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big bunny, little fox, and the trapper in between

Summary:

there's so much parker can take as he witnesses his closest ally repeat the doomed cycle over and over again.

Notes:

the more I watch s4 the more I think parker is adorable. which is funny because I have not watched anything by him (except for the video where he and some other trappers lowkey scam dream lol) but whenever he cameos on a video or vod I'm like omg heyyyyy🥺🥰🥰🥰🥰

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

he doesn't question them, doesn't stay to witness their dance, but it doesn't mean that parker doesn't see it, doesn't know about, doesn't dislike how things are between those two. there isn't much he can do about it, and it's not like jude is going to listen if he tries to reason with him anyway. the animatronic is not stupid; he is probably very aware of how this weird game of push and pull he's playing with sharpness is, in the long run, not worth his time, his effort, his sanity. to both of them, though, ultimately, parker care only for his trapping partner.

not that he outright hates the swordsman, but they aren't exactly friends either. he's caused him quite some trouble, yes, but most trouble that sharpness had caused him hadn't affected parker, not directly. most of his troubles were through jude, because the blond just seems that infactuated by his ally. it's evident by the many times he spawns at the base jude shares with parker and parker alone, even though he was the one who decided to betray him first and put an end to the partnership that had all the potential to last for months unscarred. sometimes he simply wants to talk, others, he actually wants to fight or try to harm jude. his reasoning? parker will probably never understand, even if told. whatever goes into his head is probably something that only sharpness can follow and, to some extent, something that only jude can echo. they have this odd relationship that is not amicable, but definitely not aversive. they're not on good terms, but it's not as simple to just classify them as enemies, either.

it's weird, and parker has given up on understanding a long time ago.

but it's not like he can completely shut it off and look away, even if he wanted. because jude is still his closest friend, his ally who gave him shelter and gear, his fellow trapper who brainstorms ideas and share blueprints. parker doesn't want to dwell on things that aren't his business, but he cares about jude. and, as annoying as it can be, that includes having to keep an eye on sharpness.

he listens to their conversation, mostly only jude's side that bleeds through their voice chat while he can only guess the way the blond responds. parker can imagine quite clearly; he may be not as close to sharpness as his teammate is, but he's observant all the same, and had many moments to take notes about how he reacts with and without jude around. he knows the tactics that sharpness uses to tease jude, to get him to act in whichever way he wants. the attempts should be futile, because jude is witty beyond his limits, but it doesn't mean they're entirely ineffective. 

parker wonders that sharpness's taunts at jude are calculated, but in a different way than what he'd thought before. he doesn't want to anger him, not genuinely. if anything, irritating jude seems to be far from his objective, even though it looks like it at first glance. and jude is not stupid; if parker read that right, then so did the tall animatronic. there is no way jude doesn't know his intentions.... which means that his reaction is not clueless. which means he is acting his part deliberately.

maybe jude likes this, it clicks in the enderman's brain. and he's not sure how to take it.

his ally giggles, the sound of wind swooshing around him as he tries to flee sharpness' blade. at some point they started fighting, and it's clear that jude is walking towards him, because he does start hearing the clicks of metal, the heaviness of stomps, and the voices that are... way too cheerful considering their history. as if they were having fun, simply playing chase or hide-and-seek, and not fighting for survival, for pettiness, or whatever other reason to rival someone. parker tries to push the uneasiness off, because he is there for one job alone, and he cannot fumble this. he can't be another pebble on jude's shoe. that'd make him a bad ally.

that'd make him another sharpness in his life, another person to pierce him on the back and scar him for as long as he carries that suit he calls a body. and jude has had enough issues with partners in crime, with teams and deals. parker knows they are mostly just allied for convenience, for their shared skills and nothing else, but it doesn't mean he cannot care.

and that alone makes him a better companion than the blond could even wish to be. so when he sees the nametag floating against the trap he and jude prepared weeks ago, he doesn't hesitate. he pushes the lever and readies both hands with slime and dripstone. when sharpness slides through the hole, their eyes meet, and the swordsman dares to smile at him. his light green eyes look so joyful, even if he knows he's about to die. 

parker doesn't let his emotions bleed through the purple gaze, watching him fall. he stares down, where sharpness is unable to move, and finishes him without thinking about it. he just acts, like he's programmed for such and is just following the commands, even though he's not the one with mechanical parts out of the duo of trappers. he breathes calmly as the chat notifies the server that sharpness has died, empties both hands, and waits.

jude is still giggling to himself when he comes down the ladder. parker stares at him, face blank, but softens once he sees that his ally is barely scratched. either he splashed enough insta health potions to fully recover, or he munched more than enough golden apples, because the chase had been long and as much as he doesn't like saying it out loud, sharpness is good at what he does.

but, despite the lack of scratches, his skin still shows signs of the blond. it's not in the form of straight lines, but circular marks instead. some are barely there, pinkish, faded, but others blend with the purple on jude's hair, reddish but still definitely too dark to be untouched. a bruise, but not a battle bruise, oh no. parker is familiar with those. that is definitely not from fighting.

"phew, that was a tough one!" he makes small talk, staring down at the loot. "holy shit, it's still crazy how he's always so fucking stacked. we're rich."

he nods silently, lets jude go down and sort sharpness' items onto his shulkers, some in the double chests, but most going directly to his own personal stash. parker doesn't bother questioning it, doesn't ask for answers, nor does he want a share of what belonged to the swordsman. he hasn't really done much to help. and even if he's lost, sharpness got what he wanted in the end all the same. parker sighs at that.

jude smiles, and he should be glad his companion is in a good mood, but he can't. because parker may look the other way, but he is not blind, not ignorant, not stupid. eventually the cycle will keep turning, and eventually, the curve will go down. jude will be hurt again, and sharpness will be on the winning side this time. and instead of letting it be, he'll chase the bunny like a little foolish fox, only to fall down again.

and like every loop, parker will be there to watch, unable to make it stop.

Notes:

accidentally gave myself a fox sharp headcanon with this one. he's not a hybrid here btw, I just mentioned it because of the minecraft mechanic and jude being literally bonnie. but like............ holy shit. a lil fox chasing down a bunny so big it is its size........... dudeeee that'd be such a cute art........ artists can I make a request............

(not that I am a short sharp truther. but I am a shortER sharp truther) (in my head he is the tallest in (currently active) strength losing only to parker by a few and jude by a LOT which makes him incredibly bitter about) (he wears heels but that only makes him same height as parker and jude mocks him every chance he gets) (if you even care)

hmu on my ugly looking strawpage about mcyt or south park and Maybe vtubers