||Beefsteak || DSMP ||

18. All the Live Long Day

Anita's POV
"I'm going to have to.." he said as he wired a comedic amount of TNT to the wall in front of us.
I held the tool box for him as he focused.
"You really don't.." I argued.
"My father wants me in check. Then everyone else can be safe from his paranoid ass.." he pushed another one of the focus lenses on his headpiece down so he could see the finer details of the wires.
I thought about his words.
My father was similar. He would be happy when I was under his control.. and when I wasn't, he'd hurt others so that I'd be hurt and scared. And there was really no way out of it.
Every time Belle's hands would be slashed was another reminder that I'd disobeyed my father.
I itched my ankle with the opposite foot. No matter how many times it'd be excused, I'd never forgive myself, or him..
"Amanita!" A snap pulled me back into time. "Pliers?"
I shook my head and grabbed one from the box that I eagerly organized for today.
He's been showing me how to spot where the tunnel continues and how to safely get rid of debris.
Though the reason made me silently boil every second I thought about it.
He'd go to work for his father starting tomorrow, so I'd have to expand the tunnel myself, or hopefully we completed it today.
It was unjust, evil even! I've never spoken to that man but if I saw him in the streets I'd get life in prison for that one, I'll tell you-
"Anitaaaa..." he dragged out my name as I spaced out again. "You've been staring at that chisel like you're gonna stab it for a minute straight."
"No." I obviously went for the best excuse possible.
He raised his eyebrows and looked to me, the multiple lenses making his eyes look huge.
I laughed as he squinted.
"You're blurry.." he complained, confused.
I put the box down and grabbed the frames of the contraption, tilting the lenses up. He blinked rapidly and finally focused on my face with a giggle.
"What's wrong..?" He asked gently.
I quickly pulled my hands away from the sides of his face and cleared my throat. "I'm- It's just that this whole work thing is making me nervous. You'd be directly contributing towards his bad plans, and what if you're too good to do something too serious?? He'd hurt you somehow! It's better if you just stay at the base with us when we get there."
He dragged me by the hand as I ranted, sitting me behind a rock as he grabbed the fire tools and began trying to spark the dynamite.
"I get what you're saying, but-" the sizzling came and he ran, jumping over the rock I was hidden behind and pulling his arm over me as the wall exploded and the ground shook.
I clung onto him, even though I tried to not be scared. But I never liked loud noises, and he didn't seem to mind.
He looked back over in wonder once the shaking stopped.
"God.. you know- Wilbur taught me so much about explosives when I was younger and I've never stopped being fascinated by it.."
"That sounds concerning."
He laughed. "Not like some deranged arsonist and more of a.. kid that liked trains, kind of love, you know?"
"Of course you loved trains.."
"Hm???" He called as he stared down the new tunnel with his hands proudly on his hips.
"I'm coming.." I stood and walked next to him.
Jeez.
The newly opened mine went on farther than the light reached.
"I'll be careful." He said suddenly. I turned to him. "I promise."
And against my better judgement, I nodded and smiled. "Alright. I'm in your corner."
"I'd rather you by my side."
I scoffed.
"Now that's cheesy.."
He laughed. "I was trying to be cool!"
"Stick to trains then." I teased as I grabbed the lantern and carried farther down the dark tunnel.
"I'll stick a train to your mom.." he mumbled as he followed.
"Can't! She's dead!"
"Anita!!" He yelled in shock.
I laughed hysterically as his floppy ears drooped.

Belle's POV
I held the lantern for him as he tucked the explosives between rocks.
These mines seemed to be echoing even my thoughts. And it didn't help that the pink haired man said everything with his whole chest.
"Alright! Stand back!" He yelled and I flinched.
I backed up as he did, the spark he'd made making its way up the wire.
He looked around.
"Oh we should watch out-" he went to sit behind a big rock left from the last explosion.
I eyed him and looked to the right, finding my own rock.
"I think we're only half a mile out now!" He called out.
An explosion followed and my heart jumped from my chest.
I tucked my head down and squeezed the back of my neck as the ground shook.
"Are you okay?" He asked once it'd ended.
I looked back up and nodded.
"Look at that!" He laughed, the tunnel reaching farther than the light.
I sighed.
It had been too long without Anita and I've never been more tense in my life. I was so much more jumpy and paranoid. I had no way of coping with stress unless it was making her clothes or cleaning up after her.
Or talking to her..
"I'm gonna move these chains into the cart." I heard as I jumped back into reality.
"What?"
He pointed at the chains and then the mine cart.
"I- okay?"
He smiled.
He grabbed one end and fed it into the cart, pulling the rest along. "You flinch hard whenever I move them, so I just wanted to let you know."
"I do?"
He looked up to me and nodded. "Yup."
I looked away when the last of it clanged against the bottom of the cart.
"Does it have to do with your neck?" He asked.
My hand shot to my throat and I pulled my hood higher on my shoulders.
"Sorry- that came off really aggressive. That's really my bad-"
"You're fine." I spat, walking up to the cart.
"Are you gonna.." he motioned to the inside of it.
I huffed and climbed into the front, facing him as he grabbed his bag and pulled the lever.
I balanced myself as the cart moved, and he quickly jumped in before it caught speed.
I pulled my legs farther in as he stood in front of me, and looked off to the side.
Chains clattered roughly when he moved his feet and I realized what he'd been saying.
I flinch when I hear it.
He ignored it though and looked ahead, his hair flowing behind him, long red cape also flowing behind him dramatically as he squinted into the distance.
I almost laughed but instead looked away again.
"I was born in a butcher's shop." I said.
"What?!" He yelled over the wind paired with the loud clanging of the tracks as he looked down at me.
"I was born in a black market butcher's shop!"
He pulled a lever on the side of the cart, making it squeak.
As it slowed and the noises dampened, he sat down across from me.
He tucked his knees close and put his hands on them as if he and his fur lined cape wasn't already big enough to take up half the cart even squished up.
I listened to the gentle hum of the cart before taking a breath to continue.
"In Funtaura, there's a myth that.. Tauran horns and meat grant you strength.. and right outside of the kingdom there's a clan of wolf hybrids.
"I've seen it." He nodded.
"So a few Funtaurans will make deals with them. Trade meat- trade people for that strength."
His eyes offered interest and gentle understanding, so I choked down my anxieties.
"I think my mother sold me there when I came out Tauran. Or I was stolen. Either way, since I was a baby I lived in the basement of that butcher shop with four others. For seven years. Nothing but pure iron blood to smell.. and as a hybrid-"
I looked back up at him, his mouth slightly agape and red eyes shaking.
Worry shot to my heart.
"Are you-"
He shook his head.
"I- I know what you mean. That fear just festers for a long time.."
"I became numb to it after a while I think. It doesn't affect me in the same way anymore, at least."
I eyed his expression. Pure empathy.
"When the first one of the children I was with was taken I couldn't believe it.. he was the oldest and took care of of us. Fuck.. I'd been numb to that smell but when it was his blood I knew it. And I'd never felt more instinctual, bone chilling, fear in my life-" I took a deep breath, my hands shaking.
"Take your time.." he reassured. I cleared my throat.
"A little girl came in a while later. Two years younger than me and she was my best friend.. I took care of her." I smiled, tucking my head between my knees. "We were constantly fed meat, trying to keep us.. plump." He cringed. "And she was bigger than me height wise, with more fat on her body. So.. she went first. And that was my final straw. I broke out late one night after so many painful attempts.. so many that for a whole year they had me..." I tilted my head up, exposing my neck.
He took a harsh breath and tilted his head.
I jumped a bit.
His thumb was warm, his other fingers resting on my shoulders.
I looked down to him, fear bubbling as his thumb softly traced the scar that ran around my neck.
"Chains.." he said quietly.
I gulped and he pulled his hand away.
I put my head down, the spot where his hand was now tingling.
I rubbed the spot and watched his mind race.
"I'm sorry you lived that. Blood changes you. And that much.. you're strong, Belle."
I blinked rapidly. I didn't dare shed a tear, but I spared a gentle smile.
"I-" I began a joke, but my body shot forward when a loud clang came from behind me.
My body shot forward and my knees landed right to the gut of my travel partner.
He let out a wheeze and I gasped, jumping back.
"I'm so- did you just oink..?"
It wasn't a wheeze once I processed it. It was a piggy oink.
He held his stomach and groaned out a loud "huh!?"
"Are you okay??" I tried to hide my laugh.
"Yeah, yeah.." he stood up slowly.
He held his hand out for me once he caught his balance. "I didn't oink.."
I grabbed his hand and he pulled me to my feet. "Yes you absolutely did." I teased.
He let go and stepped out, grabbing his bag.
I followed and pulled the chain from the cart.
He flinched this time and eyed me worryingly. "What's wrong, Piggy?" I smirked as I pulled the chain out in one motion.
He let out a belly laugh as he walked up to the wall of debris.
He pressed his ear to it and knocked on the rocks.
He furrowed his eyebrows.
"What?" I asked as I began to hook the chain around a big rock.
"There's a.. ticking?"
"Oh.. OH!" I yanked the back of his collar and began running.
"OH!" He repeated and pushed my hand away, grabbing my wrist and spinning to the side, hiding behind a pillar before rocks flew in our direction and the ground shook once more.

Anita's POV
"How'd it do..?"
"That's a great one! Did you hear that echo??" Tubbo called out as my arms grew even more tired.
Dumb cart that doesn't work anymore..
Dumb having to leave me...
Dumb tunnel..
Dumb-
"ANITA!!" I heard.
Belle sprinted from the other side of the debris, jumping over rocks before crashing into me.
I processed it.
It was her.
"Belle!!" I yelled, squeezing her as she clung against my chest.
Her body was wracking with sobs, and tears came to my eyes.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't-" she shut me up by squeezing me tighter, her cries bouncing off the walls.
Guilt poured from my eyes and I held her even closer, her lack of composure dragging us both down to our knees.
"I- I-" she tried to speak, only sniffling harder.
"I know!!" I cried back, understanding what she was saying- or trying to.
I'm sorry.
I missed you.
I needed you.
I'm so glad you're okay.
"Ah- hey Techno." Tubbo said and I looked up.
There was a big strange man that was accompanying Belle, but since he seemed to be a friend I ignored him and held Belle closer.
"Where's your.. crownnn??" She sobbed out as she backed away and looked at me.
I giggled through my tears.
"I left it back in the country, it's okay."
She pouted. "No!! We have to go get it! We- we-" she groaned away her sniffles and stood with me.
She wiped her eyes and her voice was normal if you didn't pay attention to her stuffy nose.
"We can get the crown later, let's just get you back safe.."
My eyes went wide. "You're leaving the crown for later..?"
She scoffed. "I'm not-!" She looked for an excuse. "Um.. Tubby can get it!" She pointed to Tubbo.
"That's not my name, Miss Belle." He said politely.
"Eh.." she flicked her hand at him and turned back to me, hands on my shoulders. "You're not smart for running like that."
"Belle, I know, but I knew you'd never let me- and I stayed safe. I'm tired of watching and doing nothing to help when everyone around me is. Hell- even when I do help I'm obviously not the only one." I pointed to her and the man standing with Tubbo.
"I understand but-" she pulled me close again. "I missed you." She whispered.
"I missed you too."