#jimmy..something something canary something something coalmine..y'know..

[ooooo-mcyt]

Lizzie and Scott are both sacrificial lambs, but like.

Lizzie is a sacrificial lamb in the sense of. A wounded animal fighting against its bindings, because it isn't fair for its life to be reduced, time and time again, to what cleansing flames can offer other people.

On the other hand, Scott is a sacrificial lamb in the sense of. An animal who follows you and lays down in your lap as you prepare to slaughter it, because it's accepted that it's only worth is in the gain of other people.

If this makes sense to anyone.

[roxie-roo]

Bird of Prey Chapter Five: The Long Road Home

(taglist: @carry-on-my-wayward-gays, @bluiex, @devorakian-guilt, @teslapenguini, @majickth )

When Jimmy awoke, it wasn't white. It wasn't as quiet as it had been. Faintly, he could hear the little whispered murmurs of the void around them. He stood up slowly and cracked his back, fluffing out his wings and stretching a little to get his body back into motion. In the distance, he could make out two figures. A Watcher, purple eyes shimmering around their body, and a Listener, golden wings glowing dimly against the light of the void. Jimmy carefully approached them, and both looked over to him, welcoming him with broad smiles.

"Hey, there he is!" Grian laughed softly and clapped a hand against Jimmy's back lightly. "The man of the hour! You won, Tim!"

"I did?" Jimmy tilted his head. "We went out together, though.."

"He died a bit before you." Martyn explained. "Congrats, Jimmy.. you earned this."

Jimmy smiled a little bit, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah... n- no hard feelings, right you guys?"

"Of course not." Martyn shook his head. "Cleo was acting like a bitch anyways.. I needed that wakeup call."

"Are you kidding, Tim? I'm so proud of you." Grian smiled and yanked Jimmy into a hug, snorting as he heard his friend let out a squawk. "That was your moment.. and you owned it! And- don't worry. They got your message loud and clear. You're alright. I promise."

Jimmy slowly melted into the embrace and grinned, content to stay like that until he heard Martyn clap and clear his throat.

"So! What'cha got planned now, Jim?"

"I... I dunno..." He hadn't really given it much thought, now that he looked at it. He was more focused on the game, and on Tango. Not on what comes after.

Grian hummed in thought. "It's been a thousand years in Empires since the first season... no one will remember the Codfather, y'know. Well- Except Pix, maybe, but y'know. That's Pix for ya."

"Yeah..." Jimmy smiled. Going back to Empires sounded fun. And maybe he'd build a new ranch, something to dedicate to the one who showed him what freedom truly felt like.

Freedom. The word felt foreign now that he had it, in all honesty. But he couldn't be happier, he decided. This was freedom.

Freedom in going back to Empires, becoming a sheriff. A promotion from being just a plain rancher.

Tango would be so proud.. He found himself thinking.

Tango would be proud of him for more than that. He'd been actually standing up for himself, moreso than he used to. Even if half the time it fell on deaf ears. He was at least trying.

Often times he found himself thinking about his soulmate. He'd zone out in the middle of a work day, mentally back in the old ranch, Tango by his side. It almost physically ached sometimes.

"Sheriff?" Fwhip had caught him zoned out, waving a hand in front of his face. "What'cha thinkin' about?"

Jimmy couldn't lie to him. Not that it wasn't easy, he just felt this wasn't something he needed to lie about. "My soulmate..."

Fwhip looked up at Jimmy with almost a child-like(or maybe cat-like) curiosity. "Soulmate?" His eyes flickered towards the ring on Jimmy's left hand. "What's a soulmate?"

Jimmy paused at the question. He couldn’t help smiling as he leaned against the wall of the cave. "Well,, a soulmate.. at least from my experience, is the most wonderful person in the world..."

"I'm Jimmy,, real nice to meet you."

"Tango. You're kinda cute, yknow."

"Very funny."

"Sometimes the universe assigns you exactly who you needed."

"You paired me with Tango?"

"Yeah, I did. Saw you two eying each other up during Last Life."

"The person you needed the most in your life... they make you feel safe. And warm.. and loved, most of all. No matter what."

"Never love a canary... they're meant for the coalmines."

"I'll be your coalmine, then."

"He sounds great.." Fwhip broke the sheriff from his thoughts with a little tug to his vest. "Come on though- we got work to do!"

"Right- right-" Jimmy followed him quickly. And for a while, neither said a word. Until Fwhip looked up at him again.

"Do you think you'll ever see him again?"

Jimmy hadn't given it much thought. He'd like to see Tango again. He hoped it'd be possible eventually, maybe before the next death game.

Would Tango even recognize him? He hadn't changed a whole lot, he wanted to think. Blond hair, blue eyes, a blue bandana.. the only real differences were the sheriff hat, the badge, a bit of stubble at his chin and... of course.

The wings. He'd lost his wings in the journey over. Things hadn't started by the time he got to Empires, so he had time to stop and rest at a town for a bit. There, he learned the consequences of upsetting a rigid status quo.

Maybe it was a punishment from the Watchers.

He couldn't say for certain. He realized Fwhip still wanted an answer, clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh.. right.. I- I hope so... I hope I can see him again.." He managed a little smile. "Maybe some day.."

He didn't expect it to be the day of the rift, the festival, after he'd been pushed around by practically everyone.

First, it was a laugh and teasing from Grian, hearing him yell "You're not even safe in your own server!". They laughed and hugged and exchanged playful jabs. And then he heard it.

"Is that my rancher?!"

His head whipped up to see who had called for him. And lo and behold.

He sprang forward into Tango's arms, the ice mage spinning him in delight as he cupped his face and kissed him. With all the sweet tenderness that had built up in the time they'd been gone.

He could hardly hear the jabs of those around them. All he could see was Tango.

His soulmate. His rancher.

He was home.

(A/N: hey all!!! glad to see how much you've been enjoying this fic, and now it's come to a close. It's been a fun mini project to work on! If any of you want to write anything based on it, feel free!! All I ask is that you tag me, and use the Bird of Prey au tag ! Special thanks to @carry-on-my-wayward-gays, for encouraging this, I'm glad you've been having a good time with it <3 That's all from me for now! Au Revoir, mes amis!)

[carry-on-my-wayward-gays]

Happy birthday Shadow!! Here's your rotten work hurt comfort <3 I'm so thankful to be your friend, and to have gathered the nerves enough to actually talk to you! I adore you <3 /p Enjoy your birthday lunch!!

____________________________

The world was cruel to the canary. All he's meant to do is test. Is warn. Is die. There's nothing he can do about it. He knows that.

The canary knows he isn't meant to leave the coalmine.

Jimmy knows he's not getting out of this alive. He's resigned to it, he thinks, though bitterly, a fact he shares with Tango that night in the ranch.

"I'm.. sorry you got paired with me.." He grumbles miserably, leaning into Tango's arms as he feels him mess with his hair.

"Why?" Tango raised an eyebrow. "I'm not. You're pretty great."

Jimmy laughs, though no ounce of happiness is found within it. "I'm cursed, Tango..."

Tango shakes his head and pulls Jimmy closer. "No you're not.. Just because everyone says-"

"No- you don't understand..." Jimmy sighs and buried his face into his hands. "Have.. have you heard of the canary in the coalmine?"

"I'm... vaguely familiar.."

"The miners used canaries to warn them about dangerous gases... They never make it out alive. They aren't supposed to. They're just meant to die.."

"That sounds awful..." Tango whispered and took Jimmy's hands away from his face. "Someone needs to give that canary a gasmask... Hey- That's it!"

"What's it?" Jimmy blinked in surprise, allowing Tango to hold onto his hands.

"I'll be your oxygen mask! Supporting you and making sure you'd last much longer than anyone ever thought you would! I'll take care of you!" Tango grins, bright and warm like the sun.

Jimmy can't help himself from blushing. He smiles in spite of himself and sighs. "It's rotten work, y'know.. Looking after something that's just meant to die.."

"Not to me it's not.." Tango reassured him, pressing a little kiss to his forehead. "Not if it's you. I promise... we're soulmates, remember? We've got each other's back.."

And for once, Jimmy felt like it. He felt like maybe, just maybe, he wasn't a curse. For once.

ROXIE. ROX N ROLL. BOX OF ROX. IT IS NEARLY 2 AM AND I AM CRYING. I'M SO 🥹🫠😭

Thank you so so much for this! I will treasure it and you forever :) I'm glad you're my friend too. You've become such a big part of my life in such a short time ilysm 💜 /p Thank you so so much for this present, try one of the best ones I'll receive! /g

[roxie-roo]

Bird of Prey - Proof of Concept

( hello friends ! Roxie here to give you all my new WIP Fic! Four chapters, plus this one, and an epilogue! I give you Bird Of Prey - the story of how Jimmy went Apeshit and won double life, because he deserves it! And since @carry-on-my-wayward-gays wanted to be tagged, here you are!)

"So, ⌖⟒⌰☌⎍⏃.." Grian heard their voices and looked up, grimacing. Great. These assholes again. "Another game?"

"Well, yeah.. Y'know, creating chaos and all that, it's kinda my thing." He shrugged. "Why? You want something with it?"

The floating eyes narrowed, the voices sounding gleefully malicious. "If you'll allow us."

Grian had a feeling he was going to regret this. - - - He'd wanted to give Jimmy wings this season. Jimmy always complimented his wings, and told him how much he'd like to have a pair of his own. Why not? He knew Jimmy was going to die first again, he may as well let him have a little fun before it ended too quick. Hawk wings, he'd thought, would be good for him. But getting the changed data back from the Watchers, he grimaced again.

Canary wings. The watchers gave him canary wings. Grian rolled his eyes. This wasn't going to go over well.. And, wait a minute, was he paired up with Scar?! He'd paired himself up with BigB! Now the order was all scrambled, void below this was going to be a fucking shit show.

Jimmy had told Grian he'd always wanted wings. He wasn't told the pain of growing them, however. Sharp pains starting at his back, almost feeling something growing from him. Now this pain wasn't a new one. In Afterlife, the pains of a new life starting never felt easy, especially when growing extra appendages like wings or horns, or tails.

It was uncomfortable as anything, of course it was. Jimmy hadn't needed wing holes in his shirts in a long time. Managing to rip two right where the wings were forming was a herculean effort that he was surprised didn't take him longer. But finally, the bones that started the baby wings could breathe. Jimmy let himself breathe as well, glad to not collapse to the ground like this. That would be embarrassing. Though, it did beg the question, where was everyone?

"They're not here yet." He heard a voice say to him. Grian. "Growing wings takes a bit.. I'm not bringing them on til then."

"Thanks.." Jimmy muttered gratefully. He allowed Grian to help getting the new holes in his shirt to be less horrendous looking, thankfully, and showed Jimmy the order of things in the game.

"You paired yourself with Scar?"

Grian scoffed. "You know I wouldn't willingly do that.. no, the Watchers wanted to change a few things. I wanted to be paired with BigB."

"You paired me with Tango?"

"Yeah, I did. Saw you two eying each other up during Last Life."

"Not true!" Jimmy sputtered, face almost as red as Grian's usual sweater. His friend laughed, patting him on the shoulder.

"Oh well. You're first out.. again."

"I'm used to it by now.." Jimmy shook his head with an almost bitter sigh. He was always the first out.

"Hey, who knows? Maybe you'll change things this time 'round." Grian shrugged. "Well, people should be getting here soon.. feathers should grow in shortly. This is my world, you're living in it." He grinned.

Jimmy laughed softly, shaking his head and letting out a sigh. "I doubt it... You've seen how this goes."

"I have.." Grian nodded a little. "But like I said.. Who knows.. Oh, and, before the feathers come in... I'm sorry in advance." He sighed, leaving to set the rest of the game up properly.

Jimmy paused. What did he mean "sorry in advance" before the feathers came in...

It wasn't long until he found out. Yellow feathers started forming along the wings, and Jimmy stretched them to their full length to get a better look. Canary yellow. Canary wings.

Of course they gave him fucking canary wings. This just proved things, didn't it? He wasn't a player.

He was just their canary.

"Well.." He sighed as he looked up at the spawn, where the rest of the players were gathering.

"Welcome to the coalmine.."

[minecraftbookshelf]

#in case anyone is curious; #gem is some kind of large herbivore who could gore you with its horns in a heartbeat #hunted for sport. taken down only because hunters dont play fair. #and so so angry about it. #pearl is an abused dog who bares its teeth because violence is all its ever known #jimmy..something something canary something something coalmine..y'know.. (tags from op)

Lizzie and Scott are both sacrificial lambs, but like.

Lizzie is a sacrificial lamb in the sense of. A wounded animal fighting against its bindings, because it isn't fair for its life to be reduced, time and time again, to what cleansing flames can offer other people.

On the other hand, Scott is a sacrificial lamb in the sense of. An animal who follows you and lays down in your lap as you prepare to slaughter it, because it's accepted that it's only worth is in the gain of other people.

If this makes sense to anyone.