My Darling Lies Over the Ocean (YouTubers AU)

30. Love never is gone if you have truly loved the person.

Felix breathes as hard as he can as he moves through the forest clearing. He is certain that he heard Ken's scream pierce the air, but doesn't know exactly which direction the raven actually is. The pounding of his heart and aching of his muscles drive him forward. The mask necklace feels heavier on his neck, and he takes this as an omen that it's true owner isn't around to help hold up the weight any more.

The thick fingers run through Cry's dark brown hair as Ken whispers. It's one of the songs that they danced to at their wedding. The taller man has long forgotten the words, but the melody presses through his lips to the cold shell of his husband's ear as he waits. As he waits for help to arrive, or for maybe the slim chance that the blue eyes will open again of their own accord. Perhaps the shallow chest will twitch with new willingness to inhale the sweet scent of salty sea air that invades this place.

"Ken," Felix croaks, finally coming across the two men. "Shit, what happened? Can Cry get up on his own? His legs...are they..."

"He's dead," Ken replies simply, still looking down at the soft expression of the slender face of the other part of him in his strong arms. "Been dead for a while now. I should have tried to get to him faster."

The dark haired man doesn't turn to look at the Swede, even with the sounds of him falling to knees and desperately trying not to be sick. There is a voice that sounds so much like the deep voice of Cry asking him to please comfort the man weeping now off to the right side. That Felix needs his touch so much more than he does right now.

"I...just...get the others to..."

Each word is like glass shredding the blonde's delicate throat. His bones twisting into heavy blocks of wood and daring him to get up. The light blue eyes  watch as the dark shadows of Ken and Cry melt into a single creature as he somehow is able to stand again, though his small legs are barely able to hold his weight.

"Do whatever you need to do," Ken says softly, brown eyes still on Cry. "I'm not leaving him. We'll stay here and wait."

It's enough of a plan to get Felix's feet to start moving again, and he spends this walk making sure to mark the trail much better than before. He needs the others to help convince Ken that Cry needs to be cared for by more than just him. Maybe to recheck the small man's pulse just to be sure.

"Fe, what the hell? What happened?"

Jack can always tell when something is haunting him, and for the first time in a long while the Irishman runs to hold him tightly as he sobs. Felix has almost forgotten how warm and loving his husband's hugs are when not just fueled by sex. He could live the rest of his life in Jack's arms.

"Ken found him," Felix coughs out after what feels like forever.

The others have crowded close to the two men, though it is only Mark that makes a point to keep a slight distance. The need to pace and give his mind and legs something to do is screaming in his mind.

"Is he hurt?" Ethan chimes in meekly, breaking the silence. "Should we bring supplies?"

Tyler shakes his head and Ethan shudders.

"He didn't make it," Tyler sighs. "Did he?"

Felix isn't able to form the words, but at least his neck is able to assist him in a short nod, and the rest of the men groan and gasp. Mark takes a few steps and bends down next to Jack and Felix still on the ground. It is now that Jack realizes how much Mark's dark eyes glow like gold in the firelight.

"Take us to them," the raven gently mutters, as he looks into the reddened eyes of the blonde. "I'll be able to talk to Ken, and Ethan can...make sure that Cry is actually gone. Ken might be too upset to...you know."

Relief falls over Felix's shoulders at the idea, and slowly with the help of Mark's strong hands all three of the men are up again. Jack interlaces his fingers with his husband and squeezes tightly, and allows himself to be pulled towards the pathway back to Ken. The others follow behind, with Mark already talking over with Ethan what he needs him to do when they finally get there.