Saying he wasn't taken aback would have been a straight out lie. No, Branzy had stepped into a literal palace.
Spiral staircases leading this way and that way, blanketed in a thick, plush carpet, bathed in the same colour as fallen foe's blood. Archways adorned with intricate patterns and details, that some poor, inocent soul spent hours upon end slaving over. Endless Halways decked with storage systems so full to the brim that they choked the walls, leaving no space left to breathe. Tall, slender, skeletal like windows, tinted a dark hue, blocked the outside world from the confines of this palace, keeping the raging storm outside at bay.
Branzy was both mortified and in utter awe at the sheer complextion of these walls that Reddoons called home.
His base seemed to have everything, from mere crafting tables to fully functioning death traps, capable of wiping out entire nations.
"So this is what the inside looks like," many a time had Branzy walked past these walls, completely oblivious to what lay within.
"Yup," he clicked his tongue and pulled put a nearby chair out, "Here, take a seat kid."
Did he trust Reddoons?
No.
But did he sit down anyway?
Absolutely.
"Thanks," he smiled weakly, eyes following the red haired man as he sat opposite him.
The seconds spent sat there seemed to grow into minutes, and those minutes into hours until he had lived out a while entire life within his mind.
Reddoons gazed pointedly at him, fixing him a scrutinizing stare. Branzy started to regret all of his life choices. Why did he have to agree to follow the man in front of him?
A defensive "What? " was all that he could manage to muster, but who could blame him when he was being read inside out.
"You know what, now spill the beans, when did you start liking Clown?"
Stunned. No. Beyond startled was a better way of putting it. How did Reddoons know who he liked?
Chuckling briefly, Red leaned in towards the purple clad man and proceeded to place a calloused hand on the frame of Branzy's chair.
"Let me let you in on a little secret Branzy," the red head muttered almost inaudibly, " The whole server ships you and Clown Peirce together, whether they view you both as enemies or friends."
His amethyst eyes blew wide open, how did he not know this? Did the whole server really ship them?
Redoons paused for a moment almost as if his mind was set deep in thought. He reached a finger out to push his falling glasses back up the bridge of his nose.
It was almost as if he knew what he was thinking for a coy smile crept up onto his face, showing a piece of his dubious mentality.
"We even have a ship name for you..." He started smugly, "Some of us call you Clownzy, others Branzypierce."
Speechless. Branzy had no words. He chewed the bottom of his lips absentmindedly. People actually thought that he and Clown could be a couple? Did he have a chance?
"I guess..." He trailed off avoiding eye contact with Red at all costs . Twirling a piece of his silvery hair between his fingers he continued, "I realised I liked Clown on the way back home..."
The red head nodded in approval.
"So , what's the problem then? And where did the two of ya go anyway?"
Branzy made a motion to speak but decided against it. Instead the sound of them breathing, of their very existence was the only thing that resonated through that room.
Could he trust Reddoons?
True, he was almost certain that he wasn't the villain he had portrayed him as but something held his tongue back, stopping him from continuing further.
A worried voice sliced through the air, "Branzy? You alright kid?"
"Yeah, just thinking... " he pointed his amethyst eyes towards Red. The man in front of him was observing him with a sense of curiosity, sparked by his uncontrollable desire of wanting to know more.
"Do you remember when Vitalisy and Clown were fighting last week?" Branzy's tone of voice was chilling making even the clocks in the room seem to stop moving.
"How could I forget? Somebody tried to kill Clown... Now that I think about it, I dunno who that could've been."
Yes, that was right, someone had tried to shoot at his dear Clown Pierce, that someone probably being Kevin.
"Reddoons, let me ask you a question, do you ever get the feeling like you know someone you have never met before in your life?"
The red head seemed perplexed by his response, "Whydya ask?"
"Well. .."
Branzy had decided to trust Reddoons, or well that is what it seemed like, for he told him everything from the enigmatic encounters they had had with Kevin to the newest member the Lifesteal SMP had seen.
"Lefu? As in the one who joined the server yesterday?"
"Yes!" Exclaiming much too loud, he slammed his hands down onto the chair next to him.
Red flinched back as his voice echoed through the room carrying notes of his scornful frustration.
"She's the reason everything is like this, she's the reason why I can't tell Clown I like him. You know what she is?!" His voice broke as hot tears started to paint his cheeks red, "SHE'S A MANIPULATIVE, LYING, LITTLE B-"
"BRANZY! CALM. DOWN."
Redoon's words were a punch to his face, every single syllable of every single word dragging Branzy back into reality.
"Branzy, I know your upset but... don't you think that maybe you're overreacting? Don't you think that maybe that you're being biased on this situation? Look, I met her when she first joined the server and she seemed sweet, so just give her a chance..."
Branzy let out a strangled chuckle.
"Betrayal comes from those you trust, maybe I'm just protecting myself."
Something about the silver haired man's choked smiled was sinister as if he knew something he wasn't allowed too.
"Branzy, you don't know if you can trust someone until you give them a chance... "
Enveloping Branzy in a sort of hug, warming his frozen soul and bringing light to his dark state of mind, Reddoon's words were like an ignited flame.
"What if..." he weakly brushed strands of his wispy hair away from his face that had already started to stick together from his salty tears, "What if I already gave her that chance, and she failed? What then?"
"Branzy..." Red sighed, " We both know that isn't true. "
Beneath the gentle glare of the dim lights, two people sat opposite each other. One with bright, crimson hair ; sun glasses perched on the bridge of his nose; a worried expression set on his face. The other had fluffy, silver hair and carried the burden of his troubles and problems.
Maybe Reddoons was right. Maybe he had let his feelings for Clown get in the way of making a potential new friend.
Pensively gazing at Branzy, Reddoons carried on speaking, "Look, it's your choice whether you give her a chance or not but what I'm saying is it takes a lot more energy to actively hate someone than it does to like them..."
"I'll give it a try."
The two shared a brief moment of contenment, of genuine friendship only for it to be broken not even a moment later.
"So you like Ashswag?" Branzy shot the red head a lopsided grin.
Dark crimson flooded his cheeks, "No, why would you think that?"
Amused, Branzy glanced at the man in front of him , "You told me earlier..."
"Oh right of course, " Reddoon's rubbed the back of his neck bashfully.
"Alright spit it out then, I told you, now you tell me. When?"
"I don't even know if I'm being honest kid, I guess sometime back a few months ago?"
"Are you going tell him how you feel?"
"Are you?"
Branzy hadn't even thought about how he was going to tell Clown that he liked him or if he ever was going to. He just had this nagging feeling telling him not to.
"Fine I will if you will," no why did he say that? He wasn't ready.
"A deals a deal," The red head extended a scarred hand to Branzy and with that he jokingly shook it.
~~~
"Thanks again for being there for me, today I have made a friend in you," Branzy stepped into the bright afternoon sky. Clouds that looked like they could have been sketched onto a faded azure painted canvas, hugged the horizon.
"Anytime. Remember you can always come talk to me."
"Bye Red!" Branzy smiled a genuine smile before turning around to leave .
Feeling his sleeve jolt, he glanced back.
"Branzy, before you go didn't you say you were going to the end?"
"Yeah, why..."
"Well, be careful, I've been there before and it's very dangerous ."
"I will," Branzy took one last look at the man with sun glasses before he turned around and headed back home.
~~~
"No offence Lefu but I think you're wrong," Clown Pierce stood face to face with the ravenette, "Branzy is one of the sweetest, most innocent people I know, I'm sure this is all just a big misunderstanding.
Lefu scoffed rolling her chestnut and hazel eyes "Mkay, whatever you say Clown."
The faint sound of approaching footsteps reverberated throughout the circus.
A rather disheveled looking man walked inside.
Branzy.
Clown noted his overly red tinted cheeks and messy silver hair. Had he been crying again?
"Hi guys," Branzy waved at the other two people in the room, a tired smile forming on his face.
Fake smile. His mouth may have formed a smile but his eyes told the jester everything. Clown knew Branzy well enough to know when Branzy was pretending. When Branzy smiled, his eyes lit up like the stars, like the very matter of the universe itself.
"Hey Branzy," Clown plastered his best attempt at a warm smile. If Branzy was going to play that game, Clown would too, "You okay?"
"Yeah, so what's the plan for going to the stronghold?" Branzy 's smile remained painted on his face, but the very colour of his amethyst eyes seemed to cloud over, distort and twist into something darker and somehow almost crazed.
"We haven't decided yet... Branzy are you sure you're okay?"
Branzy stared directly at him, his gaze seeming to almost pierce his mask.
"Lefu do you mind leaving us alone for a bit?"
"It's okay I'll just go. I'll see you guys tomorrow, bye!" she brushed past Branzy and curtly walked out of the circus .
The jester approached the silver haired man and engulfed him in a hug, " Branzy tell me what's wrong, it's alright it's just us here now... "
"I'm honestly fine," Branzy smiled into his shoulder, his speech a muffled slur. Silent tears rolled down his cheek, splashing softly onto Clown's clothes.
Through bleary eyes Branzy watched the droplets absorb into Clown's clothes, dampening the soft material breath them.
"You seem to cry an awful lot for someone who isn't upset..." a sad smile was set onto his face, "The fact that you're troubled and even through all of that pain and suffering you still don't want to tell me hurts you know..."
Branzy's rigid demeanour dropped , he collapsed in Clown's arms and just hugged the man back.
"I'm sorry," Branzy squeezed his eyes shut, "For everything."
They pulled apart still holding onto each other "Just tell me what I'm doing wrong..." Clown muttered softly.
Branzy's eyes fluttered open "I- I- "
The jester placed a finger to his lips quieting him, "shh, wait let me do..."
"...This," He reached up to the back of his head and unclasped the mask covering his face, to reveal glistening, brown eyes and a doleful expression.
He placed his hands back onto Branzy 's.
"There," Clown muttered to Branzy, "Nothing between us now."
Amethyst and chocolate eyes locked both gleaming and glistening with the tears of their fading despair.
" I don't know, I guess I feel like you're replacing me with her. With Lefu."
"Lefu? I wouldn't ever replace you Branzy, you're the person I love most in this world." his face morphed into a rueful smile.
Somehow through the tears, Branzy's eyes seem to light up, light up like a nether star.
"Really?"
Clown wiped away the tears running down his red cheeks.
"Yes."
On the deadliest server known, a crying Clown and a crying Branzy stood embracing without a doubt in the world.
I've decided that all the chapter are gonna be 2000 words now so yay I guess and I'm gonna go back over some of the previous chapters, redo them and make them longer coz they're acc atrocious lmao. Also I've got exams coming up so chapters may be delayed in the coming weeks sorryyy.
Word Count: 2147
Love you all xxx