Pessimistic [Completed]

29

It was his last chance. He had to make this count.

"Nene!"

He remembered the first time he said her name. He felt like he was appropriating some culture.

Light footsteps.

"What do you need?" Her voice wasn't as harsh as it usually was.

He stood facing the door, thinking about his words.

"I want to see Keith."

She didn't speak for a while.

"You want to see Keith?"

"Just lock me in there with him, I'll be fine."

"But-"

"Nene, please, it's my last chance, and I might be able to fix this."

"You aren't full, right? You aren't trying to get out and hurt me?"

"I'm still me."

There was a loud dragging noise from the other side, and Nene opened the door.

"You're not as far gone as I thought you were."

"For now." Alway a pessimist, Pico.

Something stirred in Keith's room. Hopefully that something would be a someone once he fixed things.

Nene pushed he full weight against the wardrobe, moving it out front in front of the door.

Pico's hand curled around the knob for what might have been the last time.

No, don't think like that.

"See you on the other side." He opened the door just enough for him to slip through, shutting it behind him.

Loud squealing let him know she'd pushed the dresser back.

Keith stood in the corner, arms at its sides.

It had chewed off the laces.

It didn't make any noise yet. There was something new in its surroundings, and it was observing before acting. Like a predator would.

"Hey Keith. It's been a while." It really hadn't though. They'd talked as humans less than a day ago.

He took a step forward. It snarled, warning him.

If there was one thing Pico knew, it was that he couldn't take a warning.

"You know me, right? You're still in there somewhere?"

It flexed it's fingers viciously, its eyes tracing him.

"I'm going to fix this. I'll get you back, get rid of this corruption, and everything will be fine."

It growled as he took another step forward.

"There won't be any more problems like this. We can just be people for once. No demons, no emotional burdens, no stupid fighting. It's going to be okay."

He took another few steps, and it backed into the wall.

"This might not work. You might kill me. I might go full. But I'm still going to try."

It started singing again. Pico immediately got dizzy, his thoughts smashing together. He tried to keep his brain in one place, even though it was hard.

"I love you so much Keith. I would do anything for you." He continued walking up to him, even if his legs didn't want to.

The world melted into pink around him once again.

He stood inches away from it. He was so close. He couldn't even feel his heart pounding in his chest.

"I don't want to leave you ever again." His words slurred as his voice started to work against him. A melody erupted from his throat and a buzz when through his body.

The world was a pink blur as he fell onto Keith. So close to being so far gone.

He struggled to pull himself up.

He grabbed Keith's face, still vocalizing along with him.

His vision was fading. He knew he only had seconds.

He pressed his mouth against the other's cold thin lips.

Darkness enveloped him and he felt both nothing and everything at the same time. It was like his chest exploded open and his innards had melted out onto the floor.

It didn't work.

He was stuck here. That was his last chance, and he fucked it up.

His ears were empty of sound.

He felt like his head was being twisted off like an apple off of a branch.

Then it popped.

The darkness faded and the room came back into view. Every nerve in his body was screaming and on fire.

His eyes came back into focus.

Keith was holding him up in his arms. Crying. Was he crying over him? Maybe it hurt for him as well.

"Keith?"

Keith squeezed him in a bear hug.

Now was not the time for words.

Pico hugged him back tighter.

The stood there in each others arms for what could have easily been days. He just listened to him breathe.

That was all he wanted.

That was all he needed.

It was perfect.

"Thank you." Keith whispered.

"For what?"

"You saved me. I don't know how long I was in there, but I couldn't stand it. I could hear what you were saying. Your voice is beautiful."

Pico felt his cheeks grow warm. He couldn't even remember what he had said, but it was probably something dumb.

Keith let go of him, put Pico still held him.

"You've got to let me go."

"I don't want you to leave me." It was the most dumb, clingy shit he could have said, but it was true.

"Pico, look at me." He felt Keith's warm hand on his cheek.

Their eyes met. He could stare into those eyes forever.

"I'm not going to leave you. Not now, not ever."

Pico hesitated. "Promise?"

The second in between felt like an eternity.

"I Promise." Keith pulled him in for a kiss.

A proper kiss.

Not a "I'm trying to save both of our lives and this might not even work" kiss.

Not a "I'm paranoid and stupid right now because I just relived my childhood trauma" kiss.

An "I love you" kiss.

His lips were chapped but that didn't change anything.

He was back, and this time he wasn't going to leave.