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Explosions ring in the distance, but it all fades to white noise.Black smoke bellows into the sky, staining the bright blue an ugly black. Shouts ring out, an echo of desperation.
Three months.
It had been three months since war broke out between playground and crossroads.
Three months since Sword had proudly signed up, smiling as Rocket,too,despite Zuka’s protests, put down his name.
He should have stopped him. Made him stay safe.
Sword never thought about the conscenes.
All Sword can focus on is the fragile figure of Rocket in his arms. Sword gingerly lays him down behind a concrete pillar away from the war and bloodshed.
Blood, there’s so much blood, it coated his hands a cruel red.
No amount of water will wash the blood from his hands.
Sword ripped his shirt sleeve and attempted to wrap a tourniquet around the stub where rocket’s right arm used to be,all while keeping him upright,trying to secure the area where rocket’s left lung had collapsed in on itself.
“It’ll be okay, you’ll be fine” Sword’s eyes darted to Rocket's pale face,smeared with dirt and ash.
“Sword…”
“No! No! You're going to live, Swords damn it!” He applied more pressure to cease the blood flow,the once white rag now was now stained bright red. It was useless.
He was losing blood too fast.
“Sword…” with his left arm he placed his hand over sword’s trembling ones.Sword looked at Rocket’s gaunt face,a sad smile plastered on his lips.
“I'm just sad I never got to tell you how much I loved you.I was always too afraid. But now? In the face of death it feels stupid…” he coughs,blood seeping in between his teeth.
Sword felt so helpless.He could do nothing but attempt to stop the relentless flow of blood seeping out of rocket’s wound,but it was too late.
Tears pour out of Rocket’s eyes,cutting through the grime and ash.
“Don’t leave me” Rocket’s grip is vice like.
“I won't leave” Sword squeezed Rocket’s hand back.
“You promise?”
“I promise”
They sit in silence,listening to the rattling breath of the blue hued demon grow shallower
Too late.
He’s too late.
Its all he can do is give Rocket a hand to hold while he dies.
“I….”
He coughs,blood splattering shirt.
“I love you, Sword. Look after my Dad for me…tell him i love him”
“Don’t leave me Rocket please…please!”
Rocket cupped Sword’s face with his hand and smiled,Sword could do nothing but watch the life drain out of those once lively blue eyes,his heart going cold as the loving hand on his face fell and landed motionless at his side,the remains of Rocket’s life all over his hands.
“Rocket? Rocket? W-wake up! C-come on, y-you can’t die! i-i ‘m so lost without you please!” Desperation creeps into his voice,tears pour down his face hot and fast.
Ice gripped his chest like a vice.
He always thought of himself as untouchable. Unbreakable. It annoyed the hell out of him when people looked down at him and treated him like a fool.
But now he knew what everyone else saw. A dumb kid cradling his dead best friend.
“I’m sorry…..i’m so so sorry….” but his cries fell on deaf ears.
“How do I look?” Rocket asked, puffing out his chest,his name tag shining on his new camo shirt,running his hand through his now shorter horns and fur.
Sword blushed slightly and smiled.He thought he looked unfairly handsome. He wanted to say so but instead he rolled his eyes.
“Amazing ,now come on. We’re going to be late”
Rocket grinned,swinging his bag over his shoulder.
“Are ya sure rockie?” Zuka said from the doorway. He’d been trying to talk Rocket out of it all month.
“I’m sure Zuka,stop worrying! I’ll be back before you know it!” He had then enveloped Zuka into a tight hug and sped out where two armed guards were waiting to take the newest recruits.
Before Sword could leave, the retired soldier grabbed his arm.
“Look after him”
Sword had then looked into that man’s troubled eyes and said:
“I won’t let anything happen to him”
“I promise”