[ a green hue begins to prick around falco's eyelids, what would have been red with the dribble of tears if his blood were still normal. he blinks a few times, and the next moment he breathes in, it's thick when he sounds something through a weak smile. oh, this boy. this boy had been his best friend here. this boy had been much more. he's grown up into a fine man who he still loves, the last falco's seen during his own timeline. he uses every bit of strength he has left to raise his hand to the back of the boy's head and rests it there in a gentle, trembling cup.
no one ever wants to die alone, and during this time, even if it squeezed his heart to be so selfish on one hand— he didn't want to be alone. he wanted to be with someone, and he wanted to be happy.
he wanted to have as few regrets as possible. ]
Thank you, [ a shallow breath in; it's hard to keep his weight up, and confetti, who positions himself on the young man's opposite side, props him up and pulls a long wing around the two. ] for being so strong.
[ pause, breathe; his hand at jun's head begins to slack because just too much force is needed to keep it there. confetti's wing is the only thing that keeps his arm there, and he's thankful. ]
There might be . . . A way. I just— never found it. But maybe you guys can.
[He lets the other put his hand where he wants, doing his best to stay strong - but it's clear by his careful breathing and slight shaking that it's mostly just an act. He doesn't want Falco to go, doesn't want to leave him - but he can't do anything about this.]
No... thank you. For being here with me. I know that - that this is hard for you. I'm just... I'm just glad you've been able to spend time with me.
I'll... I'll see what I can do, when you come back. We can ask some people, but... but that can come later.
[He bends down and presses a kiss to Falco's forehead. It'd be a little weird to kiss him on the mouth right now, and besides... he needs to breathe. He flushes a little bit, but hugs him carefully. He needs Falco to hear this. To know that he's loved. To know that there's a place for him.]
I'll... I'll wait for you. I'll come looking for you. Because... I love you. You're such an amazing person... please don't forget that. You're... mm. ... You're the most important person to me. So don't... don't forget that you're loved.
[He smooths down the other's hair with slightly shaking fingers. Death is never easy - even if it's expected. But he can be strong for Falco - just put aside most of his emotions and be a strong person for the other boy.]
I... I won't force you to hang on longer than you can. You're with me always. I'll find you again.
[He has to. He can't imagine a world without Falco, a world without his smile and quiet love.]
[ there are words beyond him to describe such a sweet kid. he doesn’t feel jun’s warmth and intention any less despite being younger. and maybe . . . who knew? maybe he had to be here now, with this younger jun, for the younger falco to be with the jun he knew some years later. maybe they’d find a way for him.
it could be too much wishful thinking, but he still had hope. ]
You don’t know how glad I am . . . To have had someone like you. All this time. [ it’s hard to laugh; instead, he sighs. all of him was cold and numbing, but he still felt so warm. ] I love you too. You deserve so much of it. Okay?
When my younger self comes back, I know he’ll give you, [ a beat, ] the biggest hug, you could imagine.
I'm just glad I can be with you. I'm here for you.
[He brushes his fingers through the other's hair again gently.]
You're an amazing person. Just... I'll see you again. I know I will.
[He's not going to let Falco go when he comes back. He won't let the other out of his sight for a little bit... but he can't bear the idea of losing him again.]
You're going to be okay. I'll make sure nothing happens to you. You just need rest. You're going to be fine.
Please just... remember... that you're loved. And I'll make sure you have a good place to come home to. Things are going to turn out okay. ... You taught me that.
[ towards the end of what jun says, falco doesn’t catch it all. he’s unstable and drifting. he’s heard words, but he can’t remember them all. it just feels so heavy to that he simply allows it to pass.
there’s the beach. there’s the sky, the ocean. there’s confetti. there’s jun. he doesn’t see his entire life, but falco sees how far he’s come, remembers every shine of happiness, and remembers that . . . another him could have the chance to feel it all and even more.
he hopes so much. ]
You know what else . . . Is amazing?
[ his words have started low and ended in a bare whisper, as if he’s drifting into a slumber that’s too deep for him to fight off. he may not be able to finish his thoughts, but you know— that’s okay.
at least he’s smiling. he feels the cold as heat, and all the love he’s ever wanted. he closes his eyes, he forgets he needs to breathe, but his heart . . . it beats for just a few moments more. ]
[Oh... Falco. His cheeks flush and he ruffles the other's hair gently before smoothing it out. It's important for the other to be able to go out with dignity - he's seen so many people who didn't get to go out that way. His arms tighten around the other for a few moments before relaxing, just listening to the other's breathing.]
... I love you. I love you, Falco.
[He's quiet, and when the other's breathing ceases he presses his ear to the other's chest, listening until it slows to a stop. He's silent for a few long moments and carefully straightens the other's body out so it just looks like he's sleeping peacefully.]
[He stays. He stays because he feels he has to. He stays because he's curious as to what happens. And most of all he stays because it's Falco. He loses track of time. He watches as the body stiffens, then rots, then turns to crystal. He watches as Vileblood pools out of him, careful not to touch any of it.]
[He risks the Vileblood when the squid form shatters the crystal, and carefully picks him up and presses his forehead against it. He then wades into the water, washing the burning Vileblood off of him and letting the squid shoot off and disappear into the ocean. He stares at the horizon and starts to cry, before picking his pack up and... at least attempting to head home.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
[His voice is quiet, and he wraps his arms around the other boy. Man? He's not sure at this point, but it doesn't matter. Falco is still Falco.]
[He's silent for a few moments, just feeling how thin and unwell Falco is. All of the deaths he's known were sudden. Not like this. Not... like this.]
I... I love you, Falco. Maybe... maybe we can't beat what this is. But I'm here to hold you until... until...
[He feels a lump in his throat. Damn it, it's too early for tears...]
I'm not leaving you to die alone.
no subject
no one ever wants to die alone, and during this time, even if it squeezed his heart to be so selfish on one hand— he didn't want to be alone. he wanted to be with someone, and he wanted to be happy.
he wanted to have as few regrets as possible. ]
Thank you, [ a shallow breath in; it's hard to keep his weight up, and confetti, who positions himself on the young man's opposite side, props him up and pulls a long wing around the two. ] for being so strong.
[ pause, breathe; his hand at jun's head begins to slack because just too much force is needed to keep it there. confetti's wing is the only thing that keeps his arm there, and he's thankful. ]
There might be . . . A way. I just— never found it. But maybe you guys can.
no subject
No... thank you. For being here with me. I know that - that this is hard for you. I'm just... I'm just glad you've been able to spend time with me.
I'll... I'll see what I can do, when you come back. We can ask some people, but... but that can come later.
[He bends down and presses a kiss to Falco's forehead. It'd be a little weird to kiss him on the mouth right now, and besides... he needs to breathe. He flushes a little bit, but hugs him carefully. He needs Falco to hear this. To know that he's loved. To know that there's a place for him.]
I'll... I'll wait for you. I'll come looking for you. Because... I love you. You're such an amazing person... please don't forget that. You're... mm. ... You're the most important person to me. So don't... don't forget that you're loved.
[He smooths down the other's hair with slightly shaking fingers. Death is never easy - even if it's expected. But he can be strong for Falco - just put aside most of his emotions and be a strong person for the other boy.]
I... I won't force you to hang on longer than you can. You're with me always. I'll find you again.
[He has to. He can't imagine a world without Falco, a world without his smile and quiet love.]
no subject
it could be too much wishful thinking, but he still had hope. ]
You don’t know how glad I am . . . To have had someone like you. All this time. [ it’s hard to laugh; instead, he sighs. all of him was cold and numbing, but he still felt so warm. ] I love you too. You deserve so much of it. Okay?
When my younger self comes back, I know he’ll give you, [ a beat, ] the biggest hug, you could imagine.
no subject
[He brushes his fingers through the other's hair again gently.]
You're an amazing person. Just... I'll see you again. I know I will.
[He's not going to let Falco go when he comes back. He won't let the other out of his sight for a little bit... but he can't bear the idea of losing him again.]
You're going to be okay. I'll make sure nothing happens to you. You just need rest. You're going to be fine.
Please just... remember... that you're loved. And I'll make sure you have a good place to come home to. Things are going to turn out okay. ... You taught me that.
no subject
there’s the beach. there’s the sky, the ocean. there’s confetti. there’s jun. he doesn’t see his entire life, but falco sees how far he’s come, remembers every shine of happiness, and remembers that . . . another him could have the chance to feel it all and even more.
he hopes so much. ]
You know what else . . . Is amazing?
[ his words have started low and ended in a bare whisper, as if he’s drifting into a slumber that’s too deep for him to fight off. he may not be able to finish his thoughts, but you know— that’s okay.
at least he’s smiling. he feels the cold as heat, and all the love he’s ever wanted. he closes his eyes, he forgets he needs to breathe, but his heart . . . it beats for just a few moments more. ]
cw: death
... I love you. I love you, Falco.
[He's quiet, and when the other's breathing ceases he presses his ear to the other's chest, listening until it slows to a stop. He's silent for a few long moments and carefully straightens the other's body out so it just looks like he's sleeping peacefully.]
[He stays. He stays because he feels he has to. He stays because he's curious as to what happens. And most of all he stays because it's Falco. He loses track of time. He watches as the body stiffens, then rots, then turns to crystal. He watches as Vileblood pools out of him, careful not to touch any of it.]
[He risks the Vileblood when the squid form shatters the crystal, and carefully picks him up and presses his forehead against it. He then wades into the water, washing the burning Vileblood off of him and letting the squid shoot off and disappear into the ocean. He stares at the horizon and starts to cry, before picking his pack up and... at least attempting to head home.]