Stuck Watching (MatPat x Male Reader)
Title: Stuck Watching
Pairing: MatPat x Male Reader
Scenario: The Reader didn't want to watch Matt go through the death challenge but had no choice when Matt's name was picked. The Reader now has to stand and watch him and Manny fight for their lives. Who will survive this challenge?
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Everyone is running in all directions, looking for the next clue. The monster that was once a police officer is growling and screaming he'll come and kill them. Each person is scrambling looking for these pieces to reassemble a green totem. Once it was completed, it would reveal what to do next to cleanse the artifact.
What made it difficult to do the task was every once in a while, the Strong Man would come back, searching for them. He would stay there for moments at a time making everyone stay silent and hide for as long as they could.
In his anger of not being able to find them, the Strong Man screamed and tipped over the popcorn machine, letting the carnival snack spill all over the ground. The white and red stripped bags flew in different directions from the small breeze that started. He ran off to look.
Joey hopped out from behind a game, full of stuffed animals and looked at the picture again. It was hard to concentrate when so many people were shouting and a literal monster waiting to capture anyone who wasn't fast enough.
Matt and Colleen took the last two pieces of the totem puzzle and placed it on top of the rest. Then they waited. The group didn't know what exactly was going to happen but they knew a clue was going to show itself.
Suddenly, a compartment beneath the platform the totem opened, revealing a folded piece of paper. (Y/N) bent over and picked it up with care as the breeze could possibly take it away if he wasn't careful enough.
"What does it say?" Manny said, impatiently.
"Shut up so I can read it" (Y/N) snapped back. He knew people would be impatient but he can't focus when those voice it.
Joey sees that the last piece of the artifact was hidden in the back of the compartment and pulls it out, holding onto it tightly. They now have the three sides.
"To cleanse the artifact, insert the fragments into the configuration and wrap it with a holy band of leather. To recover the leather band, A new strong man must be found. Choose wisely, only the strongest will survive."
Whoever wrote these instructions were literal with "strong man" and from the arm wrestling matches, it's clear who it was. But were they willing to sacrifice such an essential person to their team?
There were four possible people to vote for: Joey, Matt, Manny, and (Y/N)
Two would be chosen at random to get the leather band and survive while the other would be sacrificed to the Strong Man.
(Y/N) frowned as it they all had an equal chance of being chosen. He could easily be voted in for not contributing as much as he'd like to but he's definitely solved more clues than Joey when they were together.
It wasn't the fact that he might be chosen but the fact Matt was proven to be strong and he might be voted because of it. (Y/N) never admitted to having a super big crush on the detective but he's been subtle when flirting. Or not subtle if one is good at relationships and flirting.
It wasn't unintentional when (Y/N) said Matt was attractive in the jacket he was wearing. The yellow tinted sunglasses really brought out his eyes and face. The tie and pants were a little funny but so was Matt.
He didn't realize he was staring at his crush until Nikita started pushing him back into the arcade. Gladly, no one saw but now he was blushing and it wasn't exactly easy to hide.
They all hurry back inside of the arcade into the lounge. Before (Y/N) got too far into the building, Colleen pulled him aside.
"Hey (Y/N). I won't vote for you. You don't deserve to be put into a death challenge. I have three other men to choose from. Two are great competitors, very strong. The other one is a shady bitch."
What she wants is, when each of them plead their case for why they shouldn't be voted in, she's going to turn on Joey and wants (Y/N)'s help. If he doesn't however, Colleen will vote him in. Essentially, she's blackmailing him to get Joey killed.
Before the others can suspect they talked to each other, they quickly go through the hidden door and close it to make their way into the lounge.
The tension is now super high. Colleen wants Joey dead for being very sketchy and keeping information from the group. Nikita, while not being up for voting, is probably a target for voicing her opinions, and (Y/N) only wants to keep Matt out of the game.
They sit so the four guys are across from the rest. (Y/N) purposely sat on the end next to Joey so he wouldn't have to be physically touching Matt.
It's time for each of them to defend themselves.
"I feel like I'm a player and I'm good at everything and I've been doing things right" Manny says.
They start talking about the arm wrestling and how Manny was clearly the strongest out of everyone so it's just the logical choice of putting him in the final death challenge.
With a unanimous vote, they agree to have Manny be the first person to send it to try to get the leather band.
He was waiting to help Colleen but it wasn't her who said anything. It was Matt.
"I think we should put him against Joey because he's been acting weird and he's working for this league that's he's not telling any of us about."
That is potentially three people versus Joey. All (Y/N) needed was for the others to agree.
What made him even more shady was what he was saying next. He went on about having a "connection" to the town and they shouldn't kill him. Joey said they needed him because he wants to be able to fulfill his purpose and help out the town of Everlock.
"Liar" Colleen said, staring dead at Joey.
"How am I a liar?" he responded.
"You're a liar. I don't believe anything you say. You're the reason we're here in the first place. You know things you aren't telling us. You're being sketchy. Your friends are dying and you don't seem to care. I think you should go home because you are liar. I don't trust you."
She's said it.
If they all though Nikita was vocal, they thought wrong.
No one seemed to realize (Y/N) was there because of all of the tension between Colleen and Joey and if he should be chosen over Matt. Safiya seemed to perfectly fine watching them argue over it.
They all decided to separate and talk amongst themselves. This was (Y/N)'s chance.
His first choice of someone to talk to was Ro but Joey asks for her immediately. Instead he pulls Safiya aside.
"Listen, I believe we need to get rid of Joey. He's had the time to defend himself and to explain himself but he's still withholding information."
"I agree but why shouldn't I put you instead? He's clearly been more help than you."
(Y/N)'s face falls. He was almost certain he'd get Safiya on his side but now, he's not so sure.
He finds Ro and has one last chance to keep Matt alive.
"I understand Joey is your best friend and you trust him. But are you really sure you can? Colleen sums up the situation."
He's having to look down at Ro because of how short she is.
"You like Matt"
That wasn't what he was expecting.
"What? I seriously have no idea what you're talking about"
It doesn't help that I'm still blushing.
"You're blushing so I'm sure you do know what I'm talking about but don't worry. I won't tell. But know this means I vote for you."
He nods.
"You owe me"
If it means keeping Matt alive, he was willing to do anything.
Each of them return to the couch and wait for Calliope to bring out the three stacks of voting cards.
Joey starts tearing up and tells his story. He had died in the Victorian Era and woke up in Everlock. He signed a contract with the Society Against Evil to help save the town. If he doesn't, he'll die with it.
"I didn't know how you'd take it" Tears now streaming down his face.
"Pretty poorly, actually. So what you're saying is you're willing to trade nine lives, for yours Joey?" Matt is clearly angered at this.
He didn't want this. None of them wanted this. People are dying.
One by one, everyone stands up to vote for Joey, Matt, or (Y/N).
Votes
Joey- Matt
Matt- Joey
Ro- (Y/N)
Safiya- (Y/N)
Manny- Matt
Nikita- Matt
Colleen- Joey
(Y/N)- Joey
"I will now choose one person to join the Record Producer in the final death challenge"
She pulls out a card and (Y/N) is praying that Matt's isn't the one pulled.
"The second male to enter the challenge is...the Detective"
"Shit" (Y/N) hisses and makes eye contact with Ro.
"Here," Matt pulls off his badge that was clipped to his belt and slams it on the table, "There's no justice here"
They are taken by Mortimer into the arcade bathroom to change into different outfit. (Y/N)'s heart is racing and just hopes that Manny won't be as strong as he was before and loses.
The two return wearing a white T-shirt, red shorts, and a red bandana. (Y/N) wasn't surprised that both were looking pretty fine in the strange choice of a challenge outfit.
"You guys are going to come watch" Mortimer said and (Y/N) couldn't help but let a tear out.
But he was strong. He was strong emotionally and was going to force himself to watch, despite not wanting to see either go.
Outside of the arcade were different tasks to be completed. The first to win three of the five strength tasks will win and the other will die right there.
The first was to pull a tire from one line to another and with making it look so easy, Manny pulls it a lot quicker than Matt.
(Y/N) ends up griping Joey's arm.
"Hey! What are you-" he starts but then puts two and two together, "Oh..."
Next was throwing a metal ball are far as they possibly could. Knowing Matt and how he spent a lot of his spare time researching for fun, he'd understand physics and be able to throw it father than Manny.
Sure enough, his was farther.
You got this, Matthew.
When (Y/N) sees the third challenge, he knows who is going to win, and it isn't good.
Both had to hold up two buckets full of something and the first person to drop them, loses.
The clock is ticking.
Tick
Tick
Tick
TOCK
Matt's fall to the ground.
The fourth challenge was carrying weights to Fat Man Slim's and back. The weights didn't seem to heavy so maybe it was more evenly matched.
In no time, they start to run, breathing heavily. Manny slips at the end and loses because of the little distance lost.
Manny: 2
Matt: 2
Only one more...
Mortimer and Calliope carry the arm wrestling table again. (Y/N) already knew who was going to win this as it was shown not too long ago. But he is going to stand there. He is going to stand there and watch even if it will break his heart.
He's basically holding Joey's whole arm in a hug, that's how nervous (Y/N) was. Joey would've preferred him not but he's seen this type of pain in a deceased friend.
When the two start their arm wrestle, everyone is shouting for one or the other.
"YOU GOT THIS MATTHEW!" (Y/N) shouted and for a second, he could see Matt smiling.
But the words of encouragement didn't help. Matt's hand reached his side of the table, leaving Manny victorious.
This part (Y/N) couldn't watch. He buried his face into Joey's arm and what was worse than watching it, was hearing the screams of not just the Strong Man but what Matt was saying as his final words of life.
"FIND THE COIN! FIND THE LAZARUS COIN!"
Manny grabs the leather band and wraps it around the artifact. Matt's screams stop and does the Strong Man's.
It's done.
Joey physically pulls (Y/N) back to the lounge, who is now in shock.
No one else can know about my feelings.
In the 30 seconds it takes, he pulls himself together and force their way through the small door.
Safiya takes the pyramid artifact and places it in one of the cubic shelves. They all plop down on the couch and rethink their choices.
"I won, we cleansed this artifact, but did we really just mess up?" Manny said, looking at Ro who is clutching Matt's badge.
"Yes" (Y/N) responded.
To then holds out the badge for him to take.