Rhett and Link One Shots

Goodbye, My Brother

TW: Death

Cold, heartless, and bare were the
unending halls of the hospital. There was no joy here, no happiness or warmth. The man's shoes padded softly against the painfully white floors of the hospital. He felt nothing as his legs and feet carried his weary body closer to that room. The room he dreaded entering. The room he knew one day he'd have to face, yet never had he expected it to be so soon. They were so young. Still in their thirties, but that did not stop the cruel hand of this earth from taking one away. His brother was in that room, alone, the only one left. The rest of the man's family had already passed in the accident.

For another agonizingly slow minute, the man walked. He froze, now at that door. He feared opening it. He was terrified. So terrified of what he knew waited for him on the other side. His hand shook as he slowly reached forward. His fingers wrapped around the cold metal and his eyes closed. Head lowered, tears stinging closed eyes, he said a quiet prayer. A prayer that his brother would go painlessly and have at least some comfort by his presence before that moment came.

The memories flashed in the man's head as he lie in the uncomfortable bed. A soft breeze from a fan blew onto his face as he wheezed and coughed, just for one breath in and one breath out. 

Driving

Happy

Beautiful family

Truck

Blackness

Blood

Tears

Gone

All gone...

The door to the room opened slowly and the man in the bed looked up slowly. His once brightly colored eyes were fading away. He saw a man step in, a man he knew since first grade. The man was his best friend, no not only a best friend his brother. With darkening vision, the dying man looked up at his brother. The other man went to his friend's side and gripped his cool hand. "It's alright, brother. I'm here now. I'm here with you."

"I-I'm dying.." The other man spoke softly, his voice dry and hoarse. He coughed weakly and his eyes closed slowly. He leaned back in the bed. The warmth of his brother's hand on his was barely noticeable to the passing man. He had lost almost all feeling of touch, nerve damage from the crash. He didn't have long. Not long at all. He was almost gone. He wished to speak more, tell the man beside him so much, tell him to be strong and never give up. He wanted to tell the other how much he meant to him, how much he loved him. Yes, he loved him. Though it had gone mostly unspoken through both men's lives, they did love each other. As brothers, of course, but as strongly as brothers could.

"I know, don't talk, please. It wastes your breath. I'm not going anywhere. I promise you I will be right here. D-don't be gone long, brother." The other man's eyes closed and salty drops of water fell from his eyes. The tears slowly rolled down his face and dripped down to the floor. He couldn't believe he was here. The moment had come when he would say goodbye to the man he had known so long. He was practically gone already. 

"I need to tell you something. I love you, brother. We've had an amazing run together, me and you. We created something beautiful, something that millions enjoyed everyday. A-and now, that's over. Forget the week and then it ends, I can't.. Not without you. Sitting there at that desk with an empty spot beside me, I couldn't do it. It would break me. The race of life that we ran together with our families, is over. You made it through and now, you're going to a better place. You are joining your family. Up there. I will miss you so much more than you could ever imagine, but I'll know you're happier there than you could ever be here. Just know that I love you."

The man reached forward and cupped the other's cheek. He leaned down and gently and softly kissed the hair atop his brother's head. He removed his shaking hand and looked down at the other man. He put his hand on the other's shoulder and closed his eyes as more salty tears rolled down his cheeks silently and slowly. "Don't force yourself to stay if it's time to go." 

The perishing man's eyes closed and he moved his arm ever so carefully. Pain shot through his frail body as the muscles in his arm and shoulder worked to perform the simple action. He reached up and put his hand on the other's shoulder as well, not even opening his dulling eyes once. He was starting to go. His hand and arm slipped, but the other man with him grabbed it gently and held it close to him. He stood up and carefully wrapped his arms around the fragile body of his best friend. "Shh, it's almost time for you to go. Don't be scared. I'm right here."

As strong as he acted, the man was dying on the inside. Not literally, yet his heart was in such bitter agony. Part of him was dying. His best friend, his brother, was part of him. After knowing the man for so long, he had become so important to the man's heart. The other coughed dryly and slowly opened his tear filled eyes. "D-don't want to go." Hs best friend's eyes closed and more of the tears fell, but not so silently this time. Quiet sobs escaped his lips as he cried.

"I-I don't want you to go either. Don't leave me.. Please.. I need you." The moribund man's eyes closed one last time and he coughed onto the shoulder of the man hugging him. 

"I love you. So m-much. Goodbye, my brother." His eyes widened and then he closed them with the little strength he had left. At 4:23 PM, the man had breathed his last. He was gone, never to come back. The other man sobbed loudly and hugged the lifeless body of his best friend as close to him as he could. He spoke a few words, the last words he would ever say to his best friend, his brother.

"I-I love you too.. J-just as much. G-g-goodbye, Link."