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The Pantheon had been quiet for so long. Aside from the whispering breeze and occasional footsteps of whoever cared to visit, it was practically deserted. If it hadn’t been so carefully decorated with fancy furniture, sentimental objects, and paintings of past grandeur, you would think that it belonged to no one.
But today, after twenty days of silence, laughter and tears rang throughout the shaft like the holiest of church bells. It truly was a special occasion, one that had brought together even the worst of enemies. Within the dusty seats sat an assassin whose loyalty lied to one, a business woman repeatedly bruised by the tribulations of life, and a fighter pushed down to the role of a spectator, all united for one shared purpose: their Supreme Leader, who had finally been returned to his rightful throne. After what was nearing a month of pure torture, Ashswag had been rescued by the aforementioned three. The event was a pure shock to the leader, apparent by his desperation to know exactly why they would save him, but little did he know that it was his love that brought them all together.
The love that he always shared despite never learning how to.
Soon after they returned home, the sun was tucking itself beneath the horizon as the skies around it faded to orange, the clearest indicator that the day was coming to a close. The group had spent their time exchanging affection and vulnerabilities, making declarations that they never thought they’d say. But unfortunately, after the long day they had, they knew that they should be resting alongside the sun. It was a sad truth, and if Ash could find a way to erase exhaustion from the world just to spend the rest of the night with them, he absolutely would. However, such an overzealous goal would take much longer than a second to complete, so he would have to make do with the loneliness to come.
Katie stepped away from Ewron, turning to look towards her brother with a distant expression. To anyone but Ash, it was clear that there was a dark undertone in her demeanor, but all he could see was his big sister—and now, his savior. She smiled at him and began wrapping up the conversation. “Well… I should get home now and get some good sleep before I find any hideouts for us. It’ll be a longgg day of searching for me.”
Don stood up beside her, stretching his arms behind his back.
“Yeeup,” he began. “I should get going too. But I’ll come and visit tomorrow, okay, Ash?”
Ash’s lips pursed together as he stared at the table below. On the tip of his tongue sat pleas for them to stay, last ditch efforts to keep them within arms reach before they were somehow separated again. It had been so long since they acted like a real family (or at least what he perceived to be one), could they not go on for even a second more? He swallowed his thoughts and looked up, nodding lightly.
“Yeah, okay. I’ll see you two. Get home safe.”
Katie and Don nodded back in unison, then turned to exit the Pantheon together. Ash sat there silently, watching them. The way they moved, their postures, their expressions as they warped away, he accounted for everything, just to engrain them in his brain again. After all of the brainwashing he was put through, their faces were fuzzy spirals even while sitting right in front of him. But he could not let himself forget, especially when the Federation Officers wanted so badly for him to let go of them in particular. He had to fight back.
But there was one face that was clear. Or at least, clear enough for him to remember the exact tone his skin carried twenty days prior. His very own Blade.
“Ash, we should get some rest now.” Ewron’s voice, though previously boisterous, held a sort of sweet weight to it. There was a tenderness in his words that, for some reason, Ash hadn’t been expecting.
Ash looked up at him, “what..? Aren’t you leaving too?”
“No, no. Leave you alone and injured after you were tortured for twenty days straight? Do you think that I am crazy?”
Silence.
“I am staying, Ash. Now get up.”
Ewron’s hand reached forward, fingers parting expectantly. Ash’s eyes lowered to the gesture, hesitant. His own hand picked itself up, hovering over Ewron’s before eventually taking it, allowing the man to lift him to his feet. Then, unfortunately, as they both forgot, Ash’s legs trembled beneath him and without a moment’s notice, buckled. The cushioned, purple chair got shoved back when Ash caught himself on the table, heavy breaths escaping his throat. Suddenly, a cheeky grin and two, fluffy ears appeared in his peripheral.
“Perhaps we should take our time, yes..?”
Ash looked up and firmly nodded. “Right, yes…”
They stood up straight together. Ewron gently placed his arm over Ash’s shoulder, and Ash did the same. Carefully, in a shared silence, the two inched for the elevator, and with a lift of Ewron’s heels, they were on the second floor.
When Ash was finally sitting on the bed, his hands tightly gripped the sheets below him with his eyes uncomfortably focused on the floor. The air in that moment felt incredibly still, unlike the cold, refreshing breeze they had both felt hours before. Ewron stared analytically.
“I just…” a pause. “Why do you look like that, Ewron? Maybe I’m misremembering, but I’m pretty sure you had full skin the last time I saw you.”
“…I won’t lie to you, Ash.” Ewron hesitantly replied, “You’re remembering right, but I cannot tell you right now. What we need to focus on is you.” He crouched, gliding his hands up to the leader's face. Glitch particles burst against his fingers one after another, but he paid them no mind.
Though tempted to break away, Ash let the touch stay. “How can I focus on myself when all I can see is your… rotting skin.”
It was obvious that the statement hit Ewron hard. Rather than a verbal answer, he took Ash’s hand once more and set it gently atop his own heart. Underneath the layers of fabric, something pulsed gently against Ash’s fingers.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
“I am alive, Ash. That is what matters. We are alive.”
“No, Ewron. As it stands, you are death itself.”
The thought of Ewron dying pricked at Ash’s mind like stuck cacti. He couldn’t bear the thought that, at some point, he would leave him and their purpose alone. It had always seemed unfathomable. An end that constantly clawed at Ewron but could never quite reach—that damn cockroach. And that was how it was supposed to be, not something in arms length. But judging from how Ewron looked, it was almost as if a breeze could push him into the greedy grasp of fate.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
“I… you can’t die on me,” he stuttered. A rare occurrence; Ewron’s focused expression faltered. “You can’t.”
His voice cracked.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
“I’d be lost without you.”
Ash’s head landed gently against Ewron’s chest, his fingers curling tightly around the fabric. Tears fought to break loose, and it was then that Ash realized what was happening. For what could very well be the first time, he was crying in front of Ewron. On Ewron. And it wasn’t even for himself, but for the fear of losing his dearest friend.
A few months ago, or however long ago it was, he was planted on the boat with no interest in forming relationships. He thought that they were distractions, things that could deter him from his life's purpose. But now, after everything… After losing his daughters, rediscovering his family, watching an innocent man die in front of his very eyes, Ash could say that he cherished the relationships he’d found. He didn’t want to focus on his goal anymore. He just wanted his friends.
And the one who helped him through it all was about to die.
Die.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
His first choice of freedom was going to die, and there was nothing he could do about it.
His breath began to pick up.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
Ewron was talking, but he couldn’t hear a word.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
All Ash knew was that the heart he was listening to could stop at any moment, and he had to witness it.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
He would listen to that damn heart until it died.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
That was a promise.
Suddenly, Ewron tore away from Ash’s body and placed his hands firmly on his shoulders. Ash’s vision blurred and static filled his head. The most he could process was his presence, and the lack of a heartbeat.
“Ewron, I…” he wanted to say something that would be worth his time, but all that came out was a broken sob. He didn’t know why he thought he was capable; he could barely even breathe.
“Stop. Quiet, Ash, listen to me. I know that you’re afraid,” his head was pulled closer to Ewron’s. “But the thing that you’re afraid of will not come now. You do not have to hold onto my heartbeat if it isn’t slowing. You just have to hold onto me.”
Ewron always had a certain way of speaking. In open spaces, his words would be emphasized, and his voice loud enough to cause an avalanche. In closed ones, he could control himself to sound like the ebbing of waves. Calm and reassuring, with the occasional rise and fall in volume. But here? There was a noticeable difference. There was no forced emphasis, nor was there ebbing. Everything came out straight, natural, and calculated. It was something that Ash had never heard before.
It was grounding, to hear Ewron so focused. It was clear how intentionally he spoke and how determined he was to complete his short-term objective. It was thought out, and he never usually cared for thinking. But he did with Ash.
And that blatant care went a long way.
“Whether your hand is on my heart or not, it will still beat in unison with the rise and fall of your chest. I swear to you. You can relax.”
Ewron slowly lowered himself beside him, and was met by a head tucking itself under his neck. A small buzz came with the touching of skin, and the way the red panda flinched could’ve told Ash of the way it hurt, if he wasn’t so absorbed in his being.
Arms tangled around both of their bodies and they were suddenly connected by more than just their souls; now their legs intertwined, and maybe even their tears, too, if Ewron allowed it. Ash imagined he would, just for the illusion of crying with him rather than on. It felt better that way—we are crying, he could think.
They were in this together.
“You've had a long day. Rest now, and we can watch those shitty Polish romcoms you mentioned tomorrow,” Ewron said as his hand carded through Ash’s curls.
Through tears, he laughed breathlessly. “Dude, what..? How do you even remember that?”
“You were excited to tell me about them. Of course I remember.”
Ash hummed. That made sense, he supposed.
The two eventually landed on their sides atop the pillow, squished together by the small width of the bed. Ash’s tears had dried out, leaving a gentle smile in their stead. He could breathe again. And while laying there so close, he could see what looked like tear stains beneath Ewron’s eyes too. The curves of his lips tilted upward by just a fraction, and he shifted closer.
“You said you’d stay the night,” he repeated, a slight shake in his voice. He couldn’t tell whether it was simply the remnants of crying or desperation.
Ewron nodded, “I did, and I am. Don’t worry, Ash. I’m here.”
He stayed quiet for some time, emotions brewing in his head. He would stay—of course he would, he vowed to be by his side forever, didn’t he?
But despite that responsibility seeming like a burden on paper, Ewron seemed happy to be there. Ash had never realized it before, the genuineness behind his actions. And before he could hold it in, the words came pouring out.
“Ewron, I—“
Almost. Ewron cut him off.
“Tomorrow. Let’s rest for now.” Ewron matched his smile.
Ash opened his mouth again, tempted to defy him and continue what he was saying, or teasingly tell him to fuck off. But neither of those came, and he nodded instead.
“Okay. Good night, Ewron.”
Ash took in his face one last time, then closed his eyes. Tomorrow, he thought to himself. We will talk about this tomorrow.