"L-Leomon…"
The lion Digimon winced as the voice came once again; low, hoarse, and weak, he could barely hear it. He could tell that, at this point, Beelzebumon was forcing himself to speak…
Forcing himself to stay awake.
Leomon couldn't bring himself to look down at the mangled body in his arms. All he could do was keep running forward through the trees, through the mist, through the darkness. But for the most part… There was nothing that could truly be done.
He knew that look. That faded, fatigued, melancholy look which clung tenaciously to the eyes of those who looked their fate in the eye… It was the look of fearful and reluctant acceptance, acceptance of what was to become of them, however painful or peaceful it was.
He knew the scent; that thick, coppery scent which was now practically suffocating his senses, clinging to his body. It was warm and sticky, matting itself into his mane, his fur, his arms…
Even as a hardened soldier, one who had seen many battles, Leomon felt a sense of distress at his very core, one that completely swayed his typically stoic reserve. He didn't understand it…
He'd seen this sight before.
He'd smelled that scent before…
This time, however… All of this was different. His past experiences offered him no solace in the face of what was unfolding before his very eyes… Or rather, what was now resting in his arms.
"Leo…. Mon…"
The voice came again, silently, almost inaudibly.
Leomon felt a pang deep down, his eyes unconsciously traveling downward. A clawed hand was now weakly clutching his mane…
No.
He couldn't look at him…
The very thought was destroying him inside.
Looking at him would mean accepting that he was suffering… That he was going to…
"We're almost there," Leomon whispered silently.
Beelzebumon drew in a sharp hiss and groaned, gritting his fangs tightly together and curling his body slightly. Leomon gave him a panicked look… He wished he hadn't looked.
He would have desired to see anything other than that face…
Trembling eyes, just barely exhausted emerald slits, gazed upwards. Dirt was caked upon the pale, bruised blue skin, and dried streaks of blood ran down from his mouth and the side of his face. Those eyes… They almost seemed to plead for help.
Leomon brought himself to look away, relieved to discover they'd finally arrived back at Juri's home. Her light was on; she was probably waiting for them… Waiting for them both to return home safely…
Inside the house, Juri glanced out her window again anxiously. She still didn't see anyone; were they still fighting that monster?
She hated to feel so selfish, but she just wanted it all to be over. She was tired of her friends being in constant danger, and though she understood what Beelzebumon had talked to her about, she still felt the urge to be at her Partner's side… If he was slain in battle again, she didn't know what to do with herself…
'Stop that,' she snapped at herself. 'Beelzebumon even said that he'd make sure Leomon made it home…'
It was strange…
That last thought felt… Ominous. After all, she was sure that Beelzebumon had enough to worry about as it was. Her eyes darkened slightly as she remembered how proudly Chatsuramon had stated that it was he who killed Ai and Mako, along with the others on that train… It was tearing her up inside; she'd never be able to comprehend the depth of despair Beelzebumon felt upon hearing that.
The sound in his voice… It was like something precious had been ripped away from him…
She wondered, then, if that was his motivation behind promising to look after Leomon. Sure, it just sounded like a side comment at first, but… She knew that Beelzebumon wanted nothing more than to return things to the way they were, including restoring Leomon to her…
A sudden light knocking on her window snapped her out of her thoughts, and she swiftly rushed over to the window and flung it open. "Leomon?! Beelzebumon?!" She practically shouted, and was overcome with joy to see her Partner perched just outside…
But her joy swiftly became eclipsed by worry as she saw the look on his face…
"L-Leomon?" She spoke slowly, quietly. "Are you alright? Is… Is everything okay?" She looked around, feeling a slight chill. "Where is Beelzebumon…?"
The lion Digimon sighed heavily, extending a hand to her. "Come with me, Juri."
Juri numbly took his hand; a hollow feeling had suddenly taken over her. The look on Leomon's face spoke in volumes that something was wrong despite his silence. "Leomon, where is he?"
He remained soundless as he took her into his arms, leaping down to the ground below. He glanced around, and then led her to a small area enclosed by bushes and full of trees. He set her down and gave her a look, giving her the impression that she was to enter alone. She searched his face with pleading eyes, wishing for any explanation as to what was going on, or why he looked so… Grave…
He was refusing to speak.
His mouth was drawn in a flat line, his jaw set rigidly. His fists were at his sides, and he was standing almost perfectly still.
"He's… In there. He… He wants to see you." He said no more, turning his weary eyes skyward.
Juri wasted no time dashing through the bushes, searching frantically for any sign of Beelzebumon. With each step, her worry only grew. Leomon wasn't explaining anything, wasn't saying anything… She suddenly halted…
She heard something… Breathing.
It was low, concentrated, and sounded labored.
Her body went rigid as her eyes searched the area. It was too dark to see much of anything, but she followed her ears. The breathing was close.
She pushed through a few clumps of bushes, ignoring how small twigs and rocks hurt her bare feet and branches clawed at her arms and legs.
She came to another halt, just before a large tree… Someone was sitting there; that's where the breathing was coming from. Apprehensive at first, she squinted her eyes. Moonlight filtered delicately through the leaves above, obscuring any truly defining features except for a few areas on the figure's feet, arms, and….
Emerald eyes…
She knew those eyes.
She knew that face.
"Beelzebumon?!" She said. "Is… Is that you?"
"… H-Heh… Who else?" His voice was so low she almost couldn't hear him.
She approached slowly, a strange anxiety suddenly gripping her body. "Beelzebumon… Are you alright…?" He didn't answer; there was only a hoarse cough and a groan. Through the filtered moonlight his tired eyes burned into her, the mood set only by his labored, rhythmic breathing. Something was wrong. Dreadfully wrong. He wasn't moving, wasn't speaking… "B-Beelzebumon…?"
"I… Want to thank you for lookin' after me these past couple of days, Juri…" He let out a groan, and she could hear him shifting against the tree. "Without Ai an' Mako… I woulda just fallen to pieces…"
"You don't have to thank me," she said quietly. "That's what friends do, after all… We take care of each other."
There was a low, hoarse chuckle. "Your kindness really doesn't know any boundaries, does it?" His voice lowered. "Even with Ai and Mako gone, I… I felt for you what I'd felt for them… You helped me realize that I wasn't alone… Helped me realize that I was still cared for, and I… I really appreciate it."
That anxious feeling was creeping across Juri's flesh now. "Beelzebumon… Why are you talking like this…? What's wrong?"
There was a bout of silence, accented only by steady, labored breathing. Each breath seemed to become hoarser, more forced, as though caught up in his chest. There was another hitched groan, and without another word, Juri made her way to his side.
"Please, Beelzebumon, tell me what--" Her hand had come to rest on his chest, but she cut her sentence short as her palm came in contact with something warm, wet, and sticky. Her fear told her to keep her hand still, but curiosity piloted her palm towards a sliver of moonlight. All of the color rushed from her face, her hand quivering as blood dripped from it. She wanted to scream, to say something, anything… But no words came out. She could only stare into his fading green eyes, wait for any explanation…
"I would have wanted… To stay with you, Juri," he rasped. "I would have wanted to stay with you forever…" He raised a large, clawed hand, gently placing it upon her cheek. "But it's not my place… L-Leomon is… Who you need… That's why I… That's why I had to…" He let out a low, guttural groan, putting his head back against the tree to ride out the wave of pain coursing through his body. "Your face when you saw him again… It was at that point I knew that I needed to keep your friendship safe… By any means necessary…"
Tears streamed down Juri's face as she numbly shook her head. "I love Leomon with all of my heart, Beelzebumon… But that doesn't mean I don't love you as well… There's more than enough room in my heart for the both of you…" She leaned into his touch as his hand gently stroked her cheek, placing her own hands upon his.
Their eyes met silently, tears flowing in small rivers down Juri's face. He looked so tired; his normally luminous emerald eyes now pale, faded, and practically glazed over by fatigue. His breathing was beginning to lessen; she could still hear him laboring to keep himself awake. A sob wracked her small frame as she squeezed his hand, and with a low sigh, his eyes began to close. "If that's true, Juri…"
Juri froze. She could feel a faint, buzzing sensation emanating from his body, and when she looked up, her eyes shot open in fear. A pale white aura was surrounding his body now, and it was slowly beginning to dissolve into shimmering bits of data… A scream got caught in her throat; she remembered this sight… It was a sight she'd never wanted to see again. "B-Beelzebumon…?!"
He kept his steady, exhausted gaze upon her, a tired smile on his face as his body slowly began to fade. "If that's true… Then that's where I'll always be."
She stared at him endlessly, her pupils dilated to the size of pinpricks as his body was practically disappearing in her arms. It felt like cold, unforgiving waves were crashing upon her, carrying with them the trauma of memories she'd suppressed…
Memories of loss…
Each passing second, those tired eyes of his burned into hers as her mind became ravaged by visions she'd never forget, visions which would exist only to cause her agony and remind her of the pain of loss…
Her mouth opened, and through the stillness of that cold night, her voice came back into existence, announcing itself in the form of a tearful cry.