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Christ, Raffs felt sick to his stomach, he was sitting by Brodie, sitting infront of him as the man ate. Raffs didn't have anything infront of him, he wasn't hungry, plus he knew he'd get sick if he ate before his dive. His first solo dive. Brodie wasn't gonna be with him this time, and the thought of that alone made him anxious. He felt like he was gonna vomit if he kept thinking about it.
Raffs took a deep breath as Caz walked over to the two. Raffs listened as Caz spoke to Brodie for a bit before Raffs decided to ask.
'have ye done it before..?'
Caz just laughed at that.
'CHRIST no! Ah'll stick to th' leccy thanks..! Ah n' good with tight spaces and its blowing gail out there!'
Caz laughed, Brodie tiredly stared at Caz.
'Really filling th' lad with confidence there, Caz'
Caz laughed awkwardly and gave Raffs a somewhat comforting smile
'Ah.. Sorry, young man.. Don't worry 'bout it though, Brodie's got ye!'
Caz's smile became more comforting to Raffs, Raffs giving him an akward chuckle as a response, then he went back to staring at the table, the thing he'd been doing during almost the entire conversation.
After a few minutes Caz left, leaving Brodie and Raffs alone together. Raffs sighed and looked up at Brodie, who was eating the final bits of food on his plate.
'Brodie..?'
Raffs started.
'Am i really gonna dae good on my dive? Good enough?'
Raffs sighed, looking up at Brodie who was now staring him dead in the eyes.
'Raffs.. Dont start with that, ye know ye'r amazing at daeing dives, better than me when ah was a full year in, and ye've been here just six months!'
Brodie ranted to Raffs, who let out a little chuckle and smiled, looking at Brodie.. That was what Raffs loved about Brodie, Brodie always knew how to make him feel better, even in the most nerve-racking situations.
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Raffs screams filled the air.
Something had gotten into his diving bell, he hadn't even gotten a second to look at it before he accidentally touched it, it burnt his diving suit on contact, it felt like he had accidentally touched millions of sharp needles that were now digging into his arm, despite wearing a diving suit. It hurt, hurt so fucking much. Raffs looked down just for a second before he screamed, screamed so loudly, louder than ever before. His arm, where he had contact with whatever thing that was, looked like it had imploded. He watched as what was his arm basically melted, flesh, blood, bits of bone and muscle began dripping down, even his diving suit looked like it was melting off his skin. Raffs screamed, yelled, as he began to panic, a wave of pain and full on fear flooded his senses. He began to try hitting the diving bell walls, feeling as more and more of his body began to hurt, he ran from one side to the other inside the diving bell, trying to slam himself through the walls of the diving bell. But it didn't do anything expect make it feel worse. Raffs cried and screamed as it felt worse and worse. He could hear someone speaking outside of the diving bell.. And as he focused more on who it was, he realised it was Brodie.. But he couldn't tell what brodie was saying, not anymore. Everything muddled together
Raffs could barely see, barely breath and barely feel anything expect pain at this point, he had stopped trying to smash his way through the diving bell but he couldn't help the pained screams that escaped his lips. He couldn't see how hurt he was anymore, but it felt like his entire body had exploded out, and now it felt like it was trying to mold itself back together. Raffs couldn't feel his arms, couldn't move them anymore. He couldn't see his legs anymore, all he saw red, red,red,redredredredred. The inside of the diving bell was red, he could tell that much. Raffs felt himself twitch, but he couldn't feel what twitched, his arm? His leg? Heck, even his foot? He couldn't tell, he couldn't see, couldn't hear.
All that Raffs saw at this point was red. And a faint, faint figure out in the distance, despite being in such a small space, it felt like that figure was in the distance. That figure.. Who was it? Who was that..? Raffs tried to focus, despite everything feeling like nails inside of him, he focused. That figure... Brodie? Had Brodie somehow gotten in here? Why.. Why wasn't he coming closer? Where was Brodie? Was Brodie outside?.. No..No.. He wasn't, he was in here,, but Raffs couldn't reach Brodie. Raffs couldn't move anymore, his body felt like jello or like a mush. He tried swaying to get closer to Brodie. Maybe if he just tried harder, he could reach Brodie. But instead, Raffs felt something brush against his face. And when Brodie looked down.. God.. what was that? Was that his.. his stomach.. Wasn't that supposed to.. To be inside of him?! Raffs felt sick now.. What had happened?! WHY ARE HIS INSIDES NOW OUTSIDE?! GOD HEWASGONNATHROWUPCHRIST. Raffs felt as the acid came up his throat, Raffs tried moving, tried swallowing it back down, but it came up faster, faster than he could react. But.. What.. Where..Why wasn't it coming out? Why wasn't he gagging? Until he felt something drip down his neck.. Raffs looked down, he couldn't tell what it was at first.. A face? More.. Mush?.. Flesh.. God.. It was a face,, and vomit dripped out of its mouth ever so slowly.. God.. What was wrong,, WHY HAD THIS HAPPENED TO HIM?! WHAT HAD HE DONE TO DESERVE THIS?!
How long had it been..? After what felt like hours, Raffs saw the light of day.. Well. It wasn't bright. It was a dark gray, looking like a storm was about to come in and ruin this.. Ruin it more than already. Raffs felt as the diving bell fell onto its side, he felt as his body basically spilled out of it.. Christ.. Raffs wanted to look around, look for Brodie. But he couldn't move his head much, he could only look a little bit up, and there he saw Brodie's shoes.. Brodie was with him. Raffs began to sob, sob because of the pain but also because.. Brodie was there. Brodie was finally there. Raffs felt as something sprouted from the mass that was his body and grip onto Brodie. The grip was strong, he held onto Brodie as tightly as he could, unable to realise hes hurting Brodie until he felt Brodie pull away a little.. why was he pulling away..? Raffs didn't mean it.. Brodie knew that.. Right? Raffs would never hurt Brodie, no no nononoonononoNO HE WOULDN't.. WHY WAS BRODIE PULLING AWAY?! WHYWASHEPULLINGAWAYFROMRAFFS!?! HE WAS JUST HURT!
Raffs couldn't help but think these thoughts.. why was Broide pulling away..?
'Brood,,broodie..? Wyyhy..Whyhy pull....away.'
Raffs couldn't help the slurring of his words, he stared up as much as he could, trying to see Brodie's face.. Brodie's comforting smile.. That's.. That's what he needed. He needed to see Brodie's smile..
Raffs barely heard when Brodie began to speak to him.
'What.. What happen to ye' lad?! What happened?! Ken'ye.. Ken'ye tell me.. Lad? Raffs?! RAFFS?!-'
Raffs stared up, god.. Was it getting brighter? Raffs didn't speak as he watched Brodie stare down at him.. He felt as Brodie's tears hit bits of his flesh.. Was Brodie crying? Why was he crying..? Brodie could help everyone with everything.. Was this something he couldn't fix..? Why.. He heard as Brodie sniffled, watched as Brodie gently pulled that.. That tentacle off of him, gently putting it down despite how hardly Raffs had gripped him. He felt as Brodie leaned down, patting Raffs once on the head before giving him a small peck, that one peck on his forehead made him feel warmer inside.. Brodie always knew how to make him feel better.. He watched as Brodie began to walk off. Raffs knew he had to go soon enough. But it hurt..
It hurt.
seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours, hours felt like.. Christ.. Who knew how long it felt? Raffs was still alive.. Somehow. Living in constant pain, he didn't know how long it had been.. Maybe 5 or so hours? Maybe more,, it felt like that, every hour felt too long, too painful. Raffs watched from the corner of his eye as he watched the center of the rig, the derrick or something.. He couldn't remember what that place was called, his memory felt foggy, like something was making him forget everything. But he watched as it exploded, he had been staring for hours now, staring firstly at the sea before he heard sounds around him, and he looked around as much as he could, but now..? He watched as it exploded, the rig quickly began falling apart, of course it did. Raffs felt as the warmth of the explosion hit him, but not properly.. Just enough for him to be even in worse pain but not die.. Why.. Why wouldn't he die yet?! He had heard when Addair died.. That LUCKY BASTARD.. But Raffs couldn't be mad, he was just.. Fearful, in pain, in misery. He felt as the ground underneath him fell. Feeling as the freezing cold water of the north sea hit whatever was left of him. He felt himself begin to sink because of the diving bell he was still attached to. Raffs felt his lungs fill with water, he felt himself slowly sink and drown, and he couldn't fight, not anymore. He watched as everything slowly became dark.
then..
°‧ 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 ·｡
Brodie sat by Raffs in the cafeteria, talking to Raffs about some random things that had happened the day before while eating his breakfast. He was a little more than halfway done with it when Caz came over. Caz sat down on a chair by the two as he began to talk to Brodie. The two talked for a minute or so about Raffs' going on his first solo dive before Raffs spoke up
'have ye done it before..?'
Raffs asked in that quiet voice in his, staring at Caz now.
Caz being a man who never knew when to joke or not, said
'CHRIST no! Ah'll stick to th' leccy thanks..! Ah n' good with tight spaces and its blowing gail out there!'
Brodie sighed through his nose and stared at Caz, giving him a tired stare
'Really filling th' lad with confidence there, Caz'
'Ah.. Sorry, young man.. Don't worry 'bout it though, Brodie's got ye!'
Caz akwardly said to Raffs after hearing what Brodie said, he gave Raffs a comforting smile, and Brodie watched as Raffs chuckled quite akwardly before Caz left.
Brodie smiled and went back to eating, staring at Raffs while he did so. That was what he liked doing most, staring at Raffs' sharp but also pretty gentle features, staring at his pretty eyes that reminded him of the water back at Skye. The water there was so peaceful and beautiful, just like Raffs' eyes. But he snapped out of it when he heard Raffs begin to speak
'Brodie..?'
'Am i really gonna dae good on my dive? Good enough?'
Raffs spoke with that one tone he always used when he doubted himself, Brodie shook his head quickly.
'Raffs.. Dont start with that, ye know ye'r amazing at daeing dives, better than me when Ah was a full year in, and ye've been here just six months!'
Brodie smiled, staring at his trainee who gave him a soft smile. Brodie loved this man, Raffs, he loved Raffs, more than he could ever love anyone. Brodie just wanted to grow old with Raffs really. He knew it was illegal, he knew he could be sent to jail or worse.. But it felt worth it, worth it for Raffs. And he knew Raffs felt the same.
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Panic filled the air as Brodie heard Raffs' pained screams from inside the diving bell. He could hear Raffs slamming himself against the diving bell walls.
'Shh! It's okay, lad, Ah'll get ye' out o' there!'
Brodie yelled to Raffs but he didn't know if Raffs could even hear him from inside the diving bell. Caz had helped Brodie a slight by getting the diving bell to his level, now he just had to get Raffs out.. But how? Raffs was in a clear panic, and if he opened it too fast, it'd just be worse for Raffs. Brodie didn't know what was wrong, all he knew was that something had happened, and now Raffs was freaking out. Was this Brodie's fault? Brodie promised to protect Raffs, he had told Raffs he'd be safe and that nothing would happen.
But as quickly these thoughts came, they left because now.. The diving bell wasnt moving at all.. Only pained wails came from inside the bell, all movements from inside the bell had stopped out of nowhere. What.. What happened?! Brodie had to hurry, quickly.
Brodie huffed and panted as he finally got the diving bell into place and got it open. He moved back as he expected Raffs to come out, maybe a little hurt but nothing that a bandage wouldn't fix.. Right..? But what he saw made him sick, sick to his stomach. Brodie took another step back as he watched what.. What was Raffs spill out of the diving bell.. What.. What had happened?! What the Fuck was this?!
Brodie watched for a few seconds as Raffs reacted to the brightness and the smell of the fresh air before he saw Raffs looking around, looking for Brodie. Brodie walked closer, walked as close as he could. He stared down, down at Raffs. He couldn't help as tears felt his eyes. He watched Raffs sob, violently sob for a bit.. What had happened? Would Raffs ever be okay again? Maybe Brodie could fix this. Maybe he could! Brodie felt as something gripped onto him tightly to the point it hurt, he winced and took a step back before realising it was Raffs who was holding onto him. And this made Brodie stop and as he was about to step closer again, Raffs spoke to him.
'Brood,,broodie..? Wyyhy..Whyhy pull....away.'
Brodie stared. Why did he pull away? He loved Raffs, he was damn sure of it, why did he pull away? Actually. He had a reason to why, it was out of instinct, not because of Raffs, but because thats what Brodie did whenever something gripped him tightly. He winced, he stepped back, he tried to get away.. But this was Raffs, Brodie knew Raffs would never actually hurt him, so why pull away? Brodie couldn't help the tears that began to fall onto the ground, he didn't even realise his tears hit Raffs' face. He just cried as he began to silently sob to Raffs.
'What.. What happen to ye' lad?! What happened?! Ken'ye.. Ken'ye tell me.. Lad? Raffs?! RAFFS?!-'
Brodie sobbed, his shoulders shaking as he looked down to Raffs, his Raffs.. He had failed the one thing he had promised to do.. But Brodie took a deep breath, he had to be strong for Raffs. Brodie took one more breath before he kneeled down by Raffs, first he just gave the lad a pat but then he gently he kissed the man's forehead, watching as what remained of his face flushed a gentle and soft red. Brodie smiled sorrowly. Brodie stood up and sighed.. A pained sigh
'Ah'll be back for ye'.. 'Kay? Ah ain't gonna let ye die, nah, no' like this.'
Brodie whispered, not sure if Raffs could hear him or not.
It was dark, clammy, and quiet. Brodie was in the pontoons, a bunch of water and oil was flooding the pontoons as he was stuck. Brodie couldn't escape, not anymore. He was trapped. He watched as the oil and water flooded up past his feet, up to his knees, he quickly grabbed the phone in by him, he breathed heavily as he waited for anyone to pick up the phone. And Finlay did after the first two rings. Brodie took a deep breath as he began to talk to Finlay.
'Finlay! Yeh.. Ah'm stuck in the pontoons.. Ah cannae get uut.. Nae.. Ah tried,, dinnae know how much time ah got left..'
Brodie waited for Finlay to respond, but she didn't speak up, he could hear her unsteady breathing from the otherside of the call. Brodie was about to speak again but then he heard Caz from the otherside of the call.
'Aye! Caz! Listen.. Theres no' much time,, ah,, theres oil and gas gettin' in here..'
After the call Brodie struggled to swim, the thick oil making it almost impossible, and gas was in the air too, even if he could hold his head over the water, he'd die by inhailing the gas. Brodie looked at the oil, it was all the way up to his chin, and it wasn't slowing down. Brodie took one last breath as he closed his eyes, he let himself sink into the oil, imagies of skye flashed in his mind. A pleasant memory began to play inside of his mind as he began to drown. Brodie let out all the air inside his lungs, he began to struggle inside the oil, feeling as it felt his lungs. No. He didn't want to anymore. He remembered what he promised to Raffs. He struggled with all his might but it was already too late, the pontoons were completely flooded, he couldn't swim in it either. Brodie opened his eyes in a moment of panic but he quickly closed them again. Brodie was about to struggle even harder until everything felt lighter, It didn't feel like he was in the oil anymore,
Brodie opened his eyes and suddenly.
°‧ 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 ·｡
Raffs opened his eyes, he felt much lighter than before, and instead of being in the dark, horrible sea, he was at skye. Raffs sat up from where he laid, he looked around, how..? How was he at Skye? Wasn't he just in the sea? His brain felt foggy, he looked down at his body, he wasn't a mess of flesh. Raffs stood up, his legs were shakey. Raffs looked around before he began to follow the path, his legs shook but he ignored it, and he ignored the weird feeling inside of his stomach. He walked slowly at first but then he began to run, he knew where this path led, to the sea side, to the bench. Raffs ran as quickly as he could, panting as he finally reached the bench. He went to sit down, heaving as he sat down on the bench. Raffs leaned against the back, looking out at the grey sea. Raffs frowned as he realised he was alone, he never did well alone, too many thoughts, he just wished brodie was here.
Brodie...
Brodie..
Brodie.
Brodie
BRODIE!
Raffs could hear footsteps behind him, he quickly whipped around, staring as he noticed who it was. Brodie. BRODIE! Raffs smiled, a wide joyous smile,, Brodie was here. Raffs stood up and ran over to Brodie, he felt as Brodie wrapped his arms around him, the happiness quickly became sadness though, Raffs buried his face into Brodie's chest, his arms going to wrap around Brodie's chest tightly. Raffs sobbed into Brodie, his tears getting Brodie's chest wet. After a couple minutes Brodie gently pulled Raffs' face away, still holding him though.
'Calm down, Raffs, ye'll puke if ye continue cryin' so much. Ah'm here, aye? Ah'll make sure ah dinnae leave ye alone ever again. Ah'm sorry..'
Raffs looked at Brodie and sniffled, tears still streamed out of his eyes, he wiped his eyes but it didn't do much and he gave Brodie a shakey smile before hugging Brodie even tighter. He looked at Brodie before leaning into him more.
'Nae.. Nae dinnae be sorry.. We're...We're both here now,, nae? But.. Promise ye won't leave.. I donno if i wanna be alone again'
'Of course, Raffs,, ah won't leave ye alone,, never again.'
Raffs smiled and sat down on the bench with Brodie, leaning his head against Brodie's shoulder, just the two at them, at skye again.. No more Beira D, no more.. Just them, them and each other. Nobody else.
°‧ 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 ·｡
Brodie coughed as he opened his eyes, he looked around. He was back at skye. He stood up and coughed, some oil came out of his throat and onto his arm. Brodie looked down at it before looking around.. Skye. He missed this, Brodie stretched before he began to walk down the path, he felt so much calmer now than before, he didn't want to think of before, just now.
Brodie walked, looking at the flowers as he walked past. As he walked, he spotted the rocks and the bench in the distance, he loved sitting there with Mhairi or Raffs, or with them both. Brodie smiled as he walked, seeing someone sit on the bench, he knew who it was, but he was supprised. He thought it'd only be him here, so.. Did it mean Raffs also died?.. Most likely.. Hopefully not to a similar fate. Brodie sped up as he walked, soon enough he was behind the bench.
He watched as Raffs got up and ran to him. Brodie smiled and hugged Raffs, hugging him tightly. He smiled down at Raffs, not noticing Raffs quiet sobs until a few seconds later. Brodie looked at Raffs, rubbing his back as he let him cry. Brodie wanted to cry too but right now, he wanted to smother Raffs in kisses, in hugs and all the love he can give him but it can wait.
'Calm down, Raffs, ye'll puke if ye continue cryin' so much. Ah'm here, aye? Ah'll make sure ah dinnae leave ye alone ever again. Ah'm sorry..'
Brodie mumbled, he felt horrible for leaving Raffs, maybe if he had stayed with him, they both would of made it out. Brodie zoned out before he felt Raffs lean into him, snapping him out of it.
'Nae.. Nae dinnae be sorry.. We're...We're both here now,, nae? But.. Promise ye won't leave.. I donno if i wanna be alone again'
He listened to Raffs, nodding slightly.
'Of course, Raffs,, ah won't leave ye alone,, never again.'
Brodie smiled. He watched Raffs' smile grow before they both sat down on the bench together. Brodie let Raffs' rest his head on his shoulder, leaning into Raffs' a bit himself.
It was just them and their thoughts.
Just them.
No one would bother them now.