grass is always greener on the other side-

Chapter 19-

It was about three into their stay at Las Nevadas when they got the news.

The Captain had tragically passed the day before due to "unforeseen" and sudden circumstances.

Sapnap nearly set their flat on fire once he got the news, he hadn't, thankfully to Skeppy, and his comically timed bucket of water.

The face Sapnap made as steam rolled off of him had lightened their mood drastically, even when Sapnaps eyes twitched at every picture taken.

The mood quickly fell when a shaking Bad placed his hand on Sapnaps shoulder, he could see the man fighting back his own tears.

"It's not fair, I know." Bad whispered quietly, his voice shaky, his throat bobbed as he tried to hold back his tears.

Sapnap stayed silent, gripping Bad's jacket tightly in his fist. Skeppy kept a constant hand running through Sapnaps hair.

Skeppy mourned, but he did not grieve. He did not know the Captain, and Skeppy was not a hero. But the thought of Bad or Sapnap in her place made him grind his teeth together to hold back tears.

Bad however, was a hero. He had fought side by side with Puffy for many years, and knew her for even longer.

Puffy was not someone Bad thought he'd have to grieve.

The unshakable woman, that Bad had been fortunate enough to call a friend- had been an unbeatable and constant presence throughout his career.

Then suddenly she wasn't.

Bad would have to mourn her and move on. Being a hero, they always knew the risks that followed. Bad didn't know what knocked The Captain down from her gilded throne, but he knew that she at least went down swinging.

With a glance over, Sapnap seemed to be doing worse than Bad. The man seemed fueled in his anger, hands wound tightly together as he glared seemingly blankly at the

Bad held tightly onto Sapnaps shoulder, pushing his throbbing heart back into its ironclad box.

Now was not the time to break, not while Sapnaps anger festered so much that Bad could practically feel it radiating off of him. Rolling off the man in waves akin to his fire.

Sapnap knew perfectly well what the "unforeseen" circumstances were.

He knew Dream had killed her.

How could the heartless bastard stand there and kill his parent? His only parent?

The thought of anything happening to his own parents sent a shiver down Sapnaps spine.

"It's alright, Sap. Just cool it down for me." Bad whispered, rubbing a soothing hand on Sapnaps back.

He briefly realized the flayed edges of his shirt where his fire keeps starting and stopping sporadically, he couldn't find it in himself to care much.

Sapnap felt small, his mind going back to when he was a kid. Unless, unable to do anything but watch.

Unable to help.

Unable to do anything.

He should have been able to stop this, he should have been there.

Instead he let Bad talk him into a vacation.

He wanted to blame Bad. He wanted so desperately to push the blame onto the man, but he knew he couldn't. Sapnap knew from the moment Puffy was brought in this would be her fate.

Whether he was there or not wouldn't have mattered, he knows.

It doesn't stop the grief though, he doubts anything will.