Together, Always (TPN x reader fanfic)

Face-To-Face

--A few minutes ago--

"Ray!" Anna called out startled as the boy being addressed ran away from the group, "W-wait what happened, Ray!" Emma joined the chase startled. Ray quickly reached the rest of their family, he looked around for Y/n, however the first one to notice his arrival was the older albino who quickly approached him and placed an arm over his shoulder.

He stared at the younger boy, whose eyes kept scanning the room for a certain someone. "Ray, is everything okay? Where are the others--?" Ray finally turned to look at Oliver, his voice lacking its usual composure and his eyes were sharp with adrenaline.

"Where is Y/n?" Oliver jolted slightly before shaking his head to recover, "She's alrig...Follow me." He answered with a firm expression, he guided Ray inside one of the tunnels where they had let Christy rest. As soon as they entered, though, the familiar voice they were looking for found them first in a scream. They looked at each other for a second before running towards the source.

The moment Ray saw the girl on the ground he threw himself next to her, ungracefully yet carefully wrapping his arms around her. "Y/n–what happened?!" He tried to get her attention yet failed, he turned to look at Oliver who stood in the entrance in shock. "Oliver, take Christy to the others, Emma and the others are probably here by now–we'll be there in a few minutes!"

He was about to argue before it hit him. There was a high possibility someone else had heard the scream, it would probably be bad enough for the girl to realize that Ray–That he saw her in such a state. Then to have to explain to her siblings and friends what happened– "Roger that."

He lifted the sick boy, immediately noticing the change in his condition. Even then, Y/n's face came to his mind as she took care of the child, if it weren't for her current state, a smile would have appeared. "She did it, she lowered his temperature." He said as he left the pair. "Help her, Ray. I'll do my part up there." Ray nodded gratefully.

***

"I have a little over a month left."

The shocked silence that followed from him was decidedly baffling, but even then, the wheels in his mind began to turn.

He ignored the sudden feeling of falling inside his stomach, he helped her stand up meticulously as if she were a bubble that would burst if handled roughly.

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed one of her eyes, the salty flavor of tears hitting his senses before he adjusted his hold to a hug, placing his hands on her head to pull her close. Y/n wrapped her arms around his waist, she didn't have to hear him say it in order to understand. It will be okay, I'll figure something out, tell me everything. Even if it turned out not to be.

"I'll tell you all there is to it, right now,though, all I want is to be with you. Hold me like I'll fade away if you let go, when you do, I'll smile again– I'll hold it all in again. I need you to give me the strength to hold it for everyone else. Please." It took all she had to not let her voice crack, she knew that if she did, the quiet sobs and tears would evolve into a giant mess once again, and as the person with her once said; She looked ugly when she cried.

"This is so embarrassing... I've been such a crybaby lately." She sobbed the most lightheartedly she could, but Ray only pulled her closer.

He was angry, too angry to even let out one of his snarky remarks. Angry at himself, angry at the fact that even though he felt something was wrong, he was too selfish– too self centered and arrogant for wanting her to approach him with whatever it was– yet now it made sense. Who would go to someone they cared about and say 'Hey~, I'll die in 5 weeks!' after they had lost their shelter and people they trusted and loved. Certainly not Y/n.