Metal.

The taste of coppery metal lingered as Charles had Henry’s arm slung over his shoulders, helping them along as the two hobbled along the broken-down hallways and corridors. Support beams and wall panels were ripped from their places, exposed frames and wires sparking every so often.

Ash.

The smoke from the other room spat out soot and ash, which clung to the both of them, darkening Henry’s stark white hair, onto Charles’s jacket, which was slung around Henry’s neck, supporting their sprained arm. Crashing into the station’s docking bay wasn't Charles’s intention, but a shot, breaking into one of the engines said otherwise. It was lucky enough that nothing was too broken. Lucky enough that the exploding ships did not catch them as well.

Blood

Both of their legs were aching as they finally reached the final escape pod hallway… only to find all of the windows empty, leading out to empty space. The void, bespeckled with small spheres of hot gas, creating clusters of stars. The earth shining up to them both, the sea and lands swirling together with blues and greens, swirled beneath white clouds. Charles winced, leading Henry down to the wall, where a window stood, looking over everything. Henry looked up to him, then to the other pods.

“ … none left for us?” Henry asked, voice low, gravely.

“None.” Charles shook his head, sliding down the wall as well, finding a spot next to them. “We checked all around this ring, anything else would have been taken or destroyed.”

Henry tried to lift themselves up, leaning into Charles’s side more. He obliges, wrapping his long arms around them, pulling them close to him. Another hand came to reassuringly brush away their hair, and Henry looked back up at Charles, a weak smile shining through the dim flashing lights.

“… Can we stay like this? Please?” Voice low, quiet, almost not heard over the distant alarm and the rumbling of the station.

Charles only responded by holding Henry closer, opting to lift them into his lap. “Wouldn't think of anything else, Sunshine.” He reached his hand forward to catch Henry’s free one, and smiled as his head leaned against the plating behind his head.

The two stayed like that for a minute or so, before Henry spoke up again, fingers twirling around Charles’s bracelet. “ . . . Ellie’s is going to worry about us… Do you think she would know at first?”

“Most likely.” Charles let out a sigh, then a grim chuckle. “Man… she would think we’re doing another dramatic entrance. Always late to the party, coffee for everyone in hand…”

Henry laughed. “Coffee with milk, cream, and a pump of caramel, stirred…” The warm, overly sweet beverage… they could almost smell it. Charles’s own black coffee mingling with their own, and Ellie’s, the sugar wafting from it. They tried to laugh again, but ended up coughing. Charles rubbed Henry’s back, comforting.

“… Coffee would be nice… if we get down to see her again… You would get a mocha, right?” Charles joked, Henry chucking as another rumble shook the station, their hands gripping at Charles’s shirt. “Y- Yeah… mocha…”

The ship rumbled again, and Henry gripped onto Charles’s shirt tighter. They started to shake, trembling in Charles’s arms. His head went down, nuzzling Henry as he leaned back, holding Henry tighter. Charles’s fingers clung to Henry’s own sweater, still soft…

They seemed so happy to get it on their birthday….

“I’m… I’m scared… Charles… I…” Henry’s voice was shaking as well. “I don’t want to… don’t want to…”

“I know hon… I know…” Charles’s hand went to brush at their face, pushing away the tears that started to appear at the corners of their eyes, ignoring the ones on his own. “I don’t…” A sharp breath as another rattle made both tighten their grips on each other. “I… don’t want to either.”

The rumbling was constant now, pieces tumbling down from the walls, away from the mechanics. Flickers of flames were evident at the very end of the hallway, as more supports crashed down. It took another minute before Henry could find the voice to speak again.

“Y… you know… back at home… that lill jar we were saving up for?” Henry chuckled at that memory, dumping out an old jar, washing it out before placing it back on the bookshelf. It was so faint by then, Ellie and Charles asking what it was for, and them never telling.

“Yeah Hen? You emptied it again last month… what for?” A chuckle. “What, are you going to tell me now?”

“In my room… under the mattress…” A cough, the air getting thinner by the minute. “… I got you something. Both of you…” A smile cropped up again, tears now fully flowing.

Then, sobs. Full out sobs. Charles held Henry close as he too began to cry now. He didn't know, but the emotions were so heavy…

“I wanted to travel the world with you two, I wanted to get a nice home with you-” A heave for air. “A home with a garden… a home with the dog… the dog you always wanted, a cat Ellie wanted…..” Another heave. Charles leaning in on the both of them.

“I… I wanted to marry you guys…”

The rumbling of the station ripping itself apart exploded into silence, as Charles gripped onto Henry, who then mimicked them, as the both of them felt the burst of heat of the coming explosion, consuming the toppat station in a magnificent, massive fireball.

Fire

The heat was immense, the flames licking up everything in its path. Consuming the fabric of suits and dresses still hung up in closets, bedsheets, and pillows charring up in rooms. The chairs in dining rooms, uneaten food still left out in the panic, and in the unoccupied kitchens. Carpets in hallways, curling with the heat generated. The metal plates glowing a fire engine red, radiating more heat. And fire consuming the two still stuck on the station.

Silence.

pet_suppliesGore & Violence

WarningSensitive Topics