Countryhumans Oneshots

The Dying Bay

TW for slightly suicidal ideation/ thoughts. Not a lot, but I want to give y'all a warning.

Plymouth was tired. He knew his death was coming soon, that he would soon pass on like so many of his siblings before him. Like Wessagusset, like United Colonies of New England, like Popham, like Saybrook, like New Haven.

He was going to die. He and Maine were going to die, and their land was going to belong to Massachusetts Bay.

It terrified him more than he wanted to admit. Plymouth had spent the past week saying his goodbyes, trying to find the words that would explain how much he loved them and how much he didn't want to leave them.

Plymouth didn't want to leave them. He and Virginia had spent so long helping Uncle James care for them that he didn't want to imagine what it would be like for them to handle that alone.

"It'll be okay, Plymouth. You can rest. You've done such a good job caring for them. We can take it from here," Uncle James had said, a sad smile on his face. Virginia had just hugged him, silent tears sliding down her face.

Plymouth didn't want to die in front of them, not like so many of their siblings had, their deaths sudden and unexpected. Plymouth insisted he and Maine should be alone. That none of their siblings should watch.

They had all agreed.

Well, all but Massachusetts Bay, poor, sweet Massachusetts Bay, who cared far too much guilt already, whose baby face was marred by a deep-set guilt.

Plymouth knew he blamed himself for what was going to happen to Plymouth and Maine. Plymouth thought he was being stupid. Massachusetts Bay didn't want them to die. But it wasn't his choice to make. He never even played a role.

After all, it was hard to play a role when no one thought you existed.

"Bay, you shouldn't come to watch us die," Maine said, her voice slow and gentle. Massachusetts Bay shook his head.

"I have to. Please. This is my fault. Maine. Plym—Dad. Please," Massachusetts Bay begged, tears in his eyes. Plymouth shut his eyes, feeling tears well up in them, before opening them again, signing.

"Massy, you know this is going to haunt you, right? You don't have to watch this. Death is...death leaves scars," Plymouth said, a hand on Massachusetts Bay's shoulder, looking his pseudo-son right in the eyes.

"I know. But I need this," Massachusetts Bay said. Plymouth shook his head, pressing his forehead to Massachusetts Bay's.

"Please, son, don't punish yourself because you think you deserve to be punished for something outside of your control," Plymouth said before pulling Massachusetts Bay into a hug, feeling the boy shake from the force of his sobs.

"I don't want you to die! I don't!" he cried out as his tears continued to fall. Massachusetts Bay pulled away from the hug, trying his best to wipe the still-falling tears from his face.

"We don't want to leave you either, Mass!" Maine said, looking like she was about to start crying.

"We aren't truly going to leave you. We'll be watching you and everyone else from Heaven. We'll be with you in spirit." Plymouth said, placing a hand on Massachusetts Bay's chest, "Our lands will become yours, and we will always be a part of you in that way. I know you will make us so proud, and I know you will take such good care of our people and land."

Massachusetts Bay let out another loud sob before tackling Plymouth and Maine into a hug.

"I love you guys!" he said before releasing them, wiping the last of his tears from his face. Once again, Plymouth was struck by how young his brother looked, how much he deserved to be a child, and how much he didn't deserve to carry the guilt of his sibling's death like it was his fault.