Work Text:
“..Doopter..?”
The blue tiefling turned. Snow obscured his vision, his boots stopping mid crunch. He turned, his beanie warm against his head. He moved his head to the leviathan.
Nufuli was bundled up in a coat, a hood over his horns. Gloves were on his clawed hands, his arms half covered by coat sleeves.
“What’s the point.”
“Seriously? Again?” Doopter chuckled as if this was a joke. Though, when watching Nufuli's uneasy conflicting face he erased his smile.
“It's to help others. To make sure someone’s out there to protect the little guys, right? To protect–”
“I can't protect them, Doopter. I can't protect them. I can't protect anybody.” Nufuli answered, his tail wrapped around his leg. His eyes didn't meet Doopter’s.
“You can! You are strong no? You got rid of a literal god, the server killers, revived everyone–”
“I revived them only to die.” Nufuli said darkly, hiding his face with the shadow of his hood. The leviathan was obviously stuck in his thoughts. He couldn't find a reason to continue down the path.
Every person he met, only for V1 to strike them down. Mugm spoke words that infected his head.
“Attachments make you weak. Emotions make you vulnerable.”
“Are you taking Mugm’s words to heart? You shouldn't, he's a fucking villain Nufuli. You are a hero. You two are not the same.” Doopter said strongly, the winds picking up a bit.
“.. Maybe we are.” Nufuli whispered. Doopter's eyes widened when Nufuli tightened his grip on his arms. “What's the point of saving others if it's only going to hurt me? Hurt the people I really care about? Why should I put myself in a place to make those decisions?” Nufuli’s voice raised ever so slightly which only made Doopter wilt.
He could see Nufuli’s gripping gloves on his coat. The scrunching of Nufuli's eyebrows.
“Because you are the only person who can do it. Who can stand up to these tyrants.” Doopter smiled, trying to bring a little more lightheartenedness into the conversation. “You're strong and you care.”
“I cared about Slushly and look where that brought us. I cared about HD and look where she is now.” Nufuli’s eyes narrowed, the pit in his stomach growing. Nufuli laughed nervously which made Doopter step back the slightest bit. “I don't think your.. UNDERSTANDING ME. Why am I doing this to myself?! Why can't it just go back to normal and forget what happened.” Nufuli’s voice was angry and desperation was slipping into it as well.
His head put how Slushly died together. Out in the jungle, after Nufuli broke the rest of his armour and injured him. Alone. By himself. No one to save him from Stormz who hunted him through those trees.
That scene he created kept playing in his head on loop, and he missed what Doopter said. He saw the blue tiefling open his mouth.
“What?”
“We can't go back and change what has happened. Those people died, yes, but you tried your best Nufuli–”
“MY BEST SEEMS TO GET OTHERS KILLED!” Nufuli exclaimed, his hand resting on his axe hilt. Doopter took a small step back.
Nufuli’s scales glowed brightly, almost visible under his coat. His clawed hands were shaking, conflict in his eyes.
“That's all anyone can do Nufuli! Your job, being a hero; you are still going to lose people! You can't save everyone.” Doopter kept his voice strong, even though he wilted inside.
“Don't listen to Mugm, he has no idea what it means to be a hero. Being a hero means you care! Care for the betterment of everyone’s lives, not just your own. Plus, you aren't alone in this! You still have me, I still care–”
“Do you.. care about me..?”
Doopter’s eyes widened at the question. He nervously scoffed at it, feeling uncomfortable with Nufuli’s unstable eyes staring into him.
“Are you insane?! Of course I still care–”
“Do.. do you..” Nufuli’s hand secured around his axe handle small tears coming from his eyes.
“Yes! Yes I still care!” Doopter answered quickly. “A lot of people still care for you! You aren't–”
“Doopter.. why should I still care for others if in the end they die.” Nufuli’s tone changed, his voice cracking near the end. “What's the point of helping.. helping ANYONE if they are just going to die! Die because I wasn't strong enough, smart enough; Doopter! I'm just a walking curse.” Nufuli covered his face, one of his hands still tightly gripping the handle.
“No–”
“DOOPTER ANSWER MY FUCKING QUESTION!” Nufuli’s yelled, emotion leaking into his words. “DO YOU STILL CARE ABOUT ME?! DO I STILL CARE ABOUT YOU?!”
Doopter stood agape a few feet away.
“Yes. Yes I still care about you, and I know you do too.”
“I- I can't keep doing this Doopter. I can't.. I can't..” Nufuli pulled out potions, his conflict ridden eyes bright. “I know you don't care about me anymore.” He said lowly as he dropped a strength pot at his feet. The adrenaline rush made his heart hammer faster.
“I still–”
“DON’T. DON’T SAY YOU STILL CARE ABOUT ME.” Nufuli exclaimed, a potion of speed dropping this time.
“Nufuli, I still care! I've.. I've always cared.” Doopter took a small step forward. The blue tiefling was watching the leviathan closely. His hands were shaking, his claws gripping a chipping fire resistance bottle.
“You.. you don't care about me anymore.” Nufuli dropped the fire resistance potion at his feet.
“No–”
“YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT ME ANYMORE! YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!” Nufuli screamed, running forward. His hand secured around his mace handle, his elytra flapping behind him. He launched himself up, tears blurring his vision as he dove down on Doopter.
“NUFULI STOP–” Doopter screeched, running for cover in the small village nearby. Nufuli’s mace missed his head by inches, hitting the soft snow with a small klunk.
“HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KEEP YOU SAFE?! I CAN’T KEEP ANYONE SAFE, I JUST MAKE THINGS WORSE!” Doopter heard Nufuli's sonically loud scream, Doopter’s hand moving to his ears. It felt as if his yell was echoing through water.
“NUFULI– STOP! STOP!” Doopter yelled back. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! THINK–”
“I AM THINKING! WHY AM I PROTECTING ANYONE IF THEY JUST DIE?” Nufuli cried out, coming back down on Doopter again. He keeps missing, his eyes blurred with tears.
He wasn't strong enough to dive down and kill his own friend, how would he be able to protect him?
“Why am I putting myself through this.. this anguish?! This pain?! Why am I helping others if it only gets them killed?” Nufuli dove down again, barely missing Doopter’s neck.
“STOP!” Doopter’s voice cracked, the tiefling scrambling towards an igloo. “WHY AM I PROTECTING YOU DOOPTER?! WHY SHOULD I BE A HERO–”
“Because that's what you are supposed to do! Heroes protect others! Help others! Not try to KILL THEM!” Doopter screamed back, feeling as the mace punctured his shoulder. He cried out in pain, falling into the snow. He scrambled, slipping on the soft white flakes as he quickly tried to pick himself up. He ran into the trees as Nufuli dove in on the igloo.
Nufuli’s face twitched, darker features showing on his face. “I think I'm understanding who I am now.” Nufuli told Doopter, diving down on him with his mace again.
“I'm going to die STOP!” Doopter yelled, the tiefling gritting his teeth at the pain in his shoulder. The red from his blood stained the snow, snowflakes slowly falling from the sky now. He kept running, the tall trees covering him from Nufuli’s dive bombs, but that didn't stop the leviathan from coming at him with a sword.
“I KEEP MAKING STUPID DECISIONS DOOPTER! I KEEP MAKING STUPID, AWFUL FUCKING DECISIONS THAT GET PEOPLE KILLED!” Nufuli’s voice echoed through the trees, Doopter’s hands moving back to over his ears.
“I got Astral killed. I got HD KILLED!” Nufuli’s eyes welled with tears once again as he struck Doopter across his chestplate. “I got HD killed because I wasn't fast enough! I wasn't strong enough! I didn't react in time–” Nufuli struck him again, cutting deeper into Doopter’s mace wound.
“SHE IS THE REASON I'M CHASING VANGUARD! SHE IS MY REASON, MY FRIEND– AND THEY TOOK HER FROM ME!” Nufuli raised his sword to come down on Doopter's head. The tiefling raised his arms to block his face, screaming,
“SHE WAS MY FRIEND TOO NUFULI!”
The leviathan froze, his blade inches away from Doopter’s arms. His pupils shrunk, his tail lashing in realization. “She was my greatest friend Nufuli, before you came along. We looked out for each other, kept each other company.” Doopter’s voice was slow and full of sorrow. “We did everything together.”
Nufuli sniffled. His hands were shaking on the hilt of his blade, but he didn't move. He kept it above Doopter’s head.
“You can't let their words get to you. Vanguard 1, Mugm. They don't know anything about being a real hero, about saving people!” Doopter continued, figuring that if Nufuli wasn't attacking him he was doing something right.
“You can't let them warp your morals Nufuli, being a hero is a good thing. You can't save everyone, but you can try your best! I know you can do a lot of good.” Doopter smiled shakily as he moved his hand to Nufuli’s shoulder. The leviathan lowered his blade, tears making his eyes shine.
“You ARE doing a lot of good. Don't listen to them.. they don't know what it's like.”
“I..” Nufuli’s tears fell down his cheeks, his tail tucking in and around his leg.
“I.. I loved her. And.. and I let her die.” Nufuli's voice broke as he sobbed, Doopter catching him as he fell. Their legs and pants got wet in the soft snow, but Doopter didn't care. He didn't know Nufuli..
He'd be there for him.
They sat like that for a few minutes, Nufuli continuing to let it out. He obviously needed it, keeping it all locked up inside him.
“You aren't alone. There are people that will help you lift the weight, I promise. Like me! I'm your friend, but I can still help you. That's what friends are for.” Doopter squeezed his shoulder. “If you need to talk, I'm here.”
Nufuli wiped his face, staring at Doopter then looked away. “I'm sorry.. I don't know what's wrong with me..” his scales on his arm and shoulder glowed brightly through his coat. “Ever since Slushly died.. I've been so.. lost.” He said quietly, rubbing his face as he sighed.
“You just need someone to keep you on track, and I'm here to do just that.” Doopter encouraged him. He slowly stood up, the tiefling putting out his hand.
“Now.. are WE going to kick Vanguard to the curb?” Doopter smiled lightly. Nufuli chuckled, wiping his eyes. His tail calmly swayed, his scales flickering as the glowed. Snow fell on his hood, the leviathan raising it off his head to feel the snowflakes land on his curls.
He took Doopter's hand, standing up on shaky legs.
“Let's do it.”