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A zombie trap. An explosive hidden in the dirt. Now the Rancher's Revenge had done the job. Scar died alone, looking for his dove. The doubt was loud in his mind, telling him it was all for nothing. Scar just wanted another shot at being with Grian. Another shot of them being in love. Love was non-existent for a game that had soulmates. How ironic.
Grian was upset about being paired with Scar. Yelling out in frustration and disappointment. He called Scar reckless and careless when Grian's choices and fate led them to their demise. Running off with someone else who wasn't bound to him, accidentally dropping Scar into the zombie pit, mourning his secret lover, and now they lost the game.
There was nothing but fog and the cold to comfort Scar. He didn't get revenge for his sanctuary. A sanctuary that was meant for him and Grian. Maybe they could patch things up and be in love again. The way they fell in love during their time in the desert. Hot days working on traps and scams to earn an advantage, and the cold nights where they'd keep each other company. Maybe they could've had something like that again. Oh, how wrong Scar was.
The laughter and the inside jokes they made together, those sweet kisses they shared when no one was looking, and longing looks one would make to the other. That was all gone. The afterlife was cruel. It was cold and lonely. A cold, lonely, void where comfort and warmth wouldn't dare to make its presence.
"Scar? Are you here?"
There was that stinging voice. It was awful to listen to. That voice sounded worried, but Scar doubted it was. Oh, how he wished that voice would giggle and swoon the way it did before. Scar sat there, feeling the stinging of the voice going through his ears.
"Scar! There you are! I'm so glad to see you again!" Grian called out, Scar letting tears spill from his eyes. He's a liar. A cheater too. Why would he bother with him again? The game was over now. There was nothing to gain now until the next game. It's not like Grian would look for him at the beginning of the next game anyway. Maybe Grian would look for someone else that would love him better?
"Scar look at me. Don't you want to talk?" Grian called out to him again. All Scar wanted was to be left alone. Nothing could help him now. Nothing could comfort him. Scar just wanted to be together again with Grian during Double Life. To hold him close and to kill for him. He knew now that love wouldn't be able to bloom between them anymore. All he wanted now was to get away from him.
"I'm sorry." Grian said to him.
"Can you leave me be? Don't you want to find BigB? I thought I saw him up ahead." Scar finally spoke, holding his body tight. If Grian didn't hold him, he could just do it himself.
"Scar-"
"Please go away. The game is over. You deserve someone else now." Scar told him, turning around to see Grian a bit scared, but holding something behind his back. "We didn't win."
"Yes, we didn't win, but I still want to see you. I missed you." Grian finally pulled out a poppy flower and a bamboo stem. "I'm sorry I went with BigB. I don't want to be the reason you got hurt. Third Life was awful the way it ended. I wished there were two winners and I made this game to account for it." He shakily breathed in before kneeling to Scar's level.
"Scar. I love you. I never wanted to hurt you, but in the end, I did."
"Yeah. Now go away." There was only rage, no comfort, no love between them now. Or was it between them?
"Scar. Please understand. I adore you. I love you. I just don't want to hurt you. When I killed you in Third Life, that was awful. I hated it when I beat you to death, when I watched you die by my hands. I don't want you to die because of me again."
"Mhm. Instead, you went to someone else and didn't think twice about talking to me about our issues. I don't mind it though, now that I think about it." Scar said, before looking at his scarred hands. "I don't take things seriously and I am reckless."
Silence took over. Grian wanted to kiss him so much. Scar just needed space. There couldn't be a middle ground now.
"We'll always have Monopoly Mountain, Grian," Scar said "but it's the past. We had our chance at love. Now, it's understandable."
"No, Scar. Please believe me. I do love you."
"Tell that to BigB. I don't hate him, I don't like you anymore."
Grian's heart crumbled more and more. The man he loved, telling him he didn't like him anymore? It was a nightmare, a terrible one.
"Please just go away. I need to be alone. What happened, happened Grian. Just give me space, please." Scar's voice was breaking, holding himself tighter. He only looked at Grian once before turning back around. That made it more painful for both of them.
And so, he left. Grian teared up and went his way, not to BigB, but another space. He mourned and cried, hoping to see him again. Scar was his world, and that world faded, and didn't want him there anymore. A shattered mirror unable to be repaired stood in front of the avian. Grian couldn't look into the mirror and find the reflection of what he wanted. No vision of him happy together with Scar again.
All he got was the painful truth that he was alone, with no one to care for and to hold him. Scar was always the one to do that. Grian loved the way Scar roamed his hands around his body carefully. How tightly he held him, and it was full of love from his heart.
"It would be nice to look after you." Those words were poison on his tongue now. If only he could say it again and again to Scar. Maybe he'd come back, but it's impossible now.
Just maybe, maybe he'll find him again. In another game, in another life where they could be in love again.
There was always Monopoly Mountain, but only as a bittersweet memory.