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They killed him.
They sacrificed Azure.
Just because of their stupid belief.
The tap is running, and Two Time stared at themselves in the mirror, wisps and strands of black hair hanging in front of their dark eyes. In front of them was a pained reflection— a face they didn’t even recognize anymore.
The face looks tired, worn out even. They let out a sigh, turning off the tap, and walking away from the sink.
It was understandable why some people find them a bit uncanny. With blank dark eyes that carries little to no emotion, them being a cultist and all that.
They regretted it.
They regretted so much.
But they try to mask it— hide the regret deep down inside them. For the sake of the Spawn.
In exchange for their second life, they had to sacrifice someone they loved. Very stupid indeed.
They need that second life.
Two Time went out of their cabin and looked around. The outside of the lobby was decorated with Dusekkar pumpkin decorations, a bonfire crackling softly. None of the survivors were to be seen.
From their pockets, Two Time approached the bonfire, taking out a cigarette and lighting the end of it in the bonfire. Then they melted into the shadows, placing the stick on their lips, puffing out smoke.
It was soothing yet unhealthy at the same time. Two Time just wanted to forget everything.
Like their worries would vanish with a puff of the cigarette.
…
Another round has started.
Ever since then, Two Time has made it a habit. Lighting up cigarettes and smoking somewhere private. Having to discover the secret of the grandfather clock, Two Time isolated themselves from everyone, lurking somewhere in the shadows.
Meanwhile, in the glass house, Chance is keeping an eye out for the killer, while Elliot is repairing a generator.
“…El?” Chance asked, as a red gremlin chased a swordsman into one of the staircases.
Elliot hummed in acknowledgement. “?”
“Two Time hasn’t been participating in these rounds lately,” the gambler said. “Are they okay, or they are not getting selected?”
Elliot didn’t answer until he completed the generator, standing up and dusting his hands.
“I’m sure the overseer wouldn’t be that biased,” he mumbled. “Being ignored by the overseer multiple times in a row cannot happen on purpose,”
“Yes…” Chance pursed his lips. “It’s almost like Two Time is avoiding all of us. Hiding something,”
“Reminds me, when did you last see them?” Elliot asked in worry.
“I dunno. They are probably lurking somewhere in the shadows or something,”
Just then, cheerful music can be heard, going towards their direction.
“Shit!” Elliot cursed, grabbing Chance’s hand as they both ran.
“Leave him to me, El-!”
“I prefer you don’t,” Elliot grumbled. “I’m not wasting my pizza on someone whose luck always fails them,”
Chance pretended to wipe a tear. “How sad. My boyfriend doesn’t trust me anymore!”
“Shut up,”
“No, watch,”
Elliot tried to protest, but Chance shook Elliot’s hand off him. Chance aimed the gun at c00lkid, and—
BANG!!
“Chance!”
The killer was stunned into place. Chance was grinning cockily as he turned to Elliot, grabbing his hand this time and sprinting away.
“Now what did I tell you?” He said playfully.
Elliot rolled his eyes, unable to hide his amazement from earlier. “Show off…”
…
Back at the lobby, Two Time watched as the survivors reappeared by the bonfire, some worn out, some sighing in relief.
They are so gross, so disgusting, reeking of ash and cigarettes. They thought they could forget everything.
Two Time didn’t care. It was more like an addiction rather than a coping mechanism.
They blended with the trees once again, getting another cigarette when suddenly, Two Time felt nothing in their pockets.
“Shit,” they cursed underneath their breath.
Removing their shoes, they walked on the grass, making their silent way to their cabin.
Only to be met by Elliot and Chance.
“Ah, there you are, Two Time!” Chance sighed in relief, throwing his arms out.
Two Time recoiled a bit, a smile on their face. “Ah, Chance and Elliot,” they said, chuckling. “What brings you two to my cabin?”
“We were just worried about you,” Elliot mumbled worryingly, as Chance drooped his arms, disappointed. “You have been disappearing lately,”
Two Time laughed softly, still maintaining their distance. “Worry not, Ellie,” they said, tilting their head playfully. “I swear to the Spawn that I am not doing anything out of the ordinary,”
What a hypocrite.
“Really?” Elliot’s eyes narrowed. Chance meanwhile, coughed.
“Y-You reek of cigarettes,” Chance said in between coughs. “Have you been smoking?”
“Nonsense, Chance,” Two Time folded their arms. “The overseer wouldn’t be kind enough to leave any of that kind in a place like this. Now please, let me get something from my cabin,”
Two Time tried to walk past Chance, but—
“Grab their other hand,”
“?!”
The next thing Two Time knew, both their boyfriends grabbed either of their hands and pinned them against the wall.
“Gotcha,” Chance smirked, chuckling.
“What the fuck, you two?” Two Time glared at both of them. “What did you fucking do that for?”
“Inspection,” Chance said nonchalantly. “Just making sure you are not up to something, since it is our responsibility as your boyfriends, after all,”
“We’re just worried,” Elliot said quietly. Like a security guard, Elliot felt around Two Time’s body, his eyes meeting theirs, silently asking for their consent, who nodded hesitantly.
Elliot coughed instantly, looking away as he let go.
“Chance is right, you do reek of cigarettes,” Elliot said suspiciously. “…You’re not lying, are you?”
“Why would I?” Two Time sighed.
Just then, the ominous bells rang.
“Hey, if something’s going on, do not hesitate to tell us, all right?” Chance reminded Two Time, a small smile on his face.
Before Two Time could answer, the duo are gone in a wisp of smoke.
There is no way they could tell them.
Secrets, lots of secrets.
Why are they hiding it though…?
“How nosy,” Two Time muttered to themselves, quickly heading inside their cabin.
They quickly inspected every drawer if there are still any packs, any sticks left.
“Thank the Spawn,” they sighed in relief, finding a stick in one of the drawers. After that, they went outside, heading back to the campfire.
Lighting up the cigarette, they sighed, hiding among the trees again.
“I’m sorry, Azure,”
Clouds of smoke got puffed out from Two Time’s lips, their eyes staring at the night sky.
“I hate this…” they muttered to themselves.
Flashbacks came. The way how they stabbed the dagger in the concerned Azure, their ex partner.
That is the reason why they are in a relationship with Chance and Elliot. They felt like the two could accept them for who they are. Well… Azure does, but they are not sure about now.
But why… why couldn’t they tell them? About their bad habits?
“Two Time? Smoking?”
Two Time jumped. Ironically, they are the one who would perform such acts towards the survivors. Yet they themselves got spooked.
“?!” Two Time snapped their head towards the speaker, cricking their neck to see a disappointed Elliot.
“I knew it,” A weak chuckle came from Chance, some gunpowder visible on his face, his usually silky, perfect silver hair already in a mess.
Two Time froze like a deer in headlights. Elliot has his arms crossed, shaking his head, while Chance had a sad smile on his face.
“You won’t be needing that,” Chance said, taking a quick swipe of the cigarette from the cultist’s lips, throwing it somewhere.
A brief silence can be heard over them for a while.
“…Since when did you started doing this?” Elliot asked carefully, breaking the quiet.
“I don’t know,” Two Time replied dully, the emotion absent in their eyes. “I… regret it,”
“Regret what?” Elliot asked in concern.
Two Time remained quiet.
“Look… you can tell us anything all right? We are your boyfriends, after all,” Chance held one of Two Time’s gloved hands. “We don’t judge,”
Two Time sighed.
“It’s just…” Two Time hesitated, the flashbacks returning. “T-The…”
Two Time swallowed. They couldn’t bring themselves to say it.
That was a secret they kept from everyone else.
“M-My second life…”
The ominous bells tolled of a sudden.
That quick?
Reading the expression on Two Time’s face, Elliot sighed, uncrossing his arms. “It’s okay. We have a lot more time to talk about this,”
“Yeah,” Chance smiled. “We know too,”
Before Two Time could ask what they know, faint hissing could be heard from the distance; the sound of the survivors disappearing in a wisp of smoke.
They have discovered the secret of the grandfather clock as well.
“How come you two came here so quickly?” Two Time mumbled.
“Well… me and Ellie got mass infectioned, and the zombies are hunting us,” Chance shrugged, swinging Two Time’s arm. “And my gun…” he chuckled dryly.
Elliot glared at him and Two Time. “Do not change the topic, you two” he said pointedly, mostly directed to Two Time. “Chance, you’re supposed to be helping me here!”
“My bad,” Chance chuckled, still swinging Two Time’s arm about like some high schoolers.
Elliot rolled his eyes, before looking at Two Time again. “When did you start doing this?” he asked softly.
Two Time sighed. “A few days back,” they muttered. “I am just… contemplating about something… something I did back then. Something I regret,”
Although still playful, Chance is closely listening, along with Elliot, waiting for them to continue.
“The second life I gained during rounds is gained through risk and sacrifice,” Two Time said softly. “I… had to sacrifice someone before, someone I used to love,”
Two Time waited for their reaction.
Chance seemed to be surprised a little, slowing down his swinging of Two Time’s arm. Elliot didn’t say anything, although his eyebrows are raised in surprise.
“I thought I could forget,” Two Time chuckled dryly. “I-I just want to forget-“
“You can’t forget it,” Elliot said softly. “Your past… it makes up who you are now,”
“Right,” Chance said, nodding.
Two Time blinked at them. “You won’t be scared or anything?” They asked, tilting their head. “Won’t you think about the fact that I might stab both of you right here in the spot?”
“Why, will you?” Chance mused.
Two Time looked at him. Chance chuckled.
“See? You won’t,” he said. “Don’t say such nonsense,”
Then, Chance grinned at Elliot. “Say, El, why don’t we mop him up in your cabin?”
…
A dash of Chance’s cologne (expensive) and a few mints from Elliot— Two Time has reverted back to normal. Their usual normal self in a few minutes.
“That’s more like it,” Chance purred, burying his face in the crook of Two Time’s neck, enclosing them in a hug.
Elliot had to hack out a cough. “You use a shit ton of perfume, Chance,” he grumbled.
“Stop whining, Ellie,” Chance said teasingly.
“Stop it…” Two Time mumbled, leaning against Elliot. “Your breath tickles me,”
“At least I don’t smoke,”
Two Time remained quiet at that, staring into the distance.
“…Hey, Two Time?” Elliot asked quietly, lacing their fingers together.
“???”
“Promise us you won’t do that again,”
“…”
“Smoking is bad for your health,” Elliot sighed. “We just… don’t want you to make it a habit, you know?”
“Yeah,” Chance mumured. “You have us,”
Two Time finally smiled.
“…I will. And by the way, how did you two discover the secret of the grandfather clock?”
Elliot smiled softly.
“We just know,”