Beep. Beep. Beep.

That's all he could hear while the doctor talked to his brother outside of the room. Why they had to talk that way, he couldn't say for sure. He already knew how serious his condition was, why did everything have to be a secret? It was even weirder knowing that Dewey was okay with it. Usually his boyfriend sided with him on everything, but this was the first time that he had agreed to talk to the doctor privately.

Huey sighed softly, staring down at his webbed feet as he swung them gently. The heart monitor sat right beside him along with the paperwork full of his test results that had been collected over the two years he had been here. He was just ready to go home, he didn't care if it killed him, he wanted to be at home, not cooped up in this hospital. The IV in his arm was too horrifying for him to look at. Huey wasn't afraid to admit that at times, he had tried to pull it out of his body. He hated needles that were associated with the medical field. Needles that pierced the skin was something he just couldn't do.

Then there was the IV pin he didn't dare pull out of his arm. That pin was doing something completely different to him. While the pin in his left arm was measuring his heart rate, the other one was what was ultimately keeping him alive. He gazed over at his red cap that was resting on the chair beside his bed. It was a rule, no hats of any sort could be worn. Dewey had been furious when the doctor forced him to take the red cap off of his boyfriend.

Dewey loved seeing Huey wearing that cap since he had been the one to give it to him on their sixth birthday. He had saved up all his money from the tooth fairy to buy it for him, and at six-years old, the eldest triplet had embraced his brother in a tight hug, shouting 'thank you' over and over again.

He wiped away a single tear that had formed in the corner of his eye, which caused him to hiss in slight discomfort as he felt the IV pin adjust its position in his forearm.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The junior woodchuck was growing irritated at that sound. With each beep it gave, Huey felt as if it was a clock instead of a heart monitor. His eyes were switching to look at it every few seconds just to make sure that he hadn't stopped breathing. The lines that went up with every beep were his only indicator that he was still grounded to this earth. He bit his lip, forcing his eyes away from the machine. His breathing had started to become shaky, his body trembling in response to something that had nothing to do with the temperature. In truth, Huey wasn't afraid of what could possibly happen to him. He was more afraid of what was going to happen to Dewey if anything went wrong. The eldest triplet refused to leave his lover. Even when the doctors insisted that he do specific treatments alone, he refused to do them if Dewey couldn't be there.

The middle triplet had stood by him through the whole thing. It broke Dewey's heart to see his brother like this, shattered into a million pieces by something that hadn't even physically hurt him. The blue-cladded duckling had never seen his lover so lost and depressed. This cancer had taken Huey away from him mentally, but he sure as hell wasn't going to let it take him away physically. He'd hold onto his older brother for as long as he could, and he hoped he would be able to do that for the rest of his life. If there was any possible way to transfer the cancer onto himself, removing it from his boyfriend completely, he would do that in a heartbeat.

Huey wasn't the one who needed to go through this pain. He was too good and precious. This world needed to have him in it. That's what he always told people when he wanted to hide the truth that in reality, he was the one who needed his lover. Dewey couldn't imagine how his life would be if Huey ever left it. It was one thing if they broke up for he would still physically be here. If he died, though, everything would be different. Dewey would have no one to run to if his older brother was gone. Sure, there was still Louie and his two uncles, but it just wouldn't feel the same to him.

The way Huey held him when he was upset was something no one could replicate no matter how much they tried. How he kissed his face to dry his tears was something he would never have again if he left this world. Everything that Huey was made Dewey feel elated. If everything was taken away from him, what would he have left to hold onto?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

That's what the middle triplet heard as he walked back into the hospital room, a soft sigh escaping him once the door was closed and he was alone with his lover. Dewey turned to look at his brother, but all he saw was the cracked personality of someone that once was. Huey barely had any color left in him. It looked as if he was already dead.

And Dewey hated seeing his brother like that.

He walked up to the side of the bed, causing Huey to glance at him before returning his gaze back to his slowly swinging feet. Dewey looked at his lover, a sense of sadness washing over him. This was always the hardest part for the middle triplet, watching as Huey's happiness and mind slowly started to slip away until it was nothing more than a memory. He wasn't totally out of it, though. He didn't have amnesia or anything, but it sure looked like he did. Over the past two years that Huey had been in the hell-hole of a building, his courage and willing to speak had faded away until he was completely mute. He never uttered a word, even to Dewey.

Why should he have to speak if he was getting worse instead of better?

Dewey missed the sound of Huey's voice so much, it brought him so much relief whenever his brother calmed him down. The best part about Huey was that he knew exactly what to say in any mood the middle triplet found himself in. Even when he pushed his brother away, Huey kept coming back, trying again, praying the different set of words he chose would be the ones to break down Dewey's walls so he could get in and comfort him like he needed to.

The middle triplet placed a gentle hand on Huey's leg, rubbing it comfortingly. He stared down at his brother's lap, knowing that Huey didn't really respond to the touch. The silence was something both of them had grown accustomed to, but Dewey hated it with a burning passion. He needed at least some type of verbal communication. Even if he was the only one giving it, it was the only way he knew that could give Huey at least some form of reassurance.

He looked up at his older brother, placing a gentle kiss on his lips, wanting to grab his attention first before he said anything. Huey's head slowly came to raise so that they were looking into each other's eyes. If there was any sort of reaction to his kiss, Dewey would've guessed that Huey's cheeks which were now a light shade of pink was his best bet for a non-verbal reaction.

"I know this probably isn't the best time to ask, but I'm going to anyways," Dewey took a deep breath, suddenly becoming nervous, "would you maybe, I don't know, want to dance with me?"

Huey stared at his lover, one eyebrow raised. He said nothing, but shook his head. The small smile that the middle triplet had plastered on his lips had faded away into a frown. "But you love to dance." He replied, crossing his arms over his chest gently as he looked down.

Dewey knew that Huey wouldn't be in the mood or the condition to do anything active, but it still surprised him quite a bit to know that he hadn't even thought about it before he decided against it. Huey loved to dance, and he knew that his lover adored it even more when they were dancing with each other.

He sighed, turning away from his brother. "You're right, it's a bad idea anyways, I wouldn't want to risk you getting worse. I just thought it would've cheered you up some before… you know."

Huey glanced at the heart monitor, then at the two IV pins that were in his arms. He sighed quietly before looking at Dewey, who was turned to the side, but was keeping his head directed at his boyfriend. The eldest triplet gave his brother a gentle smile and nodded slightly. The blue-cladded duckling smiled back, going back over to the edge of the bed.

He carefully took ahold of Huey's hand before helping him off of the hospital bed. The eldest triplet gulped, glancing down at his legs to make sure that they hadn't faltered and he had fallen to the ground. Dewey chuckled softly, using his other hand to gently lift his chin away from the ground. "I've got you, baby. Just follow my lead, alright?"

The triplet in the hospital gown blushed lightly and nodded. Dewey began to guide his lover around the room, his hands resting on his hips as to not let him fall and also just to keep him as close as he possibly could. Huey laid his forehead against Dewey's, his eyes sparkling as he stared into his lover's beautiful eyes. He slowly moved his arms to where they hung over his brother's shoulders. He hissed in pain, however, feeling the IV pins begin to move.

Dewey immediately noticed and shushed him gently by placing a soft and comforting kiss on his lips. He took a mental note to make sure he didn't do any crazy moves that would cause his boyfriend more pain than what he was already enduring. Huey hummed lightly, a few tears in his eyes. His lip quivered, the kiss he gave in return was lighter than the one Dewey had given. His eyes were barely open as his boyfriend dipped him enough to where the IV pins wouldn't move. Dewey held him there for a few more seconds. Huey's breath was becoming staggered as everything continued. Soon enough, the middle triplet had brought his brother back so he was standing upright again.

He moved one hand to Huey's back to rub it gently. But once he did, he felt something on his back that he knew hadn't been there before. Dewey broke the kiss lightly, keeping their lips only centimeters apart. They had stopped moving and were only swaying their hips by now. Huey glanced at his back, sighing softly before looking back at his brother.

"They started the process already, didn't they?"

Huey nodded sadly, tears starting to well up in his eyes. Dewey shushed his lover quietly, wiping his tears away gently. "Don't think about that right now, baby," he whispered, "let's just keep dancing."

And so they did. They danced and danced, Huey's head was starting to make its way to Dewey's shoulder. The feeling of terror was slowly starting to consume the blue-cladded triplet. The dance they were sharing was starting to become slower and slower as the seconds ticked by. Dewey suddenly gasped and shouted his boyfriend's name once he felt Huey slip out of his arms. He fell to his knees, tears in his eyes. Huey was barely breathing as he was scooped up in Dewey's arms. With fear and tears mixed into his eyes, the middle triplet held his lover close to him.

"Don't you dare leave me, Huey," he sobbed, not realizing that the doctors had rushed into the room to finish the process.

Dewey gasped, letting out a sharp 'no!' as one of the doctors removed Huey from his lover's arms and placed him back on the bed. With one doctor holding Dewey back, the other one went to go pull the IV out from Huey's right arm.

"Wait!" He sobbed, a pool of tears forming around his feet. "Please, wait!"

Both doctors stopped and looked at the pleading boy. "Kid, we can't keep him on life support any longer. Nothing's curing him so there really isn't a reason to keep this going."

"J-just let me say one last thing to him, please. He's my boyfriend and I love him." The doctors glanced at each other before sighing and stepping away from the two lovebirds. Dewey immediately rushed over to Huey's bedside. The red-cladded triplet's eyes were barely open, but he was able to see enough. Dewey had tears streaming down his cheeks as he gently moved a couple strands of hair out of his brother's eyes.

"Oh baby…"

Huey's head turned slightly just in time to see his lover break down in tears. He moved his hand slowly until it was resting on top of his brother's. Dewey held it gently, kissing it as the tears fell from the edge of his cheeks onto his lover's knuckles.

"I need to ask you something before you go." Dewey was whispering, his hand shaking as he revealed a small black box from the pocket that was on his jacket. He sniffed before getting down on one knee and opening the box to where Huey could see the ring inside.

"Hubert Duck, my love, will you marry me and be my husband?"

One of the doctors gasped, clearly not expecting that. Though he was very weak, Huey had somehow managed to create tears in his own eyes. He nodded, a small smile on his face. Dewey smiled, crying harder after standing up and carefully placing the ring on his now fiancé's finger. The middle triplet placed one hand on his brother's cheek, stroking it as he gave him a tender and loving kiss on the lips. Huey gathered up as much strength as he could and returned it. They stared into each other's eyes, a sense of calmness washing over both of them even as one set of eyes began to close for a permanent rest.

"I love you, Hueberry." Dewey whispered, a mix of sadness and joy in his voice.

"I-I… I love you too, D-dew… D-dewdrop."

Beep. Beep. …

10 Years Later

He stared at the gold ring as it laid around his finger. There were tears in the corners of his eyes. He quickly wiped them away, not wanting his lover to see him cry. Dewey got down on his knees, not caring about the mud that was now on his legs. He held the umbrella in one hand and a bouquet of roses in the other.

Roses were always Huey's favorite. Dewey sniffed, placing the roses near the headstone. He sat back on his heels, his eyes fixated on the gravestone. The twenty-one year old took a deep breath as he stared at the name that was etched into the stone.

Hubert Duck. His brother. His lover. His husband.

Though it had been ten years since his lover's death, Dewey kept the promise he made to himself when he had reluctantly left the hospital all those years ago. He never remarried. Dewey knew that even if he did want to, he would never be able to move on.

Dewey didn't want to move on.

Even in death, Huey was always going to be the only one for him. Every year on this day, the still blue-cladded duck visited his brother's grave. There were roses everywhere from the past ten years. Even the first bouquet of roses he brought were still there, healthy as ever.

Dewey placed his hand that held the ring onto the stone. He leaned closer to it, his tears falling onto the petals of the roses that lay below him. He gently kissed the stone as if he were kissing his husband. He ran his fingers over the carved letters that made up Huey's name, feeling as if he was still holding onto him in a way by doing this.

"Happy anniversary, baby," Dewey whispered to the gravestone, praying that somehow, his lover heard him. "I love you so much. Don't worry, I'll be there with you soon enough."