Chapter Text
Fit had followed them, curiosity demanding to find out what this was about, who this person was but most of all, if they really had a way out of here. Had the silvery thread from paradise been lowered down to hell, would he be able to climb out of this damned place?
Fit looked down into the portal, seeing the inky darkness and hearing the hum of magic radiating off it. He could sense the power in the air, getting goosebumps.
“If you step through the portal it means you accept.” Madagio said, looking into the darkness as well “But there is no turning back” they turned their head and looked at him “Shall we begin?”. If they had a mouth Fit was sure they would have been smirking.
Fit said nothing, just kept staring into the darkness, mesmerized by it.
His armor felt heavy, he couldn’t remember the last time he had taken it off, having slept with it on for so many years by now. His body ached, he couldn’t remember last time he had gone without bruises, wounds or without muscles aching.
He was so fucking tried.
Tired of always being on alert. Tired of the people of this world. Tired of the destruction. Tired of the feeling of losing himself piece by piece.
Maybe…Maybe he could find something new? Something resembling humanity? Not here, not in the wasteland but somewhere far, far away. Maybe, beyond this portal he could regain his humanity.
It could be a trap, a trick, he had no idea who this Madagio was, or truly knew what he wanted with the player info. They could be lying for all he knew maybe try to trick him and capture him, kill him, but… At this point, it was a risk he was willing to make.
Fit smiled.
“10 years is a long time to be stuck in the same wasteland.” he turned, looking at Madagio “You know what I need?” his grin grew slightly larger. He didn’t wait for a response “A vacation”
He didn’t break his gaze as he instead just let himself fall forward a moment went by when he was free falling before he fell into the darkness of the portal, letting the void swallow him whole.
He felt his gut turn, as he was warped, the darkness stretching out before him, it was like he was stuck in the end with no land in sight. He felt sick as it felt like his body was turning insight out, like he was about to throw up. He couldn't breath, like there was no air to actually pull into his lungs. He was suffocating, dying in this empty darkness.
And then he woke up in a little room. He was sitting on the floor in the dim lit room. The air was stale as he breathed it in. The gloomy light lit up the room and something immediately caught his eye.
A ticket was there. Waiting for him.
He did it.
He escaped hell.
Fit watched the forest burn, the flame had caught the tree line, the light was noticeable for miles and would definitely beckon Cellbit out here from his castle. Like a moth to a flame, or more like a moth to a bug zapper.
Fit just stood there watching it burn, feeling the flames warm his skin, seeing the light chase away the shadows of the late evening.
He looked at the burning trees as he waited. He was walking back and forth like a caged animal, waiting for their moment to strike, he was feeling this vile kind of excitement in his chest. He knew he shouldn’t be excited, that it was wrong, but he couldn’t help himself.
He felt his heart beating hard in his chest, excitement, rage, anticipation, all of it buzzing under his skin, inside his blood.
He saw something moving amongst the trees and he stopped dead in his tracks, and like he had expected, Cellbit soon enough stepped out into the light. He looked up at the trees, seeing the flame growing off them, reaching up towards the sky, filling the air with smoke and making everything smell like burning.
“Hey Cellbit” Fit called out, gaining his attention. Fit’s voice was cold, not even close to the friendly pitch he usually used while greeting people. “Or is it Cell now?”
Cellbit stopped dead in his tracks, looking at Fit with wide eyes. Fit just glared back, hands at his sides, shoulders squared, half his face lit up by the flames, the other half obscured in shadows. Cellbit seemed to immediately pick up on the mood that was now over the area. The mention of his nickname seemed to set him on edge, as his shoulders squared as well.
“It’s Cellbit” he replied, voice serious and low as well. “Did you do this?” He threw a glance at the fire that had started to wander across the branches, across the leaves and onto yet another tree. It was spreading, it would not reach the castle but the pretty forest surrounding it would be nothing more than ash in a couple of hours.
“I did” Fit replied, having no reason to lie.
“Why?” Cellbit continued his questioning, walking closer and crossing his arms over his chest. Fit’s eyes narrowed as he watched him approach. Bold, or maybe he was simply a fool. He guess Cellbit still had that detective like personality in him, keep asking questions and looking for answers.
Fit didn’t move, his feet pretty much rooted in the ground, like a mountain he was unmoving.
“I wanted you to come out here. We have a lot to discuss” Fit explained.
“About what?” Cellbit sighed. He looked tired, there were bags under his eyes. His hair was cut way shorter than normal, having done it shortly after turning from purgatory. He was wearing that white tank top and ripped pants, the nicest thing on him being that fancy knife in his belt but other than that so did Fit see no other weapons.
Cellbit looked worse for wear, he had to admit that. Like the world had wrung the life out of him, beaten him down and he was just now getting his feet back under him. But to be honest, Fit didn’t really care. He had been low before as well, beaten to a pulp by the world so he knew what it was like, knew what it felt like laying there at rock bottom, and he simply held no pity for Cellbit.Had Cellbit shown Pac pity? Shown him kindness, empathy, mercy? He had not.
‘Treat others how you want to be treated?’ Fit didn’t live by that rule. ‘Treat others how they treat you’, that fit him so much better.
“About Pac” Fit responded, Cellbit seemed surprised but that expression quickly left his face. “You hurt him. Again”
Cellbit was quit for a moment, like Fit’s words were running around his head for a while.
“I did.” Cellbit answered at last, tone low, but not in a threatening way, but more…Sorrowful. That sad tone washed off Fit immediately, he didn’t trust any emotion he was showing, or anything he was saying. Cellbit had broken promises to Pac about safety, someone Cellbit had called family. Why in God's name would Fit trust him with anything?
“You broke a promise.” Fit growled “You promised you no longer was that person. That he would not be trapped with that person again. That Cell was gone” Fit’s brow furrowed. “You lied”
Fit was not unfamiliar with lying, he had met many liars in his days, deceivers, charlatans, he had been stabbed in the back, but he had thought most of the people here was better than that, thought they were better than the cesspool that was 2b2t inhabitants, but apparently he had been wrong.
If Fit was the stranger in paradise, then he guessed Cellbit was the fucking snake.
Sure Fit had done it too, lied about not having memories, lying about what he was doing here but he had not broken any promise since he got here, not lied and by proxy having hurt someone. Maybe he was a hypocrite, but the difference between his lies and Cellbit's were clear to see.
Cellbit’s brow furrowed slightly.
“When I said those words, when I made that promise, I thought they were true” Cellbit averted his gaze “I thought I was better”
“You thought wrong. You hurt Pac again, twice” Fit said the words through gritted teeth, having to use a lot of self control to not scream “He told me how scared he was, that you were going to kill him, torture him. He built a wall, put up posters, warned me and Niki to stay away if you held a knife. He was fucking terrified of you. You’re his biggest fear and you use that as a weapon against him. You used triggering words to stress him out during purgatory. This was calculated. This was not a heat of the moment thing”
“Shouldn’t Pac be bringing this up whit me?” Cellbit suddenly cut him off “This should be between him and me”. He sounded irritated, like he wanted to speak to Pac person to person and not with a middleman, a stranger, someone that in his eyes didn't really have reason to insert himself with this up. Fit let out a single bark of laughter.
“You know he won’t. He thinks too good of you and is too scared to not accept your apology.” Pac seemed to forgive people easily, after Foolish locking him and Mike up they forgave him after one prank, and Pac already during purgatory had started to talk about forgiving Cellbit. Fit didn’t know how to feel about that. That he was so fast to forgive, forgiveness as a virtue and letting people walk all over him was a thin line. “You have had at least 3 second chances, and if you ask his kind heart he would surely give a bastard like you forth one”. Pac might give him another chance, but in Fit’s eyes his last chance had gotten torched.
Cellbit looked at him for a long moment, exhaustion was written all over his face, it was in his body language. Like the weight of his sins was wearing him down like chains bound to his limbs, his very soul.
“I just want to put this behind me” he tried, and Fit felt rage that burn inside his veins grow stronger.
“You don’t have the right to ask for that.” he snarled, “It would only benefit you. You can’t make the wound and then ask the one you hurt to walk it off because it makes it easier for you”
There was silence, the only thing that could be heard was from the forest burning around them.
“It was a backslide” Cellbit said in the end “I was stressed out by purgatory and it-it was too similar to the war me and Bad was in, and then I thought I lost my son. Yes, maybe I shouldn’t have done that, shouldn’t have hurt him, but I have my own demons to fight Fit, just like Pac, just like I’m sure you have.”
“A backslide?” Fit repeated, sounding out every syllable clearly and filled each one up with as much vitriol he could. “Just an in the moment thing? You stabbed him in the stomach, scarred him not once, but twice, broke his trust, betrayed him and promises of safety you did to him, and it was just a moment of unclarity to you? A. Backslide.” Fit bared his teeth “I sure have my demons Cellbit but saying those demons left you possessed and at the whims of something else, something beyond you is denying responsibility. Explanations explain it but does not excuse it!” Cellbit could sense it, sense the murderous intent Fit was sending off that was growing with every word. “And even so, you’ve not even tried to improve. The best apology is changed behavior but all you’re trying to do is to sweep it all under the rug , because that’s easier than owing up to it!”
There was silence for a moment as Cellbit seemed to think for a long moment. Thinking of what to say, a way to reply. Fit was just waiting, waiting for the next idiotic thing to leave his ,mouth.
“Have you heard the story about the scorpion and the frog?” he asked in the end.
Fit knew it, the story of a frog offering to carry a scorpion to the other side of a river, just for it to stab the frog dooming them both to drown and then blaming it on its nature.
“I’m aware of it” Fit said between clenched teeth, not sure he liked the implications of Cellbit bringing it up.
“It’s in my nature. I hate it, but I can't help it” Cellbit didn't seem to like it as he explained, something self hating packed inside those words
Fit wanted to scream. Scream that he hadn’t fought enough, not tried to stand against it. But he knew it would be hypocritical, since what was about to happen was because of Fit’s own nature.
He was a guard dog, and he would bite.
He hid his teeth, now he was going to use them.
Maybe that was one reason he was so angry, looking at this mirror of himself, maybe him and Cellbit were too much alike. Beast, snakes biting into themselves while trying to resist snapping at others, creatures bending over backwards trying to stop themselves to show their mean side. Guess Fit has just been better at keeping it under wraps than Cellbit. But he guessed he now to should truly fail. Truly give in.
Do what was in his nature.
‘I am called a dog because I fawn over those who give me anything, I yelp at those who refuse, and I set my teeth in rascals.’ and look at that, there was a rascal right in front of him.
“Nature?” Fit said between clenched teeth. “You think we’re bound to instinct? No better than animals?” it wasn’t angry, more of a question, like he wanted to see Cellbit’s perception of this.
Cellbit just looked at him. He knew what he was, just like Fit knew what he was. They both knew. Grown up surrounded by death, by murder, blood was on their hands all the way up their elbows. They were alike.
Cellbit had been a child soldier and Fit had grown up in a toxic wasteland. Neither of them had made it out as people, some major part was missing, humanity replaced by something more animalistic. Good for survival, bad for living.
Cellbit had tried to get better for a long time, change. Fit has tried the same, fighting against himself, hiding parts of him that could scare people away. Guess they had both failed in the end.
“Aren’t we?” Cellbit asked “We’re no better than animals. I tried Fit, but I’m…” Something sorrowful appeared on his face again, like a deep sadness, pulling down his very soul. “I’m so tried Fit. I tried but I’m…I’m so fucking tired”
He was tired? What about Pac? Wasn’t he tired, tired of being scared, tired of living in fear? Tired of getting hurt? Cellbit had it easy, he had control he could control this situation, Pac could not, he was at the whims of Cellbit's actions. If Cellbit lost control so did Pac have to pay while Cellbit left without a scratch.
Well, that was going to change. Cellbit had lived without fear for too long, it was time to change that. It was his turn to be afraid.
“If you’re going to behave like a wild animal, then I’ll punish you like one.” Fit didn’t allow Cellbit to react, pulling out the trident in one swift movement. Reaching his hand down and grabbing the handle, his fingers closing around the metal, and then swinging it, up at his face. He could feel how the weapon sliced up skin, like a knife through paper.
A howl of pain escaped the other man as Cellbit jumped back, hand going over the cut area. Blood was quickly seeping between his fingers, down the back of his hand trailing all the way to his wrist.
He pulled it back, one of the spears had gone over his cheek, over his eyebrow and up his forehead. The other slice had gone a similar path, but where they differed was that the second cut had gone right across his eye, an eye Cellbit was now keeping close, Fit had no doubt, he had blinded it, and something told him that the injury would stick even after respawning.
Cellbit stared up at him with his good eye wide in shock, clearly not having expected the sudden attack, or that it had been his intent to blind him for life in one eye.
Fit expression was cold, closed off, revealing nothing, no joy , rage or regret, like this was not effecting him. But in his eyes you could see the intent, that pull of the hunt, that adrenaline hit of seeing blood on Cellbit’s face and on the tip of his weapon. Something about it, the red color, watching Cellbit’s face slowly get colored red, something about it was just so invigorating.
Eye for an eye, leg for a leg, limb for a limb.
Fit pulled the trident back and tried to stab it into Cellbit’s knee. He wanted to stop him from trying to run, not kill him just yet. Cellbit didn’t deserve a quick death.
Cellbit however was prepared this time, jumping back making the attack miss him.
“Fit!” he yelled, surprise in his voice but it was clear he was holding back harsher words.
“You should consider yourself lucky that I take this up with you” Fit said tightening the grip around the trident so his knuckles turned white “In 2b2t it’s truly an eye for and eye so I should actually beat up Roier, but I decided to go right at the instigator”
That was probably the moment it truly clicked, that Cellbit realized the situation fully.
Fit was going to get revenge for Pac, the man in front of him was not only Fit, it was his death personified. It was karma, it was revenge, it was the past catching up to him. It was his killer.
Cellbit threw a punch, aming it at Fit’s nose, but he was prepared, leaning back in time before lifting his foot and trying to kick Cellbit in the knee. Cellbit, having now gotten into the fighting mindset stepped the leg back, making Fit instead just take a step forward closer to him.
‘That works too’ Fit thought before slamming his head forward and headbutting him, feeling his skull hit him with a bad sounding ’whack!’.
They pulled away from each other, both dazed as it felt like Fit’s brain rattled around inside his skull, however he stayed standing while Cellbit took a stumbling step back and had to put his hand against a tree to not fall down onto his ass.
Cellbit shook his head, his focus returning, by that time Fit had already recovered.
Fit tried to punch him, Cellbit saw it coming and dodged, making him miss, his metal fist hitting into the tree making leaves fall down.
Cellbit stood in Fit’s shadow, the fire burning behind the American, the sound of wood cracking as the flames broke open the wood, and sounds of heavy thuds as burnt branches grew too weak and fell onto the muddy ground. Fit just looked at him, expression cold, Cellbit took a few steps back.
Fit in response brought out a bomb, and threw it, aiming it at Cellbit’s feet. Fit saw his pupil widen, before he turned around and ran. The explosion let out a harsh ‘Boom!’ making Fit’s ears ring a bit. The sound of explosion, he was starting to feel at home.
Fit saw Cellbit running, saw him sprint into the woods, and even if he had escaped the bomb already so didn’t he stop. He was trying to escape. Outrun karma.
Something flipped in Fit, old experiences rearing its ugly head.
‘Keep your composure’. A part of his mind hissed, he had been acting domestic for so long, hidden this so long and he was about to ruin it. But another part replied, ‘Who care? Show him what we’re made of. Show him who he messed with. Show him how we survived 2b2t’.
He smiled and this deep laugh escaped his throat, shaking his whole body. He had gone this far, so why not just let it completely go?
“Why are you running!?” he yelled as he took off after him. “What? Are you scared? You scared you piece of shit?!”
Cellbit ran as quickly as he could, and Fit followed close behind. Their chase brought them into the woods, jumping over crooked roots and stones. Cellbit tried to shake him off his tail, making quick turns, trying to quickly turn around trees but Fit was keeping up, moving just as quickly. His feet beating against the forest floor, jumping over rocks and fallen trees with ease, like it was as natural as breathing.
His heart was beating hard in his chest, his breathing was quick as he greedily sucked in air panting as he was running. His eyes were locked on Cellbit, refusing to lose him, that man was not going to leave his sight until he was dead on the ground.
They were similar, used to be the hunters, the people who were on top. Animals, screaming and laughing, feeling the rush of the hunt, feeling that rush of adrenaline, drinking that feeling up.
Fit had almost forgotten how good this could feel. How good it felt chasing, nipping at their heels, just following, waiting for the slip up, aching for that fatal mistake that would allow Fit to rip him apart into pieces. He had lost the taste for hunting, but now he realized that he had just been missing one essential part, it was an emotional involvement, that he knew what Cellbit had done, that he knew who he was trying to kill.
Oh, he hadn’t felt this in so long, the urge of the hunt. A greyhound finally freed from its leash and allowed to run, to chase. To be free, to no longer hide that cruel and ugly side of himself, to no longer straining and choking himself against the rope he had bound around himself to come off as a better person. He could throw it all away, be himself, show what a son of a bitch he truly really was.
He was smiling, not that little smile, with his lips he usually did, he was actually showing teeth this time, smiling with his whole face showing those sharp fangs usually hidden from sight.
“An eye for an eye Cellbit!” he screamed after him “I’ll invade your fucking mind, I’ll be the one to haunt your dreams now! I’ll be your walking, living nightmare you son of a bitch!” Cellbit didn’t even turn to look at him, he just kept running, but to Fit’s horror he realized he was getting ahead of him. He was simply faster and the distance between them was slowly but surely getting bigger.
Fit scowled in frustration but had planned it might go this way.
He brought out his lasso and started to spin it. He was forced to stop for a second and he begged that he wouldn’t regret that as he threw the lasso, hoping, praying it would reach the target.
The rope went through the air and over Cellbit's head, he hadn’t seen it coming. Immediately Fit pulled, the noose closing around Cellbit's throat and the sudden stop made Cellbit let out a hacked of sound as his windpipe closed and yanked him back with such force that he fell backwards onto the ground, landing on his back.
Fit wasted no time, looked up and found a good steady branch and threw the rope over it and quickly pulled, dragging Cellbit across the dirty ground.
Cellbit was tugging at the rope around his neck trying to get it to loosen it whit his hands while his feet kicked the ground, trying to stop himself getting dragged along, but he didn’t get any good footing and soon his feet completely left the ground as he had gotten too close and with a huff Fit pulled up his whole weight making the other man hang in the air.
Fit consider it poetic, Pac who kept asking to hang people, getting his justice the way he preferred. Fit wanted to show it, a weapon acting in Pac’s name clearly showing why and for who he was doing this.
Cellbit wheezed as his leg kicked in the air making him sway back and forth. He was clearly trying to make it hard for Fit to keep his weight up, but Fit was holding steady, leaning his body down, using his own heavier weight to go against Cellbit’s. The grip around the rope was strong, having made it tie around his metal hand, holding it steady. He was not letting go.
He didn’t know how long Cellbit tossed on that line like a fish on a hook. His hands were both on the noose trying to get relief, trying to stop the rope from cutting into his skin and closing off his air suply. He seemed to realize it was all useless and let go with one hand, pulling out his knife from his belt. He reached over his head and quickly and clumsily started to cut into it, dragging the blade back and forth like a saw.
Fit’s eyes went wide but he couldn't really stop him, and that knife must have been the sharpest blade he had ever seen as it cut that rope in seconds.
Cellbit fell, landing hard on his knees wheezing and coughing, trying to pull air into his aching throat and he doubled over, the hand still on the rope pulling it off.
Fit who hadn’t been ready for the sudden loss of resistance fell backwards, landing in the dirt. Fit was however quickly back on his feet, and going towards Cellbit. If he didn’t want to accept that death then he would bring him another. He was angry at the hanging failing but strangulation would probably be acceptable as well.
However as soon Fit reached him, Cellbit's hand reached down, grabbing a handfull of dirt and just threw it up at his face. Fit was quick enough to close his eyes, but dirt still hit his face, blinding him.
Quickly Fit lifted his hand and pushed it away, opening his eyes he saw Cellbit still on the ground, his arm was up like he had just thrown something else as well.He smiled devilishly and Fit scowled before he lifted the trident and brought it forward trying to pierce him, wiping that smirk off his face, just for Cellbit to vanish in a puff of purple smoke, the trident hit the earth, digging deep into it.
Ender pearl.
Fit turned on the spot, trying to find the bastard but he was already out of sight. Fit bared his teeth in frustration. Rage was going along his blood, fire in his veins, fire in his heart.
“Don’t hide!” he screamed out into the evening, out into the woods. “I won't stop! Even if you escape today I’ll hunt you down, I’ll put you down!”
He got no response, the forest was quiet except the wind going through the leaves, making them russel. Fit’s eyes kept looking around snapping to one place to the next, even the slightest of sound reaching his ears catching his attention.
Fit turned towards the way it had looked like Cellbit had thrown the pearl. There was no idea of running after him, he wouldn’t catch up, so now was the time to do another technique.
He pulled out the trident and started fox walking, putting down the tip of his feet and then letting down his heel, walking silently. Maybe he could catch him by surprise, sneak up on him.
His eyes switch between looking over the area and going down, searching the dirt for footprints. He was moving silently through the woods, moving with a surprising amount of grace, he was on the prowl.
As he walked in the shadows he had the feeling of being watched, but despite looking around he couldn’t see anyone. He knew his hearing was pretty bad, and that he was trying to make up for it by glancing around, but somehow he was unable to see anyone. Maybe he was paranoid, but he swore he could feel eyes on him, watching his every move. Maybe it was just paranoia.
It was while he was looking around that he finally saw it. Footprints. He smiled as he started to follow them, moving silently, he kept looking around but saw no trace of Cellbit, he guessed he had taken off running the second the pearl landed.
Fit followed but he didn’t get far, as the tracks suddenly ended by a tree.
He immediately realized what happened with a sinking heart and looked up just to see Cellbit leap down from the tree's crown where he had been hiding amongst the leaves.
He jumped from the tree, landing on Fit trying to push him down, but the American was able to keep himself upright. Cellbit in response swung around Fit one arm over his chest while the other holding the knife tried to slice it across his throat.
Fit reacted too fast, grabbing both Cellbits arms before throwing himself forward, rolling, slamming his whole weight into Cellbit’s chest and he heard him let out a hacked off groan. Fit hoped he broke some ribs.
Cellbit lost his grip so when Fit had rolled off him, he got up and straddled his chest and tried to punch him in the face. Cellbit caught his fist and when Fit tried to do it again with his other caught that one too.
Fit bared his teeth and Cellbit mirrored, sharp feline-like teeth bared back. Fangs shown off at both ends, trying to scare the other.
Cellbit let go of his fist and tried to swipe at Fit’s face with his claws, but Fit once again was too quick, pulling his head back and his now free fist finally hit, right on Cellbit’s nose, hearing it crack. Cellbit let out a hiss of pain as blood started to seep out from it and down to his lips, mixing with the blood from his cut face. But that look of anger didn’t leave his eye and the snarl never left his lips.
They fought, punching, scratching, hissing and growling. They were truly no better than wild animals, fighting themselves bloody and broken. There was no other way to describe it than animalistic, there was no grace, no beauty or tactic, it was a fight of survival and hate, the wish to harm and the wish to survive turning into one bloody and desperate mess.
“Get off of me!” Cellbit screamed, trying to throw Fit off but he stayed in place.
“This has been a long time coming! Touch one more strand on Pac’s head and I’ll teach you what hell truly feels like!” He screamed back, not caring to seem composed, not trying to show that cold controlled rage. He was wild, he was screaming and lashing out “I might not be able to kill you permanently! But there are fates worse than death! I can make you beg to be killed!”
Cellbit didn’t seem to listen as he reached up, his claws catching Fit’s arm and his claws started to rip through the skin. Fit could barely feel it.
Fit grabbed his hand and pulled it away, slamming it to the ground, his grip around it was so tight it was bruising.
He lifted his own fist, about to try to knock some teeth out, but Cellbit caught it, fighting desperately against Fit's strenght.
Fit, with both hands occupied, and in a moment of pure unfiltered instinct got an idea and acted on it, throwing his body forward and biting down on Cellbit’s neck.
He felt his teeth dig into Cellbit’s throat, felt them burrowing into his skin, breaking it, blood filling his mouth. Tasting a few drops of that warm iron tasting liquid on his tongue.
Cellbit stopped moving at once, seemingly realizing twitching could make him rip his own throat out, but he wouldn’t have to worry for long, because Fit was about to do it for him.
With all the rage in his heart behind him Fit truly bit down, feeling his teeth actually sink deep into the skin, like biting a simple piece of meat. Warm blood filled his mouth, quickly, he must have hit some kind of major blood vessel of some kind.
Fit bit down harder, the blood edging him on and with a roar escaping him as best he could and threw himself backwards while moving his neck and he ripped his throat out.
It was messy.
Meat in mouth bleeding down his chin, down his throat over his clothes. Fit spit it out at once, and he watched Cellbit just gasp softly for a second, his eye wide as he stared up at Fit, and Fit recognized that look.
Fear.
Pure terror.
He was looking up at the man who had just ripped his throat out, the man with his blood all over his mouth and throat while he himself was bleeding out. Fit just looked back, not looking away, he wanted to watch this, watch the life leave his eyes. Watch them go empty.
Cellbit's eyes soon lost focus, going dim. His breathing slowed before it stopped all togheter, he twitched a few more times before his whole body just went slack.
He was gone.
There was no permadeath on the island, he would respawn soon. Fit didn’t really know what to feel about that, he mostly felt numb at it. The adrenaline was already draning leaving him just feeling tired. He had wounds from Cellbit's claws all over his arms, chest, thankfully none had hit his face. They were shallow, if he was lucky none would end up turning into scars. They started to hurt though, the warm blood making the fabric of his shirt stick uncomfortably to his skin.
Fit stood up, getting off the body that was quickly growing cold.
He looked at it for a second before he without hesitation took out a stick of dynamite and lit the fuse. He took a few steps back before just underhand tossing it onto Cellbit's body. Clean up, he was a janitor after all he thought with a little grin.
It took about 3 seconds before it exploded, a deafening ‘BOOM’ rang out, the smell of gunpowder filled the air as dust and mud got kicked up into the air, parts of the grass flying and landing meters away. That gunpowder smelled like old memories.
The smell of burnt flesh soon followed, but Fit had already turned away at that point, not caring to see what was left of Cellbit, the important thing was that his stuff was gone. Sure he had taken an eye, a limb paid for the one he had taken from Pac, but Fit considered the loss of items fair enough. Consider it… revenge with interest.
Fit had thought about bringing down the castle as well, lighting the whole thing up like the fourth of July, but that would be mean to Foolish who built it, so Fit had in the end decided to be content with just getting Cellbit’s stuff.Fair enough in his eyes. To be honest, he was letting Cellbit get off easy.
He left, Cellbit could come and get whatever had survived the explosion if he wished. Fit has made his point clear, and he would gladly make it even clearer if Cellbit would revealed later he still didn’t get it.
He walked quite a bit, not wanting to be close to the corpse, when he had some good distance he opened the canister that hung around his waist, and started to wash off his face, and filling his mouth with water and spitting it out, getting that taste of blood out of his mouth. No matter how many times he washed he could still taste blood on his tongue and he hated it. Tasted like bad memories. Maybe he should go home and brush his teeth-
“Fit?”
Fit felt his heart sink all the way down into his fucking stomach. He snapped around, eyes wide and scared as he looked at Pac standing there watching him.
There was silence as Fit just looked at him.
Even if there was no blood around his mouth, there were still stains on his bandana, on his throat, on his shirt. He was stained, the blood was clear on him, he couldn't hide that, hide what he was, what he had done.
“How…how much did you see?” Fit asked, voice quiet. It might be a bad and suspicious question to ask, but he just had to know.
“I was looking for you. And then I saw you on the map around here, and I found the fire and then heard you screaming in the forest. I couldn’t make out what you said so I got worried and went after you…” his voice trailed off. Fit felt his mouth go dry.
“You saw it all” he whispered, the words just slipping out between his lips.
“A bit far away but…Yeah”
Silence.
Fit didn’t know what to say. The cat was out of the bag now he guessed. Pac had seen. Seen what had happened.
Fit knew something like this might have gotten out to Pac through Cellbit but hearing rumors and seeing it was different. Seeing Fit fight mobs or in a game like purgatory and rip someone’s throat out by pure rage, pure wish for revenge was way different.
One was understandable, more controlled, less…ugly, less scary.
“I’m sorry” was all Fit could say. What else could he say? He was sorry for making Pac bear witness to this, to get his picture of him ruined by this, that he had seen the worst part of him, sorry that he had lied about being a person.
Pac seemed surprised by his words.
“Sorry for what?” he asked, sounding confused “Did Cellbit do something to you too?” he asked, leaning his head slightly to his side.
There was no fear on his face, he was looking at him with those pretty eyes, those dark brown eyes that Fit loved so much but now just felt too ashamed to meet.
It felt like he had been pulled out of this high. Pulled out of the invigorating feeling of the hunt and dragged back to earth. His mind pulled from 2b2t and back to quesadilla island and now he was left scrambling to hide the bad side of himself again.
“No I…” Fit scowled as he looked down at the ground.
Had he overstepped? Maybe-maybe it had been Pac’s place to decide to get revenge, maybe he should have asked, or let him handle it. He knew he wouldn’t have, he would have let it go, giving Cellbit an excuse just like he did again and again. But still, maybe Fit was just overprotective, too angry and wild to let this go. But still, maybe it wasn’t his place to do this, maybe Pac should have been the one to give the order.
“I…I was mad that he’d hurt you so much, and he hadn’t paid for it and I just..I just couldn’t let it go” he admitted.
“You got revenge for me?” Pac asked, sounding even more surprised. Fit crossed his arms over his chest, in some kind of attempt to soothe himself.
“I…I’m used to that, your enemies are my enemies. Eye for an eye, or, eye for a leg I guess. I will burn your kingdom if you hurt me and mine. That kind of laws, I know nothing else” he tried to explain, try to make him understand where he was coming from, what his old home had taught him.
“Mine?” Pac parroted. Fit realized what he had said and wanted to facepalm. His cheeks turned bright red.
“You know…People I care a lot about.” he stammered out, “I’m sorry-”
“No, no, I like that.” Pac cut him off with haste, and then seemed to turn red as well “I..I liked you calling me ‘mine’”
Fit’s heart made a volt inside his chest, and his mind went blank for a second. That was what Pac focused on, that Fit had called him ‘mine’.
“Pac, I just…I killed a man, ripped his throat out” he responded lamely.
“So what?” Pac asked. Simple, direct, like this whole thing was a none issue.
Fit’s mind was a fucking mess, 2b2t instincts, Fit perception of what a person was, and Pac’s carefree responses was spining around in his head, getting tangled up it this one storm of thoughts, feelings and understanding of the world. It was like Fit’s mind was tearing itself asunder.
“'So what?' Pac I’m a fucking monster.” he said, maybe a bit to harsh “I’m, I’m a beast, I’m not human”
“What does that even mean?” he asked, brows furrowed. He sounded genuinely curious. “You look human”
“That’s-I’m not-I don’t feel like a person. I’m like an animal, I miss humanity” Fit tried to explain, try to make him understand.
Pac looked at him for a long moment, watching his face before his eyes traveled all the way down to his feet and then up again. He made a sharp nod, like he had been hit with some sudden wisdom.
“You’re a person in my eyes. You’re no less of a person than anyone else” Fit’s mind just went blank again. He opened his mouth several times, but nothing came out, his mind trying to put together something to say while this whole mess was scrambling his normal functions. This did not follow any script his mind had laid out.
He had expected Pac to step away in fear, look at him with horror realizing he was this dangerous. Horrified at witnessing him kill Cellbit, Cell a guy he feared even more with only his teeth. Yell at him for hiding this side, that he would feel tricked and betrayed. Pac was not reaction even close to how he had expected.
“I’m messed up” he said in the end, a bit sheepishly. Pac, honest to god, laughed at that.
“Everyone here is a bit messed up! Even me!” Pac said with a chuckle “Find me someone here who isn’t messed up and I’ll find you someone who’s very good at lying”
Fit had to admit there was some truth in that, after spending so many months on this island there probably was no one left that was 100% alright. Everyone here needed a therapist at this point, but that didn’t stop Fit from thinking he was still on another level of messed up than many others. His trauma was not new, this was years in the making, it could be seen on his skin, psychically not just mentally.
“I’m still sorry you had to see me like that. I didn’t want to scare you” Fit explained “I’m a mean son of a bitch Pac. I have hurt and killed people. My hands are drenched with blood, I have bathed in it. I’m like Cell, I’m a beast”
Pac immediately stepped closer, lifted his hands up and grabbed Fit’s face, forcing him to look right into his eyes. Pac’s eyes were serious, his mouth a thin line.
“You’re not like him,” he said sternly, like he was scolding Fit “And I’m not afraid of you”
Fit looked into those eyes for a moment. He wanted to turn away but Pac’s eyes seemingly had him locked in place.
“You do not fear me?” he asked after a moment.
“No, I don't. Because you never hurt me. I could never even imagine you hurting me.” Pac replied without hesitation, without fear, without doubt. "I trust you."
“I never would hurt you” Fit replied at once, conviction in his voice. His voice the steadiest it had been since the start of the conversation “I would cut my own heart out before I hurt yours” Fit let out a joyless chuckle as he glanced down at his bandana that had gone dark wine red by the dried blood “I'd pull my own teeth out before I did something like this to you”
Pac dragged his thumb across his cheek, making Fit look back up at him. Pac's expression was gentler now.
“Would you keep them? Hurt Cell again if he came after me” Fit let out a deep breath steeling his nerves. Pac didn’t seem too put off but he was still scared to admit the full truth, but he knew he had to lay the cards out, show him what he was. Pac deserved the truth, deserved to know who's side he was walking besides.
“I would give him a thousand deaths. I would hunt him to the end of the earth, I would be like Skoll, a beast that would chase him till the end times until I get the chance to catch him” Fit swallowed hard, trying to push down the lump now residing in his throat “I would kill and die for you Pac.” Pac seemed to think over his words for a second before he responded.
“Would you…Would you love me?” Fit lost his breath for a second at the question “You would hurt and kill for me, and I love that. I love that I feel safe with you. That you're on my side. But would you also love? Would you rest by me? Would you stay with me when there is peace?”
Fit looked at Pac, feeling lost, maybe Pac could see it as he gently rubbed his thumb over Fit's cheek again, trying to soothe him. That gave him enough strength to continue.
“I don’t know how to do that” Fit said, swallowing again. He didn’t know how to do that, he had lived on edge his whole life, the island and Ramon was teaching him to relax more, to be gentler, to be calmer but…He didn’t fully know how to handle that, but still… “But for you I would learn”
Pac smiled.
“I’m not an angel either. I like hanging people. Me and Mike have killed people. I steal, I rob. If you’re an animal then so am I” Fit shook his head.
“You’re not an animal. I am.” he said sternly. Pac was too good to be like him, too nice, too wonderful.
“Would you let me prove you wrong?” He asked. Fit looked confused so Pac elaborated. “Prove that you’re a person?”
Fit thought about it. It didn’t feel like that was something to be proven, humanity was something that had been stolen from him, and with his teeth also willingly given up. Humanity in exchange for survival. Him being a person wasn’t something to be proven but to be regained, found, those missing parts placed back in the empty spaces of his soul, like puzzle pieces.
Maybe…Maybe Pac couldn’t give him those back, but maybe he could help him find them, be by his side as he searched.
Fit was so tired. He wanted to be like Pac, be like him, a person. Be someone deserving of him, be this person Pac saw him as.
“I don’t want to be this kind of animal anymore,” Fit admitted with a whisper. Pac looked at him, this gentleness in his eyes as he moved his thumb over his cheek again.
“Then lets change” He made it sound so easy, so simple, like it truly was possible.
Fit smiled and just leaned forward, his forehead resting against Pac’s.
“Pac. I’m really bad at being a person, okay? So you’ll have to be clear with me. If I do something bad you’ll have to tell me, and I’m bad at love so give me clear signals”. He was so scared, scared of stepping over the line. He didn’t see the line between caring and possessive as clear as some. Between being protective and being overly aggressive. It was hard for him, but he wanted to learn and he trusted Pac’s judgment. Fit was giving Pac the leash, trusting him to know when to let go and let Fit sink his teeth into bastards and when to pull it and stop him.
“I want to kiss you,” Pac replied. No hesitation. No need to think. “Can I kiss you?”
To be honest that stun locked Fit partly. Well…He had asked to give clear signals and he guess this was as clear someone could possibly get.
“I-I have never kissed anyone before” It felt like his teeth were too sharp, that they would cut his lip, and if they went beyond a simple kiss then surely he would slice up Pac’s tongue, make him bleed. He wasn’t made for kissing.
“Can I kiss you?” Pac repeated. Fit just looked at him, as he realized he hadn’t answered the question, realized Pac didn’t care he had never kissed before. Didn’t care about the fangs, didn’t care he was kissing those lips that just a moment ago had been wearing Cellbit’s blood.
He didn’t care what Fit was. What he did. He loved him. It was just that simple. That was what he cared about. Beast. Person. Protector. He loved him. He was Fit and he loved him, that was all he needed.
“Yes. But I might still taste of blood” he warned. Pac scoffed.
“Cell ate my leg, getting just a hint of his blood won’t bother me” reclaiming power. Not fully an eye for an eye but it was something.
He leaned closer and Pac met him halfway. Soft lips on his, unbelievably soft, kissing him like he was precious, like he was worth the moon and the sun. Fit tried to kiss him back, it was clumsy, he didn’t know if he was doing it right but it felt so good , so incredible that he must be doing something right at least. It made Fit’s heart do flips inside his chest. His cheek was burning red, and butterflies were fluttering in his stomach, but it was a nice feeling. He loved it. He loved kissing Pac so much, it made his heart beat so fast it ached.
Fit grabbed his hips, like he was trying to anchor himself down while Pac kept cupping his face, holding him gently.
After a moment of kissing, Pac opened his mouth wider slightly, inviting him to deepen the kiss. He didn’t do anything more, just an invitation, a silent question as he waited for Fit’s answer.
The action scared Fit to the core, not daring it yet. He would hurt him, his teeth would slice up his tongue, make him bleed. Fit didn’t want to taste Pac’s blood, it would taste vile, it would ruin the sweet taste of Pac’s lips.
He pulled away, and Pac let him, let him remove his lips from his without resistance.
“Sorry” Fit said sheepishly but Pac shook his head.
“No worries. Baby steps right?” he said with a grin as he went forward and kissed his cheek, kissed his chin, his neck, soft gentle pecks on his skin that gave Fit goosebumps. “You’re so kissable,” Pac said, chuckling. His tone was warm, so full of affection it shook Fit to the core. He liked that description, not dangerous, not scary, but kissable. Words he had never heard himself be described as before.
“You’re everything” Fit breathed out, short of breath, like this kiss had pulled the air from his lungs “I love you”
Pac smiled even brighter as he stopped his kissing spree for a second.
“I love you too. I don’t care what you see yourself as. I see the most beautiful, amazing person in the world. I see my beloved” he kissed his cheek again, right under his eyes, right over the scar.
Pac’s beloved.
Fit loved that title.
Fit moved and kissed his cheek scar, feeling the warmth of Pac’s blush against his lips.
Pac smiled brightly and moved his arms, hugging Fit instead, pulling him close. Fit returned the gesture holding him tightly against his chest. He let his cheek rest against Pac’s hair, the soft strands tickling his skin. It was nice, holding him gently, close but not enough to hurt. He wanted him close, wanted him in his arms forever.
”I…I don’t want to make out, but it was really nice when you kissed me” Fit suddenly said, and he heard Pac laugh, pulling back slightly and looking up at him with glittering eyes.
“You want to do it again?” Fit smiled, smiled genuinely, a toothy grin.
“Yes please” their lips quickly met again, and dear god what a feeling.
Fit had escaped hell and made it all the way to heaven.