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Clown didn’t think he was going to join Lifesteal World. He needed a break from killing, the schemes, the lies. He would have been glad to fill the role a few seasons ago with a certain player, but not now.
Not when Clown would be alone in the role, acting all high and mighty in front of all of Lifesteal and its guests.
Clown just needed a break, a short break. He couldn't miss much from a two-week long game after all.
Well, that’s what Clown’s original plan was: hang around, wait, twiddle and his thumbs and relax. And that's what he was doing for the past few days. Not even bothering to think of a plan to reap hearts and rule the server.
His relaxation clearly showed since he was in his pajamas still, resting in bed as he scrolled through Tiktok. Somehow, despite all his scrolling, Clown was still thinking about Lifesteal.
Not full-on plans, but quiet curiosity that Clown dwelled on. He thought of who was being pushed to the edge, who was ruling with an iron fist, what kore went down, and all sort of things that Clown told himself he wouldn't think about.
After all, Lifesteal had already kicked up and started a few days ago. It must have been chaos now.
Some part of Clown wanted to start his computer and join the world, but he forced down the need. He promised himself to relax, to enjoy this break while he could.
Besides, even if Clown did change his mind, it would be difficult to take his usual position as Lifesteal's scariest player.
Players must be dripping in diamonds by now, people killed left and right, hearts reaped, and chaos everywhere--how could Clown join now? He would just have to accept the bed he made, scrolling on his phone instead.
Until one night he thought “why not?” there wasn't any harm in glancing over the list of guests and players. Might as well know who is in the middle of chaos.
There was never any harm in being nosey.
Clown picked up his phone, moving to the long document the admins gave to everyone. So many tabs--rules, restrictions, players, and guests.
He didn't have a need to look the document over, and Clown was glad. Because what kind of youtuber--or streamer would even look this thing over? With this many buttons, tabs, and words, who would?
Clown moved to the last tab, skimming over the blur of names, blending with one another. The list was long, winding and made Clown even more bored with each scroll.
With a sigh, Clown moved to exit from the boring document before a name caught his eye.
It might as well have been highlighted in bright yellow--his heart hammering as he reread the name over and over again.
Branzycraft.
Branzy? Branzy?
The curly haired, indentured servant of his back? Returning to Lifesteal? The man who could weasel himself out of any kidnapping, any abduction. Branzy?
His Branzy?
Really?
Clown's head swirled with these thoughts, unknowingly clenching his phone as he rewired all his plans for the next few weeks.
First, he would need a solid team. Players that could control the battlefield, taking his orders as he thought of plans to control the server.
Second, Clown would need to join now.
Clown immediately exited from the document, glancing at the top right corner of his screen--8:47AM. Okay, okay. And what day is it? Wait--nevermind, that didn't matter if he already knew that he was late.
"Shit," Clown cursed as he moved over to his computer, turning it on to join Lifesteal World.
He wasn't thinking about the hearts, not the chaos, but of Branzy.
The curly haired, slippery servant of his that left him alone in a server of chaos, is now back.
Back in his life, maybe not from servitude since Branzy's first reaction wasn't to call him, but Clown would take whatever handed to him at this point.
If Branzy wasn’t planning to be Clown’s engineer, then he would have to live with it.
When the world started, Clown took in a breath. Glancing around the lush land of spawn, it looked flat for some odd reason.
He was used to the rough ground and grass growing like wild, but this world was..flat. Weird.
No place to run and hide--well, except the few hills at the corner of Clown's eye. And that's exactly where Clown started booking for it.
He ran--ran as a few players started circling him. Players that he found familiar from other servers, worlds, seasons that felt so long ago.
Minute was one of them, circling around in full armor, which should have been threatning as he circled around in silence. Watching, waiting.
Maybe it would have been nice for Clown to reunite with Minute, his trusted teammate from previous seasons--but not now. Not when Clown's only thoughts were of Branzy.
Branzy. Branzy. Branzy. Where? Where is he? Branzy!
It didn't matter that Clown had no armor, no tools, no weapons to protect himself from the vultures of Lifesteal. Clown didn't care that he was still at spawn with a target on his back--not when Branzy's out there.
He needed to see him--Branzy.
How many seasons was it that Branzy left? Said goodbye and went off to find himself again. To see a reason beyond reaping hearts, and taking a break from looking over his shoulder every few minutes?
Three seasons? More? Less?
It was hard for Clown to think. Jumping into a world without any game plan, any idea of what lore had gone down the passed few days. What players to avoid, which ones were easy targets—nothing.
But, it’s hard to stop someone from finding their lost piece. Isn’t it?
Feeling a chunk of yourself missing, gone, obliterated, taken away from you without having a chance to fight.
Without having a chance to reason—Clown’s piece—Branzy.
Couldn’t sit Branzy down and plead with him to stay—or to take Clown with him. To run away together, hand in hand, hearts united.
But no. Life—or lives can never be that simple, can it?
Branzy just had to run away from Lifesteal—from Clown.
And now that Branzy was back—back in Lifesteal—back in Clown’s life, how could Clown ignore the chance?
Ignore the possibility that Clown could see his missing piece? His half that was torn from him? The man that got away?
That’s why he joined. Not for the hearts, not for the chaos, not for the blood to be spilt, but for Branzy. Clown’s crazy engineer from seasons ago that for some reason Clown couldn’t stop thinking about.
Clown was yearning, needing to see Branzy. Checking left and right, behind, up, forward. Where could he be?
The players around him was speaking to Clown, but he could only nod or answer offhandedly. Not caring what they asked or what they wanted, his only thought was Branzy.
Branzy. Branzy. Where are you? Branzy. Branzy? Branzy? Where? Where?
Clown ran up the hill, wanting a good vantage point to see Branzy. Knowing him—his Branzy would be close by spawn.
He wouldn’t have hid in a corner—no, he would have been peaceful knowing him. Two weeks was to short for Branzy’s usual mastermind plans.
So where is he?
Where is that beautiful head of curls Clown desperately wanted to see again? Where is Branzy?
He wanted to tease him, to mock him, to see him squirm again.
Even if Clown didn’t get to do those things, he wants to at least see Branzy—even from afar. Even if Clown was blocks away, he would gladly take it if he saw his Branzy through a scope.
Anything—Clown would take anything. Anything that the universe would give him—Clown would take it.
That’s when he heard it. His voice—Branzy’s voice.
It cut through the wind, “It’s my guy!”
Heavy footsteps moving towards him as Clown turned around to dash towards those very steps.
Clown couldn’t think, not now. Not when he was going to see Branzy, his Branzy.
The man that got away—Branzy.
Branzy! Branzy! Branzy!
Clown’s heart hammered as he took in the beautiful sight.
Those beautiful white curls, eyes that lured Clown in, a smile so bright that blinded him. It was Branzy—in front of him! Him!
It was him! Really him!
”It’s my guy!” Branzy repeated, running closer to pull him to a hug, attacking him to the ground.
It didn’t matter that everyone was watching them. That Minute was on the sidelines doing whatever happy dance that was—or that he could be spawn killed like the many before Clown.
No, nothing mattered. What could possibly matter more than the player in Clown’s arms?
Nothing. No one.
”It’s my guy!” Branzy shouted in Clown’s ear. So very happy that he just laid there atop of Clown, not even caring that he could be choking his past teammate.
Because yes, Clown was Branzy’s guy. Branzy’s guy, that was Clownpierce.
It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?
Clownpierce: Branzy’s Lovesick Guy.