I.
It had been months since they had seen the others. Which may not be much taking into account their lifespans, but it felt long, specially for her. Time passed slower for Makkari, whose mind just went so very fast. They had been separated because there were news of deviants on two separate parts of the planet, and it was taking more time than expected to track them down, stop them - there was some sort of nest that they couldn't get to, that was hidden and they couldn't leave until that was sorted out.
And it wasn't that she didn't appreciate the company of Thena and Phastos and Kingo, it's just, they were very nice people, but it was... She missed him. Druig had at sme point become her best friend, her confidant and she missed his jokes and his nudging and beautiful, beautiful eyes. She missed his company, missed his presence in a way she never had before. But maune it was just because they hadn't been as close before.
Druig was fairly closed off and caustic, and it had taken him a while to open up. But when he had... They clicked. They had a similar sense of humour, a love for mischief and exploring the world that was unique to them. They just connected, really well, so much so that without him she felt lonely.
Which she now did, even surrounded by people. She missed her other half (they were just friends, ok? for now, at least. But they were very good friends) ajd she wanted him back.
And then, finally, the mission ended, and they could join the others. Makkari saw Druig, with his small smile, with his gorgeous face. Oh, was she glad to see him!!
So she threw herself at him, jumped on his hips, even and enveloped the man on a tight hug, that lasted for a good minute.
When it ended, he looked surprised.
What? I missed you!
He smiled, and that became a sort of inside joke between them.
II.
Druig had a lot of nightmares. It was something that came with his ability, the others guessed, as they didn't suffer much from those. But he did. He dreamed about the people he wasn't allowed to save, dreamed about human pain, dreamed about the celestials telling them that actually they had to kill the humans. He dreamed about their deaths, and woke up in agony every time.
It was so bad sometimes that he ended up in the toilet, retching whatever he'd had to eat, tears in his eyes. It was sometimes so intense that he locked himself in his room and didn't allow anyone to see him for a couple of days. He suffered, and they knew he did and honestly it was painful for everyone. But specially for Makkari, who cared so much about him and hated seeing him in distress.
So she got the room next to his, just in case she could perceive something. She couldn't hear him scream, of course, but she could maybe feel a particular sharp vibration, a wave of dread, something that felt different and wrong. He had that ability, too, he could make everyone feel calmer and nicer but he could also make everyone feel wrong.
Like that one time. Makkari knew that something was wrong, which ould mean anything, it could mean that Ikaris had used his lasers on the ship, it could mean that Kingo had pulled a muscle dancing, it could mean that Sprite when in a bad mood and angry with the world.
But it wasn't. She got up, still in her sleeping shirt and pants and went to the room next to hers, to see if the source of the distress could be found there. And it was, because it was indeed Druig waking up from a nightmare that had made her feel that unpleasant feeling. There were tears in his cheeks.
Bad dream? Makkari asked, although she already knew the answer. You want to tell me what it was about? Sometimes it helps?
And Druig looked at her with those sparkling blue eyes, and... it was heartbreaking. There should not be so much pain in them.
All the people I could have but didn't save... I see them. I feel them, their hatred, their violence. The pain as they go and the grief of others. It's too much.
Makkari hugged him, because what could she add to that? He was in an awful situation, and having to feel everything..... So she just offered herself, and Druig buried his head on her chest, sobbing there freely, because he was sick and tired of watching, and not being allowed to do a thing. It weighed on him, and sometimes.... She hugged him tighter. It was important that at least he knew she was there, always, for him. Never judging. Never.
III.
They really weren't used to being this up north and Makkari didn't want to put on any sort of coat of jacket because they always flew away when she ran, and they could hit someone at top speed, maybe even cause an accident. It was not a good idea, in general, and she knew this from experience.
So yeah, they were in a snowed in village quite far up north, and she didn't want to put anything on in case it led to another disaster, but while they were not moving, she was cold. And they were not moving, because sudden movements could apparently spook the deviant and they had been tracking it for weeks. They wanted this to be done for.
But she felt cold. She knew it wasn't something serious, she knew she wasn't going to die from the cold, it was just discomfort. It didn't even merit a mention, when there wasn't much to be done. But she was cold, she was shivering and her teeth were chattering, and that interfered with her ability to read vibrations.
It was shitty. And she was bored of waiting, bored of this mission and absolutely done with being this cold, with every part of her body clamoring for some warmth.
And then suddenly.... warmth. Coming from behind her, covering her back, suddenly so nice smelling and pleasant. She looked to her side and saw his face - of course, he was the only one wou would dare disobey the order for lack of movement.
Neither of them said (signed) anything, but Makkari leaned more into the touch, the pleasantly hotter feel of his skin on hers, his breath on hers. HIs head was in the crook of her neck, as she let herself fall back into him. Suddenly, she didn't mind if they didn't find the deviant for a while.
She wasn't cold anymore, she was just.... at peace. He was her peace, and she was his.
Together, everything was right.
IV.
Everything was wrong.
Their mission had been a lie, their home didn't exist and they had lost so much. Sure, they had saved the planet and everyone living on it, which was good (he would have wanted that) but if she thought, even for the smallest second, that he wasn't there anymore... that she was going to have to face eternity without him.
It hurt more than words could say.
When Ikaris had said that Druig was gone it was like she'd been torn up into little pieces, shattered, broken beyond repair. How could he be gone? He was one of the most important people in the univerese, him with his smiles, him with his gentle eyes and soft hands, he who she'd been waiting for so long... And now that they were finally reunited this bastard did that to him? Hurt him, buried him? TO HER DRUIG?
Going against Ikaris had been slightly satisfying, but in didn't change the fact that now... After all they'd been through, but before so many more words that needed to be said... Her beautiful boy, gone forever. Too, too horrible.
And then... a miracle.
Could it be? Was she imagining it?
On the other side of the beach, bruised and battered, but it was him. His clothes, his body, his face, his walk, his eyes. All of him, alive and awake, coming their way. The universe was right again and she breathed a big breath of relief, of joy, of happiness.
She ran, slower than usual, because if this was a vision created by her own mind, she wanted it to last as much as possible. She wanted to see him.
But it was no vision.
They ran into each other, touched each other, and hugged and their foreheads touched and he told her that he was okay, and suddenly everything was not awful, and who cared about eternity and about being lied to when you can spend eternity with the one person you love most. He was there, he was alive, and she was going to have trouble letting go.
She'd almost lost him and her world... it would have never been the same without him.
V.
The Celestial had taken him, and now Druig was floating near her, being choked by one of the most potent creatures there ever was. The Celestials created them, and they could do with them as they pleased. They were giant, unstoppable and practically all-powerful.
And they were angry at them, and Druig was paying for it, flailing on the god's psychic chokehold. Makkari was practically crying, begging for the Celestial to stop.
Don't do this! Leave him alone!
They had disobeyed too many times, apparently, and needed to be taught who was really in charge.
Please, please, I'll do anything, just let him go, let him live!
She'd been afraid of this, of course she had. Every time they did something that went against celestials or Arishem's original mission somewhere in the back of her head she'd imagined herself being taken out by the celestials, in a second, forever gone. But she never thought they would use Druig and her love against her, never thought they would make her beg. But there she was begging, begging so that he could live.
He who was everything that was right with the world, even with his many flaws, even with the bad choices and regrets, even with the questionable ideas.
She would do anything, anything that was needed.
The Celestial seemed pleased, and ordered her to go and get some weird difficult to find items, some treasures from different planets. She ran and didn't even question, didn't even think about what she was doing, which could be wrong, but she honestly didn't care. Druig's life was hanging by a thread, and if she had any chance to save it....
Finally and after some more errands, the Celestial was satisfied, and it dropped Makkari and Druig in their living room, where they fell to the floor. How many times did she had to go through this? Be so close to losing him that she could almost taste it? His neck was all red and bruised now, and she absolutely hated it, wanted to cry.
She embraced him, again, with force but a gentle touch. She wanted to make sure that he was actually there, and not lost.
And he wouldn't be, as long as she was there.
She wouldn't let that happen.
+1
I love you
I love you more
I love you forever
I'll keep loving you even when the universe implodes
They were... disgusting, in a sweet lovey-dovey way.
On the sofa, Druig was on top of Makkari, with his head in her shoulder, and they were signing each other cute things as they just remained huddled in each other, as if savouring the last moments before parting. Only that was not the case.
"How long have they been like this?" Kingo asked. It still felt a bit weird to him.Yes, there had always been sparks between them but this... was so much.
"I don't know, man, couple of days?" Phastos said. "I think he had another nightmare about Ikaris and she was like "I won't leave you until you're completely fine" which, you know... Completely fine? Druig? But, you know, my kid now knows how to say I love you in sign language, which I'll take as a plus."
Sometimes, Druig giggled at something Makkari signed and it was like an otherworldly experience. They had known him for so long. He was sullen and serious, and he was often angry at the world. He certainly did not giggle.
And yet... there he was. Made a little ball next to Makkari, never letting go.
Good for him, good for them. They deserved the company, the affection.
"How the hell did we not see this?"
Kingo half-laughed.
"How didn't they?"
It had taken them a while to be this open, this close. But the important thing was that now they were both okay and calm and...
Lost, seemingly forever, in an Eternal hug.