Sitting down at that lonely grave was something that old Eliwood did for a long time. Heck, he could stand there for hours or even an entire day, just reading and re-reading the name written on the stone.

"Hector"

He promised to not die right? But well, the old Eliwood knew that was a childish promise made when they were both young, and it was bound to happen one day. He just wished that it happened in a different way. Or rather, he would have liked that it never happened at all.

"You big oaf...you were supposed to be the strongest man in all Lycia, how could you be bested so easily...?" He said those words for the 100th time in his life, yet as the other 100 times, he didn't mean them. He didn't want an answer to that, he already knew that the king of Bern was incredibly strong and he knew his long-time friend did all he could to keep up with him. He was getting old too anyways, he wasn't as strong as he used to be.

A soft sigh escaped his always delicate lips as he rose back up, but looked up at the stars instead of leaving right away. He came to this place so early in the morning, and he just sat all day there, looking at a goddamn stone that wouldn't give him his friend.

His friend.

His best friend.

His best friend.

His.

"...That's not true and you know it..." He shook his head as he turned back, and turned to walk away, but just in the moment he took the first step, he took a sharp gasp as he stood there, amazed. He...wasn't really there, was he?

"...H-Hector...?" But the figure didn't respond. No, it wasn't true, he knew he wasn't there. Standing in front of him was the young Hector with whom he fought along to defeat Nergal more than 20 years ago. And yet...

"Eliwood" His voice made him froze. He chuckled "Eliwood, look at yourself, you look like a helpless old lady with that expression. Chill, dude" How could he be so casual about all this? What was even happening?

"...H-How...can you-" he didn't even finish his question when his friend held his hand to him.

"C'mon, I've been waiting for you man" this time he grinned. The poor Eliwood could barely believe it, and yet, he took his hand, and held it as tight as he could, and that's when he looked down at himself and realized his was back to his young teen self. He could only look at Hector with questioning eyes, but the lad only responded with a laugh. "Damn, you're too funny! Stop being so phased and c'mon already"

"Hector...I...H-Hec...tor...!" and that's when he finally stopped questioning himself and just threw himself into the other one's arms, crying all the tears he had held back ever since the grim news of Hector's passing had reached him. He could feel how the other one hugged him tightly against himself but he wouldn't say anything else, but that was okay. This was just what he wanted.

The redhead's tears eventually became into soft chuckles and finally into happy laughs as he looked up at the blue haired man in front of him with a big smile he hadn't given to anyone ever since that day.

"...I missed you, oaf..."

At the end of the next day, the body of Eliwood's was burried right next to his deceased wife, just like it had to be. Everyone was saddened by the departure of the once marquess of Pherae, house which was left devasted when the lifeless corpse of the redhead reached it.

His son, Roy, although greatly saddened by his father's departure, took the situation calmly, simply because his father's soul left his corpse with a smile, which indicated him he died a happy man, and that was more than enough for him.

I'M SORRY I JUST COULDN'T

I HAD TO DO THIS AFTER BEING A SOB AND LISTENING TO NOSTALGIC SONGS (coughmyimmortal) AND JUST UGH
HECTOR/ELIWOOD 4 LIFE