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They were linked, through life after life, their fates continuously intertwined, In some shape or form even if they never physically met, their strings were tied tight, both on opposite sides of the same fence, souls sleeping in the same field always awaiting the others to awaken first, But each time they awoke and decided to give life another chance, it ended in tragedy, misery. One always left the world without the other.
In some lives they shared only brief glances, interlocking pinkie fingers in secret.
In others they just passed each other on the street with a different person on their arms.
And In most. They were comrades, Friends. Never one without the other and always there to understand each other when the world did not.
They slept in the same field of time, repeatedly. Doomed to follow the same tragedy over and over. But why? Why did it have to end that way? Everytime. They never reached their 30’s together, that much was noticeable. The longest they went was until their 26th year. And that was because they only met at 25 that time. 1 Year. It was always one year.
And cruelest thing. Was that they never remembered it. They just recalled a faint feeling of painful dajavoo. Of an aching chest that grew heavier that it should of when witnessing the death of a complete stranger.
And this life had been no different. No different at all, They had met. Briefly at a party, But made the mistake of noticing one another and the following year, In a freak incident with a man with a sword. Vanitas found himself coughing up blood into his hand. Hunched over, before a wide eyed and shocked Noe, Who forgot how to breath- and then rushed forward in time for Vanitas to collapse into his arms, and look up at him with bleary eyes, and yet despite them being basically strangers still. He looked at Noe as though he saw him, As though here was the most at peace. It had been the same as all the other times then what! What made it so different that now Noe, Was cursed to remember?
He remembered living that life after the death of Vanitas, fascinated by a man he barely had the chance to know, mourning his until his own final days, and then when Noes time came he recalled waking up lying down in a field of glowing blue flowers.
And despite never having seen them before, He found them beautiful. He felt warm and content here, then a breeze came by and he tilted his head up and from upside down he could see a figure sitting and watching him.
The mans voice, familiar and soft, teasing, a grin in his words.
“Took you long enough, Noe”
And thats all it took for every life to flash before him, every death, every time he met Vanitas here in the field of flowers, and he felt content with knowing, His eyes closed and he smiled lightly, “That time already? I dare say we lasted longer this time” Noe hummed and remained where he was.
A shadow casting over his vision, causing him to open his eyes again, only to see vanitas hovering over him, a welcomed shadow in the face of the light, looking down at Noe quietly and observing, Reading his face, as though memorizing it. The sweetest thing about death was that each time it brought him back here to Vanitas, to a place where they remembered. Where they were more than just strangers.
And Vanitas in turn had been waiting. Waiting for Noes eventual arrival, Board but knowing he would show up eventually, they had done this same song and dance countless of times before of course, and yet, he still longed and waited for Noes return, Like how the earth awaits for Persephone to return to bring spring. He hummed, reaching down and moving some hair from Noes eyes carefully, Centuries made him soft. Memories made him gentle. And Noe made him watch for the little things, even if he knew the next life would rob him of these memories, of remember these little things. Each time he found himself in the field again, he remembered them so vividly and they were his greatest companion until Noe’s arrival finally awoke him again.
He leaned down slow, and Pressed his nose into Noes hair, lips just touching his hairline. And he simply- was.
In Noe’s presence this is what calm was, Away from the chaos of living, of fighting, of trying to fight their fate time and time again. Vanitas was tired. Oh so tired. And yet Time was cruel, and Fate a bitch. He would know. He met them both. And without fail they robbed them of this eternal rest, with no reason as to why.
“Almost 6 months, 4 months and 3 weeks if I'm correct.”
“They are getting kinder towards us” Noe commented quietly to which Vanitas scowled
“If they were kind they would let us stay here. Or you know, wouldn't kill one of us, Maybe we’d actually make it to 40”
Vanitas’ snarky comment making Noe grin a little, because it was true. His hand came up just to rest at the nape of Vanitas neck, and there they lay in peace and silence for a few moments longer.
“...We will have to go again soon” Noe noted after a moment, dread already filling him at the idea of it, to which Vanitas sucked in a breath through his nose and pulled himself up once more to look down to the sulking spirit.
“Sadly so, Can’t even get intimate because knowing them they’d pop us back to the world just to fuck with us before it got fun” the black haired man pratically hissed, to which Noes cheeked flushed a mighty red and he smacked at Vanitas shoulder in mortification
“Vanitas!” he squaked.
“What? Admit it, when was the last time we were intimate? 3 lifetimes ago?”
“....5-”
“See! Even you keep track! You're annoyed about it too! Admit it! Even during the last time we only got as far as when y-” and right away his words were muffled by Noe covering his mouth with his hands, Face still heated as he tried to not think too hard on what happened the last time they were intimate. Because sexual frustration was a bitch but try 5 afterlifes of it.
And then he felt something slimy on his hand and jolted in disgust quickly pulling away his hand “ DID YOU JUST LICK ME!” he yelled applaud “VANITAS THATS DIS-”
Vanitas reached down and with quick movements that were only accomplished due to lifetimes of practice could, and pressed their lips together to hush his partners outburst, and like sand in an hourglass Noe immediately melted and hushed. There was nothing rushed about the kiss, Nothing desperate or filthy, or passionate, but it was intimate. It was slow, and careful, something that bled with want, want to be close, to love, to stay. The time apart had made them need this. They had missed one another and such a simple gesture such as this kiss was a welcome home. And they lingered.
To love, Was the linger. It was to wait that second longer than needed, to linger just that second more after a kiss or a glance, and thats exactly what they did. They always lingered.
“..How much longer do we have left?” Noe was the first to ask, Vanitas was typically the one who spoke to lady time, Well… from the one time he witnessed it- more like cursed her out of it. But still more than Noe did.
“I don't know” was his response, Voice small and soft, Hesitant to admit it, sullen that he had to.
And Noes hand found Vanitas’ cheek, thumb caressing his skin and eyes watching those wonderful blue.
“We’ll do better this time” Noe promised, “Last a bit longer, After all maybe forgetting is a blessing if i remembered I don't think i could do it all again” he muttered, the two whispering between themselves, in this vast space that was the field. Together they felt like they were in their own personal bubble.
“Maybe this time around i’ll actually run off with Jeanne” Vanitas spoke with this coy grin curling at his lips, clearly just trying to get a rise out of Noe and it worked as the other smacked shoulder but not enough to hurt or cause damage, making the other laugh.
“You will do no such time! Leave Jeanne alone this time wont you! Because even if i don't remember you I will hunt you down just for that!”
“Oh well now i have to now!” Vanitas continued to laugh, before it died down as well as the light from the flowers… Ah… so it was time.
He looked to Noe as the field slowly began to seep into darkness. Their eyes meeting and just watching one another trying to commit each other to memory before their new lives begun.
“...See you next time?” Noe offered
“You better. And take longer this time. I have peace without you ” Vanitas complained, But Noe grinned because he knew, Vanitas was only saying that because he wanted Noe to live a full life, even if he wasn't in it. But Noe wanted the same for him. And so he reached up, still holding Vanitas cheek. As the light finally faded out to darkness.
And then he awoke sharply, his eyes stinging, his hand coming up to face to feel tears running down his cheek. He froze, panicked. And looked around his room. His bedroom. He was here- but that dream- those vision- no- NO- that wasn't meant to happen- But he could see it so clearly, see him so clearly. The curl of his lips, the shine of mischief in his eyes. And line of his jaw- Vanitas- Each life, together or not, Vampire or human. Sometimes both-
He remembered. He wasn’t supposed to remember.