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“Life can be cruel, you know?
Bringer leaned his head back on the couch to look at his partner standing next to the doorframe with his stare fixated on the cup of coffee in his hands. Today was one of those lazy days where nothing new happened and the two of them could sit down and relax for the rest of the day.
At first, the berserker thought that Paradox was just thinking out loud and that phrase escaped his lips. It was an odd thing to say, definitely not something you said to break the ice and start a conversation.
“I have seen countless timelines, countless lives, and countless failures. Some of them were worth saving but in the end, it didn’t matter if I intervened or not, the results wouldn’t change.” The long-haired man took a sip of his cup and walked in his partner's direction, Bringer made space on the couch for the time traveler to sit next to him.
“Failures? You Haven't seen any interesting achievement between those timelines?” Bringer reached his hand out to pat his partner’s head. Paradox leaned his head to give Bringer a better access to his hair as a signal that the touch was more than welcomed.
“Yeah, but comparing those achievements to the failures that came later they were nothing,” He took another sip of his drink, “There are also timelines that have archived so much but I’m afraid to see what would follow. That’s how it is; a great success and then the imminent failure.”
The berserker racked his fingers in his partner’s hair as he listened to him. This was not the first time the time traveler was in this state and sometimes the words he spoke left him feeling uneasy but he knew that his partner was speaking his mind because he trusted him.
The faint magenta light coming from Paradox's shoulder reminded him about how far his partner came to break all the time and space rules, how he has done all the things he once had to face they were impossible but that same light was a reminder of the price his partner had to pay to stay alive after what he has done.
He remembered Dominator and how he showed off his new technology capable of simulating a virtual reality, how he was so engulfed in his project that he suddenly stopped talking to them and stayed as much as possible in his own fake reality crying tears of joy as he talked to the simulated figure of someone that has been gone forever.
He looked down at his own forearms; his fusion with his Nasod Armor was his most recent “success” but if he counted the pain and side effects that followed then maybe it wasn’t a success at all.
Maybe the three of them didn’t born to have a happy ending, who knows if they were up to greater things or to the failure his partner was talking about.
He took a deep breath. He was afraid that his partner’s words could have any effect on him but it was his own mind who was making him think the same thoughts he had on restless nights. He closed his eyes trying to push those thoughts away.
He was here, right next to Paradox, they were okay. That’s what he repeated to his mind to convince himself.
“Failures or not, I know I have you by my side and whatever is the outcome I know I will face them with you.”
Paradox’s body froze. He blinked a couple of times looking at his cup and then he raised his head to look at his partner, Bringer was looking at him, the moment they locked eyes the berserker smiled at him.
“Look, I know I don’t have any clairvoyance or any sort of ability that can help me assure you our future will be a path of roses but If we stick together I know that whatever comes can’t be that bad.”
The light coming from Paradox’s cracks flickered and he lowered his gaze.
“You don’t understand.”
“I don’t need to understand. Look,” He reached out to cup his partner's face and look him in the eyes, “Life has been harsh with us, and oh how I wish things back when we were young were different but every time I think about it I can’t help but realize that would have avoided us to meet, I wouldn’t have met you and believe me when I tell you I can’t no longer imagine a life without you.”
Paradox looked at him as if he was looking for any sign that he was lying, he found none and he lowered his gaze again.
“Am I selfish? I can still hear the voices of the ones I didn’t help out of sheer rage or the ones I doomed with my own bare hands but I want someone to save me when my doom is near. I have ended so many timelines and yet here I am wishing this one can last forever. Am I selfish for caring only about us?”
Paradox has done countless terrible things, Bringer knew it. The hands of the time traveler have been stained with the blood of more innocent lives than numbers in math but he was no one to judge him when he had the same past and his hands were stained too.
“I think the question should be “are we selfish?” I did nothing when I could have changed the outcomes and I ignored the people who begged for my help when I was their only hope. Maybe my mistakes can’t be compared to yours but they weigh me down in the same ways they do to you and I’m sure I will keep on making them.”
Paradox stood silent, for a moment thought he said more than he should but he heard his partner chuckle.
“We are stubborn, aren’t we?” The time traveler lifted his gaze and smiled at his partner.
The berserker found himself smiling too.
“That’s the only way of living we know, sorry to disappoint you.”
The two of them laughed and Paradox left his mug on the coffee table before wrapping his arms around his partner in a tender embrace. The berserker hugged him and lifted his thin figure to sit him on his lap to be as close as he can to his partner.
“I can’t promise you a great future, but I will do whatever I can to keep you safe.”
Paradox chuckled, there was no way Bringer could do anything outside this timeline but as long as he can return he was sure his partner would be there to greet him and stay with him. Knowing he wasn’t alone and that someone could understand him was enough to reassure his restless heart.
“That’s more than what I can ask for.” He nuzzled his head on the berserker’s neck and his partner traced his fingers on his back. There was no reason to hurry or to stop what they were doing, today was one of those lazy days and they were happy about it.