Chromatober's Writing

12: Toxin (Betrayal AU)

While I do love this addition, the fact I finished writing this and then remembered I have an AU where Sabre was experimented on is extremely upsetting.

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Shadow watched with mild confusion and apprehension as Sabre quickly darted around the room. Occasionally stopping at one of the desks, before continuing on.

The fact that there was a paper sign taped to the door asking for no one to enter—except him, which was even more confusing— did not help his mild fear of being in the room. He knew what Sabre could cook up to tip his sword and arrows in. Shadow didn't want to be a possible test subject.

The room smelled faintly of earth and dirt this time around, along with smoke and ash. Shadow was unsure if the smoke and ash was just from Sabre or the chaotic mess that laid in front of him. Glass bottles, some filled with a smoky purple liquid while others laid empty or with other liquids, covered one table. Another table had flowers stacked on top, the violet flowers a striking color compared to the rest of the lair.

Sabre was focused on something that laid on another desk when Shadow glanced back at him. The brewing stands in from bubbled dangerously. Some more of the flowers were in a pot next to him.

Shadow cleared his throat, grabbing Sabre's attention. Sabre blinked, blindfold pushed upwards acting as a headband. A few loose strands were tucked behind his ear. Golden eyes stared at him.  "Yes?" Sabre asked after a beat of silence.

Shadow gestured to the mess of a room. Dark purple stained Sabre's hands and steaks of it were on his face and his shirt. The half blank and white hoodie of Sabre's was nowhere to be seen. The rest of the room was in a similar state of dyed. "What are you doing now?" Shadow asked.

"Poison!" Was chirped back at him. "As long as we don't eat any, we'll be fine." Sabre turned back around to continue what he was doing.

"We?" Shadow thought back to the sign on the door. "Just us?"

Soul was going to hate that information.

Sabre nodded as he gave an affirmative hum. He plucked a flower out of the pot, spinning around to look at him once more. Sabre held the flower out, allowing him a closer look. Shadow took it carefully.

The rich violet flower wasn't symmetrical, more vertical than horizontal. "Wolfsbane! Deadly to us, but even worse for Steves! After visiting the Violets after so long, you learn things about flowers." Sabre informed him.

Shadow nodded. So Sabre was now into poison.

...why didn't that surprise him as much as it should?

"Is that why the sign says what it does?" Shadow pointed behind him, as if he had to clarify what sign he was talking about. He offered the flower back.

Sabre nodded, taking the flower and fiddling with a loose petal. "Since I'm not a Steve and you are part me and part Darkness, we're not as affected as much compared to Steve's."

Shadow nodded, before pausing. "'Not as much'? Didn't you just say it was deadly to us?"

Sabre glanced up at him. "Yeah. If we eat any. Steves get affected just by touching anything with this in or on it."

Shadow glanced down at the flower, which was still resting innocently in Sabre's hand, than back at the room. "Alright then." Shadow reached behind him, catching the door knob. "...you have fun I guess. Don't die."

Sabre nodded, before returning to his work. Shadow's eyes caught sight of the vials of liquid. Now that he knew what it was, Shadow was curious as to why Sabre needed so much poison.