all we have is now / feral boys fanfiction

~32~ funeral

~third person pov~

The five boys stand at the bottom of the stairs of the church. None of them are sure if they should go first. What's the protocol for walking in? How are you supposed to act at your best friend's funeral?

"We could all go at the same time?" Alex suggests after a long period of silence.

"Yeah, yeah that sounds good," George nods, "All at once."

"On the count of three?" Clay asks.

"One," Quackity begins, although he feels his bones freeze after he realizes where they're going.

"Two," George continues. Is this the kind of thing you count for? They're not going to space.

Clay takes a deep breath. "Three."

It takes six steps for them to all stop collectively.

Nick takes a seat on the step and buries his head in his hands. Alex grips the edges of his beanie, not being able to yank his hair out.

Clay runs his hands through his hair as he and George stare at the doors. The service doesn't start for another twenty minutes.

Karl takes a seat next to Nick and puts an arm around him. "Hey, it's going to be okay."

"Is it really though?" Nick picks his head up to see Karl. "Were any of us ready for this? No. That's because it wasn't supposed to end like this. We all know it. She didn't.. She didn't.." he buries his head again to hide the fact that he's already crying. "She didn't deserve this."

Clay shakes his head, then leans it back to face the clouds. "It wasn't supposed to end like this at all."

Alex sits on the step he's standing on. "Why does it feel like such a final goodbye?"

"Probably because we're burying her six feet underground," Nick mumbles.

"But she won't really be gone, will she? I know for me personally, she's changed my life so much, and I see her in everything. I'm still going to think of her. Hell, I'll probably still talk to her." Alex takes a deep breath. "So why does it feel like a goodbye when she's not really leaving our lives?"

George turns from the door and sits as well. "I texted her a meme yesterday on accident."

Clay chuckles a bit but doesn't say anything.

"It's going to be okay, guys." Karl tries to comfort the group, "We're in this together, and Quackity is right. She's still here with us. I bet she's looking down right now."

Clay smiles and glances up at the sky, whispering a little hello.

Nick picks his head up and looks to the sky as well. "She's probably yelling about how we can't even go into the building."

Alex laughs. "True, she's rolling her eyes as we speak."

"Then what are we waiting for?" George asks as he stands up, "Let's do this for her."

"You're right." Alex nods. "It's the least we can do. For Taegan."

"Let's get this party started!" Karl giggles and stands as well. "Respectfully of course."

Karl offers his hand to Nick, who takes it hesitantly.

George starts to make the first steps to the door. Alex throws an arm around Nick's shoulder, and they start to make their way up the stairs.

Karl hangs back for a moment. He sighs as he stares at the door with a weight in his stomach. He clears his throat and dusts his hands off before taking a couple steps.