Work Text:
Crying in the middle of the night while holding their hands and listening to their sweet nothings. Instant anxiety when leaving the house is mentioned. Not getting out of the room. Not eating. Drawing flowers and mothers, loss and lovers.
They expected this.
Does he feel quilty? Of course. In every bone in his body. But more than that he feels…
Empty.
He feels love for them. But they have each other. They always have. Longer than they’ve had him. Everyone will move on. If there won’t be huge repercussions from this, why shouldn’t it happen?
He sits on the floor feeling lightheaded. He watches the blood flow out of his arms where the deep gash was inflicted moments before. He knows that this is pathetic. He knows he’s taking the easy way out, and that this is the most stupid choice he’s ever made in his whole life. But he can't take it. He just can’t.
As tears fall from his eyes and his vision leaves him he realizes something.
People will miss him. And maybe he could’ve tried to fix himself.
He sees the light as the door opens and he smiles. He knows who they are. He feels really bad that they have to see this.
He doesn't have time to think about anything anymore before the pain overtakes him and he loses consciousness.
***
It was loud. Not loud enough for anyone outside of the house to hear, but loud enough for Kai to hear it from downstairs. Cole must not have.
Kai feels panic take over his body as he quietly tells Cole to tell Bonzle to entertain the kids outside for a while.
Cole nods and walks over to Bonzle as Kai runs upstairs. The crying gets louder as he nears the room of the person he’s been so concerned for.
Cole is right behind him very fast and they walk to the door together.
They open it and see the very image that Kai was hoping, and praying not to see.
Geo laying on the floor, large gashes in both of his arms as he sits there. Unconscious.
Cole screams his name and sits next to him yelling his name repeatedly and holding onto his shoulders. He says things like, “It will be ok.” “You’re fine.” as if that will fix this.
Kai feels his chest tighten as tears stream down his face. He falls to his knees. He could’ve helped him. He saw the signs, he KNEW the signs. He stopped it last time, he couldn't this time.
Kai breaks down into sobs as he goes over every memory of Geo.
Geo’s terrible deserts that he put so much effort into. The time that Kai realized he loved Geo. Their first kiss. Kai teaching Geo how to bake. Kai, Cole, and Geo playing with the kids together. Kai telling everyone how much he loved his partners.
That wasn’t enough. He couldn’t save Geo.
***
Cole cups Geo’s lifeless face in his hands, tears uncontrollably streaming down his face.
Cole knows why he did this. He really knows why, deep inside himself, he knows the thoughts and feelings that went through Geo personally.
Maybe there was no stopping this outcome, but as Cole holds his lover’s face in his hands he thinks that if he had checked in on him sooner, this wouldn’t have happened. He thought that the life Geo had was enough for him. That it made him happy enough to want to stay.
Apparently not.
Cole hugs and holds onto his body, not caring that his blood would get on Cole’s clothes.
He mutters “I love you” into his ears over and over again, as if that would do something.
Cole feels a hand on his shoulder, and he hears the now quiet sobs coming from the man behind him.
No other words come out of either of their mouths.
***
Telling Bonzle and the kids was really hard.
Kai took them on a small adventure far away from the house so Cole can bury their lover without them seeing his lifeless body.
Kai told them what happened while they were away.
Fritz and Spitz were confused at first, but when they truly realized the reality of what Kai had told them, they broke down.
Bonzle knew the what and why immediately. They didn’t say anything on the way home.
Kai carried Fritz and Bonzle took Spitz. The kids cried the whole way. Not loudly, not excessively, just quietly continued sobs the whole way. Kai and Bonzle held hands.
Cole was waiting at the front door when they got back. Fritz and Spitz immediately hugged him. Cole told them that his grave was behind the house.
After everyone gained their composure, they all went back to his grave to have a few minutes of quiet respect.
***
A proper funeral was held weeks later after everyone else was notified.
Nya was with Kai and Cole the whole day. Lloyd was quiet, but he stayed with Kai and Cole for a while before going to stick with his students. Jay was distant and didn’t say anything. Sora and Arin were joined at the hip, both quiet. Wyldfyre never knew Geo super well, but she cried a lot. Roby comforted her the whole time.
The rest of the finders stayed by the grave the whole time, with Bonzle holding onto Fritz and Spitz as if they would disappear the minute they took their hands off of them.
Hundreds of tears were shed. Sweet words were spoken.
After everyone left, Nya stayed with them for a while.
No one was really sure what to say even weeks after.