Dark Waters

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty One

AN: Sorry in advance.

A few years later...

Matthew sighed holding in a yawn. The Storm Hawks were seated around the big table on the Condor. They always got together every week for a meal. No kids, just them. Aerrow and Piper had just stuck with just three kids, but Finn and his girlfriend had had four. Junko didn't bother with romance, but loved babysitting when he got a chance. Stork mostly tried to avoid the kids convinced that they'd give him some illness. All the kids were grown now though.

"So, Mattie. How's Quin doing?" Piper asked raising an eyebrow.

"I've got nothing more to teach her." The Canadian shrugged. "She's a really quick learner. I'm helping her rather than her helping me."

"She definitely takes after her mom." Aerrow hummed kissing Piper's cheek.

"She gets her energy from jou, that's for sure." Gilbert said with a smile. They all nodded in agreement. "How are the boys?"

"Reckless as ever." Piper sighed pinching the bridge of her nose. Cobalt and Lunar were both off training to be Sky Knights. When they were little they were in to see Matthew with new injuries almost everyday. "Co apparently jumped onto Lune's skimmer and tipped him off."

"Sounds like something he'd do." Finn laughed sticking his thumb in Aerrow's direction. The Sky Knight just rolled his eyes.

"Finished writing out the notes yet?" Piper asked the Canadian.

"Ah, almost I think." Matthew sighed scratching the back of his neck. Piper had suggested that he completely write out all of what he knew about healing and medicine to put in a book. He agreed knowing it could help a lot of people. He was already writing stuff down anyways. "I can't remember. I'll have to check."

"Okay." Piper hummed with a bright smiled. They all sat around and talked until well after dark. Stork had finally kicked them out wanting to go to bed. They teased him, but were also ready to go home and to bed.

AN: So, Quin, Cobalt and Lunar are named after watercolour pigments. Like quinacridone gold, cobalt blue and Lunar black. A lot of my small part oc's have paint related names cuz I'm a nerd about that stuff.

-❄️"For the two of us, home isn't a place. It is a person. And we are finally home."❄️-

Another few years later...

"How are you feeling, Gilly?" Matthew asked carefully sitting on the edge of the bed next to his husband. He put a hand on his forehead feeling his temperature, he still felt warm.

"I'm alright." Gilbert lied catching his hand and holding onto it. He coughed with a wince. The Canadian sighed sadly biting his lip. He put his other hand on his chest rubbing small circles hoping to soothe the soreness.

Matthew was scared. Gilbert had caught something and he didn't know what it was. Nothing he'd been giving him was helping. The Prussian hadn't had the energy to get out of bed for days. The blond was still able to get food and water into him, but it was a bit of a fight. He felt helpless being unable to do anything to make him feel better.

Gilbert let go of his hand and reached out trying to find his face. He could barely see now, just blobs of colour. The Canadian leaned in guiding his hands and the albino smiled. He traced along his neck and jaw feeling the familiar lines and curves.

"Hallo there Birdie." The albino said with a weak smile. Matthew knew he was trying to convince him he was feeling better. "Shouldn't jou be vith Quin?"

"No, Quin can take care of herself." The Canadian said shaking his head. He had pretty much retired. He only helped Quin with more serious injuries, but otherwise she was independent. "You're more important."

"Lay vith me?" Gilbert asked rubbing his thumbs over the Canadian's cheeks. He smiled and nodded carefully shifting and laying on his back next to him. The Prussian pulled him close as he curled into Matthew's side burring his face in the crook of his neck. "I love jou,

Matthew."

"I love you too, Gil." The Canadian said pressing a kiss into his hair. The albino coughed weakly with a groan. Matthew let go of one of his hands rubbing circles into his back. "Try to get some sleep."

"I don't vant to." Gilbert said quietly. "I'm scared I von't vake up."

Matthew didn't really know what to say. He was scared about that too. He knew it was a possibility, but he tried to push it to the back of his mind. The Canadian knew their time was coming and he couldn't stop it, but he never thought it could be this soon.

"I don't vant to leave jou, Birdie." Gilbert coughed weakly.

"I know." Matthew said quietly. They laid quietly for a while before he heard the albino's quiet snores. He sighed closing his own eyes ready for sleep.

-❄️"Where there is love there is life."❄️-

"No, Birdie. Stay." Gilbert said weakly holding onto him as he shifted slightly.

"I'm not going anywhere." Matthew said reassuringly kissing his forehead.

It had been a few days and the Prussian was still sick, he wasn't getting better. It was getting harder and harder for the blond to get food into him. Gilbert was weak and exhausted barely able to stay awake. The Canadian knew he was in pain from coughing so much, but he refused any medicine he tried to give him.

Matthew wouldn't go far from him. He'd only leave the bedroom to go get his husband water or food. He would get up to go grab something and immediately forget what he was doing. Gilbert would gently remind him. He had to keep repeating it over and over in his head to get anything done.

"Are you hungry, Gil?" The Canadian asked brushing some hair out of his eyes. The albino shook his head with a small cough. "What if I make pancakes?"

"Nein, danke." Gilbert said. His voice was rough and barely audible. Matthew sighed sadly. "I never thought I'd die to a cold. Not the most glamorous death."

"Gil." The Canadian said biting his lip. The albino moved his head to look hazily up at him. He knew he couldn't really see him. He reached up carefully cupping the blond's jaw. His hands were cold. "Don't talk like that."

"I know I'm not going to get better." The Prussian sighed. His breathing was slow and uneven. Matthew's eyebrows furrowed trying to hold back tears. He felt the change in the Canadians face and frowned. "Don't cry, Birdie. Ich liebe dich, füe immer und ewig."

"Je t'aime aussi." Matthew said quietly putting his hand overtop of his husband's. He leaned down and kissed him gently. He didn't care if he got sick too.

Gilbert broke apart turning his head to cough. He groaned and buried his face in the crook of the blond's neck. The Canadian slowly rubbed circles into his back trying to ease him. The albino's breaths were still uneven and slow. After a while they stopped completely.

"Gil?" Matthew asked pulling back. There was no response from him. He bit his lip tears finally spilling over.

-❄️"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you."❄️-

The Canadian didn't last a week after Gilbert passed. He didn't have a reason to move or do anything without him. The Storm Hawks were there for him and tried to help. He appreciated their kind words, but he didn't want to keep going.

Matthew had tried to get up and actually live for the first few days. It was difficult. He would forget the Prussian was gone and wonder why he wasn't there when he woke up, then he'd remember. Other times he'd be doing something and part way through forget what he was trying to do. Gilbert wasn't there to help remind him. After centuries of having the albino by his side he found it impossible to live without him.

The Storm Hawks weren't ready to lose two of their own, especially so close together. They knew they were probably in a better place.

AN: One more chapter :)