Deception {Dreamnotfound}

19 | Defying Fate | 19

-Sapnap's POV-

The place Fundy ends up taking me to is somewhere I suspected Tubbo may be.

It's one of the elite assassin camps, old enough to look worn with age but new enough to still be in use. In a pretty good condition, actually, our group's symbol still clearly visible on all brick walls. This place is situated not too far out from the centre of town, within about fifteen minutes of the market square.

"Wait here, I'll go get him." I'm left alone in the lobby, filled with grand furnishing I've never seen used. I've only heard of a few occasions of this building being used, and only been here once or twice myself.

It's clever, really, to keep someone safe in a place like this. Used enough that nobody would take it themselves, but not enough to make it the target of attacks.

After a few minutes, Fundy returns. Close behind him is indeed the boy I met, nervously rubbing one wrist as if it's aching. This is definitely the person George described, and the eyes make it obvious it's the same boy I met a few months ago.

"Hey there, Tubbo," I greet politely with a smile. Fundy shoots me a glare, but I decide to ignore him. The teen mumbles a hello in response, refusing to step out from behind Fundy. "I think I have something for you," I elaborate, hoping that it'll make him smile.

It's hard to see someone so young look so broken. They aren't yet burdened by the system, and should therefore have the chance to feel a lot safer and consequently be a lot happier.

Yet this boy looks far from happy, and I can't help but notice how his eyes continuously dart to his left. For a second I debate if there's a devotion stood beside him, shortly after remembering that teens can't have them and decide it must just be anxiety.

I pull the bee from my bag, dusting it off as much as I can before slowly holding it out to him. His eyes light up in wonder, filled with a childlike fondness to match the brightening smile that tugs at his lips. "Tubbee?" he asks quietly, eyes darting from his left to the bee in amazement.

"Yeah," I smile, holding out the bee for him to take. "Someone you know found it, actually. He told me you liked bees, and used to stay in the treehouse where we found it. We realised you now lived here, and he asked if I could return it to you."

"Who found it?" he asks, at last taking the bee from me. He turns the plush over in his hands, cleaning it with his sleeve. "George found it-" Fundy cuts in. "Turns out it is the same George, after all."

"You mean Techno has to kill George?" Fundy and I nod in unison, and my heart aches a little more to see the tears that build in Tubbo's eyes. "Fundy we can't lose someone else!" he suddenly yells, hugging the bee tightly to his chest.

"Not again, not within months of each other. I don't want to go through that again!" His eyes drift back to the left, a weak smile visible for just a few seconds before engulfed again in his sorrow.

"I miss Karl."

Fundy bites his lip, eyes full of pity. Thankfully I know that I've won, certain that Fundy can no longer deny Tubbo a visit to at least see George again.

The ex-assassin seems to have accepted as much, shaking his head dully as he debates what to say. "Guess we're to go along with your plan, then," he sighs. I manage to stifle any sarcastic comments for Tubbo's sake.

"Perfect. So here's the plan..."

~~~

-George's POV-

This doesn't seem real.

It'd been a year. A year since I'd last seen their faces, any of them, or heard their names come up in conversation. Until three weeks ago, I wasn't even aware Fundy was an Elite Assassin, or that he ever knew Techno as anything more than just his boss.

I'd presumed them all alive, to still be living in that same treehouse I met them in all that time ago. Only to find out recently that something had happened, something I still don't have all the answers to.

From what I know, however, the three boys I once knew no longer remain a three.

The first now an ex-elite assassin, working beside Techno for several months before taking a step back from the job. According to Sapnap, though, he's still quite involved with them. Has been the past four months since Sapnap started working with them, and apparently was beforehand for quite some time.

The second was completely different. Despite Fundy being a near perfect fit for the role, I'd never be able to imagine Karl as an elite assassin. He was too friendly, too easily trusting to take on an assassin's persona.

It's that type of personality that centres around the few theories I first had about his death, wondering if he could've tried to follow in Fundy's footsteps. Which ultimately could've ended in his demise, considering how he acted. Yet both Sapnap and Clay claim they never saw Karl, which now leaves me clueless on the situation ending in his death.

The third boy was Toby. Barely two days ago, I'd believed the teen dead. At first thinking it was him who had died, considering the state of the bee plushie I'd found in the old, bloody treehouse.

Immediately I'd thought it was his. There was no other way, no sign that didn't lead to him being the boy that was murdered in that place who knows how long ago.

Yet here he is now, defying every theory I'd pondered over the past few days by standing in this room before me.

Alive.

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Sorry this chapter is a little mismatched and short - this was the best way I could split it.

I've noticed that a lot of you have been confused by the chapters in Sapnap PoV (this one and the two before it). If anything doesn't make sense to you, please let me know here!

I want to go back and try to make these last 3 chapters clearer.  💙