dragonfics:

Afterlife

A small Spicyhoney drabble based on this gorgeous piece of art by @cheapbourbon. I’m not the type to cry–but I came fairly close when I saw it. So, I had to write something to comfort myself.

Warning for implied character deaths.

Edge stepped through the towering archway and onto the crisp, green grass. He could only see a few feet ahead of him, his surroundings swallowed in black. The darkness wasn’t oppressive though, and Edge sensed no danger in its depths. In fact, he found that it soothed him.

He could hear wind in the distance, but the air around him was still and warm. Within it, something sweet lingered—rain, blooming spring, and… books? The scent—though a little puzzling—was pleasant, and Edge breathed deeply before treading slowly forward, the grass crunching beneath his boots.

He wasn’t sure where he was walking—or why. But his bones tingled with anticipation, and something tugged on his soul, whispering to him—keep going. For whatever reason, the prospect of finding whatever was waiting for him in the darkness excited Edge. He straightened his scarf, and marched onward.

As he walked, it began to rain. He could hear the distant clap of thunder, and caught occasional glimpses of bright flashes of lightning, illuminating the darkness in pure silver light. Somehow, he remained dry, the water sliding off his bones without leaving a hint of its presence. He closed his eyes and breathed in the serene taste of the air, bathing his soul in tranquillity.

When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see a figure hovering in the shadows ahead. He stilled, blinking against the dim light to try and discern who it was. They walked a few careful paces closer to him, and a thin beam of light fell on their face.

Edge’s breath caught.

“heya, edgelord.”

It was Rus. He was wearing that ratty hoodie of his, and his shoulders were slumped casually. His golden eyes were deep and bright—and he was smiling. He looked no different than he had, the day he’d…

“Am I… dead?” Edge asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Rus’s smile turned solemn, the light in his eyes fading a little. He nodded. “you and me both.”

Edge closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply. Strangely, he felt… fine. No hint of sadness or mourning tainted him, and no fears or doubts hindered him. His soul felt light and unburdened, and…

And Rus was here. Edge looked up at him, and tears began to well in his eye sockets. He had little luck hiding his smile. Wasting no time, he closed the distance between them, throwing himself into Rus’s arms, and pressing his head against his chest. “You’re here,” he whispered, his breath hitching on a sob. “I never thought I’d—” His voice broke, and he went silent, clinging to Rus.

“neither did i,” Rus murmured, cradling Edge’s head and pressing his teeth firmly to the crown of his skull. “every day, i waited. i… i hoped you’d be here later, rather than sooner, but i—” Rus stuttered, and he breathed deeply before continuing. “but you’re here now. and i’m—i l-love you.” Rus’s tears dripped onto the grass at their feet, and he hugged Edge tighter.

“I love you too,” Edge breathed, inhaling Rus’s scent and losing himself in the feeling of his arms around him. “After—after all this time, I… I never stopped loving you.” He kissed Rus’s forehead, and held onto him fiercely. “I knew… I knew I’d find you again.”

Edge and Rus clung to each other as the rain fell around them, the pale light swathing them in a delicate shade of silver. Neither of them let go—the thought didn’t even occur to them. They had each other again. They were together, in each other’s arms.

This was where they belonged.

Aww crap. Thank you to everyone for all the lovely comments on this. And… I’m sorry ;-; (Except for you, Bourbon. You brought this upon yourself.)

And while I was writing this, I was sort of picturing it as an ending to Birthday Candles ^^ (It makes me feel a little less guilty).