This Life is Mine

34

TWs: Aftermath of character death, panicking/crying, guns/bombs. Stay safe :)

Yan reached the opposite corridor, coming to a stop at a doorway. He placed his hand on the entrance, peering into the room with a staggering breath. He opened his mouth, about to speak, when he saw it.

There on the floor lay his partner in crime, You. He wasn't moving. He wasn't breathing.

"You...!" Yan ran forward, ignoring Katya's calls for him to stop. The Russian kneeled, turning his body so that he was on his back. He noticed You's bloodshot, glazed eyes, and the blue-purple shading around his mouth. Yan shook his head, caressing the other's cheek, "Дерьмо, no, no, no... this can't be happening. You... please, no."

"Yan, give me your hands!" Katya yelled, a hand wipe in her hand. Tears were streaming down her face as she forcibly grabbed Yan's wrist and wiped at his hand, "You can't touch that stuff!"

Yan watched as the nurse cleaned a green substance off his fingers. He hadn't even noticed it over his panicking, "What is this...?"

"Most likely a deadly chemical..." Katya uttered, her voice wavering, "Only one person here can pull something like this off."

"Who?" Yan looked at her, a faraway look in his eyes. He felt his teeth clench and his throat aching, "Who did this?"

Katya glanced at her wife, "Uh-" She was cut off by resounding footsteps coming down the hallway.

"We heard gunfire! What-" Pat stopped as soon as he entered the doorway, "Happened...?"

Yan averted his gaze from the group, his eyes landing on You's body.

"You...?" He heard Clay utter.

"I'm sorry," Yan whispered.

"For what?" Pat frowned, holding back tears. He stepped forward, finding it hard to keep the tears in as he looked down at his passed companion.

"We split up after you explicitly told us not to." Yan's voice cracked, so he coughed to hide it.

"It's-" Pat faltered, kneeling beside Yan to rub him on the back, "It's not your fault."

"But it-"

"Would You consider it your fault?"

Yan was silent, giving the question some thought. You was never one to hold grudges of any kind. He didn't care about things like that. Yan looked at You's body, watching as Katya carefully inspected it, small tears still flowing freely from her eyes.

"No, he wouldn't," Yan spoke, his eyes stinging.

"Then it's not your fault." Pat squeezed his shoulder.

"Yan, you might want to see this..." Katya sniffled.

"What is it?" The Russian pulled himself over, hovering over her shoulder.

"I can't read it; I was hoping you could since you were partners." She pointed at some symbols written in slime near You's left hand. The ravenette's eyes widened.

愛してる

The tears came without warning as Yan broke down on the cold, hard floor, not caring if his friends saw him as vulnerable. His heart ached, and his fists dragged along the floor as he longed to see the spark in his best friend- his partner- again.

I love you deeply.

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