-Chapter Ten: To find out that grace requires nothing of me (I want to sing a song worth singing)-

Bad settled deeper into the fur blanket Techno had offered to him, staring into the fire. The same fire they had sat next to… however many years ago.

Techno was leaning against the wall, elbows on his knees as his hooves dug into his scalp, scowling occasionally at them as if they had done a great injustice. Bad couldn't blame him.

"How is he… he couldn't have… I… why did I leave you two?" Techno rambled, not sounding like he expected an answer. Yes, it had been years, YEARS since then. Bad has moved past the initial hurt. But watching Techno break down because of it…

"You didn't even know him that well. How could you have known?" Bad mumbled. "And you didn't leave us. We left ourselves." Techno whipped over to him, tusks bared, before he went limp, falling back against the wall. "I… it still hurts."

"You wouldn't have felt the same for me." Bad commented, not able to keep the bitterness out of his tone. Techno didn't argue, just stared blankly at the red carpet.

"He… his last words. He wanted to say thank you to you." Bad said, voice breaking a bit. He wanted him back so badly. He looked over at the satchel that was leaning against the door.

"Bad… I know you want him back. He was yours."

"He was, but he is his own person. What if he doesn't want to come back?"

"I don't know."

Bad grabbed his horns, bending down to at least cry in the sanctuary and privacy of the blanket. But Techno got up and gently peeled his claws away, forcing the demon to look at him. "But it's not just for you."

"He wouldn't want it." Bad sniffled, a tear running down his cheek. Techno sighed. "You've said it, Bad. Let it go."

"You're just being selfish, Technoblade! I don't want him to come back unhappy because we might be taking him from the best place in the world!" Bad yelled, pulling him away. He threw the blanket off and grabbed his satchel before Techno could grab it. "First stage of grief: denial." he recited, hating how true it sounded.

Techno just watched him, rolling up his loose white shirt sleeves. "Please Bad… at least let me try."

"You don't have a revival book."

"I have another tactic."

Bad stood there, holding his satchel hesitantly. The gem weighed so… so much. To see him again, and lift the weight… it was all he wanted in the world.

Techno held out a hand.

And Bad let him take the bag.

~--~

Three days had passed in a breeze.

He wondered how his father was. He wondered what the kingdom was thinking. He can just imagine the headlines:

Prince Skeppy MISSING!

We are all going to DIE!!!!

Someone find him!!!

please

He giggled at that thought. That sounded like something his dad would do. If he was desperate enough.

Bad turned his head when he heard Skeppy laugh lightly out of the blue, and he dropped the blueberries into the "mortar", raising the "pestle" to grind them up. Yes, Bad has been expanding the younger's vocabulary. Skeppy himself didn't even know how he remembered the names. They were so dumb. Just call it a bowl and mashy thing.

"What are you smiling about?" Bad asked curiously, purple goop staining his claws. Skeppy shrugged, sitting down to watch the other. "Just wondering how my dad is reacting to me missing."

Bad stayed silent for a bit, and Skeppy would have resulted it to concentration if he didn't say softly, "Do you miss your father?"

Skeppy bit his lip, not meeting Bad's gaze which was now watching him intently. Skeppy took the mortar and pestle and began mashing it himself.

"Just wondering." he mumbled after a bit.

"I won't judge you if you want to go back." Bad said, though he sounded like he was judging him a bit.

"I don't WANT to go back, Bad, I'm perfectly happy here." Bad seemed to settle slightly at that, but he still seemed sceptical. "I just wanna know, I guess."

Bad hummed a bit, his tail tapping the square of Skeppy's back thoughtfully. Skeppy leaned his shoulder against Bad's, showing him the mush. Bad nodded before taking it and pouring it into a cup and sealing it.

Techno entered the room, looking at both of them with stained laps and fingers. "What's going on here?"

"Just making food for the road." Bad answered, and Skeppy whipped his head back to him.

"Well as long as you don't get my carpet stained." Techno said nonchalantly at the same time Skeppy said, "We're leaving?!"

"Skeppy, we can't just take over Techno's hospitality forever." Bad reasoned, placing the cup inside his satchel. Techno snorted. "You're welcome here, demon." Skeppy raised an eyebrow at both of them before directing his attention back to Bad.

"You heard him! And this place is great, even though it's always cold out, we have enough food and warmth in the cabin and we saw polar bears yesterday! We probably won't see those again."

"I know you want to stay, muffin, but I've said this before: I don't stay long."

"I - wait, where did muffin come from?" Skeppy asked, momentarily distracted. Techno jumped in. "I gave him a muffin yesterday and he went absolutely ecstatic."

"Makes sense."

"They taste good!" Bad argued, throwing up his hands. "But that's beside the point. Skeppy, you can stay here if that's what you want."

Skeppy quieted his giggles to just watch Bad, watching his ears droop slightly at his own comment and his voice dip. The fact that he was still willing to respect his wishes, even though the other was obviously getting more and more clingy, was sort of heart - touching.

Bad seemed to grow more and more despaired the longer Skeppy went on staying silent, so Skeppy placed a small hand on the demon's shoulder. He was more his height which was gratifying, but Skeppy was still horribly smaller and skinnier than the other.

The younger smiled softly before leaning back, withdrawing his hand. Techno stared at him with a horribly smug gaze while Bad's tail snaked against the carpet in hope. "I won't leave you, Bad. Who knows, maybe we'll find even crazier stuff than polar bears!"

Bad shrunk behind his grey patterned bandanna, grinning. Skeppy pretended he didn't see it.

The demon nodded fervently, his claws fidgeting with the strap of his satchel. "Bunch of things better than polar bears," he muttered. Skeppy leaned forward to pull Bad's bandanna down to see his full face, still beaming.

Techno coughed loudly, a hoof to his face as he stared down at the two still sitting cross - legged on the ground. "If you both have something to say… or do," he mumbled the last part under his breath, "then take it somewhere else."

Skeppy stuck his tongue out at him while Bad just blinked obliviously at the pig, standing up to pull the strap of his satchel over his head. "I was thinking of leaving now. It's noon and we can get food on the way."

Skeppy blinked, slightly surprised they were leaving so early, but he didn't feel like putting up a fight, firmly pressing his palms against the rug to help him stand.

Techno waved his hoof, shaking his head. "Please, at least stay for lunch. I saved a rabbit from hunting yesterday."

Bad shook his head, tail flicking as if slightly impatient. "No, it's fine. We can get our own food." Just then his stomach rumbled loudly, and he glared down at it comically. Skeppy burst out laughing, almost falling over from his giggles.

"I take it your stomach disagrees. And we won't make goodbyes long." Techno promised, stepping carefully around Bad like he was a wounded animal to reach the kitchen, ducking out of sight.

Skeppy was still trying to control himself, moving to lean against the wall as his ribs began to hurt. "So ironic." he wheezed finally, looking up at Bad with tears in his eyes. "That was planned so perfectly it's like we were in a story."

Bad glared at him, a pouty look on his face as his tail rudely flicked Skeppy's ear. Skeppy batted it away, grinning ear to ear, continuing despite the intrusion. "Also, you can't just all of a sudden ghost Techno. That's not fair at all."

Bad grimaced, shuffling with the edge of his cloak nervously. The edges where he was messing with it were frayed or tattered, signifying how much he already does this. "Techno doesn't like me." he whispered, staring at the floor. "He treats me like I'm dangerous or I'll all of a sudden jump up and kill you."

Skeppy opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted again. "He won't care that I'm gone. He's only letting us stay for lunch because of you."

Skeppy shook his head, walking over to grab Bad's hand and hold it up for them both to see. "Stop ruining your cloak." he murmured, looking Bad straight in the eye. "Also, he likes you, he's just… wary. People don't see demons every day."

"Still -" Bad tried to argue, but Skeppy squeezed his captured hand, making the other fall silent. "Trust me. Now don't let that assumption ruin our last lunch with him. Let's enjoy it." He smiled reassuringly before letting go.

Bad nodded and let out a tentative curve to his lips before walking into the kitchen, Skeppy close behind.