Archive of Our Own ^beta

Wolf sat beside his best friend, Snake. holding his tail. He was asleep. At least, he hoped he was. That stupid disease...After all these years of knowing Snake, he'd never thought he'd lose the battle to an infection. It was a new disease, therefore the doctors couldn't cure it. They had promised to keep Snake alive for as long as possible. But even they knew that now, it was his time to rest. Wolf hoped he wasn't too late to say goodbye. The heart monitor was still beeping, but it could go any second. Wolf flinched as Snake woke up slowly. He grumbled.

"Hey, buddy. Are you ok?" Wolf smiled at his friend.

"Yeah, I'm fine I guess." Snake struggled to get up, when his heart monitor went up. 

"Woah, woah!" Wolf leapt up and helped his serpentine friend back down. "You really shouldn't be moving too much, especially not in your condition."

"Oh, so just because I'm ill, I'm as fragile as a baby bird?" Snake may be terminally sick, but he still has a flare, Wolf thought.

"No. It's not that."

"It is so." There was an awkward silence. Snake coughed a lot, wheezing being heard among his gasps for air. Wolf patted his back, helping him settle down. The coughing stopped, and there was another silence.

"I-I don't want you to die, Snake," Wolf blurted, not being able to hold in his tears. Snake stared at his friends sudden outburst, then smiled.

"Don't worry. I'll be alright. And even when I'm gone, I'll still be right..." Snake leaned forward weakly, and pressed his tail against Wolf's chest. "...here." Wolf smiled. A sad smile, but a happy one too. Snake lay back down in his bed, wheezing slowly. 

"Can you sing me a song?" Snake asked. Wolf straightened his back.

"Me? Sing? I-I can't," Wolf stammered.

"C'mon. I've heard you in the shower. You sound great. How about my favourite one by We The Kings?"

Wolf gulped. He wasn't sure if he would have the strength to do so. But he'd do it. He'd do it for his friend. "Alright."

"Thanks." Snake closed his eyes and waited for Wolf. The canine cleared his throat.

"You and I...We're like fireworks and symphonies exploding in the sky. With you, I'm alive..."

Wolf's eyes grew blurry as he sang in his weary voice. "Like all the missing pieces of my heart, they finally collide...So stop time right here in the moonlight...'Cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes."

His voice began cracking slowly. "Without you, I feel broke, like I'm half of a whole. Without you, I've got no hand to hold."

He shook as he sang to his friend for the last time. "Without you, I feel torn, like a sail in a storm..." He took a deep breath. "Without you, I'm just a sad song..."

Snake opened his eyes and sang the last piece with him. "I'm just a sad song..." Snake smiled at him. "Thanks. I love you..." His eyes shut. The beeping went flat. His tail went limp in Wolf's hand. He squeezed it tight, never wanting to let go.

"I love you, too. Goodbye, buddy."

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