#oh stystatic you pathetic wet cat

[sharffffff]

A betrayal done out of love. It is the worst kind of betrayal one can ever commit, to hurt someone in such a way, to stab them in the back and twist a knife - and not out of hatred, not out of malice, but out of attempt to save them from themselves. Betrayal can be understood when the traitor hates the person they are betraying - whether they hated them the whole time, or have grown resentful of their ways doesn’t matter, for it has become justified in their own eyes through the fact that they can’t stand behind those actions no longer. But betrayal done out of love? One done out of attempt to not let your loved one hurt themself, thus hurting them more than their actions ever could? Such betrayal cannot be forgiven, it cannot be explained, it cannot be justified. And it never works, either, for the spite driving the one who has been betrayed will only make them hurt themself more, rendering the whole thing pointless. Rendering the traitor both devastated through the loss of their friend, and unsuccessful in their plans. Making the rift that is so large, it would take far too long to even begin to repair, requiring time and effort from both parties - and while the traitor might try to fix things, would the betrayed ever be able to trust them again? Would they ever be able to forgive them?

Deep down, Sty knew that this plan would fail. He knew it was a bad idea, he knew it would never work, he knew 4C would hate him for doing it, but he had to try. He just had to try, he had to take the chance to save his fellow pirate from himself, and if he could’ve saved his life even if it cost them their friendship, he would’ve taken that chance. And he did. And he failed. And he failed oh so miserably.

When Gravel suggested trapping 4C, doing everything to keep him safe, protecting him from himself, Sty was hesitant. He felt weird working with his enemy, and he felt weird about this whole plan - he didn’t want 4C dead, but he didn’t want him trapped in a box either. Yes, a nicely decorated box, but an obsidian box nonetheless. But as more time went by, as 4C’s scheduled death began rapidly approaching, Sty’s mind got set on this idea fully. He hated it, he hated the fact that he had to trap his friend in this place, but he felt like he had to do it. There was no other way to protect him. No other way to make sure he would stay alive. And god, Sty just couldn’t lose him. He didn’t know if he could live if 4C was dead. The world just wouldn’t be the same. And so he went through with the plan, despite all the outs 4C tried giving him, despite the fact he knew that 4C knew that he was lying, despite the devastation in 4C’s voice when they approached the trap. Sty knew that his plan was found out long before the slime ended up locked in the room, but he refused to believe it, refused to think that 4C would let him betray his trust like that, refused to accept that his attempt to save him - his betrayal - would be not just found out, but followed through. 

So when 4C got locked away, when he got trapped, when he realized that Sty wasn’t going to admit to the betrayal - Sty heard his voice change, he could’ve sworn he saw a glint of anger in his eyes even through the wall, and gods, he never heard 4C that angry before. Even when their ship was burned, even when they lost everything, the slime was rather calm. Yes, calm in his anger, but calm nonetheless. Now, however? Now Sty could feel the anger, the rage, the hatred in waves even through the obsidian walls, he could feel the tension and disappointment and distrust seeping through the cracks, and, worst of all, he could hear the acid in his voice and know that it was directed at him, at the one who betrayed his trust. The one who promised he would never betray him, the one who 4C trusted and who abused his trust. And the one who couldn’t even go in and see him, because of Gravel blocking the way, because of Gravel telling it was for the best. Sty couldn’t even tell him why he did this, he couldn’t even explain how much he cared about him, he couldn’t explain what his death would do to him. But leaving 4C to be alone instead was almost more of the betrayal than this whole box. 

And when Sty returned, having gathered all his thoughts, all his explanations in a single book, he could feel that it was already too late. When he broke through despite Gravel’s protests, when he gave the book to 4C, when he tried to get him out - he knew 4C’s plans have already changed. He knew 4C was going to die here, not giving Sty a chance to get him out first, not giving him a chance to apologize, not giving him a chance to react - only watch on, in horror, as it was about to happen. Not knowing how, not knowing when, but knowing that the death would happen soon, and leaving Sty to wonder and to dread. And when 4C didn’t even read the book, when 4C refused to even look Sty in the eyes except to let Sty know just how badly he messed up, when Sty saw 4C’s eyes be even deeper, darker black when they usually are, Sty couldn’t help but feel like the worst person in this world. And maybe at the moment, he was. Because he betrayed his closest friend out of love, out of selfishness, out of wish to protect him but in fact to protect himself from being hurt, and it was all for nothing. Because he knew it was always going to end this way.

And when Apokuna came, the harbinger of death, the slayer of those who wish for it, Sty didn’t even try to get in their way. He knew that it would only make things worse, he knew that he already betrayed 4C once - he couldn’t do it again. He couldn’t save him from death if he wanted it so much, and stopping Apo would’ve felt like yet another betrayal. And so he watched. He felt that if he turned away, when 4C wanted him to see it, that if he broke the eye contact the slime was still keeping with him, he would be even more of a traitor. 

It took three strikes. Two slashes and a sword straight through the heart, giving 4C barely any chance to even react. Sty could’ve sworn he saw a shock in 4C’s eyes from how quickly it went - but that couldn’t be it, not with the slime’s confidence in his death. And then Apo left, as quickly as they appeared, leaving Sty all alone in this room before 4C’s body even hit the ground. 

And a second later Sty felt his limbs go into motion, barely able to catch him, while almost falling to the ground himself. The slime was gone. Apo knew what he was doing - death being swift and final, no chance for final words, no chance to say goodbye. Sty felt like he didn’t even deserve to be here, he didn’t even deserve to hold 4C’s body after what he has done, didn’t deserve the chance to cry over his loss. Didn’t deserve a chance to say sorry, even if 4C couldn’t hear him. He betrayed him, and he knew he did, and it hurt, it hurt so much. How could he have done it? What overcame him to do such a thing?

Sty could try to justify his actions for as long as needed, but he knew there was no justification for it. And now, 4C would never even have a chance to hear him say it.

“Our time together on this server has meant everything to me, 4C. I just couldn’t let it end. But it ended anyway, didn’t it? It was always going to end this way, and I messed up. We could’ve spent your final moments doing what you wanted to do, and instead you had to spend them in a box. And for that, I’m sorry, though I don’t expect you to forgive me. Goodbye, my friend.”

Sty’s mouth was so dry he could barely speak, and by the time he finished, his tears had run dry as well. This was all his fault. This day went so horribly wrong, and it was all because of him. And knowing this had felt just oh so horrible. 

Sty carried 4C’s body out by himself - he couldn’t trust anyone else to bury him, but at this point, he didn’t know if he should even trust himself. Dark blue blood had stained his hands and his clothes, but that was the least of his worries, not after the book he found on 4C’s body while preparing to go out of the box. Not after the book that was clearly written days ago, and now stained with blood - but still having readable text. Not after the book that was dedicated to him, not after the book that spoke of how 4C’s biggest fear was Sty’s betrayal. Not after the book that Sty accidentally had proven right. Not after having fulfilled 4C’s biggest fear on this server, not after the betrayal that was so devastating, nobody involved had been left standing. And now Sty had to bury 4C, alone, while not knowing if he even deserved to do it. And god, it hurt.

It hurt so much, knowing that the future was always set in stone. It hurt so much, knowing that it was always going to happen. It hurt so, so fucking much.