Among Us Shorts

With You Always (OaC, Sequel to Martyred)

K'dela let out a breath and looked down at Ku'i's sleeping form.

It had been two months since Sky was murdered, and while Green's incarceration brought K'dela some form of grim justice, the fact that MIRA violently denied having anything to do with the murder made K'dela want to punch something.

But it wasn't like she could do anything. She relied on MIRA for her asylum, and if MIRA wanted to, they could just as easily revoke that and send her and Ku'i back to Na'Chzar to be slowly dissolved alive.

She shivered as she imagined Ku'i in such a place. K'dela vowed to never let that happen to her. It could not happen.

K'dela silently got up and left Ku'i's room, closing the door behind her. She entered her own bedroom and got ready to go to sleep.

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When K'dela's head hit the pillow, her eyes immediately opened again only to see something very different than the room that she fell asleep to. It only took her a moment to realize that she was in hers and Sky's old quarters, the one that they had before Ku'i came into the picture.

I'm dreaming, K'dela realized, narrowing her eyes in suspicion as she got up. Odd dream to have, but one, nonetheless. Now what is life going to throw at me no-

K'dela exited the bedroom only to see a figure sitting at the small table in the kitchen. He turned around and looked at K'dela with familiar sky-blue eyes.

"Hi, K'dela," Sky said with a sad smile.

K'dela lost her voice for a moment. Then, "Is it really you?"

Sky chuckled. "Well, we're in your head, so I suppose it's a matter of if you think that anything that happens in your head is real."

K'dela rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Sky, holding him like she would never let go. Tears were starting to run down her cheeks. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," Sky got out. "K'dela? You're crushing my ribs..."

K'dela released her grip on him and leaned back slightly. She glanced down at the scar on her forearm, in the shape of a ba'ul. Rebirth. "You can feel that?"

"Yeah." Sky sighed. "Being dead is like being alive, except that it sucks because I don't know anyone. I want to come home, K'dela. I want to come home and actually hug you, and see Ku'i again."

K'dela sniffled. If there was one thing that the ritual didn't do, it was bring the dead back to life. It only ensured that the one who had died had a safe trip to the afterlife by bribing a warden to protect their spirit. "I want you home, too, Sky."

"I'm scared."

"I know. I've done all I can to keep you safe. Did you meet-"

"I did. You did that for me?"

K'dela nodded and Sky gently traced a finger over the symbol that K'dela had carved into her own skin. She could see that Sky was trembling and he sniffled. "What's wrong?"

"I failed you." Sky burst out. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't fight. I'm sorry I can't be there for you and Ku'i..."

"It's not your fault-"

Sky grasped her hands. "No, I know it's not. But I swore to myself that I would never leave my spouse or my kid like I was left. And I failed you. I'm sorry."

"Sky. Stop apologizing." K'dela briefly let go of Sky's hands to grab a chair and sit down in front of him. "It's not your fault."

"I could have fought harder," Sky insisted. "I could have tried to hold on longer. But I was weak. The pain... K'dela, if you could have felt the pain, my spine was on fire. But it would have been worth it to still be with you."