Disclaimer: I do not own the song "Spectrum". Song is rightful property of its composer(s).
A small house stood on the side of the street. Quiet. Unassuming. Few knew that the house was the home of a sorcerer. Fewer knew what hardships the mage had to endure for 2 years. He had isolated himself past what could be considered reasonable. People stopped visiting, and others had suspected he had committed suicide a long time ago. The sorcerer would just laugh. Death seemed almost preferable to the pain in his heart.
When we first came here,
We were cold and we were clear,
With no colors on our skin
The sorcerer paced his bookroom nervously, every step rattling the floorboards. He was muttering something about it being past time. A man with magenta hair, pale skin, and more magenta facial hair-which he insisted was purple-glanced up at him from where he sat and sighed.
We were light and paper thin.
And when we first came here,
We were cold and we were clear
"Seto," the magenta-haired man said gently, "you're over-thinking things." The sorcerer didn't cease his pacing, only muttering something that sounded vaguely like, "shut up Kyle." Kyle ran a hand through his hair. "Don't you think you should sit? Close your eyes a bit? You haven't slept in days."
With no colors on our skin,
Till you let the spectrum in.
Seto sighed and stopped pacing. He stared at Kyle, teary-eyed. "We should have found out 2 days ago. What if he isn't going to make it back alive? What if-" Kyle gently shushed Seto. "He'll be okay. He's strong. You know this." Seto sat on the ground, shuddering with sobs.
Say my name,
And every color illuminates,
We are shining,
And we will never be afraid again.
Kyle eased himself on the ground next to Seto, sliding a gentle arm around his friend. "It's okay. Let it out now. He wouldn't want to see you sad," Kyle said with a hint of a smile. But Seto only cried harder. "If we ever get to see him again!" he exclaimed, obviously pained by the thought of the opposite.
Say my name,
As every color illuminates,
We are shining,
And we will never be afraid again.
"Seto, you know you'll see him again. I bet the stupid mail-man just lost the letter, okay?" Kyle assured the sorcerer. Seto looked up at his friend. "It hurts so bad. I haven't seen him in 2 years. I haven't been able to hold him or tell him I love him or anything!" Kyle rubbed his shoulder. "I know. But you will."
Say my name,
As every color illuminates,
We are shining,
And we will never be afraid again.
Seto leaned his head against Kyle's shoulder. "I hate this," he said after a moment. "I know, buddy. I know." The 2 sat in silence a little while longer. A knock on the door interrupted the silence. Seto's brown eyes went wide, his fair skin turning completely pale. Kyle felt uneasy as well. The knock meant 1 of 3 things, and 1 of them was a horrifying prospect. Either he was knocking on the door, he was dead and someone had come to deliver the news, or a concerned friend wanted Seto to come outside.
And when we come for you,
We'll be dressed up all in blue,
With the ocean in our arms,
Kissing eyes and kissing palms.
Neither of them moved for a moment. There was yet another knock on the door. "Seto?" a voice called from the outside. "It's Ty. Are you alright?" Seto shook his head, silently asking Kyle to answer the door. Kyle stood and stepped outside the bookroom, where Ty stood, worry written all over his face. "Is he okay?" he asked. "No. He's a wreck," Kyle said glumly.
And when it's time to pray,
We'll be dressed up all in grey,
With metal in our tongues,
And silver in our lungs.
Ty ran a hand through his hair. "He hasn't come out in weeks," he mumbled sadly. Kyle sighed. "I've been trying. He doesn't want to eat or anything." He sounded on the verge of tears. "Do you know if he's...?" Ty asked, not needed to finish the question. Kyle shook his head. "No. And that's what makes this so hard."
Say my name,
And every color illuminates,
We are shining,
And we will never be afraid again.
Seto listened to the conversation outside. He hated knowing he was worrying his friends, but he felt so empty without him. Ever since he was deployed, it was like a part of him died. Writing letters was never enough. Each passing day killed him a little bit more. He tried his hardest to be happy, at first. He went out with friends and tried to live as normal a life as possible, like the sorcerer had promised. But after a while, his will to do anything had faded into nothingness.
Say my name,
As every color illuminates,
We are shining,
And we will never be afraid again.
Another knock interrupted his thoughts. "Seto?" Ty's voice came from the other side of the door. "We're picking up Ian. He gets back today. Why don't you come along? You can find out for yourself. You need the fresh air. Please." Seto debated going. Part of him wanted to stay and wait. But the other part wanted desperately to get some answers. The not knowing, the dwelling, the fact that he had to guess, was what tore him up inside.
Say my name,
As every color illuminates,
We are shining,
And we will never be afraid again.
Seto stood up, filled with an odd feeling of resolve. He was tired of sitting around helplessly, relying on Kyle to remind him to fulfill the simplest of tasks, like eating or showering. He was done wallowing. "I'll go," he called to his friends. He felt the faintest hint of a smile cross his lips as he heard Ty and Kyle high fiving and cheering. Seto couldn't believe it. He actually smiled, his first smile in months. The door opened, and Ty and Kyle excitedly dragged the surprised sorcerer outside and to Ty's car. The rest of the guys were driving separately.
And when we come back,
We'll be dressed in black.
And you'll scream our names aloud,
And we won't eat and we won't sleep,
We'll drag bodies from their graves.
Ty and Kyle were grinning from ear to ear, knowing they were successful. They had done the unthinkable, and managed to get Seto to leave the house. They began driving to the military base, where loved ones would see their soldiers for the first time in many months-maybe even years. Seto forgot to be nervous. He was excited. Being outside had filled him with hope. Maybe, just maybe, he was alive.
So say my name,
And every color illuminates,
And we are shining,
And we will never be afraid again.
They pulled up to the base and parked. The feeling of hope Seto had was now gone and replaced with dread. So many questions danced in his head and made him feel sick. Kyle seemed to notice. "You okay?" he asked. Seto shook his head. "What if he doesn't love me anymore? What if he's crippled and has to leave me? What if-" Seto gulped, barely daring to ask his next question- "What if he's not coming back at all?"
Say my name,
As every color illuminates...
Kyle bit his lip. He hadn't thought about the first 2 questions. "We'll find out soon enough. Here they come." Kyle gently led Seto through the crowd and to the other guys. Jason, Adam, Mitch, and Jerome all hugged Seto, knowing how much he was suffering on the inside. They truly felt sorry for the mage. But no one understood his pain like Quentin. "Hey, fish," Seto said to the mudkip. Quentin seemed too afraid to be offended. "Hey," he said quietly. He was shaking, seeming to be dwelling on the same questions Seto had. Ian was Quentin's lover, and Quentin had been separated from his soldier for 2 years as well. Seto and Quentin briefly joined hands as friends who understood each other's pain.
Say my name,
As every color illuminates,
We are shining,
And we will never be afraid again.
Say my name,
As every color illuminates,
We are shining,
And we will never be afraid again.
"Did you get a letter?" Seto asked Quentin. He shook his head. "Nope. You?" Seto shook his head as well. Quentin chuckled. "Maybe that's why we're so nervous. We don't know what to expect." Seto pondered. It was true. The answer was in the letter. Those who received them were either present, ready to pick up their loved ones, or grieving. Seto and Quentin didn't know.
One by one, busses pulled up to the base. Soldiers were waving to the crowds, eager to see their families. One pulled up right next to them. Soldiers began disembarking, greeting their loved ones. Mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives all sobbed in happiness. Children climbed on the backs of their returned fathers eagerly. The fathers of younger soldiers affectionately ruffled their son's hair.
One stuck in the sorcerer's mind. A young man with shaggy, dirty-blonde hair stood with a large family. A young woman, about 20 years of age, hugged him. "You son of a bitch," she muttered with good humor. The boy picked her up around the ribs, squeezing her. A woman nearby laughed. "Richard, put your sister down. I can't believe I have to tell you that," she said with a chuckle.
Say my name,
As every color illuminates,
We are shining.
Seto had been so preoccupied, he hadn't noticed Quentin had gone completely still. He looked up and saw he had locked eyes with Ian, who was grinning from ear to ear. Quentin broke through the crowd and hugged Ian, sobbing. Ian patted his head and said, "Hey, fish. I've missed you." Seto smiled again. He may not get his fairytale ending, but his friend did, and that mattered almost as much.
Say my name...
The bus had emptied. Seto felt his heart drop. He knew his lover was dead. He sank to his knees, sobbing. Kyle knelt next to him. "I'm so sorry," he murmured. Seto punched the ground, heartbroken. "Why?" he asked to no one in particular. He didn't notice the shadow that cast over him. Kyle looked up and gasped. "Seto!" he said. "Look up!"
Seto did as he was told. There stood a young man with brilliant blonde hair and shining blue eyes. He stood grinning at the sorcerer. Seto stood up and threw himself at the blonde, sobbing in joy. "I've missed you," the soldier murmured in a thick, Australian accent. "I've missed you too, Brice," Seto said softly. Brice and Seto leaned their foreheads together. "I never got a letter," Seto said with a chuckle. Brice grinned. "Stupid mail-man."
"That's what I said!" Kyle yelled, ruining the sweet moment. Seto and Brice laughed. After their giggles subsided, Brice gently took hold of Seto's chin and their lips connected. After 2 years, it was the most exhilarating feeling either of them had felt.
They both knew everything would be okay.
"Seto," the Aussie murmured.
"Brice," the sorcerer whispered in response. Seto was no longer afraid of the unknown. He had everything he had ever wanted, right there in his arms.
Say my name,
And we will never be afraid again.