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Judas stands before the group of men armed with swords and clubs. “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” He looks over to the other side of the court, staring at Jesus and the men that surround him. Judas moves, making his way over to his friend. “Rabbi!” He exclaims, faux excitement in his voice as he now stands before the man.
Their eyes meet, and suddenly, both men are startled by memories of an old life flooding their minds. Jesus looks over at Judas, memories of their old life now fresh in his mind. "Judas," Jesus calls expectantly to the man in greeting, a small smile now playing on his lips. Both are remembering, both knowing now the roles they must play in one another's life. Jesus tilts his head downward, his lips meeting the crown of the other man's head. "Judas?" he calls for him again, noting the hesitance in Judas as he too remembers his place. They remembered now; they knew.
Judas looks up, staring into the eyes of his old friend. A second life that they now live, and Judas knows, he remembers the role he must play.
"...Judas," Jesus repeats the name quietly, begging, leaning down, eyes closed, ready. Judas closes his eyes as well at the sound of his friend's pleading voice, leaning up. They remembered, they knew, they lived this second life together, knowing what must be done. Knowing what the other must feel. “Do what you came for, friend,” Jesus whispers, breath warm on the other man's skin.
Jesus' lips meet Judas'.
Jesus burns with a newfound feeling of hope filling his heart for his old friend, words of forgiveness from their old life at his lips, already ready to be given.
Judas feels Jesus' forgiveness through the kiss, words are not needed. The kiss, the forgiveness, it burns at Judas. Judas kisses up in fervor, as he burns in guilt, in love, in sorrow. The heat of their kiss, of their passion, cleaning and absolving him of his past sins. Judas misses Jesus. He misses what they once had as he kisses the other man, betrayal at the ready-seconds away, knowing their parts. Judas knows he must betray, as it is part of God’s all-knowing plan. Judas burns against Jesus' love for the world, for humanity, for Judas. Jesus' love knows no bounds, and it burns at Judas.
This is it. Judas burns and knows this must be his hell, his punishment for betraying Jesus in their first life. He kisses his old friend desperately. They have only seconds now. Judas wonders how he must have wronged God, to be tortured by the lips of his love. Judas wonders why God lets him love again, why Jesus forgives him, and why Judas must do as God commands.
Judas wonders why his fate is to love and betray his love, only to be forced into life once more to be forgiven and made to betray again.
Judas allows it to burn, he revels in the feeling. Revels in his punishment, as he kisses up at the other man. He begs Jesus with his lips to save him from this fate, to save him from this torture. Judas begs with his lips for forgiveness, for love, to never be parted again, and to always find one another in all their lives to come.
They pull apart. Jesus looks down at Judas, "You are forgiven, my friend." He whispers softly, hand stroking down his cheek. "All is forgiven. Always, for eternity. For our last life, for this one, and all the others to come." Judas cries in relief, in anger, in sadness, at the words. He reaches his lips up to meet the man’s again. He does not want to part, for they only have seconds left before Jesus is pulled away from him once more.
They had roles to play, they knew this. Jesus was made to love and to forgive. Judas to betray and to burn.
Judas would burn for Jesus, his betrayal at the front of his mind. Judas hates that he knows Jesus must be betrayed, and must leave the mortal realm to be brought back again for the sake of humanity. Judas knows God's almighty plan; Jesus will live again, and Judas will once again be forgiven and be loved.
They live this second life, this second opportunity to love one another again, and they kiss zealously. They will live a third life and a fourth, and a fifth, and so on. A cycle of love, betrayal, and forgiveness, and death.
Jesus will live these lives for God, for humanity, to absolve them of their sins, but also for Judas. Jesus will live to die over and over again simply for the chance to love Judas once more. Judas has no choice in this, as he is merely a pawn in God's plan, but if he was given a choice, he would continue the cycle. Judas would live again because now he knows it is for the greater good and that they need to play out their story again for the sake of humanity, but also simply for the chance to love Jesus once more.
Judas loves Jesus and hates him at the same time. Hates knowing that he must betray him and that Jesus will love and forgive him each time despite it. Jesus loves Judas and hates that Judas is the only human he is incapable of saving from his coming sacrifice.
They pull apart from their kiss, and the men with swords and clubs seize Jesus, arresting him. They pull him away. The cycle repeats.