Chapter Text
Running.
That's all Mob had known for who knows how long. Somehow, in some way, he had gotten away from Verity- for real this time. There was no slip up, he didn't say where he was going even if it was at the tip of his tongue. Habits die hard, afterall.
His mind raced as his body ached, craving some rest and proper nourishment (how long had it been since he last ate?).
Did Verity know where he was, even if even Mob didn't know where he was going? If so, how long would Mob truly be safe? Was he safe at all? Would he ever be able to go back to his base?
Okay, scratch that last one, that was kind of a dumb question.
Mob's thoughts only stopped momentarily when his legs finally gave out. He collapsed onto the rough grass below, mentally thanking the forest for the cool shade. Panting, he used as much strength as he could to try and sit up, though ultimately it was useless.
Hair clung to his face through beads of sweat, Mob's heart still beating far too fast. In his defense, he had only really known fear for the past couple of months. Mob tried to chuckle at his own internal joke, though all that came out was a weak wheeze.
He didn't realize he had passed out shortly after that until his whole body felt thrice as heavy, until the chill of the forest floor turned into the gentle warmth of wool, until he woke up with a start and a killer headache inside of a house he didn't recognize.
At first, the common wooden build of the house made his blood pressure spike, his disoriented mind flashing back to his own base (at least he never had to see his shitty building skills again). It was only when he let the dull ache in his head and limbs slowly begin to subside that he took in the skilled and thoughtful block placements that his anxiety bubbled down.
It didn't look like a regular village house, it was far too big and had way too much detail put into it. But, Mob didn't build it (not like he could have), and there was no possible way Verity could have. So, that only left...
Mob slowly turned to the door, watching as it opened, revealing a face that lifted every worry from Mob's existence.
"Twixxel?!" Mob exclaimed, voice embarassingly hoarse.
His friend's eyes lit up, clearly as surprised as Mob was, almost dropping his handful of bread as he leapt over towards Mob.
"Mob! Thank goodness you're alright, one of the villagers next-door found you unconscious in the forest and called for help to bring you over, so I took you in when I realized it was you. How did you get here?" Twixxel interrogated, concern evident in his wholly white eyes.
"Okay- Uh- Nice to see you too, dude- but before I answer your questions, answer one of mine? Please and thank you?"
"Alright?"
"How the fuck are you not dead???"
Twixxel chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, his literally flowing voided hair rippling in response to the movement.
"Verity almost got me good, I'm sure he gave you quite the scare when you got back and saw me gone. I sort of just.. kept moving until I ended up here. Every other village is empty, I was lucky to find this one still thriving, though all the villagers are on edge. I made myself a house here, I had planned to go find you again but.."
Twixxel smirked playfully after the pause, gently shoving his friend's shoulder.
"Clearly, you beat me to it."
Mob returned the laugh, coughing near the end of it, prompting the voidling to bring over a glass of milk and some bread.
"Not like I planned it," Mob started. "I thought you were dead. I was just trying to save my own life."
Twixxel sat down on the edge of the bed by Mob's feet, listening intently as the enderman continued.
"Verity hadn't really done anything like that to me since the incident with you. I just couldn't take it anymore and left. He's probably pissed, and if all the other villages are empty, I wouldn't doubt that he'd find this one."
"He said he knows everything, though, right? Would he not know you were here?"
Mob shook his head, "He knows everything about this world, but he can't foresee what people will do... what I will do."
A lightly tense but not unwelcome silence took over for a brief moment, only interrupted by quiet sips and chewing as Mob happily dug into what was given to him.
"Will you go back?"
The question caught Mob off guard, earning a light cough from inhaling a bite of his bread too quickly.
"Whaddya mean?" He asked, knowing where this was going despite the fact something in him didn't want to look into it.
"To your base. To Verity. He's still out there, and you said yourself he might find us here. So will you go back? Find a way to stop him for good?"
Mob set down his food.
Would he?
He thought back to these past few weeks, the time between now and Twixxel's disappearance... Twixxel's then deemed murder.
Verity had done so many things that stirred conflicting opinions within Mob. Part of him wanted Verity back, the one he first met out of the box. To think there might be a world where they could've been normal friends.
Yet, another part knew it wouldn't work. There was too much else between them, too many unspoken feelings and too rough touches that made Mob feel both curious and disposable.
So, if given the chance, would he go back?
Back to the things circling in his head?
"Mob?"
It seems he lost his appetite.