Chapter Text
"What...?" 4 asked quietly, pulling away with a look of fear on his face as he stared at SMG3.
3 nodded. "I know, 4..."
"You... you know..." SMG4 slowly stepped back. His breathing and heartbeat raced. His chest hurt. His eyes and nose stung suddenly. No. No no no no no. SMG3 knows. SMG3. Knows!
"SMG4," 3 said quietly, "it's ok..."
"I'm sorry," 4 began mumbling as he stopped, looking towards the ground. He slowly reaching for his hair, gripping it tightly as reality sank in. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."
"Glitchy..." SMG3's voice remained quiet as he reached forward, gently wrapping 4 into a loving embrace. "It's ok... you're ok... you have nothing to be sorry for, Love..."
"I... I..."
"Breathe..." 3 rubbed his back, allowing 4 to cry into his shoulder as the blue meme guardian clung to him as if his life depended on it. "I'm not going anywhere..."
4's eyes remained wide and unblinking as he stared at the ground behind 3. Even though he was right beside him, he sounded so far away... He felt his own weight becoming too much for him as his legs finally gave out.
But SMG3 caught him, his grip on his husband growing tighter as he felt 4 collapse, despite how much he was shaking. "Ok... let's... let's go to your room, ok?"
"It's not my room," 4 mumbled. "Not... not mine... not me... not..."
3 took a deep breath, trying to calm his own nerves as he heard 4 continue to mutter about how none of this is really his. Lifting 4 off the ground, he started carrying him into the castle, closing and locking the bedroom door behind him before he crawled into bed, 4 still in his arms.
"Shhhh," 3 whispered, pressing his forehead against 4's. "You're ok, Glitchy... I've got you... you're not going anywhere, and neither am I..."
"Not... not mine," 4 continued to mumble. "You... not mine... not me... I'm not me... not him... I... I'm not him..."
3 sighed, trying to think of something that could help bring 4 back from this... but he couldn't think of anything. So, he just held him close and decided to stay beside him as he rode this out.
4 continued to mumble, sobbing, curling into himself as he gripped onto 3 tightly, as if begging him not to leave.
3 hummed something as he rubbed circles on 4's back.
Yeah. He knew SMG4 was a code fake.
He'd had suspicions, but... it kind of clicked once he had talked to Axol earlier.
SMG3 looked at Axol as he and Melony talked about something as they sat in the cafe. He let out a long sigh before sitting next to them.
"SMG3?" Melony asked, looking over at him worriedly. "Everything ok?"
"Something's wrong with SMG4," 3 said quietly. "And I know Axol knows about it."
Axol's face went pale as he stared at 3.
"And because Axol knows," 3 continued, "I know you know as well."
Melony looked away, giving a meek nod.
"And I know too-" Bob attempted to interject.
"Oh, I know," 3 said as he turned to him. "So... I know something is wrong... mind telling me the specifics?"
The three remained silent, unsure of how to answer it.
"I know something is up," 3 hissed. "He's been having nightmares for the past few weeks. Spill."
Axol looked away. "Um..."
"Can we talk about this privately?" Melony asked, looking around as the others continued to remain focused on their different things, mostly Mr. Puzzles' ramblings about this idea he had for something called "Puzzle Park."
3 nodded, following Melony, Axol, and Bob down to his secret lair.
"So what is it?" 3 asked harshly. "What the fuck is wrong with my husband?"
The three others shared silent glances before Axol let out a long sigh.
"SMG4 is like me," he said quietly.
SMG3 just looked at him, processing the information. But was this really a surprise?
No. No it wasn't.
He knew it could be a possibility after Axol's origins had been revealed by Exubus.
"Is that it?" 3 asked.
They nodded.
"This is stupid," 3 mumbled. "Seriously? That's what he's so worked up about?"
"You don't understand," Axol said. "Being a Code Fake is really difficult-"
"Why is he hiding this?" 3 asked. "Huh? Why? If this is literally it, why?"
"He's scared of losing you," Melony chimed in. "He... he doesn't think you'll take to the whole idea-"
"Oh please!" 3 snapped. "Seriously? Him being a 'code fake' or whatever you fucking called it doesn't change anything! He's still my husband! I still love him-"
"He doesn't now that," Melony said quietly.
"So?" SMG3 sighed, pacing around his lair. "Ok. I won't tell anyone else-"
"Good," the three said.
"-but I..." 3 took a deep breath, attempting to calm his nerves. "I... feel like I knew before this..."
"Oh yeah," Bob said with a laugh. "Didn't you say something once about it being possible that SMG4 was just a clone of the real SMG4?"
"Exactly!" 3 shouted.
Melony and Axol shared a scared look before looking back at 3.
"So..."
3 looked towards the elevator, a saddened look in his eyes. "He really thinks I'll hate him for this...?"
Axol gave a small shrug in response, blue eyes looking towards 3. "I get what he's going through though. It's hard. Feeling like you're you, but you're also not."
"I know," 3 said quietly. He sighed. "I... I'll talk to him once he's done giving Minion the tour..."
"We're all worried about him, 3," Melony said in a small attempt to reassure him.
"I... I know..." 3 sighed, walking towards the elevator. "Thanks for telling me, though..."
The three nodded, even though Bob was mostly quiet for the conversation...
SMG3 kissed 4's head, feeling him slowly crash from the rush of adrenaline. Next thing he knew, he was out cold. He smiled, covering him in blankets. He tried to get up and make something that would hopefully comfort him about this whole ordeal, but as he tried to move, he felt SMG4's grip on him only get tighter.
"Alright," he said with a worried smile. "I hear you..."
He laid back down, wrapping his arms around him and holding his husband close. "I love you..."
He looked at his hands, smiling more as he took his hands into his own, focusing on their guardian connection. He could at least make sure SMG4 was having a good dream...
As he opened his eyes, he found SMG4 sitting outside his old door at Peach's castle, sobbing as he was curled into a ball.
"SMG4?"
4's head shot up as he looked at 3 worriedly.
"You... you hate me now... don't you...?" He asked, voice shaking as he spoke.
"No," 3 said as he sat beside him, wrapping him in a hug. "I could never hate my amazing husband..."
"But I'm not your husband!" 4 sobbed, pushing SMG3 off of him and scooting away. "I'm not... I'm not the real SMG4... remember...?"
3 frowned. It hurt to see him in this state...
But he did understand.
"Should I call you something different then?" 3 asked.
4 gave him a confused look. "What?"
"If you're not SMG4, then what should I call you?" 3 repeated, smiling.
The other stared at him, processing the question as SMG3 smiled at him.
"If you're not SMG4, then who are?" 3 asked again, trying to hide a laugh as SMG4 looked away. He could tell 4 was starting to see where he was going with this.
"Um..." 4 wracked his brain, trying to think of some response to that.
"Are you not a Super Meme Guardian?" 3 asked. "Are we not cosmically linked?"
"Well... um... we are," 4 said. "But... um..."
"See?"
4 smiled, laughing to himself as he looked at 3. "I hate you sometimes..."
"You're still SMG4," 3 said with a loving smile. "You're still the SMG4 I married, aren't you?"
"Yeah..."
"Then I don't see why I'd suddenly hate you." SMG3 leaned against his shoulder, kissing it softly. "I still love you, you idiot."
"Even if the real SMG4 is dead...?" He asked quietly.
"What do we say to Axol?" 3 asked.
4 couldn't help but laugh. "That it doesn't matter cuz he's as real as he's going to get."
"Exactly."
The blue meme guardian tackled his husband in a tight hug, giggling as SMG3 began leaving loving kisses all over his face. "You really don't care?"
"Not one bit." 3 left a few kisses on his neck. "Besides. I had a feeling this was the case since Exubus told us about Axol."
"You-!"
4 was cut off as SMG3 kissed him, causing him to laugh as he returned the gesture.
Eventually, 3 pulled away, leaning towards 4's ear. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, Scrub," 3 whispered before continuing to shower 4 with kisses.
"I'm glad," 4 said between laughs. "I... I love you so much..."
"I love you too..."
Orange sunlight shone through the window, illuminating the couple as they laid in bed.
4's eyes fluttered open, smiling as he saw SMG3 still asleep. What was he thinking when he was so scared to tell him? He was being so stupid...
He leaned forward, kissing 3's nose and giggling as it scrunched up.
"Morning, 3," 4 said, watching 3 wake up.
"'Morning..." 3 mumbled tiredly, pulling 4 closer and burying his face in his neck. "Feeling better?"
"So much better..." A content sigh left 4's lips as he held 3 close. "What did I do to deserve you?"
"Exist."
"Nah, that can't be it..." 4 laughed.
"Hm... be a shitty YouTuber-?"
"Oi!" 4 laughed, pushing 3 off of him. "Way to ruin the moment!"
"Awwww," 3 whined jokingly. "But Glitchy! Your videos are trash!"
"What, like your coffee?" 4 couldn't help but laugh, until SMG3 smirked and pinned him down. "Uh... um... wait..."
"Those are fighting words~" 3 said, a mischievous glint in his ruby eyes as they looked SMG4 over.
"I... uh..." 4's face turned a dark blue as he looked away. "Fuck... I... um... heh... you... uh..."
3 rolled his eyes. "You're adorable, Glitchy." He laughed, leaning in closer. "Especially when you're like this."
"You locked the door, right?"
Now it was 3's turn to be flustered. "I... um... yeah? I think so?"
"Good."
4 grabbed 3's shirt collar, pulling him down into a heated kiss.
"SMG4 should tell the others at some point," Axol said quietly, petting Axol Jr as Melony got dressed into her regular clothes.
She nodded along, pulling her hoodie dress over her head. "If SMG3 knows, I think he'll let everyone else know."
Axol sighed. "I hope so... I hate him lying to everyone like this..."
Melony nodded, smiling and kissing his forehead. "I know. If push comes to shove, we tell them for him."
"But-"
"You know how everyone is with you," she said. "It'll be the same with him. We both know that."
Axol smiled. "Yeah. You're right, Mel."
The two walked out of their room and into the lounge. Everyone was already there, gathering around and watching TV. However, Mr. Puzzles was hunched over a table, furiously writing and drawing different things on a large sheet of blue paper.
"Hey, Puzzles," Axol said with a smile, walking towards the cyborg, "what are you working on?"
"My next big project!" He exclaimed, holding up the blueprints he was making. "And you're just the guy I wanted to see! I'll need your help with building this. Hell, I'll likely need everyone's help!"
Axol looked the blueprints over. "Puzzle Park's blueprints, huh?" He asked with a smile.
Mr. Puzzles nodded vigorously. "I got the idea from what the Showgrounds were originally for before I put it up for sale. It was originally a carnival I made, but it didn't do too well. But now, I finally think I'm good enough to try again!" He flashed a confident smile. "I've already talked to SMG4 about it, and he's all for the idea! I'm going to share these blueprints once he and SMG3 are awake."
"Oh, they're awake," 5 started to say before SMG6 elbowed them in the side.
"I don't need to think about that," he said. "At all."
SMG5 laughed, nodding. "Sorry, Citrus."
"Anyway..." Mr. Puzzles set the blueprints back down. "What do you think?"
"Looks fun," Axol admitted, smiling at him.
SMG3 and SMG4 walked out of the bedroom, hand in hand as they made their way towards the crew.
"They're all here," SMG3 said quietly. "Tell them."
"Are you sure they'll-" 4 began to say before 3 cut him off.
"You know how we are with Axol," he said with a smile. "Besides, I'll be here with you the entire time."
4 nodded, looking at everyone and taking a deep breath. "Hey... umm... guys?"
The crew stopped what they were doing, giving SMG4 their full attention.
"I... have something I need to get off my chest," 4 continued. "I... I'm... I'm not the real SMG4."
"What?" Mario and Mr. Puzzles asked in unison as everyone else remained silent, awaiting for him to explain.
"I... I'm..." 4 looked at the ground. He couldn't go on with the explanation. His voice caught in his throat, and his mouth felt unnaturally dry.
SMG3 gently squeezed his hand before continuing where 4 left off. "He's like Axol. The real SMG4 was killed by Exubus, and he replaced him with him." He looked at the others. "But... this changes nothing. He's still SMG4. Right?"
SMG6 looked at 4, who was avoiding eye contact with everyone, scared to see their reaction.
He smiled, running up to 4 and wrapping him in a hug. "'Real' SMG4 or not, you're still my dad," he said.
4 returned the gesture, a smile forming on his face as well. "Ok..."
"You're the SMG4 that's been around the past year and a half or however long it's been?" Mr. Puzzles asked.
4 nodded.
"Then this really doesn't change anything," the cyborg said, smiling at the meme guardian. "Congrats. Nothing changed."
The group erupted in words of affirmation as they all rushed towards 4 and engulfed him in a hug. Axol smiled, watching them all react exactly how he expected them to.
Minion smiled towards him and nodded.
“You knew too?” He asked.
“Obviously. I know my brother,” she laughed.
Axol nodded as they both went to join the group hug.
Fake SMG4 or real SMG4, didn't matter. He's still SMG4, and they still love him.