the world beyond - oneshots

comforting hands to warm a cold heart // astiodd/oddsti??

warm hands wrapped around asti.

unexpectedly.
first came the shock, her mouth parted slightly, her eyes only a little bit wide.
she was exhausted.

the feeling of odd's arms wrapping around her was not as discomforting as it normally was. this time it was caring, it was warm.

asti tensed under the embrace, odd had, evidently, never hugged her.
this was warm.

and it was so, so nice.

asti felt safe for once.
this embrace contrasted the one she had felt when rhea embraced her on the day they moved on so nicely, asti couldn't help but think it was almost sentimental.

odd was doing something nice, for asti's sake. it felt almost unbearably sweet.
he never wanted this to end, but he knew it must have been excruciating for his partner.

"thank you, odd."
she muttered, holding one of the hands embracing them, bringing it up to her lips and pressing a soft kiss to the back of it.

physical affection just wasn't plausible between them.
you can't justify suffering excruciating pain just for a hug, but here odd was, doing it of his own volition.

asti sighed softly.

"this must hurt. i'm sorry it has to be this way."
they whispered under their breath, squeezing the hand slightly.

odd's free hand wrote down on the ground messily, a hardly coherent scribble: 'its alright, idm', it read.
odd was trembling almost violently, it must have been more than agonizing.

asti smiled softly; it would be the last time they smiled like this.
they leaned back into the touch.

"just make sure to let go whenever you feel like it."
they muttered quietly, odd drew a small heart on their hospital gown and their smile grew.
they pressed a kiss onto the hand again, odd could feel the smile on their face, and he was glad he was helping, even at the cost of his own pain.

odd wouldn't let go at all if he could bear the pain; but it was too much at some point and he let go.
the warmth disappeared, and odd slowly regenerated back to normal.

he sat up with a cough, still shaky and sore.

"thank you."
his partner muttered.

"it's fine, really. don't worry, asti."
he said quietly.

asti sat across from odd.
he truly was the best partner he could have asked for.
they smiled and looked down, eyes watering a bit.

the remaining warmth had faded by now, and they'd remain longing for that touch forever.
it felt ridiculously unfair that they had to be so dichotomous.