King has completely lost track of everything that's going on.
One minute, he's watching his child die in his arms, and the next, Second has laser eyes and is ripping Luna apart.
There's a hole somewhere in the forest, he knows that for a fact.
Just like the hole in his heart.
He couldn't save Purple. He'd failed Purple.
It was his fault Purple was dead. He'd let Purple run in blindly, and he got killed.
This was all his fault.
Maroon gently wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "King? You okay?"
"Furthest fucking thing from it. He's dead. My son is dead. Again. I lost Purple, he's not coming back, it's all my fault!"
"King…"
"This is all my fucking fault, I never should've-"
"King…it's gonna be okay…"
"No! It's not going to be okay! Purple's never coming back! He's fucking dead, and it's all my fault!"
He'd never be able to hear what King's wanted to tell him.
He'd never be able to see King again, hold him, sing him to sleep, he'd never see Purple again.
His little sunshine was gone forever.
There was nothing he could do.
A loud thump hits the ground. Victim flinches, glancing over as Chosen and Dark surround the unconscious Second.
His legs, still shaky from earlier events(Did Agent love him enough to come back? He knew he could), finally pulled him up and wobbly walked him over to the rest of the hollowheads. Alan had suddenly joined.
"Jesus Christ, he's burning up!" Alan shouted. He glanced up at Victim. "Vic, a-are you-"
"No."
The flattest response he's ever given, Alan or not.
Not like he cares. Agent is dead.
Hunter and the others wander over, Hunter still at King's side(united in grief, am I right?), while Ballista and Hazard avoid the others' gazes.
For once, Victim can't blame them. He really can't.
The top mercenary, their best friend, his boyfriend , was dead.
Sacrificed to what could've been a losing battle. Should have been a losing battle.
Second shouldn't have done it. He would've died.
But Victim can't blame him. They all saw Purple die right in front of them. They couldn't afford to lose anyone else.
But somehow, it had worked, Luna was dead, and everything had been saved.
…All except Purple and Agent.
Second wobbly pushed himself up to his knees, shaking and panting.
"Sec…?"
The orange hollowhead weakly raised a hand, green sparklers flying out into the open, right where Agent died.
Victim tears his eyes away from it.
He can't bear looking at it.
He doesn't want to do this anymore.
King glances up through tear filled eyes when Hunter, Hazard, and Ballista all start screaming.
If King's being honest, with what he's seeing, he can't blame them
Did Second just…revive Agent?
How did he-
"AGENT YOUR ALIVE!" Hunter screams, nearly tackling her friend to the ground. Agent, ever the best mercenary the company's ever seen, stands his ground, hugging her back.
"Did you have a doubt I'd be dead?"
"She stabbed a blade through your heart, my friend," Hazard said. "We had every doubt in our minds that you were down for the count."
"Well…that does make sense, I suppose…"
"It totally makes sense!" Ballista shouted, latching onto his waist. "You scared us half to death, is another thing!"
"Only half? Damn, better try harder next time."
"In a non-lethal way, please. For our sake…and your boyfriend's sake, of course." Hunter punched him in the shoulder. "I'd rather not watch whatever the fuck I just watched."
"It couldn't have been that bad!" Agent waved her off dismissively, eyes wandering down to Victim(who had pushed Ballista aside to latch around his waist, in typical boyfriend fashion).
"...Victim's youngest brother ripped her to shreds…with laser eyes."
"...On second thought, nevermind."
Honestly, King couldn't blame him.
Watching one of your best friends die in front of you is not something Second would take lightly.
At all.
Agent sighed, although King could see something else in his expression. "Well, now that everyone can clearly see I am not dead, there was something else I wanted to ask." He glanced down at Victim.
Having done it before, King knew exactly what he was up to.
He was gonna do it, wasn't he?
"Vic, while nobody here probably fully understands The Day of Surrection and how it can bring people back, I am the closest one can get to grateful that it worked for you. I love you as much as humanly possible, and I want you and I to feel the same about each other for the rest of our lives."
Oh fuck, he was going to do it.
"That's the gayest love confession I've ever heard." Hunter snorted, watching the entire scene with entertainment. "That also sounded like the silliest marriage proposal ever."
Agent glanced at them, then back at Victim. "That's exactly what it was. A marriage proposal."
Victim froze up entirely, eyes widening. The two conscious Becker siblings whipped their heads towards the chaos, eyes wide with shock.
"Did he just-"
"Oh, God, Alan's going to have an in-law!" Dark shouted, falling backwards on the ground and cackling.
"Shut up! Let Victim speak!" Chosen pulled him back up, watching the eldest.
Who was at a complete loss for words.
King doesn't think he's seen Victim this speechless.
"Vic…?" Agent took another breath. "Will you-"
He didn't even get to finish, as Victim had already tackled him to the ground.
"Yes! Yes, of course!"
Although he's hurt from everything that's happened, King finds it impossible not to smile at the adorable scene.
Chosen and Dark both scream out of excitement, tackling their brother as soon as the engaged couple is back on their feet. Alan, still at Second's side, smiles brightly, clearly proud.
The others stand there, shell-shocked, before reality sinks in and they start freaking out.
King watches the excitement, hand gripping the necklace around his neck.
If only Purple was here to see this…
King watches the cursor fly away with the sticks in tow. It had been quite a shock to see Alan for the first time, aside from being a cursor typing out responses.
As a basic stick figure, that was a whole different story.
If only he was here to see it.
But he hadn't been.
Agent had, surprisingly, but why wasn't Purple?
Had he chosen to stay?
No…he wouldn't.
"Damn it…" An aggressive sigh from a few feet away. King jumps, immediately turning to investigate.
Purple (wait what-) leaned against a tree, watching the cursor fly through the hole in the sky leading to their desktop. "I missed them."
"Purple…?"
Purple glances at King slightly, a small smile on his face. "Hi, dad."
King's eyes welled up with tears, a sob in his throat. "Purple!"
Purple takes a step forward, letting King pull him into a tight hug, tighter than the last one he'd gotten from him. Sobs rack the older stick's body, prompting his kid to hug him tighter.
"It's okay, dad, it's okay…"
"I'm never letting you go again."
"Wha-Never?!"
"Never." King muttered, peppering kisses into his hair, tightening the hug.
"Dad, I-I missed you too, but your going to kill me-"
That was only an invitation to tighten the hug even more. "I'm not letting you go. Not again."
"You will have too eventually before you break my ribs!"
"Okay, okay!" King wiped tears off of his cheeks, loosening his grip quite a bit, but still refusing to let him go. A gentle, shaky hand reached up to gently cup the kid's cheeks.
"You don't know how glad I am to see you."
Purple smiled, leaning into the affection. "I'd be underselling it if I tried to guess, wouldn't I?"
"What makes you say that?"
"Literally everything."
"...Okay, that's fair."
Purple leaned against his chest. "And for the record, I missed you too, dad."
King holds him closer, the reality having fully sunk in, but he doesn't care.
It's been far too long since he last held his kid.
Purple doesn't seem to care, either, curling closer to him.
This is probably the most okay he's been with affection since…since King didn't even know how long.
It's not like he's complaining. He missed this.
So much.
Eventually, he has to let go, gently tilting Purple's head up and noticing all of the injuries from earlier were gone.
He knew Second had done regeneration shit and all that, but…
They're just faded scars now.
But that doesn't matter anymore. What matters is that he's okay.
He's alive.
Purple carefully pulls them both to their feet, still gently squeezing his hand.
"Dad? Are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." King wiped tears falling down his cheeks, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Just a little high off adrenaline."
"Aren't we all," Was Purple's response. It was fair.
King squeezes his hand back. "Come on, Vic wanted to show us something."
Purple's eyes widened with interest. "Like what?"
"You'll see."
Purple followed him out of the forests and into their small neighborhood. Turning onto their street, Purple's grip tightened.
"Dad-"
"Hang on, kid. We're almost there."
"But, the house-"
Oh yeah…he didn't know.
King gently pulled his hand over, guiding him closer. "Aaaaaaaaand, surprise!"
Purple followed his gaze, freezing up entirely.
"I-You-What-" Purple stared at the house, eyes wide with shock. "When did he-"
"Basically, Second fixed everything," King said simply, gently leading the flabbergasted child into the house. "And everything happened to include fixing the house."
It was just like it was that fateful day. Everything was in it's place, the only thing out of place was a box.
Purple stared at it, eyes wide, staring at the top item.
His collage.
"Y-You…you saved them…" Purple's voice breaks.
King knelt next to him, gently pulling him close. "They're as special to me as you are. Of course I saved them."
Purple continued looking through the box, something on his mind.
"What about the papers?"
"What papers?"
"The adoption papers…did they survive?"
"Purple…"
"A-Am I going to be taken away…?"
"No, no, baby…never. Never would I let you be taken away from me."
Purple gives a small, unsure smile, before continuing to search through the box.
His arms go frozen, hands shaking.
"Purple? What's wrong?"
Purple pulls out the one paper that King actually cared about keeping.
The approved adoption certificate.
"It's-"
King pulls the child into his arms, gently brushing a hand through his hair. "Welcome to the Clementine family, sunshine."
Purple stares at him, eyes wide and full of tears, before it all comes crashing down on him.
King hugs him tighter. "I love you so, so much, my beloved son. Always and forever."
Purple cries harder. "Your-your son?"
"My son. Purple, you are the brightest, sweetest person out there, and I have never been prouder to call you my son. You mean absolutely everything to me, and I am so, so proud of you and everything you've done. These past couple of years haven't been what we've expected, and the past few months have been even worse, but whatever hasn't been spent fighting for our lives has been the best of my life, and I have never been happier to have shared all of it with you."
King flinches when Purple launches himself into his arms, before relaxing and returning the embrace.
"Welcome home, sunshine."
Although the loud noises wouldn't have sat right with Purple, the two still went to a celebratory fireworks show later that night.
Somehow, King knew Purple would be okay.
Of course, the others were thrilled to see Purple alive and well, which King understood.
He had quite literally died in front of them. It shouldn't have surprised him when Green and the others tackled him into a group hug.
Although it did make his day seeing Purple barely even flinch, and hug them back.
King smiles fondly at Purple's pure joy, the happiness in his eyes, the genuine smile on his face.
It's a combination that hasn't been common enough in the past few months, but god damn did King cherish it all.
Seeing that combination of Purple's pure happiness made his entire life worth living again.
That was Purple for you.
Purple suddenly drags him towards the group by the hand. "Come on, dad! It's starting!"
"Sunshine, relax, I'm coming. I only move so fast."
"You are not that old. Relax."
"I am too!"
"I am barely half your age, shut up."
"Purple, your fifteen."
"And how old are you?"
"...I hate when you win."
"You love me!"
So, so much more than I can ever say, my dear sunshine.
God, this kid was too good for this world.
What did he do to deserve him?
"More than I probably should, kiddo."
The soft smile on Purple's face never falters. He never lets go of his hand as the show begins.
This feels nice. King doesn't think he's been this careless about life since…he didn't even know when.
Everyone he'd cared about was all here now. Cornflower and the others on a mound nearby, Jade and Candy officially a part of Purple's little school circle, Maroon at Jade's side.
He was incredibly close to thinking Maroon would adopt Jade, following in his footsteps. He had really grown fond of her.
Alan and the Color Gang were there, pointing at all the colors and shapes of the fireworks. The Hollowheads were right there with them, Victim and Agent there too.
It was nice to see Victim and Alan finally getting along instead of trying to kill each other.
And then there was Purple, leaning against his shoulder, still holding his hand.
King uses his free one to wrap an arm around his shoulders. "You missed me that much, didn't you?"
Purple smiles up at him. "When did I not, throughout that entire ordeal?"
"Fair argument."
Purple's smile falters, the first time that night. "Please don't leave me again?"
"I wouldn't even dream of it, sweetheart."
Purple curls closer to him, arms tightly wrapped around his stomach. King pulls him closer, carding a hand through his hair and pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead.
"You know how much I love you, right?"
"More than words will ever be able to say."
"Much more beyond that, son."
Purple leans against his chest. "I love you too, dad.."
"Awh, honey.." King pulls him closer. The fireworks don't even make him flinch. Purple snuggles deeper into his arms, watching the show in amazement.
King follows his gaze, pulling Purple as close as possible, gently rubbing circles into his skin. Purple curls into the affection, leaning against his shoulder as the show continues.
Thank you for everything, kiddo.
Everything you've done for me means so much more than I can say.
I love you so, so much, Purple. And I always will.
Always and forever.