Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Climbing is something that Skizz wished he was better at. Climbing to the peak of a mountain was really hard and he looked like an idiot when he couldn’t do the first one. His wings were mostly the reason why, being able to fly a lot make climbing extra hard. Gem and Grian would constantly make fun of them for how useless they were and he laughed it off, not really acting like he cared when it stung deep in his core. He wanted to help out Gem and Grian as much as he could but all he could ever be was a problem.

Worse of all. He could see the shift in Impulse. He was quieter, asked less questions and acted like he knew the answer. He followed the group silently and Skizz was about to jump off the cliff if it meant getting his Impulse back. So when Gem and Grian started to climb ahead, Skizz was going to make Impulse talk.

“Why are you acting like you’re a professional, Dipple Dop?” Skizz had brung up.

“Well, Grian and Gem wanted actually good players so I’m trying to focus a little more.” Impulse said as he was climbing a tree for coconuts.

“I think there’s more than that.” Skizz spoke softly, staring into his brown gaze.

“Well if we don’t improve then Grian and Gem will be mad and go play with some else like Pearl. I saw your run with Pearl and Grian saying about cutting the dead weight and so I’m trying to be better for them.”

Skizz smiled softly at Impulse, “They aren’t angry at you and trust me, I get a lot of the comments too but I just brush them to the side. You never really know when you’ve taken something too far with me. I understand, and I tried to defend you when you weren’t there.”

“Thanks Skizz, we should get going. The fog will be here any second.”

And so the two of them tried to climb up the mountain, giving helping hands and joking around as they climbed and met up with Grian and Gem.

“Finally we can continue, I was wondering when you lot would decide to actually climb.” Grian had celebrated in relief.

Skizz could see the halfhearted smile on Impulse’s face as they continued. He tried to get Impulse talking, Impulse would quietly nod or give a few words for an answer and when asked for his opinion on something, he just parroted that he didn’t know and he could tell that it was more of ‘I don’t know best’.

No one had died in the first area which was good for Skizz but expected from everyone else. They had started to climb up the rainforest when the rain came at such a bad time for Skizz and he slipped down the mountain and passed out, destined to death, his wings didn’t work in this game. He could hear Gem shout out his name in frustration, not like he could of done much to stop it. And when he died, he spawned on Gem.

“Skizz that was very not good at the game of you. You should of waited for the rain to start to know it was safe.” Gem explained.

“In his defence, it had rained like five seconds ago,” Impulse argued with Gem.

“Still, you would think after playing this for hours that you would finally get the swing of it,” Gem counter-argued.

“Don’t tell Skizz off for something way out of his control, what would you do with coconuts, on a rock about to fall down.” Impulse defended him.

“I wouldn’t of been on the rock in the first play.” Gem shot back.

“Ladies, Ladies,” Skizz started. “I know that we all love Skizz but let’s not argue about his unfortunate demise, shall we?”

“Gem and Grian put too much pressure on us anyway.” Impulse had muttered, to which Grian caught his name.

“Pardon?” Grian asked.

“It’s nothing,” Impulse had slung his shoulders down in some kind of defeat. He climbed up quietly as Gem and Grian discussed the way up. Grian had asked for Impulse opinion to which he responded with ‘I don’t know’.

“You don’t seem to know a lot of thing.” Gem had joked about but he could see that it stung a lot. Body froze, his face frowned for a few seconds and a ‘yeah’ that didn’t even feel like Impulse came out.

After a while, Impulse had fallen behind a bit and Skizz took this as a chance to tell Gem and Grian that there jokes weren’t funny, not to Impulse and so not to him.

“Hey Gemmy Bemmy?” He asked as they were climbing up a short rock.

“What’s up Skizz? Impulse dead yet?” Gem asked.

Skizz did go look and saw Impulse thriving with his resources. Then he came back to Gem. “He looks good,” Skizz had started smiling, “he’s doing pretty well but I need to talk to you about something.”

“What’s on your mind then?” Gem asked again.

“The stuff you say about me and Impulse being bad and slow aren’t funny and they’re really getting to Dipple Dop. He’s gone all quiet and he’s saying that he doesn’t know stuff when he does. ‘I don’t know’ felt like it was his way of saying, ‘I don’t know best’. Anyway, can you stop for a bit cuz I prefer seeing my Dipple Dop happy, not sad. And give him some praise every once in a while, just make him feel better.”

“When did you have this conversation?” Gem questioned.

“At the beach this round, this is the first time I’ve got an actual chance to talk to you two without him hearing.”

Gem had looked down for Impulse, but she couldn’t see him. Skizz had gone to check on his to see him at the top, marshmallow in hand.

“Look at you!” He exclaimed. “Here before Gemmy Bemmy and G-Sharp. I’m so proud of you.” So proud he wished he could spin him in his arms.

Impulse had smiled for the first time since the beach. “Yeah dude. I got really lucky with terrain.”

“I say it was pure skill considering they left you behind.” Skizz had laughed. “I’ll go update Gem to stop looking down for you.”

And back with Gem and Grian, they were so close to the peak so he decided to leave it a surprise, lie a little so they lose a little hope. “Dipple Dop is all the way down at the bottom of a mountain, just get to the top and wait for him.”

“But the scout master- “ Grian had tried to reason.

“Just grab the marshmallows and go look for him.” Skizz had responded.

And so when they saw Impulse sitting by the fire, ghost Skizz behind him, Gem had gasped. “You liar,” she screamed at Skizz.

“I didn’t lie, he’s at the bottom, of a mountain.” Skizz laughed.

“How did you even beat up here?” Grian asked.

“I’m so proud of you!” Gem squealed. “You got to the top of the mountain without us and before us.”

Impulse was smiling at Gem, and the ghost Skizz. Impulse clicked on the statue and he became alive and ran to give his best friend a hug.

All would be fine with Dipple Dop by his side to bring him joy and comfort.

Chapter Text

Skizz did not understand what he was doing. Scar was screaming for drugs, Grian was trying to guide them to a shovel and Impulse was trying to not fall behind. It was all very hard to keep up with in Skizz’s brain.

So when Grian had finished up his story of ‘tim’s team’ and they were all done laughing over the radio, Skizz and Impulse had arrive to the cave.

They had been here before, they knew it. The three bodies outside the caves were a landmark. But they had missed the shovel in there, as it was underwater. When they had gotten here the first time, they didn’t have the gear for this but now they were prepared, they were going to get this shovel.

“I don’t understand why we can’t just craft a shovel. I mean, we can make armour out of cannibals but we can’t craft a shovel.” Impulse complained

“Hyper-realistic they said,” Grian commented over the radio.

“I know right!” Skizz responded. “Like drugs don’t heal you in real life.”

“Skizz, they aren’t drugs, they’re just medication that Scar calls drugs remember?” Impulse didn’t say over the radio.

“At this point, they might as well be drugs cuz’ we aren’t changing Scar’s opinion.” Skizz stated.

They could hear something moving and spotted a Grian coming towards them, waving to them.

“But we would never take actual drugs. At least I wouldn’t.” Impulse continued the conversation.

“Yeah I wouldn’t either. I’ve already lost my chance of being a cool teenager drug addict, so why start now.” Skizz joked around.

His tone clearly wasn’t received properly as Impulse bellowed, “don’t say that!”

Skizz rolled his eyes. “I was only joking Dipple Dop.” He laughed.

“Still, don’t say that,” he muttered.

Skizz patted his head, “it’s fine Dipple Dop, I didn’t do drugs.”

“You two have a weird friendship,” Grian noted. “You both are strange.”

“He’s just attached to me cuz I fed him once.” Skizz smiled.

“I am not, I can cook.” He tried to argue back.

“We literally met cuz’ I gave you gum in highschool.” Skizz finished the argument.

“So? It just so happens that my first gum dealer left the school and I saw you and I thought you were a nice person.” Skizz ignored the way his cheeks flushed pink and kept talking.

“Still, who came over to my house for the next few years because I make the best pasta in the world,” Skizz tried to finish the argument again.

“Fine, but in my defence, you make some really good pasta.” Impulse reasoned.

“I know I do, it’s why this parasite called Dipple Dop won’t leave me alone.” Skizz joked, Impulse giving him a dirty look. “Oh, don’t you give me attitude mister, or I’ll just stop making my famous pasta.”

“How could you dare threaten me with such a thing,” Impulse responded, placing the back of his hand on his forehead for dramatic effect, leaning back a little.

They both giggled about it, Grian calling them strange once again, when Scar joins them at the cave’s entrance.

After Scar stops for a very short bone break, they head inside the cave, to which they are greeted by a familiar zip line. It takes Grian a few seconds to see it but otherwise, they’re fine. They find the water and swim.

Scar, very surprisingly, took very good lead underwater, explaining how he used to be all about the water when he was a kid. And without dying, they got to the top.

“Googly Moogalies!” Skizz shouted to warn the others ahead of him.

Skizz took out his flaming torch and started to kill. It was weird, these things used to be like him, all human and not- whatever that was. There were babies that they killed, they had killed children. No one but Skizz showed a sign of guilt for it.

But survival was for the fittest and Skizz was now as fit as he thinks he ever will be. He slashed into the Googiles around him, trying to defend himself. After some more fighting, they had reached another pool for them to swim in, so they dove down. Scar had led them again, with raging success.

To which it opened up to more Googiles for them to fight. Him and Grian had it worse, wings getting chomped on, or shot by Scar, anything could cause tears in there eyes if too much pain was revived. Which is why he protected them way more than he should, and he payed for it.

Scar, again, had somehow managed to shoot at Skizz’s wing. An ear deafening scream came out of him as tear built up in his eyes. The pain felt like it was throbbing through his entire back, making it so hard to stand up. He fell to the floor, head smashing against the rocks beneath him and all he could hear was a voice and the sound of running water.

———

Impulse had turned just in time too see Skizz’s head hit the rock floor as Impulse let out a scream. Not as loud as Skizz, but it was a pretty loud scream.

Impulse had ran over Skizz and found a form of clothing in his backpack, as he didn’t have any bandages. He slowly wrapped it around Skizz’s head, biting his lip in build up anger. What had happened? Surely that wasn’t a cannibal.

He did a quick scan over Skizz, looking for other injuries for him to try and help out when he looked at his nest of feathers and saw a hole, that was possible by one thing, the thing that Scar was holding. “Don’t tell me you shot him again?” Impulse had screamed at Scar.

Scar didn’t say anything in response, just looked over at Grian. Grian gave him a cold shoulder and came over to Impulse, who was trying to stay focused. “I have some spare medication if that help,” he placed it against the stone floor.

Impulse had picked it up quickly, muttering, “thank you,” before he soaked them into water and got Skizz in position to drink. He drank more than expected, like he was dehydrated, so Impulse had checked his backpack.

It was full up with water and Impulse took that as a sign that he was right, he was dehydrated. Which also could mean that he’s starving, he’ll have to test that when he picks him up.

His face goes really red, think about picking him up, he’s suddenly aware of his fingers and how they gazed against his skin.

On the bright side, they have found the shovel. Impulse picks up two and shoves the other one in Skizz’s backpack. He was going to carry him, he had to, so when he had grabbed all he could he turned to Grian.

“Are you ready to leave?” He asked, picking Skizz up that was definitely too light for his own good. Grian got out his backpack and looked over at Impulse.

“If we see anything dangerous, let me and Scar handle it.” Grian’s wise words of wisdom had told him and he nodded like he didn’t already know it.

Together, they travelled until they hit the next water pocket and jumped in. Scar and Grian were talking as Impulse brung up the rear with Skizz.

Some more fights happened, but Impulse had gotten out pretty fine and Skizz was protected from the cannibals and Scar.

And with a tired body, muscles aching from Skizz and his backpack. Grian had guided them to a safer area, so Skizz was defendable.

———

Skizz could hear voices around him, he thinks they’re speaking fluent English, which means he hasn’t been thrown to a cannibal camp.

He felt his head spinning in circles and his wing was aching in pain, Skizz unsure why. He tried getting up, moving at all, but he just fell back down in a grumble.

He though he heard footsteps coming towards him. So he tried to get away but a firm hand placed on his forehead. He could hear it make some kind of noise and he heard more shuffles around him, completely unaware of who was with him.

He didn’t understand how he knew but the next voice the spoke to him was Dipple Dop. It had the same soft tone and cheerful voice, although it not being very active in his voice right now as it was laced with worry.

He tried to reach up to him, tell him that he was okay but he thinks his message wasn’t received.

Someone had started to hum something, Skizz really couldn’t hear very well. A hand was in his hair, scratching at his scalp and he felt like everything was fine. And he fell asleep thinking his Dipple Dop was there.

—

Skizz woke up again and felt better. There was something his left hand and he felt strong enough to open his eyes and look.

It was the early morning, sky pink and the sun creeping over the landscape. His hand was occupied by another hand on top of it. His eyes followed the hand up to the arm and then the shoulder, black shirt in eye sight.

So this was Impulse, hand in hand with his best friend, he’d wonder why Impulse done it in the first place. He tried to move it, his hand not doing much but Impulse had rolled over to look at him.

Impulse was met with half shut blue eyes and an expression that screamed confusion.

“Skizz?” Impulse had whispered.

“What’s up Dipple Dop?” Skizz tried to look awake as he whispered back.

Impulse had stuttered on his words for a second, before actually speaking words that Skizz could understand. “Glad you’re okay.”

He dragged over Impulse’s hand and placed it against his cheek, not feeling any kind of emotion about it other than comfort.

He fell asleep sinking into the feeling of Impulse.

Chapter Text

As soon as Skizz arrived to play with his friends, he was being questioned. He liked his friends, Gem was great and Lizzie was someone that he wanted to know more about but being questioned wasn’t fun.

“How are you sitting right now?” Gem had asked him.

“Umm, my left elbow is on the desk, I have weird posture.” Skizz tried to answer.

“Have you got two feet flat on the floor?” Lizzie asked.

Skizz nodded to Lizzie and they both shared a grumble. “I told you Lizzie, straight as a ruler.”

“Wait— what are we talking about?” Skizz tried for answers.

“Bisexuals sit in this way and I needed to know if you were too. We sit without our legs on the ground.” Gem had tried to explain.

“What? Because your short?” Skizz had joked.

“No!” Gem exclaimed. “You sit cross legged or without a foot on the floor. It’s a Bi thing.” Gem promised.

Grian had then arrived, to which he got the same questioning as himself. He looked over to his best friend, reminding himself that he was very much not straight like a ruler.

“I’m sitting with one leg against my table, why?” Grian asked, faced full of confusion.

“Oh my God, Grian, I have something to tell you.” Gem bounced around.

“It’s your month buddy.” Impulse had tried to hint. Which made everyone but Grian bust out into laughter.

“Grian!” Lizzie snapped his attention. “Me and Gem are sitting like that, your sitting in the Bi way.”

“Well, the Bi-way or the highway.” Grian joked around.

“Bi-way to the danger zone,” Skizz started to sing. It made Impulse laugh, which was worth it.

“Grian,” Gem started, “what’s your dream couch?”

“Yeah.” Lizzie looked excited. “What colour is your dream couch?”

“I don’t really have a dream sofa.” Grian responded. “Hold up, I’ll look.”

And after a few minutes, he came back with an answer. “Maybe a brown or an olive.” He questioned himself.

“Like an olive green?” Gem asked, eyes shining in the light.

“Yeah, like an olive green.”

“Gem! He’s definitely Bi!”

—

Impulse was ready to play some R.E.P.O. He was really excited to play with Lizzie, wondering how she would react to the game.

The first thing Impulse did was swear to Lizzie that he would protect her against all the mobs and the first thing he did of importance was show her how to hide, then showed her the TV.

It was funny seeing her body fling back and even funnier when he had managed to get her to do it again.

Although, despite her being told that the Googiles can hear you, she continued to talk with Gem, somehow not dying in the process.

Impulse did stand by as Lizzie was being shot, but there wasn’t much he could do to protect her. The huntsman fired a warning shot at them, then shot Gem that was crouching right next to him.

Other than his ‘daughter’ exploding into just a head, the round went smoothly, which was just the start of the hurricane coming his way. Although it was fun to watch Lizzie getting flung by the television.

Getting Gem alive and giving a neck kiss to Gem they headed into the van and drove to drive their way to the shop.

He got a crouch rest, and was ready for the next round.

—

The next round, he kept his word to Lizzie. The head had come around the corner and started to attack Lizzie. Impulse smashed it with the love potion and it killed it. Lizzie had gotten away alive and that’s what mattered for Impulse. Little did Impulse know, that this was the start of a very bad time.

And then as soon as he got back to life, the head had come around the corner and he hid under a small chair. It somehow saw him and he died, again. How fun.

He then was a ghost when he saw his children fight, Gem and Grian screaming like five-year-olds. Lizzie tried to run to his head but got scared off. Grian had dragged both him and Skizz back. He felt a little salty when Grian said he had a skill issue.

But it was fine, he had a little health and watched Gem and Lizzie try and switch colours. The next round was ready for him to play, although he did get more heath so he was just above half.

—

Lizzie and Grian had an insane trick shot for a vase, and then lost some of his health due to a doll looking thing, although he should of heard a giggle from it.

Then a clown chased him down some stairs and shot him for no reason. He really didn’t understand why it saw him.

He tried to reason with himself but it didn’t make sense. He was complaining about his health, despite having half and was wondering if it heard him.

After a long time, he came back to life and briefly explained what happened to him. He did guide the piano and the harp to the extraction.

Then the clown got him again, and was slightly mad but he was brought back and was surprised with Lizzie being alive.

—

“Dipple Dop, you take that health.” Skizz pointed to it.

“I’ll take it, then I’ll give you a neckie.” Impulse replied casually.

“Do we have to phrase it like that.” Gem spluttered.

“I mean-“ Impulse tried to argue back, realising after how wrong that was. “If anyone can say it, it’s me and Skizz.” He ignored the way his heart was fluttering.

“Here, I give you this back,” Skizz muttered. He make is way and gave Impulse a neck kiss.

“Me and Skizz go way back, we’re allowed to say that sort of stuff.” He argued, knowing he wasn’t winning.

“That does not mean you give each other neckies.” Grian added before the round started.

“It’s pride month.” Gem mumbled. “I have to allow it.”

“Maybe my knee is pressed against my desk.” Skizz jabbered.

“Is there something you want to tell us, boys?” Gem challenge. 

“I just bought a green couch!”

Everyone found it very funny, despite how much Impulse wanted to die inside. That was way to stupid for him. He was supposed to be the smart one, yet when Skizz is around, he forgets how to crouch.

—

And he was dead again. He silently clutched his fist in frustration. He had gone after Lizzie and got taken and dragged to a monster, just his luck right now. 

“I am Lizzie’s plot armour. I am Lizzie’s plot armour.” He breathed in and out, trying to calm himself.

Lizzie had joined him in the afterlife at some point, and they joked around for a bit. Then they were brought back. 

Skizz then told a story to which Gem said wasn’t true and he didn’t really know who to believe, he was extremely biassed to Skizz that he wanted to believe him so bad.

He helped Grian guide a server down the stairs and extracted, leaving one more.

When looting for the last extraction point, he couldn’t help but overhear the conversation between Lizzie and Skizz behind him.

“And I have eleven health. Wait- where did that extra help come from?” She asked to no one in particular. “Gem must of gave me a neck kiss when I wasn’t looking.” A very small thank you was heard behind him. 

“Your welcome,” Skizz had answered in this really low voice that sent shivers up and down his spine. Call him dirty, call him a freak, but god would he love that whispered into his ears.

Then then started to head home, to which they found some gnomes. “Hey Lizzie, wanna throw a gnome?”

“Umm, yeah.” She reply with sass.

“Here, take this one.” And that gnome then hit him and he died. To a gnome. Impulse definitely wasn’t laughing to put up with the pain he felt.

Grian dragged him to the truck, him becoming alive once again. “Here’s God’s favourite princess,” Grian called as Gem just got into the truck as they drove away.

In the shop, he did complain about being in a death loop, but no one paid too much attention to him. He placed his stamina upgrade and was ready to leave.

He did give a lot of his health to Lizzie, it not being much, and Lizzie had wondered if that was all he had. It hurt more than it should have.

—

“Get whatever is on the point in the cart.” Grian asked of Impulse and Skizz, they did nothing. “Get the rubbish.” Skizz and Impulse did nothing. “There’s lots of stuff that will block that cart.” Grian had tried again.

“Get the pirate ship and the cup.” Gem had explained and Impulse moved them out of the way.

“English just gave up then, huh?” Grian asked. He did not understand the type of day Impulse was having.

Impulse had almost died in the extraction but everything went fine, Gem even shot the shotgun guy with a shotgun.

Later, he and Skizz had started to sing a song about a hippopotamus but Lizzie had to have corrected them. “That’s a rhino, right?”

Everyone had spluttered into laughter, Gem screaming that Skizz has never seen an animal. Gem had asked if he’d seen a bird and Impulse told her he'd seen a roadrunner.

But he had managed to survive a monster for once, which for him right now, felt like a miracle.

—

His survival didn’t last very long as he was killed by a baby, he felt so much anger within him. He needed to get his act together. His plan was stupid. He was stupid. He wished he could actually play with his friends for once instead of being dead.

“I’ve got some health for Impulse once he comes back,” Grian sounded disappointed in him.

“Aww, he’s having a rough day today.” Gem said with some sympathy, he thinks.

“Dipple Dop.” Skizz spoke with the most sad voice that Impulse doesn't ever wish to hear again.

“Do you want to hear the story?” He asked. “It's a good story.” No one asked for him to continue, but he did it anyway. “I got hit by the barf guy, remember? And I went away and I found the baby and he threw something on me because I vomited all over him.”

“Yeah, don't mess with the baby.” Grian commented.

“I know, but I had barfed all over him.” Impulse responded dryly.

“As an fyi, Impulse, the vomit does such little damage.” Grian tried to help. He didn't feel any better. As much as he was acting like it was all good fun, it was really getting to him. He felt stupid.

Later, Gem had called for help, to which Impulse and Lizzie replied. “Not you, Skizz,” she said when he was right there.

“Oh my- the shade. I can feel it from here.” Impulse joked around.

“Gem, you're dead for me for the rest of the round.” He yelled.

Which was now a very big problem for Impulse and Gem, who needed the pocket cart in Skizz’s inventory.

“I need a cart.” Gem had parroted for the fourth time. “Can you get pocket cart off the other dad please?”

“I'll go talk to him,” Impulse chuckled.

“Just flirt with him a little bit, okay?” Gem elbowed him

Impulse had to stand there frozen as Skizz rolled up. Gem had begged for the cart but it was like Skizz couldn't hear her. Impulse had also asked for the cart, but got denied for suspicion of giving it to Gem. 

“Please Skizz, can I please just have the pocket cart.” He begged.

‘Impulse!” Gem screamed. “I said flirt with him, not beg!” 

Impulse and Skizz awkwardly looked at each other. Then to Gem as she winked and left the room. They then turned to each other, a horrible feeling of awkwardness in the air. 

“Can I just have the pocket cart?” He tried to steer away from what Gem said.

“I don't know, did she really say that?” Skizz deflected onto the topic

“I tried to stop it, in my defence. I just don't wanna have to flirt with you for an item.” Impulse coughed, trying to place the air with something. 

“And what if I still say no?” A smirk grew on the other man’s face. 

“Please Skizz,” he begged again.

“She said flirt, not beg,” Skizz half quoted Gem.

“I'll just leave without it then,” he grumbles under his breath.

“Come on Dipple Dop, have a little fun.” He teased the man next to him.

“I don't think I even know how to flirt.” He coughed again.

“Then how are you expecting to find love?” Skizz asked dramatically.

“I don't.”

“Well-” Skizz was unsure what to say to that. “That's not the spirit!” 

“Skizz, I know you love a good bit but can I just have it.” Impulse tried again.

“Fine.” He grumbles. “You are no fun, the best friend you are.” 

“Thanks Skizz!” 

–

“I got the pocket cart!” He yelled to Gem, giving it to her.

“How'd it go?” She asked, carefully placing the orb in it.

“Turns out begging is a good strategy.” He smiled at himself.

“That's not very fun.” She grumbled.

“That's what I said!” Skizz yelled over.

–

Impulse took a deep breath, then he left. His spirit left, body still there and he took some more breaths. He walked around a little, drank some water and was trying to calm down. He was dead yet again and he was ready to smite something. Something was going to die by his hands. That was a threat and a promise.

He could hear his friends talking about his bad day, them having different views on it. Of course his best friend would have his back, he always did, it was why he was so likeable.

When he came back to life, his spirit had yet to connect with his body, but once it did, he hid in the cart. He was so close to crying. He wanted to be good at the game. He wanted to see Lizzie more, and wanted to set a good example. He just wanted to be alive.

So when he had managed to escape successfully with Gem’s head, he was glad he was standing on two feet. 

In the shop, he hid. He grabbed a duck bucket and stayed in the bathroom. He was so over this game, didn't want to play it again. He managed to not cry, which he thought was a good call but someone could clearly tell that something was wrong.

Skizz came into the bathroom and found him in a state of misery. He crouched down, although not removing the bucket. “What's the matter Dipple?” He tried to ask softly. He didn't respond which was all Skizz needed.

A lot was wrong with him. He was being bad and the noob was doing better at him and Grian probably found him annoying and didn't want to keep buying health for him to lose it all. A lot was wrong with him.

“Hey, you can talk to me, what's the matter?”

“I feel stupid.” He croaked out.

Skizz hummed for a moment, then responded. “You're not stupid Dipple Dop, you're one of the smartest people I know.”

“I can't even do better than Lizzie.”

“Hey, you don't need to be. She has a really good teacher that's protecting her and helping her, she's learning from you.”

“She's learning from Gem.” He grumbled.

“You are not stupid. No one here believes that, so do yourself a favour and stop believing in it. You are my Dipple Dop, smartest redstoner I know, creator of Metro Mayhem. You are so nice and so self-sacrificing. You are awesome and every Hermit loves you.”

“I'm doing a horrible job.”

“You're allowed to have good days and you're allowed to have bad days, no one can stop that. It's just how we take it these days. You are ImpulseSV, the man I've known most of my life. The same man that never gave up. The same man that gave me and Gem and so many other Hermits such a warm welcome on Hermitcraft. You are amazing, trust me.”

“Damn, now I just wanna cry even more.” He spoke smiling.

“Then cry, crying is a healthy way of showing emotions and everyone does it.”

Impulse did end up crying. For a mix of different reasons. Skizz had lifted the duck bucket off his head and gave him a hug. It was just them two, in the bathroom, on the floor. Impulse was holding on tightly to Skizz, who was his light, his angel. 

He was the perfect one, the one that bathed with love and thrived off attention. And he would give all his attention to him. He looked into his blue eyes and smiled, wiping away his tears.

–

Everyone could tell that something had been wrong with Impulse, they could tell that he cried. But no one pointed it out, Skizz seemed to have it under control.

Impulse had improved later, after venting his frustrations. He stuck to Skizz’s side and he was laughing soon enough. 

You can have good days and bad days. It's just how you treat them which makes the difference.

Chapter Text

Gem was getting sick from her dads. She already was sick to the stomach with all the little things they did. Best friends don't suddenly get shy at each other. Best friends don't hold hands in their sleep. Best friends don't act like an old married couple.

They weren't Bi, Gem knew that, but she had a strong feeling that they weren't straight either. So many possibilities, but straight couldn't be one of them.

Which leads them to a game about lying, so Gem can pick up on all the small hints they give off when telling the truth was impossible. And boy was she in for a show. 

She did well to start off, killing and doing tasks and killing and killing. It was very fun murdering all her friends in cold blood, what was not fun was to be murdered.

Gem, a while ago, had started to joke about her girlfriend, Pearl. She had made up this really big thing just to stab her, right in her back. And knowing Pearl, she wasn't going to take this.

“We are literally the perfect duo.” Gem had argued at the end of the round. 

“Really, huh?” She huffed. “The perfect duo wouldn't stab each other.” 

“You like it.” Gem laughed. “I like stabbing and you like being stabbed, what's not to love about that?”

“What!” Pearl exclaimed, jaw dropping to the floor.

“Come on.” She acted innocent, winking at her partner to add extra confusion. “You know you like it.”

All Pearl could do was huff, and wait for the round to start, smiling at her red name.

–

Pearl had just killed her in broad daylight, it was pretty funny and pretty stupid, surely the dads will give justice to her. Surely nothing could go horribly wrong.

Surely, right?

If you had the same thought as Gem, you'd be wrong. They turned on each other like hound dogs, none of them actually guilty.

“You left simon says, then I did and boom, Gemmy Bemmy’s body on the ground. I can't believe you, Dipple Dop.”

“There was no body there when I left.” He tried to explain his blindness. You killed her and claimed I did it.”

And all Gem could do was stare at her dads in amused horror. Pearl, her actual murderer, to which she loved dearly, was just sitting in the corner. She wasn't saying anything and they were just letting this happen. How dare they!

If she was there, she'd already called it out, not cared about her dads’ divorce arc and yelled her name until she wasn't on the ship. She was right in killing her first, she must have been a pain with how right she was. Yet, it just made her more mad they weren't doing anything about this.

In the crew’s eyes, Skizz’s story was more believable. But Gem was more mad that Pearl got away with murder in daylight. They were there. They watched this happen.

So when Impulse flew out the ship, yelling about them losing or something like that, she was ready to be croaking for the rest of the week.

“Impulse!” She yelled, louder than she has in years.

Impulse slowly turned to her, eyes wide in some kind of panic. He looked scared and that's exactly what she wanted him to feel at that moment.

“I can’t believe you let her get away with this. Skizz wasn't my murderer, Pearl killed me! In front of your very eyes but they must be broken of some sort because you didn't see the dead me on the floor. You didn't hear the absence of my voice. She's gotten away with this all.”

Impulse looked at her, then shrugged his shoulders. “Sorry?” He offered in a really bad Canadian accent.

“You two are insufferable.” She groaned.

Then when Skizz died, the whole cycle repeated again, Gem less mad at Skizz, but it was still plenty.

“You idiot! I can't believe that she got away with this while my dads have started their divorce arc!” She yelled to space.

“Pardon?” One of the dads offered.

“Stop divorcing and get along.”

“Gem.” Impulse looked concerned. “That implies me and Skizz are married in the first place.”

“Well I call you my dads, I can't be sick in peace, you look like an old couple. Anymore that I forgot to list?”

Gem-” Skizz tried to speak but she stood her ground.

“Grian calls you dad, you call him your son, you call me your daughter. You've been to every major event in my life. Skizz tried to teach me to cook. Impulse tried to teach me drums. You are my parents, you are an old married couple and you’re not changing my mind.”

All Impulse and Skizz did was look at each other and it was not straight. No hiding, no lies. These men had something going on and she was determined to find out. 

–

After that round, Impulse was stuck to him like hair on a wet hand. A pain in the butt to lose, and when you think you lost it, more appears. Not like he was complaining but boy was he trying to not panic. 

Gem had just basically just told them that they were an old married couple which made him want to scream. He loved Impulse so much and just being told that broke his system. He was in dire need to reboot. 

Then like fifteen things happen and he's still not caught up to speed. Grian called the emergency button, yelling that he saw Skizz vent, which was a lie. Impulse was with him the entire time, he could back him up, and he did. Gem jumped on Grian’s ship and so did Jimmy. It was so obviously Grain, but he doesn't think he'll live through this meeting.

Impulse had started yelling at some point along the road, him and Grian in a shouting match. Skizz just watched as tail swayed back and forth and his horns turned bright red at the top. This needed to stop, now.

Skizz had guided a furious Impulse to the side for him to cool off for a second. His tail curled around Skizz’s leg, thrashing at the tip. He was admitting a strange noise that he doesn't think he's heard before. 

Impulse took a few breaths, the noise continuing, but he was calmer. He wasn’t going to kick Grian until he was dead.

They sat in what Skizz assumed was a grumble, a growl? It was coming out of Impulse and that's all he knew. He placed the back of his hand to his neck, feeling the vibrations and smirking.

“Didn't know you could growl Dipple Dop.” His intent was clear on his face.

“Stupid demon.” He grumbled.

“I would disagree. It's such a loud noise, Grian must have really riled you up.” He petted the top of his head.

“I'm just being stupid, this game always makes me feel like this, trying to lie while trying to hide the noise you are creating is not easy.” And suddenly Impulse’s fast talking made so much sense.

“Why are you trying to hide it then, you know I'll love ya whatever you do.” He smiled at him, a little more genuine than he liked.

“You're going to blackmail me.” He reasoned.

“If you know me, which clearly you hit your head a little, that's your embarrassing story to tell, not mine. Unless you want me to.”

Impulse just growled louder.

Skizz smiled at him, reassuring him that it was all okay.

“I'm sorry, I just care a lot and Grian is lying to kill you and it just- it doesn't sit right.”

“I get it.” He smirked. “You just love me so much.” He said in a goofy voice.

“What are you gonna do about it?” Impulse smiled back. 

Skizz stuttered for a second, which was rare for the animated man. “I'll make sure that it never changes”

“Love you Skizz,” he spoke softly.

“Love you too,” he whispered, the first time its meaning was not promising friendship.