Unravelled - Desert Duo Fic

Chapter 16

This chapter has semi-kinda-sorta death, heads up! It's hard to explain, just something death-adjacent does happen!

"How've you been?" Grian asked. He offered out a hand to the man for a handshake, but instead, the man ran into his arms and hugged him.

"I-I've missed you guys so much," came his deep and gravelly voice. His words wavered slightly. Was he... was he about to cry?

Grian felt his own eyes starting to fill with tears. He was here. He was really, actually here. He hugged him tighter, afraid to let go and lose his old friend.

TFC.

"We've missed you too. It's really not the same without you." TFC laughed at this and pulled Grian even closer. Grian didn't argue. It had been... it'd been so long. So, so long. He wondered how the Hermit had managed to live in here, all alone, for this long, knowing that he'd never be able to see any of his old friends again. It sounded like hell. So... lonely.

"Sooo, you're... dead?" TFC asked, finally pulling away from the man in the red sweater. Grian noticed that he wiped his eyes a little.

"I... I guess so, yeah."

"That sucks. I'm sorry."

Grian just shrugged. "Death really isn't as bad as I thought it'd be."

"Speak for yourself." TFC rolled his eyes and chuckled. His words left Grian curious: was he experiencing death differently to him? What was death like for the other? He shook away the thoughts. He was sure that he'd have plenty of time to ask about it, soon. "Anyway, sorry you had to end up with these two. I think my code didn't work."

Hels and EX grumbled from the tea table. "We're not that bad!" EX insisted, and Hels nodded in agreement from beside him.

"Please, look at you two!" TFC snorted.

The two alters glanced at each other. Their arms were intertwined as they sat next to each other, drinking tea. Quite frankly, it was a hilarious sight. What had made the two so significantly less aggressive was above him, but it was a nice thing to see, so he wasn't complaining.

"Grab your tea, buddy. I'll take you to where you're meant to be," TFC insisted. He smiled a little.

Grian turned to the two alters behind him. "I'm taking this cup," he said. He didn't care if they'd get mad at him: it's not like he planned on ever seeing them again. Despite their behaviour and their reputation along the Hermits, there was a small amount of gratitude that Grian held for the two. They could've just left him, after all. "Uh... I never thought I'd be saying this, but, thank you."

"Screw you," Hels said, and the corners of his lips quirked up a little. It was only a tiny bit, but it was enough for Grian to notice.

EX sighed. "Bye, nerd," he said, and he lifted three of his fingers in a lousy attempt at waving.

TFC quickly turned back to where he'd initially come through and pushed his hand straight through the void. It was such an odd sight: the Void had no walls, no sides, no definite anything. And yet... TFC was able to just shove himself through its fabrics. Considering he was stuck here for the rest of his days, though, Grian was sure he'd have time to ask about the physics down here. He'd never really been much of a physicist, but, hey: who knows what death would do to him?

"Grab onto me," instructed the older ex-Hermit, and Grian obliged, gripping the only arm of his that wasn't consumed by voidsidian. "I'm about to pull us through."

In an instant, Grian found himself yanked through the walls. He gasped, and suddenly, once again, he was back in the ocean. Drowning. He couldn't see, and everything around him was a pitch black, but he felt enough to make up for it. The ache of his joints, the need for air, the lack of any oxygen. It was torture.