Thank you!! Also, damn you for making me pick, Bourbon! I went with number 49, but that other one is full of angsty potential, so I’m definitely going to come back to it at some point.

Also, this uh, kind of turned into a vampire AU? I hope that’s okay! Thank you so much for the request, and all your lovely art that continually inspires me to write self-indulgent spicyhoney fluff. I hope you enjoy this!

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It was times like these that
Stretch really appreciated the night. From the clifftop he was perched on, he
could feel it all. The cool wind on his bones, the smell of the sea in the air,
the clear sky expanding infinitely around him—they were all things that allowed
him to feel that perhaps living forever wasn’t the worst fate in the world.

He smiled at the sound of
footsteps approaching behind him, turning slowly and rising to his feet. As
Edge emerged from the dark trees, Stretch’s grin widened, and he cocked his
head inquisitively. “is that a knife in your pocket, or are you just happy to
see—oh shit, it’s a knife.”

Edge rolled his eyes, approaching
with caution as he extracted the silver blade. His posture was rigid, and his
eyes alert as he regarded Stretch. “How long since you last fed?” he asked. The
question was routine, but Stretch only laughed, strolling languidly towards
Edge, who raised the knife a little in warning. But he made no move to stop
Stretch as he placed his hands on Edge’s shoulders, grinning at him.

“it’s been weeks. i’m practically
ravenous. the smell of you is driving me insane—in fact, i’m not sure if i’ll
be able to stop myself from ripping your delicious throat open and—”

“Ugh.” Edge shoved him away, and
Stretch chuckled. “You shouldn’t joke about it, you know,” he said, sliding the
knife back into his pocket. “I can never tell if you’re really—”

Stretch silenced him with a light
press of teeth to his cheekbone. He’d always enjoyed seeing the way Edge
blushed at even the smallest displays of affection. “for someone so young, you
have an awful sense of humour,” he murmured, as he slowly drew away. “besides,
someone as delectable as you is wasted as food,” he added, with a grin. Edge
flushed deeper, and mumbled something under his breath, but didn’t protest as
Stretch slowly wrapped his arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug.
“i’ve missed you, you know,” he whispered, lightly touching his teeth to Edge’s
cheek. “we should really do this more often.”

Edge was stiff for only a moment
before returning the gesture, his hands sliding gently over Stretch’s spine. “I
wish that were possible,” he said, quietly, and Stretch could sense the hint of
sorrow in his tone.

Not wanting the mood to be
dampened, he pulled away slowly, meeting Edge with a warm smile. “how about we
just enjoy the time that we have, hm?”

Edge smirked, scoffing slightly.
“A rich statement coming from someone with all the time in the world.”

Stretch grinned as he took his
hand, guiding him towards the cliff’s edge. “but the only time worthwhile, is
the time i spend with you.” Stretch knew that Edge could likely hear the
underlying heaviness to his statement, but he had the decency to blush
nonetheless.

Stretch grinned as they
approached the precipice, the sea churning violently below, and the early signs
of a storm on the horizon. In the distance, dark clouds were forming, and
Stretch could smell the imminent rain in the air. “Why did you want to meet
here?” Edge asked, slowly lowering himself to sit with his legs hanging over
the cliff’s drop. “It’s a bit… open, isn’t it? What if someone sees?”

Stretch smiled as he sat down
beside Edge, hearing the quiet, but sharp intake of breath from the other
skeleton as he linked their hands together. “you worry too much,” he said,
shuffling closer to Edge so that their shoulders brushed together. “i like this
place. i hardly ever get to be out in the open.” He gazed up at the stars for a
moment, taking a deep breath of the fresh ocean air. “i hate being cooped up in
that tiny house all day—it really cramps my style.”

Out of the corner of his eye,
Stretch could see the small frown on Edge’s features. “One would’ve thought
that after so many years on this earth, you would have grown tired of making
ridiculous puns.”

Stretch snickered, resting his
head on Edge’s shoulder. For a moment, the other monster went rigid, as if
surprised by the sudden contact. But slowly, his posture relaxed, and Stretch
could have sworn he felt Edge leaning against him slightly. “growing tired of
puns would be like growing tired of you,” he murmured, letting his eyes fall
closed, focusing on nothing but the sound of Edge’s deep breaths and the warm
feeling of his body—so close to Stretch’s own.

He heard Edge make a small noise
of embarrassment, and smiled to himself at the mental image of Edge’s crimson
blush. “I can’t believe you just compared me to puns,” he grumbled, and Stretch
grinned. Still seeming flustered, Edge cleared his throat. “W-well, why did you
want to come here of all places? There are plenty of ‘open’ locations that
aren’t four hours away from where I live.” Stretch could hear the hint of
disapproval in Edge’s tone at being dragged out in the middle of the night, and
he chuckled quietly.

“i like the sea,” he replied,
eyes still closed as he nuzzled deeper into the nape of Edge’s neck. “it’s
wild, untamed, unpredictable…” He glanced up at Edge, smirking. Judging by the
deepening blush on Edge’s cheekbones, the metaphor wasn’t lost on him.

They were both silent for a time,
the crashing waves and gently howling breeze the only sounds breaking the peaceful
quiet of the night. Stretch pressed himself a little closer to Edge, revelling
in the scent of him. While Stretch couldn’t deny that most mortal monsters often
smelled particularly enticing, Edge was something different. It was almost
intoxicating, and appealed to more than just Stretch’s appetite. Lightly
touching his teeth to Edge’s cheekbone, he whispered, “you know, my offer still
stands.”

Edge remained silent, though
Stretch could sense the sudden tension seeping into his bones. Eventually, he
gave a deep sigh, squeezing Stretch’s hand slightly. “Stretch, you know I
don’t—I mean… I love you, but that life… I just don’t know if I could—”

“i know,” Stretch said, quickly,
hearing the hint of distress in Edge’s tone. “it’s just… if i had to spend an
eternity with anyone…” He drifted off, turning to gaze at the sea. He felt
guilty suddenly, for breaking their perfect moment. He knew Edge was likely to
continue turning him down—after all, it was difficult for someone who had spent
their entire life hunting Stretch’s kind to make such a huge commitment—but
still, Stretch couldn’t deny that Edge’s constant rejection stung his soul a
little.

He rested his head on Edge’s
shoulder once more, turning to press his teeth against the vertebrae of his
neck. He felt Edge flinch slightly as Stretch’s sharp canines scraped gently
against the bone. “i love you,” Stretch whispered, “and i want you to know that
i’ll always love you—no matter what you choose. and i promise, i’ll never take
that choice away from you.”

Edge turned, and Stretch could
see the beginnings of tears burning at his eye sockets. Cupping his face
gently, Stretch pressed their teeth together in a soft, chaste kiss. Sometimes
their love was violent, complicated, and unpredictable. After all, they were
from two very different worlds, and nothing could change the complications that
came with that.

But at times like these—when the
whole world seemed silent, as if they were the only two people in it—their love
was peaceful. It was by no means simple, but it ran deeper than anything
Stretch had ever felt. And whether it lasted forever or not didn’t matter,
because for now, it was enough.