Author's Note: This is just a really short ficlet I wrote for a friend about something we were talking about. Because of this fic, she's not talking to me. In fact, she wants to kill me. I should really stop sinking her otp. oh well.
A gunshot echoed throughout the forest and then two more, sending animals scattering from the scene and a man kneeling on the ground, doubled over in pain. One minute he'd been walking peacefully in the forest and the next he was being held at gun point. Honestly, he didn't think he'd get shot. It was an overcast day and he was in a forest so it was slightly dark but even so, he could see that the man didn't look like a killer or someone who could kill. Of course, he was wrong, not entirely though.
He looked up, trying desperately to ignore the searing pain in his stomach, when he heard the clatter of his shooters gun fall to the ground. Only just being able to see his shooters face, he saw the look of panic and terror on his face. Or that's what he thought because he only had a glimpse of it before his attacker turned and ran from the scene of the crime.
Ever so slowly, he began to sit back up so he could see exactly where the bullets had struck him. This process was a slow and painful one but eventually, he sat up. Examining his torso he found three bullet holes bleeding profusely. One was in his stomach, and the second and third in his chest. The second only just scraping his right lung and the third only just missing his heart, though he didn't know this himself.
He coughed, bringing up a mouthful of blood with it. The town wasn't that far away from where he sat since he did walk there but it was just that little bit too far for him and his injuries. At this point, the pain was beyond agonising and he realised that he was most likely going to die.
Not that he cared much. He had longed for deaths embrace for so long. But something stirred inside of him. Something that felt along the lines of fear and panic. He didn't quite understand that, thinking that he'd welcome death's embrace when it finally came instead of feeling fear and panic with a drop of sadness.
Why was he feeling like thing when for so long, he'd been longing for death's cold embrace?
Smiling a small, almost sheepish, smile - which was the most he could conjure up because of the pain - he realised why he might be feeling those feeling right at that moment. There was a certain someone in his life who he wasn't quite ready to let go of.
Oh the irony. When he longed for death's embrace, he never got it but when he no longer wanted it, he was the one death wanted to embrace. There was nothing he could do though as he lay helplessly on the cold, hard ground. Nothing but watch the world fade from vision as wave after wave of a sudden loneliness crashed over him. Oh the irony.
0o0o0o0o0
Arthur quickly walked through the forest in hopes he'd find his lover who'd gone walking in the forest around fifteen minutes ago. He didn't know which way Francis had gone but he knew that he was somewhere in this forest. Unfortunately for him, this forest in particular, was large compared to the other smaller forests dotting the country side around him.
A gunshot echoed throughout the forest, then two more. He'd only been walking in the forest for around ten minutes when he heard the gunfire. Sudden panic raced through his body when he heard the gunshots. It was far too late in the year for townspeople to be hunting animals and so, jumping to conclusions, he ran towards the gunshots as quickly as he could, almost tripping over no less than three times.
Arthur could see a small clearing up ahead. He slowed down to a walk, that slowed even further to a creep, just in case there was still someone there who may or may not have a gun. Cautiously, he crept to ward the edge of the clearing until he could see the entirety of the clearing. His eyes widened in alarm when he was met with the sight of Francis, his Francis, lying almost motionlessly on the ground and in what looked to be blood, while more blood covered his front like a blanket.
He rushed to Francis' side, ever so gently scooping him up in his arms and gingerly holding him to his chest. "Francis, what- h-how- what happened?" Arthur stuttered, adrenalin, panic and worry coursing through his body. He looked down at Francis' stomach and chest and could tell, just by looking at them, that they were deep and in very, extremely bad places. Brushing his hand over the bullet hole in his stomach to try and see exactly where the bullet holes were, he pulled back his hand once he heard him wince in what probably was pain.
Arthur was about to apologise when Francis interrupted him. "Ar-Arthur?" he whispered, hardly being able to hear himself, doubting that Arthur had heard anything at all but continued, "I-Is it you?" He couldn't be sure if it was Arthur, his ears had begun to ring and his vision had begun to cloud over
"Yes, it's me, Arthur." he said, taking a piece of hair that was in Francis' face and moving it to the side.
"D-Death is not so cruel after all."
"I-I'm not going to let you die Francis."
"Ar-Arthur," he struggled, "you can see the severity of my wounds as well as I can. B-Both you and I know I'm going to die."
Arthur began to shake his head in denial. "No! Don't say that! Th-The town is only t-ten minutes a-away." As strong as he liked to think he was, his walls started to crumble and fall as he felt warm, salty tear fall down his face. "You-You can't die a-and leave me here. A-Alone..."
Francis lifted his heavy hand and took Arthur's hand, which was lying almost weightlessly on his chest, into his own. "Mo-Mon cher, I wouldn't make it five minutes. Yo-You know that. And you won-won't be al-alone. You h-have A-Alfred and M-Mathew, re-remember?" By this time, he found it increasingly difficult to speak. He felt like he was drowning almost.
"N-No! I-I won't let you die. I-I swear on my life Francis, I swe..." Arthur trailed off, he didn't know why, he just did.
"M-Mon cheri, one l-last th-thing." Letting go of Arthur's hand, he lifted his hand up to his cheek and gently caressed it, wiping away any stray tears that fell. His vision was even more cloudy than before partly because he knew his time was almost up and because of his tears that streamed down either cheek.
"W-What is it?" It came out as nothing more than a whisper.
"Don-Don't cry for me. I-I'm not worth your happiness."
Arthur didn't say anything for there was nothing to say. He held Francis' hand, the one pressed against his cheek and carefully leaned forward and gently planted a small kiss on Francis' lips, savouring every moment.
"Je t'aime, Arthur." And with that last breath of air Francis was gone. Just like that. Gone.
Arthur was silent. Still sitting there, bent over Francis. There was nothing he could do nor say. It was like he was frozen in time. Something, though, snapped him out of his trance though. Be it the great rumble of thunder above or the little voice inside his head, he didn't know and he really couldn't care less.
He rested his forehead against Francis' and opened his mouth to shakily say these words:
"I have died every day, waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you
For a thousand years
And I'll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more."
As soon as the last word left Arthur's lips, the heavens above opened and the rain poured down. It was like the heavens were crying for him, for Francis and every other cruelty the world inflicted upon it's people.