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007n7 used to pride himself on being a man who was quite tough to shake. When you're a hacker, messy things can happen, but he learned to ignore most of it. He only wished he could have kept that ability all these years later.
Fatherhood was unexpected as well, full of surprises. Days spent at home caring for C00lkidd when the child was ill, treating him for small injuries from playing too roughly. C00lkidd had always been one for preferring to play rough, though 007n7 was sure to calmly and kindly scold him if things had gone too far. Something being a hacker never prepares you for is the hurt that comes from seeing one you care for so dearly in pain.
C00lkidd had his fair amount of run-ins with illnesses, though 007n7 was always quick to bring him somewhere for help. Sometimes, his skin condition would make an illness worse, and surely the Lord above knew 007n7 wanted nothing but the best for C00lkidd.
Those hours spent at his child's bedside, wiping away stray tears, administering medicine, reading stories and kissing him goodnight... It was all worth it to see C00lkidd's sickness improve. To watch him perk up again, slowly, but surely. For the boy to regain his seemingly never-ending appetite (maybe 007n7 should have that checked out as well.)
No day spent home from work caring for C00lkidd could have prepared him for this.
007n7 was fumbling with the wires of the generator he was sitting nearby, his focus and will to continue dwindling each painstaking second. Chance had offered him help earlier, but he politely declined. Chance had people to protect, friends he'd made despite their shitty situation. 007n7 huffed, piecing together the last wires before sighing. The familiar low hum of the completed generator was almost comforting. A little less time in hell on Earth, a little more time 007n7 could spend in his bed, regretting things.
Then, there was a shift in the air, a dangerous one. 007n7 stood up from the generator he was at, messing with the path finding of his clone. Right then was when it happened, if he had looked up any moment later, he'd surely need Elliot's assistance.
A brick was hurled in his direction, narrowly missing his head and flying into the distance. A brick? He'd never seen that ability before? His stomach twisted, knowing that could only mean there was a new common enemy among the survivors. 007n7 took one step forward before stopping. The laugh he had just heard, it was so famil—
"Taaag! You're it, papa!" The weight of another body slammed into him, knocking him off balance, and he felt the sharp blade of a sword as well. 007n7 fell back, wincing as his back collided with the floor painfully. Lord, he was getting old.
007n7 finally met the gaze of his attacker, and deep inside, something shattered.
He wanted to scream, to cry, to run and never look back, though the bleeding spot near his hips proved to make most things painful. That—
Another giggle.
C00lkidd, his son, his pride, his joy, everything that kept him going, he was– he was right there. But he certainly did not look like him, like his beloved son. Oh, but he knew. A sappy, paternal feeling coated his heart, like a thick layer of honey. What the hell had happened to him? He was surely a similar height to 007n7 himself, despite only reaching slightly above his hip the last time he'd seen the boy. He was incredibly skinny as well, bones seeming as if they could cut through skin at any moment. A look of worry made its way onto 007n7's face.
"What's wrong, papaaa? You look tired," C00lkidd tilted his head, a gesture 007n7 used to find oh-so endearing. Now... Now?
God, he was terrifying. Though, behind that mutilated bone structure and never-faltering smile... Was his little boy, his baby, his son. 007n7 opened his mouth to speak, but was promptly met with another attack. A punch to his leg. 007n7 let out a groan, scrambling backwards without standing.
"Tag is no fun if you sit around!" C00lkidd chirped happily, almost as if he didn't know he had hurt his own father. 007n7 stood up, limping as he started to make a dash.
As he ran, he could hear C00lkidd's laughter, along with something that sounded like words of praise. 007n7 winced with every step, biting his lip as to not groan as he ran. He gasped in relief when he approached a room with four entries and dim lighting. With a small press to the c00lgui, he sent out a clone in an opposing direction, limping away to what he hoped was safety.
He stood nearby for only a moment as he was undetectable, watching C00lkidd chase after the clone. 007n7 sighed, his shoulders slumping— he hadn't remembered straining them so much. With uneasy steps, he hobbled around until he found a corner he felt safe enough in. There, he sat down again to gather his thoughts. He took off his glasses and rubbed his hands against his face roughly.
The image of his son's mangled body flashed in his retinas, causing him to gasp. There was no doubt in his mind, it was certainly C00lkidd. A wave of guilt washed over 007n7, a frown making its way onto his face. He had finally seen his son again, and what had he done? Ran and left the boy with a clone. He winced again as he pressed his hand to where the blade had cut him, somewhat dried, sticky blood coating his fingers. 007n7 pulled his legs up to his chest, laying his head down.
Who had given his son such a dangerous thing? Surely he didn't realize how harmful a sword could be. Hell, he might even think it's plastic and a toy! 007n7 groaned, raking his hands through the short strands of his hair. And he had grown so much, so unnaturally it seemed. A silent sob shook 007n7.
He bit his lip, praying to anything that no one would come across him in such a compromising situation... And he cried. Emotions built up from the stress of these games, from watching his fellow peers die over and over, only to come back, just to die again. A sadistic, never-ending cycle. And now? His son had been added to that very roster, to be put through this hell. He didn't deserve it. 007n7 surely did, he knew it in his bones. Exploiters and hackers were a common enemy among the various admins and citizens of Robloxia after all.
Tears began to fall with more fervor. He deserved this– he deserved to suffer. A small hiccuping sob. He deserved damnation, he—
"Oh, there you are." A voice pulled 007n7 out of his mind. Just a mere few feet away stood the strong figure Guest 1337. He breathed in a shaky breath, making minimal eye contact with the other male. "Builderman sent me to find you, are you alright? Last we knew you were doing a generator alone, according to Chance."
007n7 wanted to speak, but found himself at a loss for words. "Y-Yeah. I'm... fine. Just a little hurt, but aren't we all?" He tried to joke, though his voice carried no sign of humour.
"Come here, bud. Builderman gave me a medkit he found, told me to use it if I needed to." Guest 1337 unclipped the medical kit from his tactical belt, opening it up and grabbing a roll of bandages. "Your hand there, it's bloody. Show me where he got you."
007n7 flushed slightly. "You really don't need to Guest- I can live without it." He nervously said, looking away.
Guest 1337 made a face and sighed. "Look, you know it's not every man for himself out there. Let me help you, we're a team after all," He held his hand out for 007n7 to grab. 007n7 made a small noise, grabbing his glasses. He put them back on before taking Guest 1337's hand. The stronger man pulled him up and on his feet with such ease. "That's more like it. Now..." He could feel Guest 1337's eyes surveying his body, looking for the source of blood.
"Above my hip! The- The wound is above my hip," He blurted out, face flushing in embarrassment. Slowly, he moved one of his hands to the wound, "Right there."
Guest 1337 let out a low whistle, a thick eyebrow raising. "Damn, didn't realize the kid had a sword on him. He only punched me a couple times," 007n7 bit his lip, not wanting to say anything that may make Guest 1337 uncomfortable. "Can you lift your shirt up? I'll be able to bandage your wound properly that way, then we can regroup with the others."
"Ah-Ah, but—" 007n7 wished whatever god there was would just smite him. This was so embarrassing. Guest 1337, probably the strongest among everyone, was here telling him to lift his shirt like it was nothing.
"Don't worry, I'm not a licensed doctor, but I've bandaged enough people up to probably get an honourary badge,” Guest 1337 let out a small laugh at his own words, that made 007n7 smile just the slightest bit. A gentle touch brushed over where the wound was. "I'll be careful, I promise."
007n7 flushed again. Looking away, he finally nodded. He sat down on a bed in the room, assuming it'd make the application easier, though he hesitated at his shirt. "We're all men here, 7n7, no need to be embarrassed."
.
.
.
Had the other man just... teased him? "Oh, yea-yeah. Sorry. I'm not used to being tolerated, haha," The laugh is dry, void of humour, "I'm surprised Elliot heals me half the time. Not a lot of people like me, which is understandable when you take my past into account." 007n7 looked down, pausing, "Sorry, I should've stayed quiet."
Guest 1337 furrowed his brows together. "Well, you seem like a fine guy to me, 7n7," He paused as he prepared the bandage, "Let's get you wrapped up and somewhere with someone who can defend you." 007n7 nodded curtly, hands finally going to the hem of his shirt to show where C00lkidd had struck him.
"Damn, most of the blood has dried up. Still, it'd be bad if it got infected." Guest 1337 mumbled, mostly to himself as he got onto one knee to accurately wrap the bandages. Every feather light touch of those strong hands threatened to increase the flush of 007n7's face. It was just... quite embarrassing.
Guest 1337 was the pinnacle of a man. A muscular, tall figure that he was sure many people admired. In contrast, he was average on the height scale, but he was quite heavier. He found that he didn't care about weight when it was just him and C00lkidd. If anything, weight gained was simply a sign that he'd finally settled down after years of exploiting and hacking. The thought of his old life with his son threatened to spill tears once more, but he'd already embarrassed himself in front of Guest 1337 enough for the day.
The press of thick, strong fingers caught 007n7's attention once more. Oh, Guest 1337 was adhering the bandage to itself... Of course. Nothing else. "He got you pretty good, but that bandage should keep everything nice and uninfected." Guest 1337 stood up, stretching slightly before giving 007n7 a pat on the back. "You're very strong 7n7, don't forget it."
Him? Strong? Surely that was a joke, in fact, he almost laughed... Though, when he looked up to Guest 1337's standing figure, nothing but sincerity shone in his eyes, a smile on his face.
He looked away again, "...Thank you, Guest."
"Of course. Now, let's see if we can find the others." Guest 1337 began walking out of the room, motioning for 007n7 to join him. He quickly scrambled to his feet, though the regret was immediate. He had forgotten about his injured leg. Nothing was bleeding, so he guessed that he had pulled a muscle or something along those lines.
Being the ever observant, kind individual he was, Guest 1337 noticed. He raised an eyebrow, almost like he was asking if he was okay.
"I'm fine, I swear, just a little bruised is all. You've helped me enough today, you deserve to get someone like me out of your hair." 007n7 fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. Guest 1337 made a face, one 007n7 couldn't tie an emotion to. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off.
"Oh Guest! Thank God! Where were you?" Elliot had run in from an intersecting entryway, visor askew, obviously frazzled.
"Hey Elliot, sorry. Builderman told me to look for 7n7 here," He nudged 007n7 with his elbow slightly, making the other let out a small, 'yeah... haha...' "What's the problem, buddy?"
Elliot seemed to sour slightly at the mention of 007n7. "Oh, sorry. I didn't notice him." He cleared his throat, "Anyways, I don't have any other pizzas ready, and Chance is out there with the new kid alone."
Guest 1337 nodded, cutting Elliot off, "You're worried for him, yeah? Don't worry, I'll go help him out until this is all done. You seem a little roughed up. Builderman has a dispenser in the ball pit, you both should head that way."
Elliot smiled, nodding profusely. "Thank you, thank you so much, Guest! You're a lifesaver."
Guest 1337 smiled. "It's nothing, really. Get on your way, you two." And with that, he left, sprinting the same way Elliot had come from. 007n7 watched as he ran away and sighed, turning to speak to Elliot. Only then did he notice the younger man had taken off without him. 007n7 couldn't blame him, he wouldn't want to be around himself either. He limped his way towards the ball pit, exchanging a wordless conversation with Elliot. The other man only huffed, turning his head.
When they finally reached the dispenser, they were the only two there. 007n7 could only sigh as he sat down, leaning against the mechanism slightly. He could finally rest. He let his eyes close, thoughts of strong hands holding him steady calming his racing mind.
He and Elliot sat near the dispenser for the rest of the round, meeting up with the others at the winner's table afterwards. 007n7 smiled when he spotted Guest 1337 a few seats over, admittedly looking rougher than he had when 007n7 had seen him last, but Chance was alive as well. He gladly took a verbal beating from Elliot, assuring the other it wouldn't happen again.
007n7's leg had felt much better after resting for a while, so he no longer limped on his way to his cabin. They were small and hardly comfortable, but they got the job done. He turned on the small lamp near his bed and laid down. Now that his life was no longer on the line, he could finally process the events of today. The first of which he remembers is C00lkidd crashing into him. The stretched frame of his once healthy son hardly recognizable.
He bit the inside of his mouth, bile threatening to rise into his throat. The image would certainly haunt him for nights to come. 007n7 groaned, he had enough sleepless nights already, lying awake with guilt and selfishness plaguing his mind. Now alone, he let the tears fall, he allowed the sobs to wrack his body. What had happened to his baby boy?
At least he had recognized 007n7, he had called him 'papa.' Remembering the way the young boy spoke so playfully, 007n7 broke again. Face in his palms, shaking as he sobbed as quietly as he could. He'd hate to be a bother to any of his peers. At some point, he had moved to the fetal position, putting weight on the wound he had sustained. It had healed significantly due to Guest 1337's expert work and the dispenser he had retreated to. Even then, it was still very tender, the pain being bothersome enough for 007n7 to roll onto his other side.
Then, just when he thought his night was over...
Three polite knocks. "7n7? Are you in there?"
Guest 1337? What was he doing here! 007n7 scrambled to sit up on his mattress, pushing his glasses up. "Ye-Yes! I am. You are free to come in, " The door clicked open and the large man stepped in, a smile on his face. "You can sit on the mattress too, sorry it's not that spacious."
Guest 1337 only laughed, shutting the door behind himself and moving to sit down. "Oh no, believe me, my bed isn't much larger than this." The mattress shifted under his weight. "How's your wound holding up? Good I hope?"
007n7 nodded, feeling a bit awkward if he was honest. This all felt too... intimate, too friendly. "Yeah, it's a lot better now. You and Builderman are to thank for that."
"Oh please, credit yourself as well. I hadn't wanted to worry you in the moment, but you had lost quite a lot of blood. I guess you didn't notice? Adrenaline has its ways of doing that though," A small smile, "Your body kept you awake, that's admirable on its own."
If he hadn't felt awkward before, he surely did now. Guest 1337 was praising him so casually. He only hoped his flush wasn't visible under the low light of the lamp. "Ah... Thank you, Guest," He almost hesitated to ask his next question. It'd been so long since he had company, "Is that... all you wanted to know?"
"Ah? Is it that obvious?" The blue-haired man turned to look at 007n7, an odd smile on his face, "I didn't want to bring it up in the round. You were injured and helping you physically was my top priority," 007n7 tilted his head slightly, "I know you were crying. I don't think anyone's ever seen you like that, even while you were injured. I just wanted to make sure you were feeling better emotionally. It's okay if you..."
The rest of Guest 1337's words went in one ear and out the other as a pit formed in 007n7's stomach. It was inevitable, of course the other man had seen him crying. He hadn't exactly tried to hide the fact. And now look, he was worried over something as meaningless as how 007n7 felt. 007n7 couldn't remember the last time someone his age had looked at him in such a way. He wanted to push Guest 1337 out of his cabin, to wallow in his sorrows alone. He didn't deserve comfort, he deserved to suffer, he deserved this fate.
But when he looked Guest 1337 in the eyes, he saw nothing but compassion and worry. 007n7 bit the inside of his mouth. "Its- Its the new killer, that's all," he said tightly.
Guest 1337 let out a small noise. Certainly not of realization, likely finding it relatable. How funny it was to think about, there was no way he could relate. 007n7 was fated to always be alone, to not have anyone to talk to. "Oh? Really? New killers always get me on edge too," Of course, he thought that was why 007n7 had been upset, "And if I'm honest, he's quite the creepy thing, isn't he?"
"No!" 007n7 blurted out rather aggressively, tensing up, "I meant... No. Sorry." He deflated, looking to the ground.
He was certainly confusing Guest 1337 now, if the other's furrowed eyebrows were anything to go off of. "I'm sorry– You-You should leave, I don't want to burden you." 007n7 stuttered out, feeling the tears that were likely to follow if this conversation continued. Then, there was a warmth, a comforting weight on his shoulder. 007n7 looked up and flushed, Guest 1337 was smiling at him so sincerely, a strong hand resting on his shoulder.
"You carry far too many burdens, 7n7. As do I, as does everyone. But sharing such things can bring us comfort at times. You do not need to tell me if you really don't want to, but I'm all ears, bud. Always will be." He gave 007n7's shoulder a firm, comforting squeeze. Should he allow himself this luxury? He wanted to deny it, but the warmth of Guest 1337's coaxed him.
He bit his lip. What if this made Guest 1337 another face he couldn't bear to meet. That when they locked eyes, warmth was no longer there, only the emptiness of distaste.
007n7 breathed in and sighed, relaxing the muscles he hadn't realized were tensing. "Back before... all of this. I was a hacker, you probably know that," A nod, "I stopped about ten years ago, most people just thought I had finally been punished. The truth—," He could feel himself choking up, voice shaking slightly, "The truth, I had adopted a child. He was only a baby when I welcomed him into my home. And being a single father doesn't really leave time for exploits," A dry laugh from 007n7, "For ten years, he was everything that kept me going. I woke up with a purpose, to provide. And god, he was troublesome at times, but aren't all kids?" He smiled at the memories of the past, park visits that went on far too long, using his clones to push C00lkidd while he swung beside the young boy. Guest 1337 was smiling too, quite widely.
"Yeah, I understand. I have a baby girl at home, she looks just like her mother. I miss her and my wife everyday. I've even got a photo of us all together before I left for the service in my cabin," Guest 1337 spoke solemnly, tracing a small shape on 007n7's shoulder. Of course he was a father, it all made sense.
007n7 smiled slightly, "You would certainly make an amazing father.." He made a small noise before continuing, "My son- He's actually how I got to meet Elliot. He and I would always go to Builder Brother's Pizza, and Elliot was on shift most days. Those visits are also why Elliot hates me. He had to have recognized him today."
Guest 1337 narrowed his gaze, "Recognized who?"
007n7 bit his lip, reaching into his pants pocket to grab a small instant camera photo. "The killer. He's my son, C00lkidd." He brought the photo up, tracing over his son. "I-I don't know what happened to him— Whatever keeps us here must have done it, Christ, he's only ten years old, Guest!"
The tears had started falling before he even realized. 007n7 put the photo down, rubbing his face with his hands roughly. "I don't think he even knows what he's doing- I thought I lost him, or at least that he was safe somewhere, but he's stuck in this hellhole!" It was getting harder to breathe, tears wetting the lenses of his glasses, "I-I... I couldn't run at first, that's how my leg got injured. I felt so horrible, leaving him alone with my clone. And- Despite it all, I wanted to hold him more than anything, to comfort him. I feel like such a failure, running away from my own son like a coward. I should have never taken him in. A horrible father—"
Before he could say anymore, Guest 1337 had moved, shifting on the bed quickly so he could properly embrace 007n7. The comforting weight and warmth only caused 007n7 more grief, the brunette's head falling to Guest 1337's shoulder as sobs shook his body. "Are you always this hard on yourself?"
007n7 couldn't answer, only gripping the thick material of Guest 1337's vest with shaky hands. "God, 7n7. Running doesn't make you a horrible father. You said you had wanted to comfort him, yeah?" A shaky nod, "Well, something I've learned being here. You hardly ever get what you want. Everything is always testing you in one way or another, waiting for you to break. But you cannot let it drag you down. Be strong, always be strong."
007n7 shook as he took a breath in. "I meant what I said in the match too. You're so strong, stronger than I previously assumed. Now, look at me," He looked up slightly, blinking away tears to meet Guest 1337's gaze, "Running does not make you weak, it does not make you a terrible person. That photo you had, your son, he looked so happy in it, you did too. I doubt that photo would exist if you were truly a 'horrible father,'" Guest 1337 pulled away from the hug, rubbing where 007n7 had been injured previously with a strong hand.
"You're a fine man, 7n7. I'm honoured you opened up to me. That takes serious courage." 007n7 almost wanted to cry again, being treated so sweetly. He knew he didn't deserve it, to be cared for and comforted so gently. But— Maybe he deserved it, just this once. He could allow himself to be selfish outside of a match. To indulge in the warmth of Guest 1337's hands.
"Thank you, thank you so very much, Guest. You're a good man as well, so very kind and strong. Self sacrificial too," He brought a hand up, placing it on Guest 1337's chest, above his heart. "Thank you for everything today. The others probably would've left me to heal myself– Wh-Which, I can do, obviously—! The company is just nice, that's all," Guest 1337 smiled, moving his own hand on top of 007n7's.
"Yeah, I get that. Having someone there can be a major morale boost. Say, if you're ever in a bit of a mood and feeling lonely, come find me. I'll keep you company," Guest 1337 squeezed his hand lightly, making 007n7 flush.
"I... I will, th-thank you Guest."
"Of course," He removed his hand from 007n7's, smiling as he stretched. 007n7 could hear multiple cracks as the other man stretched, while he could only stare as defined muscle rippled. 007n7 moved his hand to his lap, "I should go rest, have a good night." The blue-haired man sat up, brushing his legs off briefly, and began walking to the door.
If 007n7 was younger, and less shame filled, he'd pull Guest 1337 back down and ask for just a few more minutes of his time. Now, he felt as if he'd been selfish enough, even if part of his heart ached. "Of course. Goodnight Guest," He hesitated for a moment, no, now was his moment to be bold, "Before you leave... Ma-Maybe we could sit together tomorrow when they serve breakfast?"
Guest 1337 turned around, hand on the doorknob, "Sure, I noticed you usually sat alone, made me feel bad for you... But I'll be sure to save you a spot."
007n7's heart raced as he watched the other man leave his cabin. Only, he popped his head through the door's opening briefly, "By the way, you should smile more, it brings a whole different vibe to you, 7." The door shut before he could reply, the other leaving him flustered.
He fell back onto his bed, a hopeless sigh falling from his lips. Maybe he would try to smile more. Maybe then, the others would see him as someone who could feel, who was more than a sad, grieving man. And even if they didn't change, if the dislike continued....
At least Guest 1337 seemed to enjoy his company– he certainly didn't under how, he must be a miserable person to have around. But Guest 1337 had spoken to him so kindly, treating him like he would treat a friend.
Maybe they were.
007n7 smiled. It had been so long since he had someone to call a friend.