A/N: Well, here's part 4/4! This part is my own writing, then scenes taken from the musical, and then the last bit is my own writing as well. I hope you all have enjoyed this story, despite the sad tone its taken... It actually made my Eriku cry, so not that I hope you all burst into tears, but I hope it has as much of an effect on you as it did to my Eriku- that lets me know that I'm a good writer! And please don't forget to tell me what you think in a review~
Disclaimer: Eriku and Alan always make me cry and smile at the same time...but I still don't own them.
Part 4~ The Most Beautiful Death in the World
Eric and Alan ran as fast as they could. They didn't know where they were going, or what they were going to do once they got there. They just knew that they had to keep running and never look back.
It had been three years since Alan had been diagnosed with the Thorns of Death. His condition had gradually worsened, much to the dismay of everyone around him. He was a very well-liked Shinigami, and he always felt a twinge of guilt when he saw the worry etched across the other Shinigami's faces after witnessing one of his attacks. He tried his best to hide them, or at least push them back until he could find a moment alone, but the Thorns never seemed to do what he wanted them to do- they would always manage to force him to the ground in a fit of agony and leave him to rely on the help of others to find a spot to rest as the stabbing remnants of the attack slowly faded out of his weary body.
Alan hated to see everyone's sad faces, but Eric's was the worst. The pair had moved in together not long after Alan was let out of the hospital following the first attack, and Eric constantly fussed over him about every little cough. Even though they were lovers, it sometimes seemed to Alan as if they were more like a mother and her sickly child…
But merely a few days ago Alan had found out that Eric had been harboring a dark secret: he had been collecting the souls of innocent people in an attempt to save his lover's life. At first, Alan had been horrified. He couldn't believe that Eric would sacrifice the lives of so many people- for he apparently needed one thousand souls- just for the sake of one Shinigami. However… Alan eventually realized that Eric was only killing out of love. Love for him, in fact. So, even though Alan still hated what Eric had done, he understood why he did it. That was why he decided to turn his back on the Dispatch Society to run away with Eric.
They ran for what felt like hours, until Alan suddenly felt a familiar tightening in his chest.
Damn, not now! he thought frantically as he started to emit a horrible choking sound. Eric immediately turned around and ran towards him as he sunk to the ground.
"Alan!" Eric yelled, catching Alan as he fell. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Alan replied, nodding slightly and attempting a weak smile. "Just let me rest for a bit." He grasped at his heart and lurched forward as another fit of choking overcame him. Slowly, Eric hoisted him to his feet and they moved to a place where Alan could lean back against a wall. Eric raised a hand to caress his lover's face, when suddenly there was a voice to his left.
"Mister Eric," said a dark, low voice, and a butler clad in black stepped out of the shadows. He slowly walked towards the startled pair, his arms hanging stiffly by his sides. "You will definitely continue murdering."
Eric tried to ignore the voice and focus on Alan- the brunette still had a hand over his heart, but his other hand was firmly grasping Eric's own. However, Eric knew that the Demon wasn't going to disappear until he was forced to. He took a deep breath; no one was going to ruin his and Alan's plan. No one. He stood up and gazed at his suffering Alan for another moment, before turning to face the Demon.
"A pitiable Shinigami, repeating his lies and sins just to save one single soul," the Demon said mockingly, gazing at the touching scene with a cold sneer. Eric picked up his Death Scythe, which had been thrown to the ground when Alan went down, and snarled. He whirled around and started after the Demon.
"An approaching demon, following his orders, just to devour one single soul," the Demon continued, seeming as if he was now speaking to himself. Suddenly, six shadows loomed up in front of Eric. He couldn't tell if they were real or not; he just knew that they were his enemies. He started to fight the shadows as the Demon went on.
"Even if you struggle with all your power…" Eric slashed at the shadows, which whirled away. He then started to slash at them all individually, but he couldn't feel his Death Scythe actually hitting any of them… Still, he had to keep fighting until they all disappeared.
"…there is no exit in this labyrinth." Eric wildly swung his Death Scythe, frantically trying to destroy all the shadows as fast as he could. Still, the Demon continued to speak, pacing above the Shinigami scornfully.
"In a thousand nights, a thousand souls radiate a light piercing through the dark, revealing the whereabouts of the Shinigami who relinquished his divine name."
Suddenly, the shadows were all gone. Eric collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily.
"I'm sorry Alan…," he said, his face contorting in an expression of subtle agony. "I can't give up just yet… I just can't give you and your life up!"
"But have you realized, Mister Eric?" the Demon said softly, coming towards him. "After so much killing the scent of death around you grew thicker and thicker. However, Mister Alan never gave his consent-" He smirked viciously. "-so all you have done until now holds no meaning!"
Eric closed his eyes and bowed his head; it was true- Alan had never said he was okay with what Eric was doing, but… it had to be done to save the one he loved.
"In a thousand nights, a thousand souls," the Demon began again, and suddenly Eric was forced to his feet as the shadows returned. The Demon was slowly coming closer and closer, but Eric had no time to think about him at the moment.
"The Shinigami who fell into hell suffers, whose body is burned and scorched in the flames of sin."
The shadows closed around Eric, trying to suffocate him. He struggled and managed to break free. With one final swing of his Death Scythe, he sent them all tumbling out of sight.
"Alan will probably never forgive me," Eric muttered, staring out into space. "But even so…!" He took a shaky breath, trying his best not to let his words falter. "This is my way to show my friendship."
"Friendship?" the Demon mocked disdainfully, his lip curled up in a disgusted grimace. "Something like that is futile. The only thing trustworthy is… a contract!"
He spread his arms apart, and the room seemed to darken ever so slightly. Eric stood up straight and rested his Death Scythe on his shoulder, glaring at the Demon.
"Sebastian Michaelis!" he yelled, but the Demon once again ignored him.
"It seems you have already collected a great quantity of souls," Sebastian went on. "At the massacre opera at the Crystal Palace only, you have collected more than seven hundred. Very soon you will be able to obtain one thousand souls."
"Yeah, thanks to you, that is," Eric smirked, sauntering over to face the Demon. "I only need one more."
"Well, that is wonderful." Sebastian smiled sweetly, his pale lips curved upwards, his eyes glinting devilishly. "That is, by believing in fairy tales, your great effort in collecting souls will not go to waste." Eric merely laughed at the bribe.
"Well then, Mister Eric." Sebastian narrowed his eyes at the Shinigami. "If you die here, then the last soul will be obtained."
Sebastian whipped out a few pieces of gleaming silverware from inside his waistcoat and charged. But Eric was prepared; he met the Demon's attack head-on. However, he was still very rattled from fighting the shadows, and therefore he did not focus on his aim. He swung wildly, missing the Demon by inches. Sebastian returned the gesture with a kick that Eric managed to swiftly dodge, whilst brining his Death Scythe around for another swing. Sebastian blocked this with a knife and the pair circled for a few seconds, their weapons locked together, before shoving apart.
Sebastian managed to kick Eric in the chin, making the Shinigami let out a grunt of pain and anger. He wiped a bit of blood off his mouth and faked to the left, but Sebastian followed his moves. They charged at each other again and Sebastian narrowly missed the Death Scythe by using the support beam of a building to hoist himself up into the air. He returned to the ground and the two parried each other's blows for a time, until Sebastian managed to slash Eric in the stomach.
Eric backed up, coughing, but the wound was shallow so he was quickly able to recover. However, the sudden flash of anger he felt towards the Demon impaired his fighting skills and he began to lash about wildly again. Sebastian managed to get in a few more kicks to Eric's face before the Shinigami rolled away. The Demon threw one of his knives and managed to lodge it into Eric's chest… or so he thought. The Shinigami merely laughed and gingerly held out the blade, which he had deftly caught between his fingers.
"I appreciate your thoughtfulness," Eric said breathlessly, throwing the knife to the ground. "But I'm afraid that won't do."
"How so?" Sebastian questioned, poised ready to strike again.
"Because my soul… is already sordid like hell!"
Eric rushed at the Demon, who managed to dodge the onslaught and run to the other side of Eric. They continued to dodge each other's blows while Alan looked on helplessly from the place he was sitting. Eric threw his Death Scythe in a vain attempt to strike Sebastian, but the Demon merely rolled out of the way and stabbed Eric in the stomach again.
"Eric!" Alan exclaimed as Sebastian punched Eric in the face, bringing the Shinigami to his knees. The brunette looked at his lover, horrified. "You… have broken our promise?" Eric looked away from Alan's face, which was streaked with tears. "Have you continued sinning for my sake again?"
"I only need one more…," Eric muttered distantly. He let out a sob of anguish. "Just one more! Just one more and I could save Alan!"
Sebastian, who had been sneaking around Eric, held up the Shinigami's Death Scythe, preparing to strike him down with his own weapon.
"NO!" Alan screamed, abruptly jumping up and charging at the Demon. He managed to knock the Death Scythe out of the way, but the effort made him collapse on the ground again.
"Alan…," Eric said softly, as Alan started sobbing.
"Why are you still saying things like that?" the brunette wondered aloud, his voice shaking with emotion, his pale cheeks stained with damp tears. "Stop it already!"
Eric's gaze suddenly shifted to something over Alan's shoulder. His eyes lit up and he got to his feet, cocking his head slightly.
"But there's a soul right there…," he said, gazing at the Demon's young master, who had quietly appeared from within the shadows during their battle. Alan looked at his lover questioningly as Eric grabbed his Death Scythe. "Ciel Phantomhive, your soul is…"
He rushed towards Ciel, his Death Scythe at the ready. He got to the boy in a matter of seconds and brought the Scythe down with a whoosh of air. The blade met flesh with a sickeningly satisfying squelch.
He had done it. He had collected one thousand souls! Now Alan would-
Wait, no… that couldn't be right… That wasn't Ciel standing in front of him, a gaping wound pouring dark, warm blood out of his back… It was-
"Alan!" Eric gasped, horrified. He threw his Death Scythe to the ground and grabbed Alan's shoulders as the brunette started sinking to the floor, his breathing erratic. "Alan?" He kneeled down and rested Alan on his knee, shaking him frantically. A small, fleeting smile flashed across Alan's face and then… his head lolled to the side and the light faded from his bright, kind eyes.
"ALAN!" Eric screamed, clutching the brunette tighter in his arms. Pictures started to flash through the air- photo reels, they appeared to be. Alan's Cinematic Records. Eric could only sit back and watch helplessly as they played a memory of one of Alan's first days at work as an official Shinigami.
The two of them were standing in a field of flowers. They had just finished collecting a soul, and Alan's face was pale as he stared out into space.
"Wow, that's a scary face you're pulling, Alan," Eric laughed, and Alan whipped around, startled.
"Yeah," the brunette said shyly, gazing at the ground. "The dead this time was still very young. He would have been able to fight for his dreams. 'If you go to that place, you will die in an accident.' If only I'd told him that, then he…" Alan stifled a sob and glared at the ground.
"Are you crying?" Eric asked incredulously. "Alan!" Alan sniffled once and the glanced up. His eyes widened as he stared out at the field in front of him.
"Flowers?" he said uncertainly, and then he smiled. "Those are Ericas!"
"Erica?" the other Shinigami questioned, walking over to examine them. "That's what they're called?"
"Yes." Alan smiled wider, calmed by the sight of the beautiful blossoms. "In the language of flowers, it means solitude."
"Solitude?" Eric repeated. Alan nodded.
"People are always in solitude, from birth till the moment of death…" The brunette laughed, trying not to be such a downer, and stood up. "I understand… no one should interfere with someone's death."
"You, as a Shinigami, shouldn't be so sentimental," Eric chided, and Alan looked at him questioningly.
"Hmm?" the brunette frowned. Eric smirked at him.
"What solitude?" He gestured to the field. "Aren't these flowers blooming splendidly? It might be true that one is alone when born and when dying, but like these Ericas, there will always be other flowers blooming beside them for all eternity."
Alan gazed at him in awe. He had never heard Eric say something so deep before. Automatically, he reached out a hand towards his friend, but then he dropped it to his side, realizing that that might seem a bit odd. Instead he smiled and looked up at the sky.
"Mr. Eric," he laughed. "You really like to act cool, huh."
"Yeah!" Eric chuckled, gazing back at him. "You might wanna try the same someday!"
They both laughed and started to walk away, but then they paused. They gazed back at the flowers as a gust of wind blew past and picked up the petals that had been scattered on the ground, sending them floating through the air.
"The petals are soaring!" Alan exclaimed with delight. "It's almost like snow."
"Yeah, it is," Eric agreed, grinning. The two Shinigamis glanced at each other for a second and then returned their gazes to the mass of swirling petals, identical smiles lighting up their faces.
It seemed as if the Cinematic Record had shifted to another time father into the future. The background was the same- the garden full of flying petals- but the Shinigamis themselves seemed to be at a later stage in their life. They both still stared out in front of them, but there was a matching look of adoration in their expressions that had not been there before.
"If it would allow me to share your pain," Eric began to say, slowly taking a few steps forward. "I would commit any sin."
Meanwhile, Alan took a few steps to the right, stretching his hand out to catch a few falling petals, his face serene.
"When you're dead, I will kiss your cold cheek, even if it's just once," Eric continued, glancing up at Alan for a split-second. The brunette smiled at him gleefully and Eric looked away.
"Let's go on a journey," Alan said, speaking over his lover, and Eric walked up and switched places with him. Alan gazed at him affectionately as he descended farther down into the garden.
"Let's go on a journey," Eric repeated, while Alan continued to talk.
"From today on, the two of us…"
"…pile up the Erica's lonely shadows."
"…pile up our solitude."
The two of them shared a loving look for a moment and then Eric started talking again, while this time Alan was the one to speak over him.
"I was born alone…"
"Yes, the reason I was born alone…"
"…for us to meet each other."
"…was to lean on you."
The Shinigamis gazed at each other once again, but this time their eyes locked and they stood still.
"My friend, since that is our destiny…," they said in unison, smiling. "…then there is no need to shed tears." They gazed longingly out at the flowers again.
"The reason I was born alone…," Eric began, glancing at Alan.
"Yes, the reason I was born alone…,"Alan said, talking off his glasses and walking back to stand next to Eric.
"…is to meet each other." Eric took off his glasses as well, and the pair gazed into each other's eyes.
"…is to lean on you."
"My friend, since that is our destiny…" they said in unison, their kind gazes unwavering. "… there is no need to shed tears."
Suddenly, the Cinematic Record went black. Out of the darkness, Eric's voice could be heard.
"Ciel Phantomhive, your soul is-"
A flash of red light, and Eric was shown slashing his Death Scythe into his lover's back after Alan had jumped in front of Ciel to prevent Eric from killing any more people. Alan fell; Eric caught him, screaming his name. Alan flashed a small smile and then his face went blank. The Cinematic Record ended and he reel exploded into glittering tatters of white, which floated up into the sky before disappearing forever.
"ALAN!" Eric screamed, a cry of pure, unadulterated anguish. The Shinigami started to sob, hot tears rolling down his cheeks from the sight of his lover lying lifeless on the ground.
"If you die…," he cried, gripping Alan closer to him. "…then for what… then for what have I dirtied my hands with the murders of a thousand people?"
"Congratulations," the Demon butler said, walking up behind the Shinigami and clapping sarcastically. He smirked devilishly. "You have finally obtained one thousand souls. No…" He turned around and stared out in front of him, his expression darkening. "…obtained one thousand meaningless souls."
Eric slowly turned to face him, his gaze murderous. His cheeks were stained with clear, fresh tears.
"You Demon," he spat. Sebastian merely bowed slightly in acknowledgment and gestured for his young master to walk past the Shinigami and leave the scene.
"The souls you have collected might have been able to save Mister Alan from the Thorns of Death," the Demon went on, closely following his master. "…but they will not revive him." He stopped and turned to face Eric, his arms once again held stiffly by his sides. "All you have done until now is void of any meaning. It is nothing but a bunch of worthless souls." He smiled fleetingly and walked over to the mourning Shinigami.
"Just like what Mister Alan said," he went on, as Eric tried his best to ignore him. "There is no need to grieve, because the fate of you two is the same…" Quickly, almost automatically, he went back to button the snap of his young master's coat that had come undone, before turning back to Eric. "Death."
"Kill me, Demon," Eric spat acidly, glaring at Sebastian as hard as he could. Moving as if he were already deceased, he let go of Alan and went to stand in front of the smiling Demon.
"Please… I beg you to kill me." His tone was now desperate, his expression pleading. New tears were spilling down his face as Sebastian narrowed his eyes.
"To go through all the trouble to grant a death wish," the Demon said disdainfully. He glanced at his master. "Unfortunately, this kind of philanthropy is not akin to my nature. Young Master, how should I handle-"
"There is no need to ask," the young boy said crisply, cutting him off. "Kill him."
"Yes, my Lord," Sebastian replied, placing a hand over his chest and bowing, a pleased smirk on his face. He then walked over to where Alan had haphazardly discarded his Death Scythe during the battle and picked up the weapon. He returned to his place in front of Eric and stopped, gazing at the Shinigami and holding the Death Scythe out in front of him.
"Alan's Death Scythe?" Eric questioned, sounding utterly defeated.
"Is there a problem?" Sebastian asked politely. Eric gazed at the ground.
"No…"
"To not let your filthy blood dirty Mister Alan's Death Scythe, or to end your life with Mister Alan's Death Scythe?" Sebastian mused, not taking his eyes off of the Shinigami.
"I don't know anymore…," Eric said despondently. Sebastian put on a fake expression of surprise and started to walk around him.
"Oh? You don't know?"
"I really don't know anymore." Eric's shoulders started to shake as he tried to regain his composure for just a little bit longer. "Everything up 'till now has been pointless…"
"Is that so?" Sebastian asked, holding the weapon out in a position to strike. "Then…"
He swung the Death Scythe above his head and brought it down with a whoosh of air. There was a sickening squelch as the blade ripped into the Shinigami's back. Eric let out a strangled, choked-off scream… and then he dropped to the ground, landing next to his lover. The light faded from his sad, stunned face and his head fell limply to the side.
And thus, the Shinigami was no more.
Eric opened his eyes to find himself completely surrounded by white. He sat up, confused, gazing around to try and find something that would tell him where in the world he was. He knew that he was dead; Sebastian had killed him with Alan's Death Scythe, and there was no doubt in Eric's mind that he hadn't survived that attack. He remembered falling down and lying next to his lover as he took his last breath, and then it was all a blank…
So then where could he possibly be? Was this the afterlife that awaited him? Being alone in a room bereft of anything but white for the rest of eternity? Well, Eric supposed it was the least he deserved, after what he'd done… But he wished he could see Alan just one more time…
"Eric?" said a soft voice, and the Shinigami whirled around so fast at the sound that he nearly toppled over onto his side.
"Al…Alan?" he questioned, staring in wonder as Alan Humphries strode up to him and held out a welcoming hand.
"Hello again," Alan said softly, his eyes full of gentle compassion. Eric gripped his outstretched hand gingerly, not believing that Alan was actually here, standing right in front of him. He felt as if Alan would fall apart the moment he touched him. However, the second Eric's palm met Alan's, the brunette tugged him to his feet and pulled him into a tight hug, burying his face in his chest.
"Eric!" Alan started sobbing, holding onto his lover as closely as was physically possible. Eric immediately returned the embrace, pressing his face into the brunette's hair and beginning to weep as well.
"Alan… I thought I'd never get to see you again!" Eric said, his voice rough as he tried to hold back the tears of happiness that were welling up behind his eyes; he'd already cried enough that day.
"So did I," Alan responded, glancing up at him. "After you… after I died, I woke up here. I was going to start walking, but I had the strongest urge to stay for some reason… Then suddenly you appeared and I knew that I'd been sent here to wait for you so that I could be with you again."
Eric stared at him, his expression pained.
"Alan, I…," the older Shinigami trailed off, unable to express the remorse he felt for putting the love of his life through so much pain, both physically and mentally. Alan smiled and gently cupped Eric's face in his hands.
"It's alright, Eric," the brunette said as Eric gazed into his bright eyes. "I forgive you."
"But… after all I've done, how can you just-"
Eric was cut off as Alan lightly pressed his pale lips against his. After a moment, they broke the kiss and Eric tugged the brunette into another tight embrace.
"It's all in the past now," Alan said, his face obscured by his lover's shoulder. "I know why you took all of those souls, and even though I still think it's wrong, I know you only did it because you cared about me. You were just trying to help me…"
Eric leaned back and gripped Alan by the shoulders so he could once again look into his emerald eyes.
"You're too forgiving," he said somberly. "After all the sins I've committed, you'd let every one of them go, just like that?"
"I'm not letting them go, I'm looking past them," Alan responded simply. "This is a new chapter in our lives- I mean, afterlives- so we should put everything that's in our past behind us. Besides, Eric… I'm not sick anymore!"
Eric's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Are… are you being serious?" he gasped, and Alan nodded, his face beaming. "You're not in any pain anymore? No more attacks? That's amazing, Alan!"
"Yes," Alan agreed. "And now that we don't have to worry about me anymore, we can focus on what's best for both of us." He abruptly turned and stared out into the empty room. After a few seconds, he glanced over his shoulder and once again held out a hand to Eric.
"Shall we start a new life together?" he asked, his emerald eyes revealing the inexhaustible affection he had for his lover. After a moment's hesitation, Eric grasped his hand and took a few steps forward so that they were standing side-by-side.
"But where are we going to go?" Eric wondered, gazing around.
"I don't know." Alan shrugged. Eric glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, and the brunette smiled at him. "But I know that wherever we go, and whatever we do, we'll be together. For the rest of eternity."
Eric gazed at his lover's serene face, and then he let out a hearty laugh and squeezed Alan's hand.
"You're all right, kid," he said, the grin on his face making Alan smile even wider. They both looked back out at the whiteness in front of them, their hands still intertwined, prepared to face whatever awaited them.
"You're all right."
~The End~