3rd life, but make it Corika!

{Shades} All for Nothing

It was dark. There was no light except for a single dim torch which allowed Avi to see the cell he was kept in had doors or a way out. It had windows, but a single step out of them would let him be killed by pillagers and he knew his spawn was set to the single bed in the room.

The reason he knew it was the outpost was the pillagers. He had been out cold for a while. All he could remember was someone tossing a potion at his feet. It had broke, the fumes knocking him out instantly.

And when he awoke, he was in a bed. Hungry, tired, and lost. His communicator had been taken so he had no way of contacting anyone.

Until the iron trapdoors lifted. And up the stairs walked Mask, armband blood red. "Hey, dad."

"Mask, what's the meaning of this?" Avi asked. "Why are you doing this? Where's Skull?!"

"Relax, dad." She said, voice disturbingly low. "You'll be fine, just... don't piss me off."

Avi narrowed his eyes. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Well, we-Vintage and I-realized something." Mask said, closing the trapdoor and walking around the dim room like a lion stalking up to its prey. "We'd be outnumbered, if you and Skull were to join Aloha. Which is why I'm making a proposition for you."

"What is it?"

"We both know Skull's a good fighter. He'd survive a whole mess of things. Not everything, though. If I manage to somehow tire him out..." They grinned. "Well, I could easily kill him.

"..Y-you wouldn't." Avi said, voice shaky. "Not your own mother."

"I ask Vintage to kill Aloha, didn't I? You'd be surprised at what I would and wouldn't do."

"...Then what's you proposition?" Avi asked.

"Easy!" Mask turned to face Avi, directly. "If you agree to join the Red Forest, it'll be in my best interests that Skull is unharmed by us. If you don't, or if you betray us, well..." He pulled out his dagger, fingering the tip. "Skull has 2 lives, still. Shame if that dropped to zero so so-"

"Fine." Avi said, very suddenly. "I'll do it. I'll- I'll join. Just... don't harm Skull. Alright?"

"You have my word that I won't lay a finger on him." Mask held out his hand. "We got a deal?"

Aviators nodded, shaking Mask's hand. "Now, can I have my communicator?"

Mask nodded, pulling out the phone-like object and handing it to Avi, who took it with a nod. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. I'm gonna leave you in here for a bit, okay? Mainly cause Pillagers. Keep. Spawning near here." Mask gave a small wave, before heading back out via the trapdoor.

As soon as she was out of sight, Avi opened his private messages with Skull. The most recent one was a confused "what does THAT mean?", preceding from someone having sent the word "outpost" over Avi's end.

Avi quickly typed up his message.

Avi: Skull, are you alright?

And in less than a minute, there was a response.

Skull: I should be asking you that, love. We're headed to the outpost. Stay strong, we'll be there soon.

Avi : Skull, wait. Go to the center tree. That's not far from here. I'll meet you there.

Skull: Okay. Stay safe, Avi.

Avi slid his com back in, taking the armor he had neglected to wear all this time out of his inventory, sliding it on. The iron cool against his clothes. He took his sword, and went up to the window. It was dusk, pillagers busy fighting Mask. Perfect.

Avi jumped down, dashing through the woods and ignoring the buzz of his communicator. He ran down a torched path towards the starter tree, and was greeted... by Skull's embrace.

"Avi! I was so worried... you're alright.."

Avi smiled, hugging Skull tightly. "I know.. I'm alive... and you're safe..."

Skull pulled back, looking confused. "...What do you mean?"

"J-Just.. Mask made a deal with me. If, If I joined her side, they wouldn't harm you." Avi said.

"...Your doing that, it was for nothing."

"What?"

Skull pulled an arm away, holding it up. His wristband... it was red.

"...No..." Avi covered his mouth, feeling tears prick at the corners of his eyes. "No. Who- Who did this?"

"Vintage." Skull said. "Sicked his wolves on me."

"God, I'm... I'm sorry." Avi took Skull's hand, gently squeezing in an attempt to comfort him.

"It's fine. You didn't- It's not your fault." Skull placed his free hand on Avi's cheek. "It's okay, Aves."

The air was cool but unmoving. Only the sounds of insects were heard as Avi embraced Skull, tightly.

"Hey... you wanna go back home?" Skull asked.

Avi nodded. "I wanna go home..."

"Okay."

Skull picked Avi up, and started his way back home with his husband in his arms.