Work Text:
[Wiege]
Minute panted slowly, staring at the figure that stood in front of him. It was Jumper, her brows furrowed, eyes widened, when she looked at him, turning away to let her companions cover her with their jacket.
She grabbed her hood, placing it over her head to cover her face.
Minute was still panting, his breath heard through the microphone while he stared at her with widened eyes, as if watching a masterpiece be created in front of your eyes.
He took small steps, careful, calculated, after the third step, he turned sloppy. Quickly walking his way into her arms, only for him to be stopped.
A gun pointed at his head, he didn't mind it at all. He didn't even pay attention to it. His attention was only devoted to her.
Despite his current position, he managed to tug a big smile at her. Hoping for her to notice him, even if the gun moved against his forehead, offering no hesitation to shoot.
Minute stood still, motionless. The now cold blood clinging onto his skin as he stared at the scene before him. It was messy–something a child shouldn't see. But even then, he still did.
They were clones. His clones. Dead. Spread around, blood everywhere. It was a sight that shouldn't be seen by something—someone, so small and fragile. Something that was so easy to break.
Nevertheless, he felt his alie—owners, grab him by his arms, tugging him away from the scene.
Here he was now, sitting under a tree. Gently counting his fingers, and pointing with his index.
He spotted another olive skin brush against his, he looked up. It was a brunette looking girl with pretty pink eyes and tied pigtails. She offered a big smile to him.
The rough scolding ground scrapped her skin, burning cold–if that was even possible. Her hands were formed into fists while she struggled.
Jumper tried to pull herself away from the fallen rubble, trying to free her legs from being crushed by the fallen debris.
Now, Jumper sat down on the broken couch, sipping on the alcohol recklessly. There was no hope, she felt it. She really did feel it, it was as if the hope was drained from her. There was no point in living anymore. Or say-so.
But it just got better. Or at least, it did show to be better, she found people that shared the same goals as her. Same people that want to save what was left–to save everyone from this torment. To save them from this never ending torture.
So she used it as inspiration. As motivation to save not only everyone, but also herself.
She remembered vividly talking to Squiddo about their plan. The plan that was going to stop Alien Stage for good.
She didn't expect her reaction to be like that.
Squiddo snapped at her, yelling about how she had to save Branzy, how she had to save clo—oh, yeah.
She already had lost Ashswag during it, she didn't wanna lose them too. Even if she was supposed to be dead after Minute had beaten him, even if Jumper did save her from Alien Stage, that didn't mean Squiddo will just agree on their terms carelessly.
Squiddo sobbed, sobbed and sobbed, and Jumper didn't do anything. She couldn't do anything. Because how were you supposed to respond to that? Comfort her? Argue with her? Try to reason with her? Even then, she didn't speak. She just stared down on the ground, her shoulders still tense while Squiddo sobbed. Against her own palms.
There were monitors that beeped, beeped and oh yeah—beeped even more. The oxygen mask helped him breathe freely, but that didn't comfort him. Minute closed his eyes and turned his head to the side, trying to relax to the uncomfortable position.
After that, he found himself staring at the wanted poster of Jumper. Oh, how he missed her. He really did. Just seeing her face planted on a big WANTED poster, made his knees go weak.
Slowly yet hastily, he pressed his face against the photo of her in the wanted poster.
The night was cold, at least, it was very cold for Jumper. She shook, crying quietly while Minute sat behind her.
She placed her hand over her mouth as she slowly hyperventilated, tears slipping down her face as Minute rested his head on her back, smiling gently.
The stage was loud, everyone was panicking, Squiddo sobbing loudly while she held Branzy’s face was uncontrollable. She sobbed, screaming, and hyperventilating. As if not knowing how to control her own emotions.
Jumper spoke with some of her companions, placing her hand over their chest to clarify what she was trying to say, to put some sense into them.
Minute smiled widely at the sight of her. He didn't know what made his body move–either it was his own desperation, devotion, yearning that made him do it, but it moved. Slowly walking and making his way to her.
Jumper didn't seem to notice at first, of course she didn't, but when she finally did, her eyes widened. Her whole attention focused on the gun that was pressed against Minute's temple. Her heart beat fast, her eyes widening, as if she couldn't believe what was about to happen.
She ran, ran to him. Minute thought it was some kind of reunion running to him, as if she was happy to finally see him. Of course she was happy, very happy. But with everything happening, the pressure, the plan—her own body moved to run to him.
Quickly embracing him and turning him away, taking the bullet for him. It felt unreal. He held her closely, as if he was afraid she would disappear. The blood dripped down his face, his eyes widened, horrified.
Water started to coat his eyes, falling down his cheeks, it was cold, but her body was warm. Warm enough at least, warm against his cold body.
He heard her voice speak against his ear, he focused his attention into it.
“ I resented you so. ”
“ I had to keep moving forward in every moment… ”
Her voice sounded–felt broken.
“ But you were always my one and only weakness. ”
The confession made his heart break. It was overwhelming, the screaming, the chaos, Squiddo’s sobs in the distance, and the only thing he could focus on was her voice.
“ That's why I resented you so. ”
She hugged him tightly, embracing him for the very last time.
“ Minute, live with love. ”
“ Embrace the pain, the frailty, and the moments so unbearably shameful. ”
“ Forgive yourself. ”
“ Again, and again, endlessly. ”
“ Because everything… begins from there. ”
And there it was. He felt her body go limp, her breathing stop, and her body relax. She was gone. And Minute couldn't do anything about it. So he held her, tightly. Because it would be the last time he would ever get to do.