"The dead don't desire revenge, but the happiness of the living. To dirty your small hands would bring joy to no one."
― Watsuki Nobuhiro

Tubbo sits at his desk. He stares down at the mechanical device in his palms, twisting around a component with a small screwdriver. When he hears a satisfying click, he pushes away from the desk. His chair rolls away from the wood. When Tubbo jump-steps out of the chair, it slides across the warehouse floor to some abandoned corner. Tubbo will get it later, he decides, as he starts walking over to the makeshift shooting grounds he set up near the beginning of his project.

A poster of a blacked out human with point markings sways against the brick from the window and loose tape. There are two parallel strips of colored tape on the ground between the poster and the range Tubbo is currently testing. He lifts the gun he holds in his hands, the mechanical pieces starting to move as Tubbo aims. He peers through his goggles and the scope to aim at the poster's head. Tubbo pulls the trigger, and a metal dart with a blinking blue back shoots out from the barrel. It lands inside the shoulder of the person.

Tubbo lowers the gun, bringing his other hand up. Electricity cackles unceremoniously around his fingers, doubling back to wrap around his wrist. Tubbo releases the tinted green, gold-white electricity from his body. Instead of circulating in the air and ground around him, a bolt of lightning strikes out of his palm, touching the blue end of the dart. Tubbo raises the voltage, and the dart handles the mass amounts of electricity and heat being funneled through it. The paper is not as graceful. The part around the dart begins to burn up, the orange flakes falling to the ground beneath the paper. In a matter of seconds, the paper is ash and Tubbo stops producing an electrical field.

Tubbo looks down at the modified gun in his hands. He worries about its duration in the field, but he reasons that it will be fine for the time being. He knows a few tricks he hasn't implemented yet that will allow the gun to hold together several more shots and maybe even be safe from getting too close to Tubbo's electricity. The gun has survived a few shots already, but, Tubbo laments, he doesn't know how it will fare against a real target. He would normally test it out during his patrols, but with everything going on right now in the city, Philza has benched both Tubbo and Ranboo. His friend was complacent, but Tubbo fought against the claims. He could handle working in the same city as his father. He wouldn't go after Schlatt, he swore. Jordan and Puffy were able to convince him by telling Tubbo they would protect him, but he is starting to think Schlatt isn't at the top of everyone's worries right now. He's definitely up there, but he isn't worrisome threat number one.

Tubbo walks away from his shooting grounds. He drags his chair back to his desk, dropping the gun onto the table. He glances at it as he settles in his seat. He could work on it some more, but he needs something new to freshen his mind. He glances towards the ceiling for inspiration about what to make next. Without asking him what he wants to think about, his brain helpfully supplies that he could make something for Vendetta. He's made weapons for nearly everyone else in the Syndicate. Vendetta is the one box he hasn't checked yet, and honestly, Tubbo should have thought about it a lot earlier considering how close he is with Vendetta and how much Vendetta loves Tubbo's weapons- even when he doesn't particularly like who they're going to.

Tubbo runs a hand over his face. It wouldn't matter if he had made something for Vendetta or not. The hero has been MIA for over a week now. He hasn't contacted Ranboo. Niki went to Passerine, but the informant couldn't point them in any direction other than assuring him that Vendetta was alive. Due to his excessive free time without a patrol to go on, Tubbo will sit on their rooftop for hours at a time. Ranboo will come by sometimes, but Tubbo has lost hours of his life sketching invitations in a chair he recently set up, waiting for a childish laugh and flash of purple eyes behind red-tinted goggles to appear. They never do, not even in his peripheral vision, but Tubbo doesn't want to break another habit he has.

Tubbo glances back over at the gun on the desk. He should take it over to Sam. The villain is a proper, formally trained inventor. He would know where Tubbo is going wrong. He would give him some pointers on how he could improve.

Tubbo hears footsteps on the roof. He looks up warily, his hand instinctively reaching for his gun. His finger slides into place against the trigger. His other hand reaches for a smoke bomb he always keeps on his person, especially when he's in uniform with a gas mask that saves him from his own weaponry. Tubbo prepares both weapons, leveraging them at the door. Tubbo narrows his eyes, waiting. Whoever is on the other side has met their match, and maybe their doom depending on what their intentions are. Tubbo loathes to think that a hero or even a villain has found his workshop, but he will always prioritize his safety over his comfort.

The door opens, and someone steps across the threshold. The door falls shut behind them. Tubbo meets the purple eyes of his friend. Vendetta shuffles forward, stepping into the light pouring in from the dirty windows. Tubbo lowers the gun and releases his grip on his smoke bomb. His arms fall lamely to his sides as he takes in Vendetta's appearance. There are bandages covering him in most of the places Tubbo can see. His suit has been briskly put on, and it has been recently- hastily- sewn back together in some parts. The work is sloppy, but it is distinctively Vendetta's handiwork.

"What are you doing here?" Tubbo asks quietly. He debates with himself what the appropriate response in this situation should be. He wants to be angry, and while he is, he also knows that Vendetta is prone to running away. Vendetta came to him for a reason, and Tubbo wants to see to that before he demands to know why Vendetta thought his best course of action was running in the first place.

Vendetta rolls his shoulders. He seems uncomfortable. There is guilt in his eyes. Tubbo wants to think the emotions are because of him, that an apology is coming his way, but he knows his friend far too well to believe in such foolish delusions. "Briar's disappearance is... it's on me. I asked her to join my task force to capture the Scarlet Demoness alive. We were successful, but... the Red Army kidnapped Briar."

Tubbo jaw clenches. Sam did seem more agitated recently, but they all thought Hannah had gone off on her own as she's prone to do. She didn't even tell anyone that she was working with Vendetta on some sort of project. Tubbo logically knows why she didn't; Vendetta would have gotten more help than he bargained for. Emotionally, Tubbo doesn't quite understand why Hannah didn't, at least, tell everyone she was going on a potentially threatening  mission, one far more dangerous than anything she's done before.

"I need to see Warden to tell him the truth," Vendetta finishes, avoiding Tubbo's eyes.

Tubbo stares at Vendetta unflinchingly, scoffing lightly. "Why did you come to me?"

"I don't know where the fuck Warden is. I thought you would have a much better chance at setting up a meeting than me," Vendetta answers, his body turning slightly like he's about to leave and only just thought of something to add.

Tubbo shakes his head. He feels a laugh bubble in his throat at the absurdity of it all. After a little over a week of silence, Vendetta shows up without no warning to ask Tubbo for a meeting with Sam. Tubbo knows the bare minimum about Sam and Vendetta's relationship, but even he knows that a private meeting between the two is out of the norm. Vendetta must be pretty hung up on Briar's kidnapping, and Tubbo thinks that is hilarious. Vendetta has always seemed like someone who doesn't care enough about that sort of thing. He is single-minded. Tubbo accepted that fact when he decided on befriending the person Ranboo couldn't seem to let go of despite that someone being a hero and being rather unfriendly. Tubbo shakes his head. No, Vendetta is exactly the type of person to care deeply about this sort of thing; he would just never go out of his way to verbally make amends. He would fix his mistake with his own two hands. Something must be tearing Vendetta up inside if he wants to apologize instead of going to get Hannah back himself.

"I'll set up the damn meeting."

"Thank you," Vendetta says curtly, nodding slowly. He does actually turn this time. He takes a step forward, then another, and it becomes clear to Tubbo that Vendetta is actually walking away. He is leaving with the promise that a meeting will be set up and Vendetta can say whatever he needs to say to Warden to make his own heart feel better. Tubbo shakes his head, resentment rising in his stomach. He doesn't want to, but his feelings come rushing out of his mouth. "Stop!"

Vendetta does stop. He turns in a half-circle, glancing at Tubbo with confusion in his eyes. Tubbo's fists clench at his sides. He wishes he wasn't wearing his mask so Vendetta could see the ugly expression on his face. "Is that all you came here for?"

Vendetta nods. Tubbo's emotions- something he doesn't often let control him- come rushing to the surface. Rationally, Tubbo says to himself that he's only doing this because Vendetta won't respond to logic. Vendetta is an emotional creature, and Tubbo needs to show his anger to make it clear how upset he is. These rationalizations do nothing to hide the genuine rage in his tone, stifled only by the voice modifier. "Why would you come here to demand a favor after abandoning me?"

Vendetta takes a half-step back, whirling around to fully face Tubbo. Vendetta's eyes narrow into dark glares. He steps forward, his arms waving around to move Tubbo's point about him being an emotional creature. "I am trying to stop the fucking Red Army, Jolt! I didn't abandon you."

"The entire Syndicate is trying to stop the Red Army, dumbass. You didn't need to leave them," Tubbo calls back, leaving out an 'us'. Vendetta didn't need to leave Tubbo, either.

"I did that because Minotaur is fucking blackmailing me," Vendetta hisses, his eyes flashing with an anger much deeper than Tubbo will ever be on the receiving end of. Tubbo knows exactly what Schlatt did to him, but he often wonders what Schlatt did to Vendetta. It must have been something truly terrible for the hero whose whole life is devoted to taking down Philza and Sneeg to nearly destroy himself bringing Schlatt to his knees. Tubbo never pries because he's grateful to Vendetta- a tad amazed sometimes- but the curiosity lingers like a cat waiting to pounce on a mouse.

"Then you could have kept working with me. I'm not part of the Syndicate. Minotaur would have no means to blackmail you," Tubbo argues. He saves away the information that Vendetta is being blackmailed. It makes Tubbo feel slightly better about the situation overall, and it reinforces the loathing he carries in his heart for the man that was, unfortunately, his biological father. At least Tubbo's foster father and aunt were a lot better to him.

Vendetta laughs. His tone- even through the voice modifier- is icy and resentful. Tubbo narrows his eyes, breathing out his nose. Vendetta points towards Tubbo, his voice remarkably near-silent, something that traditionally never happens when Vendetta is angry. "I wouldn't have fucking known with how buddy-buddy you are with those motherfuckers."

Tubbo scoffs, something ugly bristling in his throat. He strikes, wanting to make Vendetta hurt despite their supposed friendship. "Do I need to remind you how close you are with the Syndicate? You are good friends with Enderwalk, Warden, and Red Dragon. You confided in Argonaut. You saved Dyscardia's life. You stayed with Thermoculus until he came out of his hallucinations. You lived with Serenade for who knows how long. We can't forget about the letters you send back and forth with Ravager. This is all without even mentioning the fact that you are apparently best friends with fucking-"

"No matter how I fucking act," Vendetta hisses, and Tubbo feels a cold pressure clamp around his throat from the look in Vendetta's eyes alone. "I have always and will always despite the Syndicate, including anyone who chooses to associate with them. I will kill Azrael and Inchling."

Vendetta turns to leave once more. There is a finality to his movements, as if he's decided this will be the end of whatever is going on between him and Tubbo. The vigilante grits his teeth. He takes long strides forward. He isn't able to close the distance in time, so when Vendetta puts his hand on the door handle, Tubbo asks, "What will you do when your mission is complete? What will you do if you succeed?"

Vendetta turns around, his eyes widening in surprise. Tubbo feels just as surprised, but he doesn't let it show. He's been waiting a long time to have this particular argument with Vendetta. It has troubled him since the beginning of their friendship, and it only grows more worrisome the more Tubbo finds himself caring about Vendetta. Vendetta acts on his confusion to ask, "What?"

"What will you do if you win? If you manage to kill Azrael and Inchling, what will you do next?" Tubbo repeats, and he's finally standing in front of Vendetta. They are so close that Tubbo begins to get the funny feeling that Vendetta's eyes aren't actually purple. They seem a little more blue the closer he gets to Vendetta's face.

"I don't know," Vendetta shakes his head, putting a hand back on the handle.

Tubbo glares at him, tears starting to form in his eyes despite him willing them away. "You do know! You'll fucking kill yourself, won't you?!"

The warehouse grows unsteadily silent. Vendetta stares down at the ground with an almost dazed expression. Tubbo stares at him with blistering anger in his heart and pathetically sad tears in his eyes. Vendetta finally sighs, glancing at Tubbo from the corner of his eyes with a horribly tired expression. "And if I do?"

He's practically saying 'yes' with his resigned tone. Tubbo grabs Vendetta's hand. "What about the people who care about you? We don't want you to die. I know I'm not your family, but I really do care about you. But you don't let yourself care about anyone because you're scared they're going to leave you." Tubbo breathes out shakily, boring right into Vendetta's eyes. "You're a coward."

Vendetta's grip on Tubbo's hand tightens. Something vulnerable tries to make itself known in his eyes. Vendetta hisses through clenched teeth. "Take that back."

"No," Tubbo tells him.

Tubbo watches that vulnerability snap into hostile intent. Tubbo doesn't get any warning as Vendetta drags his hand out of Tubbo's hold. Without much thought, Vendetta swings at Tubbo. The target dodges out of the way, nearly tripping over his own feet. Vendetta glares at him, raising a boot to kick Tubbo. He grabs Vendetta's shoe, either trying to flip Vendetta or tear the boot off. Vendetta surges forward, and Tubbo winces as his hands bend the wrong way. Tubbo jumps out of the way, using the side of his hand to strike at Vendetta's back. He hits the armor, and Vendetta whirls around to grab Tubbo's shoulders. Tubbo struggles to stay balanced, and they eventually both go to the ground. Tubbo winces as he hits his head, but he stops emoting when he feels a pair of warm hands wrap around his throat. He stares up at Vendetta. There is a wild look in the hero's eyes, one Tubbo has seen before but always more subdued. This is the first time it has been aimed at Tubbo with such potency.

Tubbo could use his powers to electrocute Vendetta. He could use a smoke bomb to get the upper hand. He could do a number of things to get himself out of this situation, but he doesn't. Vendetta doesn't squeeze; he just holds Tubbo's neck. The look in his eyes doesn't scream violence. It is a moment of thoughtful weakness Tubbo is able to experience. At this moment, Tubbo looks right into Vendetta's eyes, daring in a quiet voice, "Do it. Kill me. Prove that you don't care if I live or die. Prove you don't care about me."

The hands around his throat tighten slightly. It isn't enough to choke him, but it does present the threat of being unable to breathe. Tubbo remains complacent. He waits unflinchingly, refusing to show any amount of weakness as Vendetta practically breaks on top of him. Tears start falling from his eyes, collecting on his glasses. Weird, jeering noises spill from his mask. He is trembling, trying to prove that he could take Tubbo's life but being utterly unable to do so. Vendetta eventually succumbs, putting his head against Tubbo's shoulder. His hands fall lax, and Tubbo breathes a little easier. Vendetta whispers, the mechanical tone of his voice modifier disgustingly insincere in Tubbo's ears. "I care about you. I don't want you to die. Are you happy, now?"

Not by any stretch. Tubbo stares up at the ceiling as he picks his arms up from his side. He doesn't force the blonde to move, though. He instead brushes his fingers through Vendetta's hair. He asks, knowing he doesn't want the answer, "If I were to die, would you hunt down my killer?"

Vendetta hesitates. Tubbo allows the moment of thought. Right here and now, Vendetta has to decide if Tubbo is as important to him as his family is. Vendetta has to decide if taking out Tubbo's potential killer is equally worthy of being pursued as killing Philza and Inchling. Vendetta sighs, muttering, "Yes."

"Don't," Tubbo tells him. He feels Vendetta stiffen, but Tubbo presses onward, one hand in Vendetta's hair and the other reaching for Vendetta's hand. "If I ever die, I want you to live a happy life. I want you to be at peace knowing that I don't blame you, that I don't want you to throw away your life for the sake of revenge."

"Shut the hell up," Vendetta tells him, his glare burning into the side of Tubbo's face. Tubbo closes his eyes. "You don't get to tell me what to do."

Before Tubbo can respond, the door slams open. Tubbo tilts his head back to see an upside down Ranboo enter into the room. Ranboo doesn't even allow a moment to be confused about Tubbo and Vendetta's position- or Vendetta's appearance- as he breathes out news that makes Tubbo want to vomit, "The Red Army has kidnapped Warden, Argonaut, Briar, Dyscardia, the Ace of Diamonds and Clubs, and Reishi... and Monarch."