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“i’m scared.” bobby mutters, fidgeting with the reese's wrapper. erik sighs, patting bobby on the shoulder.
“i know you are. but listen, we need to do this. i’ll wheel you out, get you resuscitated, and then we'll have fixed everything.” erik assures his brother. in all honesty, erik was scared too. of course he was, he was about to watch his little brother go into anaphylaxis and die. how could he not be scared?
“what if it doesn't work? what if i don't come back?” bobby whispers, hands shaking. erik crouches, getting to bobby’s level.
“do you really think i’d let you die? well, i mean, let you die die?” erik asks honestly, wanting bobby to trust him. bobby just sighs.
“no, but, people make mistakes. something could go wrong, man.”
“but it won't.”
“you don't know that!” bobby exclaims, exasperated. erik rolls his eyes.
“okay, sure, i don't know that. but i will try my very hardest to make sure something won't go wrong.” bobby swallows, eyes falling back to the candy wrapper. he starts to tear it open, erik nods in response.
“there you go.” as bobby takes the reese's cup out of the wrapper, he looks up at erik.
“can i… um, admit something?” erik groans, nodding.
“make it quick, dude. the others are looking for us.” bobby looks away, hands trembling.
“i… i’ve had a crush on you for a few months now.” okay, out of everything erik was expecting to come out of nobby's mouth, that was about the last thing on the list.
“...what. are you serious, dude?”
“sadly.” erik blinks rapidly, trying to form a coherent thought.
“wha– okay, why did you tell me this now?” bobby shrugs, looking at the floor.
“you know, in case i don't have another chance to say it…” erik blinks slowly now, pinching his nosebridge. on one hand, erik feels that he should be honest, tell bobby that he's felt the same way since they were 16 and 23, but maybe bobby didn't want to learn his brother was basically a predator. so erik just sighs.
“i… have one on you too, i guess.” bobby perks up, eyes wide.
“really? and you're not just saying that to be nice?”
“no, dude, ugh-” erik steps closer, hands on his knees. “this is already really embarrassing to say, don't make me repeat it.”
bobby smiles incredulously at him, that same, dumb smile that erik originally fell in love with. erik steps away shaking his head to hide his small smile.
“okay, okay, we've settled that we're freaks. now eat your peanut butter cup.” bobby glances down at his candy, swallowing. his smile falters.
“but… if it doesn't work, i’ve just lost this chance with you.” erik deadpans, getting on a knee in front of bobby.
“okay, consider this; now that our… feelings, have been shared, don't you think i’d try even harder to keep you alive?” bobby starts nodding, seeming to understand erik’s logic.
“o-okay, can…” he pauses, meeting erik’s gaze. “can you kiss me first?”
erik blushes slightly, shaking his head.
“i can kiss you after this.”
“please, just as a goodbye kiss? an “i’ll see you on the other side” kiss?” erik hangs his head, smiling.
“you're killing me. okay, come here.” erik sits up, leaning in towards bobby. he cups his brother’s cheek softly, gently pressing his lips against bobby’s. bobby happily reciprocates, their lips moving in sync tenderly against each other. after a few seconds, erik pulls away, sighing.
“there, was that good enough?”
“better than i could have imagined.” erik laughs softly, standing back up. bobby brings the chocolate to his mouth, now more confident. he looks up at erik, a soft smile on his face.
“i’ll see you on the other side?”
“you will.”
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as blood pooled out of erik’s mouth, his consciousness faded. he was glad he gave bobby a goodbye kiss.