doing something

[unbr8kable]

Who: some kids
Where: the dead zone
When: Day 335, after graduation

[After many a tiny finger food and many more tiny glasses of wine and one overblown and completely not sad at all!!! graduation ceremony, what better place to go than the dead zone? What better thing to do than climb up the giant, golden chain up to the crack in the sky? Sure it burns to the touch, but what's a little more pain on the pile--that's the point of all those tiny glasses of wine, right?

So never mind the slight sizzling sound, nor the uncomfortably familiar odor of burning flesh all the way up. There's a goal at the end; one that--in theory--will make this all worthwhile]

Comments

[unbr8kable]

That's so far ahead. That's like saying it was our parents' fault for having us.

We all knew it was something that'd get us in trouble--we weren't gonna beat the boss of Hell first day. Didn't mean it had to've gone down like that.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Wasn't any other way it was gonna go, not after we got that far. He wasn't planning on pulling punches, whether you hit first or we did. So -

[He hesitates, then reaches out to take her hand]

For real, okay? It ain't on you.

[unbr8kable]

I heard you yell when the blades that I controlled hit you. I heard you, and King and Yugi and Intensity and Marceline even though she was already dead. And then again, when the magic lightning sent 20 million volts through all those new metal rods I skewered everybody with. It is absolutely and entirely on me and now this is the only chance left to maybe start to make it right, so--

[Her voice breaks at this last part, then]

...Please.

[crossmyheartandhope]

...hey. Hey.

[He tugs her in, a little unsteady - tries to get an arm around her in a loose embrace]

It ain't. Okay? It ain't.

Were you the one that wanted to stab us? Were you the one who decided to go nuts on the lightning? He was gonna screw us over anyway. If it wasn't that, it woulda been something else.

He did that. You didn't.

[unbr8kable]

[She begins to speak, then breaks off--sags forward a little, head bowing for a few beats.]

...If I didn't, you sure didn't. Okay? Give us some credit.

[crossmyheartandhope]

...yeah. I guess so.

[He rests his hand on the back of her neck, gentle]

'Sides, it's all water under the bridge by now, yeah? Mehniel got out safe, and we're - well, we came through it, anyways. We're still kicking.

[unbr8kable]

Just us, now.

[The words come out soft, before she can stop them. And after they're out she only leans against him for a long few breaths]

But...yeah. We're still here.

So...let's go together?

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Oh]




[Oh]

[It really is just them, now]

[He opens his mouth, like he means to reply; closes it, not trusting his voice]

[He nods instead, eyes suspiciously overbright, the line of his lips a little wobbly]

[unbr8kable]

[She takes a little longer to pull away, and keeps tight hold of his hand when she finally does.

She squeezes at his hand, and takes a step forward]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He keeps hold of hers just as tight - swallows against the ache in his throat and steps up beside her]

[unbr8kable]

[She nods, then steps forward again, into the water.

The water doesn't start burning until it's up over her boots, the blaze of dark heat barely muted by the rest of her clothing. She sucks in a breath--squeezes his hand harder at the unexpected burn of it, hesitating as they take the next step in, to their waists]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He steps in beside her - remembers the burn well enough, the way it sinks in to your bones and deeper, to the very center of you]

[It doesn't make it any easier, but it means he doesn't waver on that second step, though his hand clutches tighter to hers]

[unbr8kable]

[There's no choice but to follow down another step, the fire going even hotter around her chest, pressing heavy at her limbs and lungs and heart, almost too much to bear.

She glances over to him, quick, not completely able to hide her apprehension]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He's trembling, a little; she can feel it, where their hands are connected]

Just remember. Hold on to you, okay?

It'll - it'll hurt some, but we'll get through it.

[unbr8kable]

[She nods, slow, the tremble echoed up her arm as well; in her voice]

...Here goes.

[A deep breath, and one last step, and she sinks under the water.]

[The burn goes hotter--colder--as the water closes over her head, up her muscles and tendons and the map of scars up her back; flaring over her skin, down her veins, burning out her heart.

A yelp before she can stop herself, though it's hard to worry about things like air when she is burning inside and out,]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He steps in right beside her - lets it swallow him up whole]

[The feeling is the same as last time, a burning so intense that he forgets to breathe - forgets he can breathe - makes a soft sound that leaves him as bubbles floating up toward the surface]

[His hand is still in hers, somehow - still holding on - and his fingers close down tighter as the sensation washes over him, threatening to burn out everything inside. Hold onto yourself, he said - but it seemed easier, last time, to know who that even was]

[unbr8kable]

[The pain doesn't ease as flames gobble up what she's been given to lick at the disappointing remains; she knows for certain what's left is no better than the rot that's already been burned away and letting it go would be doing the world a favor.

There is only one worthwhile thing to hold onto, and her fingers spasm against his, involuntary, as her chest burns hot and tight]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[It burns and it burns, edging closer to the center - to the place where his sense of self is stored]

[What remains of him is battered, now - diminished - worth less than it was when he awoke in this place fresh and new and eager. It's worth less, even, than the last time he did this, shattered but recovering, putting one foot in from of the next with every scrap of strength he had]

[What's left is smaller, now; that light at the center of him, bright and steady, has dimmed. It hasn't gone out, yet, but it takes him a long moment to find it - to think of a reason why it shouldn't just be washed away with all the rest]

[The reason is holding his hand right now; the pressure of her fingers against his palm is a reminder that there's something left he wanted to be here for, after all]

[unbr8kable]

[Her fingers go lax, and for a while all is finally still and quiet.]







[Abruptly she surfaces, gasping for breath; casting around as if disoriented]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He's not long behind, hair plastered to his forehead and water streaming down his face, coughing and gasping for breath]

[unbr8kable]

[Another few mindless beats, then she tugs at their joined hands, pulling him closer to see if he's okay]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[His arms come up around her, shaky- uncertain at first, and then tighter]

[unbr8kable]

[She winds her arms around him just the same, squeezing him close to see if he's okay--if he's warm]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He is warm, for once - warmer than he's been in a long, long time]

[He holds on to her tight, trembling more than a little]

[unbr8kable]

[Oh]

[Oh]

[She raises her good hand up to his face--to his neck, to check]