some unsuspecting logs on the way. There is just one thing on his mind— to build. He couldn't afford to be distracted now, more than ever.
Saps swallows down his emotions, feeding it to the fire in his chest.
He hits another tree down with his axe, and then another, and another.
It would be a lie if he said that the betrayal didn't hurt him. The two were his closest friends, the first he ever met in this cursed world. Maybe that's why it hurts more, he couldn't fathom when exactly did their gazes change, from a friend to a victim.
…Did they ever think of him as a friend in the first place?
"That's enough logs for a luxury ship, with the way you're committing deforestation in here." Flux's voice snaps Saps out of his thoughts, now realizing how he cleared an entire area in his daze.
"Flux," Saps turns around, not knowing what emotion showed on his face, but whatever it is, it made Flux take a step back, looking at Thomas for a split second. "You're awake."
Flux looks as if he didn't just wake up just a moment ago, hair perfectly in place, none of the mess Saps witnessed prior. The only giveaway, really, is a bit of crust near his lip, and Saps couldn't help but point it out.
"You've got a bit of drool over there. Had a nice sleep?" Saps points to his own lips, mirroring the spot in Flux's face, teasingly.
"Wha— I do not drool in my sleep!" Flux gawks, but scrubs away anyway.
"Sure, you don't." Saps drops his axe and picks up some of the wood he chopped, throwing it onto one spot, but never looking away from the pair.
Beside Flux, Thomas looks puzzled, his brows knitted in confusion. His gaze, weirdly focused on Saps' axe on the ground. His hair is tousled by sleep, sticking up in different places.
"Thomas, make yourself look presentable." Flux chides Thomas, as if he's reading Saps' mind, dusting off the brunette's hair and flattening some floating strands. Thomas complies quietly, smoothing out his hair, leaving some spots he couldn't reach with the inflexibility armor gives you.
Armor. The two are wearing their armor.
Saps is suddenly, very aware of his lack of armor just now. Still wearing only his boots, he could think of a lot of ways he could get stabbed by now.
"So," despite this realization, Saps does not let his anxiety show, "since when were you awake?"
"Thomas woke me up when he heard you bolt towards the forest. Isn't that right, Thomas?" Flux turns his gaze towards Thomas, who suddenly bolted up as if snapping away from a daydream.
"…Huh? Right. Right." Thomas nods, almost absentmindedly.
"Still asleep?" Saps asks, tilting his head. It was strange, because the Thomas that Saps knows is awake the moment he opens his eyes. He's a bit of a light sleeper, unnervingly so.
"Yeah, probably." Thomas touches his neck, scratching it a little. He blinks, finally looking at Saps. "Are you making a raft?"
"…Yeah." Saps' eyes narrow in suspicion. "Make your own boat, dude."
Thomas lightly smiles, clearly having none of it, "But it would be easier if it was just one big raft for the three of us, no?"
Flux looks at Thomas incredulously, and honestly, Saps agrees with his reaction.
"Thomas, are you playing with me right now?" Saps almost laughs at his face.
"Nope," Thomas shakes his head. "Look, it would be easier for us to work together to get out of here."
Saps could only stare at Thomas dumbfoundedly.
"Your trial is in the afternoon, right?" Thomas says slowly. "Do you think you have enough time to build a boat all on your own?"
Saps looks at the sky, estimating the time, and it's still a few hours before noon.
"Yeah, I got the time." Saps blinks back at Thomas. Thomas purses his lips together, an unreadable expression in his face.
"Can I, at least, have some of the logs you chopped down?" Thomas points to the trees that Saps mercilessly chopped down in his daze.
Well, he does owe Thomas a favor, letting him sleep close to him before he froze to death.
"Sure." Saps picks up his axe back up again.
He thinks of the materials he needs to build a boat, other than logs, he'd need vines to connect the logs together, or something like that. Saps does not know a single thing when it comes to crafting boats. He usually just steals someone else's boat, or buy a new one.
Because here's the bitter truth, Saps is shit at building anything, and that truth, unfortunately, includes boats.
He's bound to learn it one of these days, but for today, he does need a bit of guidance still.
So he turns to Thomas and—
Saps watches as Thomas effortlessly picks up an entire log with one arm.
Saps gulps. It's really easy for Thomas to kill him, defenseless as he is right now. He could be crushed by a log alone, or maybe even with his bare hands.
Saps turns to look at Flux, who decided to sit down on a rock nearby, watching as Thomas does all the work. Ugh, that bum.
Saps shakes his head, finally deciding to put on armor while everyone's distracted. He has been on boats before, so it should be a piece of cake right?
Saps' boat sinks in the very first test run.
"Yeah, I expected this to happen." Flux's deadpan voice comes from behind him as Saps mourns his creation.
"Acting like you know how to build one too. You're making Thomas do all the work!" Saps snaps at Flux, looking at Thomas still building his and Flux's boat.
"That's what he's here for." Flux shrugs. Saps only rolls his eyes in response.
"Just watch me, I'll build an even better boat." Saps drags his boat back to shore, Flux's commentary fueling his goal of creating something usable.
However, after fail, and after fail, Saps gives up on making a boat entirely.
"Thomas, is your offer still up?" Saps sheepishly asks.
"Coincidentally, our boat can fit up to four people." Thomas smiles as Flux wears the most unimpressed expression ever.
"How exciting." Flux says sarcastically.
Well, if it all goes to shit, Saps knows how to swim anyway.
The boat ride, has yet to be, the worst decision that Saps ever made in his entire life, second only to letting other people build his house.
The ocean is calm, only with the occasional ripples and splashes caused by Thomas' rowing. Thomas is on the front, with Flux in the middle, and Saps on the back.
It all started when Saps asked a question.
"Where are you guys going anyway? I assumed that its near Commonwealth, since Thomas was insisting on sharing a raft earlier."
"It's none of your business." Flux says, crossing his arms.
"Excuse me? It's clearly my business, since I'm hitching a ride here."
"I didn't ask you to be in our boat."
"Well, I'm your problem now, and that means I should at least know where we're going."
"To that, I'm saying, no, I won't be telling anything."
"What's your problem? I'm just asking a simple question here!"
"And I refuse to acknowledge your question. Act like you don't exist, will you? It's getting on my nerves."
"You're getting on my nerves!"
A bird squawks above them, waves crashing as silence dawns between them.
"I should just drown you right here and now." Saps doesn't know when exactly did he become close enough to Flux to hold him by his collar. "That way, they won't even see my name when you die."
"Try me." Flux grins. His face closer than ever, "Do it, Saps," The glint in his eyes almost captivating, "I dare you to."
The boat rocks, sending the two flying sideways.
Saps lost his hold on Flux's collar, grabbing the side of the boat instead. Flux flies the other way, towards Thomas. Flux holds on Thomas' shoulder to steady himself, his amethyst eyes still glaring at Saps.
"That was a big wave." Thomas finally spoke up for the first time in a long while. "Hold on tight if you don't wanna fall off."
Flux holds on Thomas' arm, still staring at Saps. But this time, his glare turns into something else, something possessive.
Saps couldn't decipher what was the look for, exactly. But he holds onto his end of the boat anyway, deciding that the view in the other end was better than the view in front.
The sun shines bright in the sky, its hues of blue mixed with a little orange, mixing into a pink-like fog. It might be a little past noon.
He must be a little late to the trial now. Maybe that was their scheme all along.
Saps stares at the horizon, as the truth dawns on him, that his trial will be soon, and his fate relies on this island's mercy.
He only sighs, wanting to go back to the past when his future wasn't so bleak.
"And oh, Saps?" Thomas suddenly spoke up. "We're going to the Commonwealth as well."
Motherfucker.