VSMP Timeloop AU where Pyro is the one stuck in a loop.
They still follow Scott and Owen out in the woods alone at night for quite a few loops, but this time they know what's gonna happen. There is no light chatter on the way. He doesn't ask them what they're talking about. Doesn't run. Doesn't fight. What's the point, Scott's inevitable.
For a while, he does everything mostly the same. Except he learns to control his hunger better and doesn't steal the Shelby kill from Scott. He's still Cleo's sire though. He also doesn't put in the effort to get close to Shelby at all. This way, it'll hurt less when she kills him. Because he's still gonna kill Avid with Owen. That was always gonna happen.
They're so resigned that it takes dozens of loops before they even consider the possibility of a way out pf the loops existing. It takes so long before they realize that, as the only one who can change, it's up to them to do something. And even longer still to find the courage to actually try.
And, at first, it's a disaster. He breaks down in front of Scott asking his sire why. Why was Avid worth him trying to be better every single time, but Pyro never was, no matter how hard he tried? Why was he not good enough? Why was he never good enough for anyone? The discussion with Shelby is no less emotional. They were friends. Siblings. And yet time and time again, Shelby chose Avid over him. Just like everyone else. And they don't understand what he's on about, because none of what he's talking about has happened yet. Not for them. And, once again, he feels alone.
I doubt that, on some loops after that, they change for the worse. They're angrier. More violent. Their pride is too wounded. They're a cornered animal that's lashing out.
But anger cannot be sustained forever, and, eventually, he gives talking another try. And he perseveres, even when Shelby and Scott don't immediately understand. And he tries to get to know Avid. He tries to protect Apo. He finally starts to truly change instead of stubbornly digging in his heels and going down the same old self-destructive path he was on.
And things don't turn out ideally. Owen still turns the Doctor and dies. Because Apo wasn't turned, Martyn dies for real falling off the bridge. Ren loses it after that, goes on a rampage, and is taken down. Owen still kills Avid. So many tragedies weren't dependent on Pyro. But the loop is still broken. Saving himself was enough. Changing was enough. Even if he still fucked up, even if he still turned Cleo, even if he still lashed out at times and hurt people.
Change is something gradual, it takes time, and all he ever needed to do was take that first step...
