Two weeks.
Two weeks since the incident had happened.
Two weeks since Jack had gone.
Two weeks since Raimundo started to be completely miserable.
He had locked himself up in his dorm, crying in his mat-that-wasn't-really-considered-a-bed. He cried into his pillow, and it was now almost completely drenched in tears, it mirrored the image of a tissue that that just been blown on. His blanket was also soaked in tears, but only the rim. He always held the blanket close, since it had Jack's scent all over it. He held it close to pretend that Jack was still there.
Since you couldn't really lock the dorm, the other Dragons visited from time to time. Kimiko was the most worried, right after Omi, who looked positively pained. Raimundo guessed that Kimiko was guilty. Guilty for accusing him for going to the Dark Side. Guilty for suggesting that loving Jack was wrong. She herself had cried a couple times, but still, no one could match the amount of tears they had shed, to Raimundo.
The Dragons delivered them food. They comforted him. They tried to make him smile. And they did manage to get a weak one out of him. But the smile was heart-breaking, since he still cried when he smiled. He never sobbed when there was company. He only cried silently. But he still cried; He always cried. And that was what hurt Kimiko and Omi the most.
"Raimundo, here's your dinner!" Kimiko chimed, sweeping aside the curtain. She hurried up to Raimundo and placed the meal in front of him. The steam from the chicken and rice rose to Raimundo's face like a petal being carried by the wind. Raimundo looked up at Kimiko from across his hot meal, and smiled weakly. A tear rolled down his face as he nodded and whispered, "Thank you,"
Kimiko hesitated, but then smiled widely, reminding herself that she was trying to lighten Raimundo's mood. She plopped herself down in front of the plate she had just given. She and Raimundo sat in silence, both of them looking down at the food.
Softly to keep the calm atmosphere, Kimiko murmured, "I'm sure he's in a better place."
"No, he's not." Raimundo blurted. "He said he was only happy when I'm there."
Kimiko sat up straight, and switched her gaze towards Raimundo. "That doesn't mean you're going to be suicidal, does it?"
Raimundo said nothing.
"But you can't! He wouldn't want you to die, just so he could be happy! Even if he is evil, he couldn't be that selfish and heartless--"
"How would you know, Kim?" Raimundo interrupted, glaring at her through his bangs. "You never knew him as well as I did. Nobody did. I'm the only thing that matters to him.
"Just… please… this doesn't concern you, Kim… Please stay out of this…"
Kimiko puffed out her cheeks, annoyed. She stood up and stomped herself to the curtain. When she swept aside the flimsy material, she heard Raimundo say behind her, "Kimiko,"
She paused. Raimundo had never called her Kimiko, since the time they had started to like each other. But she guessed that time was over, then.
But she still loved him so much…
"I… I'm sorry if I hurt you… ever…"
Kimiko was so surprised that she almost forgot that she was supposed to say something back. But instead, she turned to him, smiled and nodded, then walked away.
She just hoped the Dragon of the Wind would get better.
----------------------------
Raimundo walked steadily through the strangely familiar meadow, taking in the beautiful sight. Apart from the multi-colored grass, due to the flowers, it was completely white. But a comforting white, a beautiful white. He smiled softly to himself, looking around himself, looking at the ground, noting just how many flowers there were. It would've been nice to give one to Jack.
"Raimundo," Raimundo's head snapped up. His breath hitched when he saw a lone figure in front of him, that wasn't there just a moment ago. The boy in sight smiled hesitantly, making the scene even more beautiful.
Raimundo began to tremble. His eyes started to well up with tears. The young boy just stared in shock, trying to remind himself over and over again, that this was just a dream…
The other boy tilted his head, still smiling, red hair flopping lightly against his head. "It's so great to see you again."
Just a stupid dream…
Raimundo had to tear his eyes away from the sight, closing them tightly. Fists curled up and started to shake by his sides. He repeated the words over and over again in his head. Nothing here was real. He was just back at home, sleeping in his dorm. This wasn't real. Jack wasn't there. Jack… couldn't be there…
If Raimundo's eyes were open, he would see that Jack's face had flickered with pain at Raimundo's movement.
"Raimundo…?" Jack murmured hesitantly, reaching out a hand, revealing the uneasiness in his voice. Raimundo's eyes fluttered open again; he looked unsurely at Jack, then grimaced. Raimundo's mouth mouthed the words in his mind, trying to convince himself that this wasn't real. His green eyes held tears that threatened to overflow.
Jack responded with an even more intense look of pain and, this time, a mix of confusion. Had he done something wrong?
"Don't cry, Raimundo… please…" Jack cooed softly.
"Shut up!" Raimundo suddenly ceased his mouthing and his convincing. Tears flowed unwillingly, unstoppably, down tanned cheeks. It was just too much… seeing his love there… right there… yet he knew he wasn't there… he couldn't be there…
Just why did it hurt so much?
"You don't know how it feels!" Raimundo yelled, tears of anger and hurt and so much longing, flowing down like an endless river. "Seeing you there… Darnit, Jack, I wish you were there… I so desperately wish this was true right now… But it's not!... And that's what hurts most!... The fact that I can't touch you, can't kiss you, can't do anything to you… Stop hurting me, Jack, stop--"
A pair of warm arms suddenly wrapped around him, pulling him into a warm embrace.
"Sh… it's okay… everything's going to be okay…" Jack whispered into Raimundo's ear, pressing his lips against the shell.
Raimundo tensed. Then, burying his face into Jack's neck, he cried again. Though, this time, they were tears of happiness. He could touch Jack. This was real. He threw away all cautions to the wind, all the thoughts of despair and sorrow, all the reasons of why or how he could actually feel Jack if this was a dream, how this could be true. All that mattered was that he could feel Jack, he could hold him once more.
And now, he would never let go.
-------------------------
"You're visiting, aren't you?"
It had been a quiet, comfortable silence after Raimundo had figured out he could feel Jack. They lay on the grassy earth, Raimundo sprawled on top of Jack, head resting against his chest, fisting a handful of Jack's shirt as if he were afraid the redhead would disappear if he let go. Jack was unconsciously raking through Raimundo's brown locks, kissing his scalp once in a while.
Jack grunted beneath Raimundo.
"I'm so happy to see you again." Raimundo whispered truthfully.
Jack gasped, almost inaudibly. Jack sat up, pulling Raimundo up with him. The brunette gazed at his lover, hands resting on Jack's crossed legs' knees. Jack laughed at the cute look that imitated a child discovering something new. Raimundo's right eye closed momentarily when Jack raked a hand through his hair again.
"I missed you a lot." Raimundo choked out. Jack smiled sadly, his hands slowing its raking, not meeting his love's eyes. Raimundo's bottom lip began to quiver…. His eyes started to fill up with tears again…. And before he knew it, Jack was back on his back, Raimundo's arms wrapped tightly around the redhead's neck.
"Don't leave me again, Jack… please… please don't…" Raimundo sobbed into Jack's shirt.
Jack sighed loudly, burying his nose into Raimundo's hair. He inhaled Raimundo's scent. He always smelled so good... "It's only a visit, Raimundo."
Raimundo sobbed some more. Jack's shirt began to get soaked with tears, but that didn't matter. That was the least of the two's problems right then. "Does-- does that mean you'll--hic--visit again?"
Raimundo looked up hopefully, bloodshot eyes desperately searching ruby eyes, only to find lone sorrow.
Raimundo wailed. "No! I won't let you! I don't want to be parted from you again! I don't want you to leave!" The brunette's voice began to shake and slightly increase in volume. The sobs were unbearable for Jack to hear. "Please… I don't want you to leave me… I don't want you to go away…"
Jack sighed, closing his eyes. If he opened them, Raimundo would see that Jack was heartbroken, too. But that would only make it worse… it was just a visit...
"I'm sorry it had to be this way…" Jack whispered, leaning in to plant a kiss on his love's forehead. "I'm sorry that I have to… leave again…"
Raimundo sobbed and tightened his grip on Jack's neck. "No… I won't let you leave me… I'll do anything…" Raimundo desperately buried his nose in Jack's neck again, sobbing like there was no tomorrow… He didn't care if he was being selfish… all he wanted was to be with his love… "I will… I really will, Jack…"
"Raimundo…" Jack murmured, frowning slightly at the distressed boy. "You can't do anything to keep me here… I'll have to go eventually… you'll have to eventually wake up…"
And it suddenly struck to Raimundo. "I don't have to wake up…"
A feeling of dread washed over Jack. What… what did he say?
Jack suddenly gripped Raimundo's shoulders and pulled the brunette away, staring straight into the suicidal boy's sad, yet so beautiful, green eyes…
"Listen to me, Raimundo…" Jack said firmly. "Don't… don't do this… don't do such a stupid thing, don't throw everything away… just to be with me… it's… it's not worth it… I'm not worth it…"
Raimundo's eyebrows furrowed, and he stared at Jack like he didn't understand what the genius was saying. Jack pulled him closer, so they were mere centimeters apart. "You promised me, Raimundo… you promised me that you'd be the strongest Dragon out there--"
"What does it mean…" Raimundo croaked, his face contorted, looking almost like he was about to burst into tears again. "What does anything mean… if I don't have the one I love…?"
Red eyes widened in surprise. Raimundo smiled softly. "I love you, Jack."
Jack threw his arms around the boy, biting his bottom lip to keep his emotions in check. Why now? Why did it all happen now, when it was too late? Why was God so cruel to both of them?
"Raimundo…" Jack whispered. He snapped his eyes shut. The tears were starting to come. "I love you, too. But none of it will change whether I stay or not. I will have to leave."
Raimundo smiled a broken, terrible smile. "This is all my fault, isn't it? If I hadn't gone and attacked Kimiko-- Chase-- in the beginning, you wouldn't have gotten hurt, and--"
"Don't say that, Raimundo." Jack whispered harshly. "It's not your fault. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I shouldn't have dragged you into this in the first place…"
The sat in silence, holding each other. Both boys waited for the feeling of despair and sorrow that made them both cry, to fade away, before they spoke again.
"Will you visit again?" Raimundo whispered, so softly that Jack had to strain his ears to hear.
"… Not… in a very long time." That's a 'no', then, Raimundo thought tearfully.
Jack and Raimundo both pulled away at the same time, gazing at each other.
Raimundo held Jack's face with both hands, clutching with so much possessive passion, that it touched Jack's heart. "I love you, Jack. I always will."
"I love you, too, Raimundo. Forever." Jack whispered, successfully holding back his tears.
Then they kissed. A long kiss with passion emitting from all sides… A kiss that showed how much they cared… just how much they loved each other…
A kiss not to be forgotten. A kiss that showed people just what love was.
And showed just how painful, love could be, as well.
Raimundo pulled away, resting his forehead against Jack's pale one. Jack began to glow slightly. His pale hands were clutching onto Raimundo, trying to keep himself on the ground, trying to keep himself from leaving his lover.
But Jack couldn't stand the force much longer. And in just a matter of time, his feet were in the air, and his hand, with a last squeeze of comfort, left Raimundo's. Jack was floating to the albino sky, reaching out for Raimundo. But Raimundo was planted in his place, unable to do anything but watch his love float away. Because he knew there was no other way.
"Wait for me!" Raimundo suddenly blurted. Jack was still close… If Raimundo just reached out his hand, he could at least touch Jack's hand one more time...
But what good would that do?
"I will!" Jack promised, his voice echoing slightly.
Raimundo watched, as his Jack was carried up to the sky by that unknown force. He watched Jack slowly start to shrink, and the light conquer over his tiny figure. He watched on, until the light was too bright to bear, and he had to close his eyes momentarily, so as to not burn his eyes.
And when he opened his eyes again, he was back at home, and the sun was just rising, emitting the same glow that had captured his love.
-------------------------
Two years later…
Raimundo stood in the beautiful sight, a bright smile stretching on his face. He half expected to see a boy, standing only a few feet away from him, but knew that was impossible. A draft blew by, resulting in a few flowers snapping off their stems, and blowing towards him. He caught one, a dandelion, and tucked it between his fingers before beginning to speak.
"I found a place for both of us, Jack." Raimundo said softly, his words carrying a light tone. "It took a long time to find, but I finally found it. I found the meadow that was in both of our dreams."
It was on one of their missions to find the next Shen Gong Wu, that he had spotted it. A beautiful, flat meadow that seemed to stretch on for miles and miles. Kimiko had said it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Raimundo had to agree.
"In a way, I'm actually kind-of glad that you made me live on." Raimundo continued. To others, it might have looked like he was talking to the wind, or to an imaginary friend. But to all who knew Raimundo, they knew exactly who he was talking to. "There's still so much left to do… even if it's without… you…"
Raimundo gulped. A whistle whispered in the wind.
"I still miss you so much…" Raimundo croaked, pinching the bridge of his nose, so as to not break down right there. "I still dream about you, think about you… I wait for you every day, even though I know you can't… you can't come to me…
"I still love you so much…"
Raimundo smiled bravely, and looked up to the bright blue sky. He peered amongst the clouds, trying to find one that looked like Jack. "What I promised you… my dream, it hasn't taken any action yet, but… I promise you, Jack, it will come true! Even if it's just taking baby steps right now… I'll do it for you…"
Raimundo fiddled with the rim of his shirt. "But the other part of my promise… it's come true. Kimiko, and Omi, and Clay, and Master Fung… they all don't mind that I love you, now… they just accept it… I think, maybe, it's hard for Master Fung to accept it, since a lot of the old people these days are against… you and me… but all the kids are fine with it! Kimiko smiles whenever she sees me daydreaming, 'cause she knows I'm thinking about you… Yeah, she still loves me, but it's all right… she's a smart girl… she'll find someone else…
"As for Omi, he's always making me spar with him, making me get up from my daydreaming to train." Raimundo chuckled lightly, the flowers around him dancing to his merciful laugh. "But I know he cares. He just… doesn't know how to show it. But whenever I mention you, he smiles. He likes the way I talk about you… I guess he's also sad that he never got to spend any time with you, like how I did…
"They're all really nice. To me, and to you. I guess that means I've only got one goal now, huh?"
The Dragon of the Wind plopped down on the grassy earth, twirling the flower in his hand. "You know, ever since that day that you came to visit me, I've woken up to the sunrise… and every time I see the sun peek through my window, I see you… and I remember you, and my dream--both of them. The dream that I have to accomplish, and the dream where you left me, one last time… every day starts with you…"
Raimundo lay back on the grass, gazing up at the sky. He pictured Jack sitting next to him, one knee bent, elbow resting on the bent knee. That was probably what Jack was doing right then.
"I wonder how you and Chase get along, up there." Raimundo thought aloud. He smiled dreamily, rolling to the side, and closing his eyes. "Probably not that well… huh?
"Jack, I'm sorry I killed your hero…" Raimundo whispered, observing a blade of grass as it danced with the flowers.
The young Dragon crawled up on all fours, making his way toward the rock that was behind him the whole time. Even though it was a dull, gray color, it somehow made the scene more beautiful, fit in perfectly with the flowers and the endless blue sky above. Flowers bordered the edges of the stone, decorating it with pink and yellow. Raimundo smiled brightly, kneeling in front of the stone.
"I built your grave right here, where your dream took place!" Raimundo chirped. "I thought it'd be a nice place. How 'you like it?
"You know, in a way, your dream did come true… but it wasn't as heartbreaking or depressing as it was in your dream… In your dream, I left because I thought it wasn't right for us, good and evil, to be together… But in my dream, you left because… well, because you had to…"
Raimundo chuckled lightly to himself. "But I guess, no matter how many times we leave each other, we'll still love each other, huh?"
And so Raimundo continuously chattered on, filling Jack in on everything that happened in the last two years. He entertained both himself and Jack, by just how much he was talking. (God, I'm like a girl, Raimundo thought) He talked about Showdowns, Shen Gong Wu, the world without Jack and Chase, training, Kimiko, Omi, from everything to everyone. It was amazing just how much a fifteen-year-old Brazilian boy could talk. After about thirty minutes of just aimless talking, Raimundo spotted Dojo in the sky, which signaled the end of his visit.
"Well, I'll try to talk to you later." Raimundo said softly, smiling gently. "I've got another Showdown waiting for me, which I will probably kick ass at. Later!"
After placing the almost-forgotten flower in front of the grave, Raimundo ran to the waiting dragon and Dragons, determined to retrieve the next Shen Gong Wu.
And on the beautiful stone, there lay a fresh, new engraving.
Jack Spicer
Even if we can never be together, I will always love you.
Wait for me, my angel.
-Fin
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Yes, thank god this is over! I really didn't think my fanfic was gonna be so… successful. Honestly, I thought no one would read it, after the second part of Jack's dream in the first chapter. (That was after I read fifty million lemons on Banana Oil) Thank you SO much, all of my reviewers and fans. You meant SO much to me! I'm sorry it couldn't have been longer. Just remember, even if the one closest to you dies, it doesn't mean you won't have a happy ending!
I am sorry to say, no more fanfics ever again, or possibly just for a very long time. This feeling of "Oh my god, I have to write more; If I don't, my reviewers will kill me!" has been killing me, and I really don't want to have to go through that again. So, I'm very sorry, but no.
Now, go on and read Purrfectly679's "I think I better leave right now", at Banana Oil! I got a lot of my words from her. She is a way better angst writer than I am. Actually, all the fics at Banana Oil are great. There's a link in my profile. Go! Now!
Farewell, shaman3.