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Was it stupid of Branzy to meet up with Vitalasy and Subz knowing damn well the stunts he pulled?
Yes.
Could he be blamed for this outcome though?
Still yes.
When his old buddies from his last gang contacted Branzy to talk about a deal and reconciliation, his expectations were muddy at best.
Having to climb out of a badly built obsidian box after being knocked unconscious was not something he planned for though.
“You know, Branzy, I thought this would’ve been way harder” a voice sneered somewhere to his…left? Branzy couldn’t quite tell. Maybe he hit his head harder than he thought.
The few sensations Branzy got was that his ribs were aching, something liquidy was dripping down from his face, maybe his nose and that it was incredibly cold. Oh and that his legs might give out any second now.
Crap. Crap, this was not what was supposed to happen.
His stiff fingers clamp around the communicator that was somehow still in his pants pocket and blindly presses it in hopes of calling someone to help him. He knows his reputation isn’t very clean and trustable, but surely someone will help him right?
Branzy didn’t know where exactly he was heading, legs moving on its own in a futile attempt to outrun his would-be killers if they catch up. The rapid footsteps behind him reminds him of what was on the line as his heart beats out of control to try its best to catch up to the amount of energy he was exerting, the necklace looped around him felt suffocating as it dangled around.
If he could keep this up for a little longer, just a bit more, he’d be able to- able to what? Branzy couldn't even confirm where he was heading would help him, but when a pale building came to view he just kept sprinting towards it. At least he could say he tried.
“Running is futile, Branzy!” that mocking voice called out again, Branzy thinks it might’ve been Vitalasy’s.
Despite the taunting, the building comes closer and Branzy realises where exactly he backed himself into.
He can’t tell if his heart is beating from the chase or from the memories of this place now.
The gaping maw that was ClownPierce’s casino- or what the masked man refers to as The Circus- greets his battered figure.
It wasn’t only the entrance that greeted him though, but ClownPierce himself.
Oh.
Oh.
The embrace of death didn’t sound too bad.
Anyone that looked at Branzy right now could tell he was about to fall unconscious again any second now, that he was sure.
When he felt the warmth of familiar arms wrap around him though, it was like Clown had hit the off button in him and he immediately felt himself relaxing as the chaos faded out when his eyes flickered close.
🂠🂡🂠
The moment Clown’s communicator ringed, he double checked his inventory before stepping out into the cool night air to wait for a particular silver haired man that had a brain too sharp for his own good.
His position in underground syndicates always rendered him susceptible to attacks and betrayals, so when Branzy joined as an engineer his casino development, it was natural for Clown to be suspicious. It wasn’t like Branzy had a record of loyalty either, if he had the man wouldn’t have ended up under Clown’s crew and instead still serving the tiny purple faction in another part of the city.
But it became obvious the moment Clown had personally met Branzy later that the engineer was something else. He’s never met someone so charmingly smart yet stupid. Sue him if the way Branzy was able to offer witty remarks that others simply couldn’t had softened his heart enough for the other to infringe and latch onto it like a parasite.
Eventually, LifeSteal's underground syndicates caught wind of how Branzy with his glimmering violet eyes was always with ClownPierce. Eventually, all underground syndicates in LifeSteal had taken Clown’s reputation as death into consideration and knew better than to touch even a single strand of hair on Branzy.
Some people are genuinely brainless though, evident in how the aforementioned tiny group had planned to hunt down his Branzy.
So Clown stood right at the centre of his casino entrance waiting for his engineer to show up and lead those fools straight into the belly of the beast that was starving for spare hearts.
His scythe has served him well on many occasions and tonight would be another one of those.
The pitter patter of steps warned Clown of what was coming as his body tensed with the anticipation of a fight, flexing his hands to prepare for the bloodbath that nears by every inch they get closer to his lair.
When Branzy came into view though, the tension in Clown wasn’t just the thrill of a battle but cold shock because Branzy was tainted with blood that was leaking out of his thankfully still pumping heart.
He should’ve known better than to send his own heart into some hare-brained scheme, no matter what Branzy’s puppy dog eyes pleads.
Catching his partner’s body came instinctually as Clown threw an enderpearl into the casino. Damn those who were chasing after Branzy, Clown thought as his vengeful self rears its head. He had to get Branzy away before showing those two purple members why Branzy was his.
The private quarters of the building hiding beneath creaky floorboards and disguised trapdoors come as a relief to Clown as he settles Branzy on the bed before splashing him with a healing potion. It wasn’t as if Clown couldn’t give Branzy another heart, it’s just that the agony one has to go through to respawn wasn’t worth it when his Branzy was still breathing despite his wounds. No, Clown would do everything in his power to make sure Branzy would only die if he deemed it so. Nobody else could hold that control over Branzy.
Heckles inside the casino broke Clown out of his selfish spiral as he is reminded of what and who had led his most treasured engineer into such a damaged state. If their death was already awaiting them before he saw Branzy’s injuries then those who used their sullied hands to spill blood from his heart would be begging for the relief death brings.
🂠🂡🂠
“Branzy!” Vitalasy called out into the casino despite knowing what possibly resides there, “There’s no use hiding!”
Clown had crawled out of the emergency exit of their room before inconspicuously re-entering the casino so as to not give away their hidden base, his mind thrumming with the need to avenge his wounded heart.
“Is there a need to yell so incessantly?” Clown stated plainly, dragging his scythe behind him, “I didn’t appreciate how you mocked my engineer.”
Moments like this made Clown infinitely grateful for the porcelain mask he dons as it hides the unadulterated rage that was burning in his eyes. Branzy always expressed shock in how expressive he was under the mask.
“ClownPierce!” Vitalasy spoke, deceptively calm even if the way his eyes widened betrayed him, “Your engineer has wronged our faction, we only seek our rightful retribution.”
He flicked his wrist to bring his scythe up at the response, “Then you must seek an audience with death first.”
“Clown!” Subz pleads, “It is not an insult to your gang-”
“It is an insult you think you could attack one of my members,” Clown asserted, crowding the two further into the room, “Especially one of my most trusted.”
He could see the moment fear consumes their very mind as they hesitantly draw their swords.
“Do you think you deserve death?” Clown condescendingly asks.
The dance that follows is one Clown is most familiar with. Every step filled with purpose and danger as he nears the two, muscles twitching from the familiar motions of attacking with his gleaming scythe.
His swings ripples through the air as the swirling essence of potions surround him, the weakness potions they try to splash on him shielded as he nears, the residue smoke clinging on to him. His eyes actively analyse the way his opponents aim for an entrance at his flesh and bones and eagerly defend at the last second to pull them closer.
Vitalasy and Subz worked well together, Clown admits. Their tag teaming was impressive and it's easy to see the camaraderie that fills the way they work to try bringing Clown down no matter how futile it is.
Clown was simply more powerful. His sharply honed instincts tell his body when to twirl and sway to the internal beat of weapons clashing before his mind can catch up. Every stab and slash he lands serve to wear down his enemy as he powers through the damage they land on him. This fight was his to win, his to seize control of.
The battle didn’t last very long, not with Vitalasy getting hooked onto the tip of the scythe soon enough, making him bleed profusely and rendering him weakened whilst Subz’ reaction to the amount of blood that is flowing out of Vitalasy has led to an opening Clown took, slicing through the side of his torso.
Their blood mingled on the hardwood floors of the casino and Clown was grateful that it was not open to the public yet. This will require some deep cleaning.
They were not dead yet, though. Their breathing was laboured but their hearts were still beating in sync.
“Do you think you deserve death?” Clown repeats.
His Branzy awaits him. He was wasting time here.
Clown’s bloodied scythe presses against the both of them, though the threat of drawing blood wasn’t that significant anymore as the wounds Clown inflicted were fatal, their soul could not sustain much longer before reaching death’s door.
He watches triumphly as Subz wheezes, “You’ll pay- you won’t-”
The sharp edge of his weapon cut Subz off before he could finish and the creak of a trapdoor distracted Clown from his savagery.
“You got lucky, Branzy,” Clown comments, looking back.
“No,” his heart smiles, full of glee and shuffles to get closer to Clown despite the blood that is seeping from the fabric to his skin, “I knew you’d get me.”
“You could’ve died,” he accentuated.
Branzy only continued to smile, “You wouldn’t have let me.”
Clown stands still as his partner embraces him despite the pain Clown knew Branzy must’ve felt doing that, hands resting on the porcelain mask before unclasping it and discarding it onto the floor.
Branzy’s cool hand caresses the face so carefully kept secret from the public with reverence and presses his lips against Clown’s.
“Even when I didn’t know what direction I was facing, I knew it’d lead me to you. They can't do anything when you are mine.” Branzy pauses for a second as if in thought before continuing, “‘Death has no claim on you the moments I remain breathing’, remember?” he added teasingly, tilting his head on purpose so the ring hanging off the chain around his neck glinted in the minimal light that peered into the room, “I took your vows very seriously.”