The morning had started off absolutely perfect.
The land had seemed to turn white overnight, as snow covered the previous ugly. It was only a light dusting when the spiky haired blonde had woken up, but it was more than enough to make a childish excitement surge within him, making him run to the window and grin as he looked at the land surrounding his house. Everything had been beautiful, the light from the sun reflecting off of the snow, making it glitter and shine in an almost magical way. He had pressed his palm against the windowpane, watching as the print left behind when he pulled away slowly faded, a sort of laugh escaping him. It was a light sound, one that echoed merrily in the room as the Dane had struggled to put on his pants and various other things he deemed appropriate for snow.
The blonde had run down the hall, one shoe on and the other at the end of the hall, tugging at his coat while avoiding tripping and falling on his face. Merrily, he had called out to his roomie, a grumpy little Norwegian, receiving a few unkind words for waking him up that were easily brushed off, after all, nothing could go wrong today! It was the first snowfall of the New Year! Laughing again, the Dane managed to get fully dressed without harming himself in some way before he had flung the door open, a gasp escaping him as he was fully confronted by the snow, a grin flashing across his face before he jumped outside, landing feet first in the previously undisturbed snow.
A disgruntled noise had come from behind him, the Dane barely had enough time to whip around before a snowball hit him straight in the face, getting up his nose and making him sneeze. It was an open declaration of war, one that he had been more than willing to accept, laughing as he threw snowballs at the Norwegian, dodging some and getting hit with others. It had been…perfect. Laughter could be heard, echoing over the otherwise silent land. Even his roommate had been laughing, a very quiet, almost unheard sound, but a laugh just the same.
He still wasn't sure what had happened next.
A battle would be the best word for it, an ambush was more accurate though. All he could remember was the clash of sword against shield, the feeling of blood spraying across his face, and the sickening thud of his axe burying itself into flesh. He had sprinted into the house to get his weapons, as well as something for Lukas. The battle itself passed by as nothing more than a blur. Panting, he stood, resting heavily against the hilt of his axe, muscles trembling, clothing torn, and blood dripping down onto the snow below.
What had been white only hours ago was now stained a deep crimson color, something that would last only until the next storm wiped it away, hiding it from the world. Bodies of the dead and dying marred the snow, making lumps protrude. The bodies were a bit harder to wipe away than the blood: in the spring, when everything melted, they would still be there. Slowly, Mathias raised his head, looking around the battlefield, barely glancing at the bodies of the fallen. It was only when his eyes glanced by a familiar form did he pause, attention returning to the small body that the snow was attempting to cover. Blue eyes that had been so bright before widened, their depths filling with alarm as he staggered over to that body, panic rising in the depths of his stomach, his knees giving out as he attempted to run. Falling hard into the snow, a sort of panicked sound escaping Mathias as he began to drag himself forward, his muscles absolutely screaming in protest.
That didn't matter though. He could suffer. He just needed to get there. He needed to see that there was…that…this was…all a joke. He needed to see that everything was going to be okay.
"Lukas!" He rasped out, shakily pushing himself to his knees, chest heaving, his eyes filling with hot tears as he shakily reached out and took the other man into his arms, a sort of sob escaping him. "Lukas…look at me. Please…look at me. Oh, please. Don't…keep fighting! Keep fighting! I know you're alright, you have to be alright! You can't leave me alone! Please…oh, please…" The Dane whispered brokenly, head hanging slightly, sobs making his shoulders shake. Drawing in a ragged breath, Mathias looked down at the still form in his arms, shakily using his thumb to brush away at a bit of blood on his cheek, though he only succeeded in smearing it.
"M…Mathias?" A raspy whisper came from Lukas, his eyes fluttering open, though their blue depths were dull and hazy with pain. "W…what happened?" He asked, staring up at the Dane with a rather unguarded expression. He just seemed…lost.
"Lukas…Lukas…oh, you're alive. Thank God, you're…alive." Mathias whispered, a shaky laugh escaping him, though his tears were still streaming down his cheeks. "Listen to me, you have to stay awake, okay? You have to stay awake. I don't care what it takes. You have to stay awake!"
"Mathias…" Lukas whispered, his hazy eyes slowly sliding closed. "It'll be alright. You'll be fine…" Breath hitching, Lukas pressed his face into Mathias' chest, a very small smile touching his face. "It snowed…Mathias. First snowfall of the New Year. Must be a sign."
"Lukas! Please!" Mathias choked, eyes widening further, panic threatening to choke him.
"It'll be okay, Mathias. It'll be okay…" Lukas' words were getting fainter, just barely able to be heard above the scream of the wind. "I…love you." And with that, Lukas lost whatever he had been holding onto, the blonde slumping in Mathias' arms, silent.
"Lukas! Wake up! You have to…you…you can't leave me alone! Lukas!" Mathias shouted, a sob escaping him as he curled around the lifeless form, openly sobbing. The wind had stopped all of a sudden, but the snow was still falling, attempting to cover the horrors of what had just happened.
Throwing his head back, Mathias let out a scream of absolute agony.
"Please! Oh God! Please! Don't take him from me! Please! I…I love him! And I didn't even get a chance to tell him that! Please…oh, please…"
"Please…"
