Chapter Text
Young Multi didn’t know what first drew him to Katie B, what separated her from everyone else on the island from the beginning.
She was annoying, loud, reckless, and impulsive; sometimes it was no wonder how close she and Ewron were. But she was easily pitiful. From the start of the island, he noticed how she was treated, how anything she did was sabotaged, how everyone took advantage of her, underestimated her. Multi found it hard not to empathize, especially as he grew more paranoid and focused on his reactor, losing himself in his work, his desires, chipping those he felt earned it.
Yet Katie remained through it all, in the background, mostly, but they were friends, he thought. He tried to help her in bad times, offering a camera for her KFC that was constantly under attack, joking with her, lightly encouraging her to build a Popeyes. There was lovely, mutual banter.
The nostalgia sometimes sneaks up on Multi when he remembers where their dynamic lies now, when he thinks about Juan, Dark Cucurucho, Nacho.
Since the simpler times, trust was built. A family was established. Countless discussions of where their priorities laid, picking their small family solely above all else. Multi believed in Katie, he always had. Seeing her choose him and Nacho over the Regime, her own brothers, meant something to Multi.
The family was truly in this together.
Until they weren’t.
Nacho was missing. The Federation was looking for him, threatening islanders and requesting information on his whereabouts. Nacho was nowhere to be found in the room Multi had for him, the room in Katie’s HQ, or Nacho’s own lab on the island not too far away. Katie had been radio silent, too. There were no signs of either of them.
Very quickly, Multi cracked. Everything came bubbling up, his anxiety, his fear. His panic attacks always did get the best of him. It was like something else took over him entirely. He killed his own worker, a Dark worker, even Don (he’s ashamed about that choice), overwhelmed by paranoia. He searched the whole island frantically, everywhere he could. He screamed, he pleaded. He messaged Katie repeatedly asking where she was.
Dark Cucurucho must have been involved. His family was gone, dead, he was alone, he had nobody left, he failed to protect-
A ding from his communicator. Multi paused, breath heaving, head dizzy and vision blurred. He shakily pulled the device out of his pocket, trying to still his hands to read the message clearly.
saucebxss whispered to you: we need to talk
Multi blinked. He willed himself to calm down, arrange a meeting spot with Katie, find out what the fuck was going on. He messaged back.
You whisper to saucebxss: polish cave
They met, walking throughout the Polish Cave, going deep into the tunnels Multi had dug out for his lab, his work. Katie was nervous, off. She was rambling, she always rambled, but this was new. Anxious, jittery, stalling. How could she pretend like everything was okay, like it was the time for nonsensical small talk? Multi bit back his tongue, only speaking to give her commands, shift here, turn there. As soon as they were in his lab, only a room away from the reactor, Katie went quiet. Something was wrong.
Multi stood still in front of the dog hybrid as she insisted they speak. He examined her out of place movements (but to be fair, they were hard to ignore). She was picking her nails, biting her lip, pacing back and forth, sweating. Her ears and tail drooped. Not even her shades could hide the anxiety radiating from her.
Yet Multi stood, silent, urging Katie to speak. He would listen, he had to listen, he had to know what was happening. Katie was stalling, of course, stupid jokes, a false smile. She took shaky breaths as she cleared her throat, explaining from the beginning.
The air was tense as she rambled. Multi felt anxiety churn in his gut, the pain daggerlike, a ringing starting to go off in his ears. He was afraid if he moved, if he spoke, he would lose his composure. Again.
It was hard to listen to Katie exactly, her rambles infuriating as she drew out the context to the answer of his endless questions, the beating of his heart overwhelming his senses, the ringing only growing louder, time drawing on as he waited for the other shoe to drop.
And then, the sad truth Multi was anticipating. The harsh reality he hoped wouldn’t have been true; no, Katie wouldn’t do that to him, to Nacho, and yet-
“... but, yes, they do possibly have our son, and Pepino, and Tomate locked up-”
Multi’s tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth. His jaw was clenched, teeth pushing together painfully, a ball in the back of his throat. His face flushed as he stared at the woman he had grown to trust for weeks, raising an egg together, a mere child.
“Possibly,” Multi grit out.
“Yes, possibly-“
“Possibly,” Multi repeated, running his hand through his dreads, feeling himself start to shake. From anger or panic, he couldn’t differentiate. His mind was racing, automatically thinking of the next step, the plan, how to fix this, how to get Nacho back.
Multi saw the dog hybrid come forward, watching him carefully for any next move. “I know you’re upset,” Katie said gently, almost patronizingly.
The scientist stepped back, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt tears well up. But Katie continued stepping towards him. She continued, carefully, “I know where he is, I know where everyone is, Tomate, Pepino, the whole salad.”
Multi shook his head furiously, walking back only to hit the cold wall. She had cornered him.
“Are you fucking crazy? What the fuck happened to you, Katie?” Multi yelled out suddenly, looking up with burning tears trailing down his face.
Katie was a few inches taller, having to crane her neck down to stare into his eyes. Her eyebrows were furrowed, eyes darting across his face through her shades, whispering, “They were going to get Nacho one way or another. And, I mean, the sorry cell they are keeping him in-“ a nervous laugh, cough to clear her throat, “-but he’s okay. They all are.”
Multi sniffed and huffed, trying to catch his breath, his tail swishing, on edge. He could feel his eye twitching, ready to see a green glow on Katie’s face from his gaze. All he could do was shake his head at the dog hybrid.
Pure disbelief. Pure hurt.
Multi’s mind was swimming. Nacho didn’t deserve any of this; anything could have happened. The Pole’s blood boiled at the thought of a missing Nacho, a dead Nacho, all because of Katie, his beloved, chosen mother, wanting to save, foolishly driven by only her own selfish desires. The need to be a hero for people that underestimate her. Why did she worry about Tomate, Pepino, the whole island, when she knew it was just their family that had each other’s backs, that could be trusted?
Multi hiccuped as he put a hand to Katie’s chest, pushed her back, noticing her wince at the force, a stumbly step back. “Maybe you should go talk to Ewron. I think you’re the same as him-” he spat, “-greedy. Fucking greedy.”
Katie stilled, staring at Multi, silent, for once in her life. Frowning.
Maybe the comment was harsh, a tad too close to home. But Multi didn’t care. How dare Katie be standing here, not jumping at the opportunity to prove herself, do the good she so desperately wishes to achieve, find Nacho, bring him home if she knew where he was and had a plan to fix everything? How could she do this to him, to their relationship? It’s been so good. They were a family, they could’ve worked this out together.
Multi felt sick just thinking about the “what-if”s. Nothing was done right, and that was the problem. Maybe in an ideal world. He was spiraling now, losing himself.
Suddenly, laced with venom, hiccups between words: “You were the last person I trusted. We were supposed to be a family, Katie.”
The room went quiet. Heavy breathing filled the room, sniffles from Multi.
He turned his head to stare at the wall.
“I hate you, I hate you,” he spat out. “I hate you.” He shut his eyes tightly to avoid more tears. He could feel the telltale tremors of a panic attack, the furious beating in his chest, head dizzy and spinning.
Worst of all, deep down, he felt betrayed, like he deserved just as much as an apology. And why should he? He shouldn’t have trusted Katie in the first place, had gotten attached-
“I know. I knew you were going to hate me.”
There it was: Katie B’s true nature. Always being the bigger person, the self righteous, always. Of course she felt bad, of course she deserved the hate. But she was doing what felt right, she didn’t know. How ironic. An act of kindness stained with selfishness.
The naivety only fueled Multi’s anger. The master emotional manipulator, crawling her way into the scientist’s heart just to claw her way out. He opened up with wide arms, just comfortably wide enough for a platonic co-parent (who was he kidding; along the way, his arms started to willingly widen more and more), showing her his reactor, Nacho’s room, trusting her. They had a pact. It was them above all. Katie had taken advantage of their family, of Multi.
Katie was rambling on about some master plan now, her and Multi breaking into Dark Cucurucho’s temple and freeing the trapped Federation workers. He wasn’t listening, really, overwhelmed by onset twitching and racing thoughts.
Giving in, Multi sobbed, letting the tears run down his face, hot and fat and plentiful. He shakily, mindlessly grabbed his axe from his inventory, pointing it at her. He noticed hesitation, a step back. A wobbly smile grew on his face. “You did this,” he muttered.
“Multi, what the fuck is going on with you? Are you okay? Look at me, let’s take a breather-“ Katie’s smile faltered, stepping back, searching the room for a way out, genuine fear laced in her words. She did not defend herself with her hands or weapons, her space left open as she scrambled around the room for an exit.
The idea of Katie giving in, not fighting back and just accepting whatever came next infuriated Multi. Even now, she downplayed her actions, playing the victim once again. Multi’s grip on his axe tightened and he finally struck, seeing red, not specifically aiming for anything but Katie.
He heard a choked gasp. His axe had struck her chest. Not deep, but enough to slice through and feel caught. He drew it back, blade bloody.
Katie’s eyes were wide as she stumbled backwards and hit the ground, lifting herself weakly with her arms. As blood started to pour, pooling down her front to the floor, staining her clothes, her hearts quickly lowered. She took heaving breaths as she stilled, but she didn’t move, shuffle away or try to regain health. She was frighteningly silent. They locked eyes and Multi tried to ignore the tears behind her shades, the worried furrow of eyebrows.
Katie fell flat with a thud. She was downed, going quickly. As the light left her eyes, she never broke eye contact. The blood was darkening around the wound in her chest.
Multi trembled as he dropped his axe, heaving and sobbing over her body. He knew she would regenerate, that she would be back, that they can’t simply kill each other, but this image of Katie… this wasn’t her. No smile stretching across her face, no twinkle in her eyes, cocky expression. The Pole willed himself to calm down, not waste any more energy on the dog hybrid. She didn’t deserve it.
“You did this,” Multi repeated, voice raw and scratchy, letting his hands fall to his sides, clenching. He choked back his cries, shaking. Katie silently watched him, limbs twitching. Her final efforts. Tears ran down her face, but not a word was said.
He watched Katie take her final breath. The life in her was gone, eyes dull and glazed over. A few seconds passed and her body vanished, signifying a respawn. Where Katie was now, Multi didn’t care. He couldn’t. He’d gather her left items, put them in a chest in her headquarters and never speak to her again.
Multi gave a final huff before straightening his lab coat, wiping his face with his sleeve. There was no more time for sympathy.
He had work to do now, thanks to Katie’s selfishness. He’d have to save Nacho without her.