LU 137 - Dr. Thornberry 36

*”Frezz…? You home?”*

I did a quick search of the house only to find he was nowhere to be found. Not the... basement right? Fuck.

I dug through that one block and fell through the tunnel. I braced myself like last time and opened my eyes after feeling my body hit the water. I instantly made eye contact with Frezz. He looked surprised.

*”So I was right, you are here”*

*”Yeah.. I’ve been working on something.”*

I looked around to see that he had made some changes. But this couldn’t have been everything.

*”Show me what you made.”*

He nodded and took me to the back wall again. He opened it, to reveal that the hallway had been extended. I couldn’t even see the end. It was dark. I clutched the back of his sweatshirt, and we walked in.

After a few steps we reached an opening with a large hole in the middle of the floor. Above it was some sort of weird contraption.

*”This is my life’s- well not life.. but my piece of work.”*

".*..What is it?”*

He excitedly took me down into the hole, and showed me a wither rose he had planted.

*”So I was thinking, if I’m able to do something by mixing the wither effect and sculk... that I could make something powerful.”*

He’s a better inventor than me. I sighed.

*”This is to fight the trees, isn’t it?”*

Of course he said yes, which is the one thing I really didn’t want to hear. This is when I decided I should tell him what I discussed with Mira earlier today. I told him that I thought Space was immortal.

*”He’s just using you Frezz, and me too. He’d probably let us get killed by those trees!”*

*”If he wanted to kill us, he would’ve done it already. Plus, I don’t care if he's manipulating me. And if I have to, this experiment can help me kill him.”*

*”He’s probably IMMORTAL, Frezz, you can’t kill someone like that!”*

*”If he’s “immortal,” why Isn’t he going to fight the trees himself?”*

He makes a fair point. I just want him to be safe. I can’t let him get hurt. I let it go.

We went back to the top of the whole and he continued to excitedly tell me about the machine.

*”Ah, a wire is unhooked, let me go down and fix that.”*

He jumped back down into the hole. I peered down at him.

*”I’m proud of you Frezz.”*

*”Wha- what?”*

*”This machine, everything you’ve done. It’s really great.”*

He looked up at me with the widest grin. He’s so childish when it comes to compliments. It makes me laugh.

*”Hey Frezz”*

*”Yeaahh Vice?”*

*”What does this lever do?”*

*”I don’t know”*

*”Well I’m gonna pull it.”*

I put my hand on the cold metal of the lever and pulled down. As I did I heard rumbling underneath me, and when I looked down into the hole in shock, Frezz was gone, only leaving rock and rumble where he was standing, only moments prior.

I jumped down and scoured the area for any sign of him. In my mind I knew what had just happened but I didn’t want it to be true.

*You killed him, the only person you cared for, and the only one who cared for you.*

I stood there in guilt, in shock and in utter terror, sinking down onto the ground. I buried my head into my hands and just sat, not even crying. There were no tears to cry.

He would come back right? I knew he would. What would I say? What would I do? How would I even look him in the eyes after what I had just done?

But as I was contemplating all of my life decisions that had led up to this point, I heard a voice from the top of the hole.

*”Vice?”*

My head shot up.

*”Frezz? Are you okay? I’m so sorr-“*

He jumped down into the hole with me.

*”Vice, thank you. This is what I needed all along!”*

*”Frezz what are you on about, I just KILLED you?”*

*”The experiment.. all it needed was a vessel.. and it worked! You helped me Vice.”*

Even though I was happy to have been able to help him, I was still guilt striken. I killed this man and he was thanking me?

He just helped me out of the hole and we went back to the main warden room. I looked at him.

*”Frezz your face, you-“*

*”My face? Is there something wrong with it? Vice isn‘t that a littl-“*

*”What? Nono I love your face.”*

His smile is precious.

*”You l-love my face?”*

*”No matter how you look, or anything, you’ll always be attractive to me.”*

Why do I feel so bold..? I took a step closer to him and leaned in. I could feel my heart beating through my chest, but I couldnt stop here. I slowly leaned in and kissed him.

*”... Vice, did you just- kiss me?”*

I quickly back up, surprised that I had actually just done that. I watched him touch his face and slowly move his hands to the back of his head. With one click, his mask came off.

His face, his poor face. One half was covered in skulk while one eye had been withered.

*”Why did you do that?”*

*”I-I’m sorry I know it was sudden-“*

*”No it’s okay.”*

He stepped closer to me. I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. I could barely contain my excitement as he put his hand on my face. He kissed me. A feeling similar to lightning struck up my whole body, starting at my feet and leaving a tingling in my ears. He broke it with a smile.

*”Did you like that?”*

*”I- yeah. Yeah I did.”*

I tried my best not to smile, but I just couldn't stop.

*”What are we Vice?”*

*”Hmm, I’m not sure, whatver you want us to be I suppose.”*

*”Well I just want to keep you safe. And I think I can do that better if we’re dating.”*

After what felt like the second longest day in my lifetime, Frezz and I were official.

We touched the tips of our prized longswords to commemorate and went to bed.