Deception {Dreamnotfound}

15 | Fight Back | 15

Hello!
In the process of tryna sort an upload schedule, so hopefully we'll gain consistency at some point...
Enjoy. Love ya <3 ~ Owl

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-George's POV-

"So, where do we go from here?"

My gaze drifts to Clay, whose eyes are focused on the darkening sky. The light in his eyes reflected the luminous stars. "Hmm?" the blonde hums in response, turning to face me. He pushes his hair out of his eyes, cringing at the way the rain has matted it.

Sapnap rolls his eyes, pushing his hair behind his bandana and securing the fabric more tightly. I glared at the assassin, shaking my head at the sight of the smirk that tugs at his lips. He skips ahead a little, sticking his tongue out and giving Clay and me some space.

"Did you say something George?" Clay asks again, and I turn my attention back to him. "Oh, um," I trip over my words, debating if I really should say what's on my mind. "I wondered what happens now. Now that you're back, I mean." My stomach knots uncomfortably when I'm left without an answer.

"He has a point," Sapnap answers after a few silent seconds. "You two can barely get into the city, and I'm not sure how much disguises will help with that. Won't be long until Techno catches on to me either, then we're all wanted."

"I don't see your point here," Clay interjects. "If you're suggesting we leave the city, that's near impossible. You can't just leave the elite assassins, I learned that the hard way.

Techno has been after me ever since then, and he'd be the same with you. There's no way you'd be able to get your soulmate back with Techno after you-"

"George managed it just fine-"

"You don't have a devotion like he did!"

"Yeah, thanks for the reminder," Sapnap spits bitterly. His eyes begin to glisten, and not with stars as Clay's did. "This is stupid, anyway. Why would I risk your lives for someone I never even had the chance to meet? What if they don't like me? They've been dead for months, and I've done nothing about it."

"This isn't about us," I remind him. "This is about you, and your soulmate. I too thought the system was ridiculous and wondered why I should kill someone innocent because the world told me to."

The rain begins to pour harder, soaking us to the skin with a biting chill. Sapnap tugs at the hood of his coat, embroidered with the symbol of the assassins.

"Look, Sapnap. You spend your time helping people get their soulmates back. You helped me get mine back, and I know I wouldn't have managed it without you." Clay offers his best friend a bright smile to emphasize my point, pulling him into a side hug he seems reluctant to accept.

"George is right," he tells the assassin. "I can't imagine how it feels to see happy soulmates every day, yet not have your own." Sapnap brushes Clay's arm away, tugging his hood back over his head to hide his eyes from view.

"That's just my job," he mutters bitterly. The wobble in his voice is laced with hurt, exposing the side of him that aches for his soulmate. "Besides, I wouldn't be able to kill my target anyway."

For a few seconds, I forget that Sapnap has his target profile, and has the entire time. It's how he knew Clay was dead. "It's one of Illumina's assassins," he elaborates. I wouldn't get anywhere near them, especially not when their leader is my hunter."

A sniffle escapes Nick, which he tries to hide by kicking at the dirt in hopes it conceals the noise. I notice the light on his face, reflecting in droplets I know aren't rain.

"Makes me feel awful, knowing I can revive them, yet I can't. I hope they know, somehow. What if I'd been dealt a fairer hand, they'd be here with me already."

Clay stops when the sniffles turn to sobs, hesitantly resting his hand on Sapnap's arm. His fingers smooth the fabric of the jacket, tracing out slow circles. The black-haired boy smiles weakly, lacing his fingers between the ones still resting on his shoulder.

"Thanks," he mutters to Clay, looking away as if in embarrassment. This side of Nick feels so foreign to the assassin side I've come to know as Sapnap, so unlike the person that threatened me in an alleyway all those weeks ago.

At first, I thought it strange, especially seeing how Zak would act around his soulmate. A medic paired with an elite assassin. Society didn't understand them, and nor did I to begin with. Yet as time went on, and I came to know Sapnap more as Nick, I started to notice a different side to the assassins.

Their act is a facade, used to keep others away from the people they care about. Assassins have soulmates too, a vulnerability few are willing to embrace. Including Techno himself, who people claim has a devotion.

Sapnap seems to hate that side of himself. Hate that he has a vulnerability, a weakness that can be used against him. He's seen what happened to Skeppy, how reclusive he's become since the passing of his soulmate. Nick says he's out of it, tried to distance himself from everyone before disappearing completely.

He seems lost.

The look in his eyes suggests as much, the way he clings to his best friend's hand now for comfort. Knowing it's the only person he has still, and how much he sacrificed to keep Clay around. I still can't believe the self-restraint he had, how he managed to walk away when his target was right there. I'm not sure I could've done the same.

I'm not sure anyone could've done the same.

"It's fine." Sapnap pushes his Clay away again, desperately trying to hide the hurt in his eyes. "I had to accept it was like this a long time ago when my first target turned out to be my best friend. The system is just against me."

"Then why not fight back?"

Nick turns to me, furiously wiping away the tears that won't stop falling. "What?"

"Why not fight back?" I repeat. "Why let the system win? It allowed you to get your soulmate back, that's why the system is here in the first place. Why not use it?"

"Because I'll get the few people I have left hurt?" He sighs deeply, checking over his weapons in hopes of a distraction. "Clay doesn't have another life. If he dies, he's gone for good. I couldn't let that happen; it'd destroy both of us." I notice Clay seems to have taken to checking over his weapons too, probably pretending not to listen.

"Look, George. I've come to accept I won't get my soulmate back. Maybe you should accept it too." He turns away, glancing back towards the city. We've stood in the rain by the outskirts for a while now, and all three of us are starting to shiver.

"I'm going to find this Tubbo kid," Nick suddenly says by means of goodbye. "Wait out here in the south base, I'll come back for you when I find you two some new clothes. My absence won't be very long ."

"You remember where site six is?" he asks Clay. The blonde nods silently gaze seemingly distant. Not quite paying attention. More content on watching the world around as the rain eases up.

"Alright," he shrugs, not quite managing to stifle the uncertainty in his tone. "Head there. I'll meet you two there in a few hours. Please don't do anything stupid." A sigh escapes the assassin's lips as he leaves, mumbling a few words under his breath.

"You two are all I have left."

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Hi, it's the editor again. One of you asked for a list of spelling errors Holly made. So here's the list. (Left is the original and right is what she wrote)

Lmao - Limo
Jesus Christ - Jessie Christ
Ending - Edning
Shit - Shorn
UK - us ("That's us spelling for you")
Do - Dod
Save - Dsave
Can't - Can
Centered- Ventured

**I was very tempted to remove this note when I saw it, but didn't. You're welcome.