AN: Hi'ya. This is my first fic so be nice, please. I know everyone writes about the Striders but I got this idea and couldn't resist. Please forgive any spelling errors and such. I'd also like to say: TRIGGERS: Blood, Cutting, Death, Car Wrecks. Feedback is totally welcome. And. All the italicized wording is Dave's memory or what he's thinking, just so you're not confused. If it starts with "I did..." or "I felt" and it isn't italicized I probably made a mistake, sorry. Now! To the story.
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Dave was laying in bed. He was nearly asleep when his eyelids flickered with light, like a movie starting to play. He knew what was happening but he knew he could do nothing to stop it. He braced himself and let it all happen... Happy Birthday, Little Man. It always started this way. The last words of love he'd ever hear from his brother. The tears started already. Bro pulled out of the parking space and was soon on the road. Some stupid rap music was playing and his fingers tapped to the beat. I didn't complain. Everything was going perfect. I sighed and closed my eyes behind my new pair of mirror shades. They'd never compare to the old pair but they were a gift and so they meant something. Dave reached out and touched the newer pair of shades. They were cold and the cracks on the lenses could be felt. Bro started rapping along and so I just smiled. He must of felt the happy radiating off of me because he reached out and punched my shoulder. He said nothing. He must've knew silence was what I wanted. I was basking in this nonviolent, loving atmosphere. Dave's sob broke the silence. The apartment was dead quiet without Bro here. Music was usually playing or shitty smuppet porn could be heard through the walls. We just kept driving. I had opened my eyes again now and was just gazing out the window at the setting Texas sun. The sky was shades of violet and pink. I had to admit, it was beautiful. Bro cleared his throat and rubbed his chin. A habit he had. It didn't bother me at all. We drove past a 'This road will be closed between..." sign and I knew we were close. So close to home. I knew this happy day would be over then. I didn't want it to be. Dave let out a loud cry of emotion pain so strong it hurt. He hurled the shades across the room and slammed a fist into his pillow. Why the fuck did I want that?, he thought. This is my fault. He sobbed and wiped the tears away from his burning cheeks. He whimpered and considered now that the last gift he ever got from Bro was just destroyed by him. He felt that all he could do was destroy. I felt like time stood still. Hell, maybe it did. Everything went silent and still for a moments time right before it happened. A huge semi slammed into the driver side of the car, flipping us over and into a ditch. Screeching tires pierced my ears as the semi slid to a crooked halt. Everything was in super speed now. My new shades were cracked and my head was bleeding. Glass was all over my body and I had cuts everywhere. Fuck. I pulled out my phone and dialed 911. Air refused to fill my lungs and I was getting dizzy. I mumbled where I thought we were and then passed out. I didn't even look over at Bro. He was Bro. He had to be alright. He was always alright. He never lost a battle. Dave got up and stumbled into the bathroom, gasping for air. The cool tiles greeted his hot body as he laid on the floor and cried. His moans of agony were nearly screams. The stitches on his head opened up somehow and ruby red blood was dripping onto the floor. I was awoken by the sound of jaws of life tearing our car open. It was an awful sound. I'll never forget it. A neck brace was put on me and the world suddenly tilted and did cartwheels as I was pulled from my seat, bloody and bruised. I was put on a gurney and shoved into an ambulance. NO. NOOOO! DON'T LEAVE HIM. DON'T LEAVE MY BROTHER THERE! I struggled against the restraints. I was crying now. This was totally uncool but I couldn't help it. I passed out again. I woke up hours later. 14, said the doctor. A monitor was hooked up to me, my heart thumping a steady beat. Where the fuck is my brother? I asked as soon as a nurse came in. She got pale and didn't speak. Are you fucking deaf? DID YOU NOT FUCKING HEAR ME?! She hushed me and left. I sighed loudly and observed all the needles in my arm and monitors hooked up to me. I let the constant, steady beat of my heart soothe me. My doctor came in and explained to me, ' You've been asleep for about 14 hours. You were pretty banged up but very lucky. You can leave today but you'll need to come back in about a week for a checkup. Just to make sure... everything is okay.' He smiled a sickening smile and looked at me a few times. Where. Is. My. Brother? He frowned now and pulled one of the ugly, flowery chairs over and sat down. I felt the blood drain from my cheeks. He sighed deeply and looked down for a moment. When he looked back up his eyes were shimmery with tears. I couldn't cry. I was 15 now. A man. Not some sissy boy Strider. I looked him dead in the eye and waited. 'Well... We did everything we could but he.. He didn't make it. He passed away on the way to the hospital. His left lung was collapsed and he was bleeding severely. The driver of the semi also didn't make it. I'm sorry, Dave.' He reached out and patted my hand. Dave wiped the blood from his face and screamed, punching the floor as hard as he could. "WHY ME?! WHAT THE FUCK DID I EVER DO?!" He sobbed, gasping for air and spit in his blood. He got up, crawling to the bathtub and turned it on. He made the water scalding before stripping down and getting in. I felt tears roll down my face. Bro was flashing before my eyes. My first true memory of us at Disney World. Him and I strifing on the roof. Everything we ever did. I nearly threw up from the overwhelming emotions. I couldn't .. wouldn't believe it. Bro Strider. The man who always won had finally lost. I felt myself get dizzy and I passed out again. When I woke the needles and monitors were not with my anymore. I swung my legs over the bed and stood up. I felt like I wasn't in my own body. I walked out of the room and just left. I thought maybe it was a cruel joke and Bro was at home, waiting with smuppets and stupid shit. It wasn't I walked the 20 something blocks in total numbness until I was home. I got inside and leaned against the door, soon sliding down and breaking into tears. It was gentle cry this time. I tried to let everything go, thinking I was successful but that proved to be false. I got up and grabbed an old broken sword from the floor. I ran my finger against it and saw bubbles of red burst from my skin. This would do. Dave sunk into the tub and cringed. The water hurt against his numerous cuts, most self inflicted. He grabbed the razor from the side of the tub and sniffled. His tears were ebbing but the pain was not. He had made up his mind. I went into Bro's bedroom, smelling his spicy and matured scent comforted me but also broke my heart into a million more pieces. Why couldn't it have been me who died? I tugged off my tight pants and sat down on his bed. I ran my hands against the unmade covers and smiled. I took the blade out and started dragging lines across my albino white skin. My thighs were soon a bloody mess and I decided to stop. I wanted to die... Wanted to escape but I couldn't Not right now. Dave started making small cuts on the free spaces he still had left. His stomach and chest, mostly. His blood tinged the clear water a murky red and swirled endlessly. He had stopped crying and kept replaying that final drive home in his head. It hurt, oh dear god, did it hurt. But he needed to remember everything perfectly. He put the blade down for a moment and picked up the remote for the stereo. He turned it on and a song quite fitting for the moment started playing. (song: watch?v=LfNVfiqKBeM&feature= &t=2m18s ) He started crying again. He took the blade and looked at his wrist. He smiled and pressed as hard as he could, feeling the stinging bite of metal on his flesh as he drug the blade down his arm, opening a vein. Blood poured from him as he cried out in pain. The water was quickly turning a deep red. He did the same to his other wrist and just relaxed. He sung along to the tune. Are all worn down, the time for sleep is now, but it's nothing to cry about 'cause we'll hold each other soon in the blackest of rooms. If heaven and hell decide that they both are satisfied illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs. If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks then I'll follow you into the dark...
I'll follow you into the dark.
And he did just that. He bled out. Quickly. He felt happy in his last moments because he would soon be with the only person who truly loved him. He felt sick and disgusted at himself for not dying with his brother at the accident. Instead he took 5 days to follow him. He knew he'd be forgiven but he wasn't sure if he could forgive himself..
I was dead. It was so peaceful now. I felt something warm on my back and when I turned to look a glowing angelic figure was there. It was my brother. It was Bro. I could feel it. I reached out and so did he. I started crying. I lunged at him and hugged him tight. "I love you, Little Man." I love you too. He reached down and wiped my tears away. "Don't cry now.. We're together." I nodded and hugged him tighter. The pain was over. The happiness could really last forever.