Pairing: Lingfan

Rating: K

Setting: Xing, Post-Series

Spoilers: Greeling ark

Summary: Ling may have acheived immortality, but Lan Fan has not.

Notes: Prompted by pammazola on Tumblr. "Hi dear! Can you write a cute LingFan AU with a little bit of Greed? Anything you can come up with is fine. Thank you. :)"

Ling is young, he hasn't aged past fifteen. By mortal years, he is seventy-eight.

Lan Fan is old, but still beautiful. Her bones may creak, her automail might be limp against her side, her hair might have grayed, but she is still beautiful.

She has wrinkles, stress lines, faint laugh lines, scars, blemishes.

Ling has smooth skin, without scars or dips or creases. The only thing that sets him apart is the dragon that has been branded into his hand like a red torture mark.

He also has a voice in his head. A voice that is persistent and grating that will never quiet. It's always backed by screaming.

Ling might have gone insane long ago, lost himself in the vortex, if not for Lan Fan. She is his anchor.

But Lan Fan is dying. Lan Fan is old and tired.

Ling kneels by his love's bedside, holding her wrinkled hand his is smooth one.

Greed is thankfully silent as they listen to her labored breathing.

She squeezes his hand weakly and turns her head to looks at him.

Her eyes are just as beautiful as they had always been - dark, powerful, and stubborn.

God, he loves her.

"…I love you, Ling," She breathes, voice so weak. Almost as if not her own.

Tears well up in his eyes, and he tries desperately to hold them back. What kind of man would he be if he made her worry on her deathbed?

"I love you, too, Lan Fan," He tells her, hoping his voice won't crack. He has to stay strong for her.

She smiles sadly. "It's okay to cry," She says, softly. There are tears in her eyes as well.

Ling lets out a choked sob, and hugs her. "I will never forget you." He promises.

He feels her smile against his shoulder. "And I will never forget you."

They hold each other as Lan Fan's breathing slows and stutters to a stop.

He doesn't let go until she is cold.

AN: I'm back with angst. Sorry for being gone for so long! D:

I made a writing blog on Tumblr called khajiscarab and tbh I would appreciate it if you guys checked it out!

Prompts and Requests are open. (Drop them off in a review, or go to my writing blog and give them to me, whichever you prefer.)