Aphmau Oneshots

Last Christmas (Garroth x Kim)

Garroth loved driving through the snow. It was odd for most people hated the uncertainty of the slippery flakes, but he enjoyed watching the white crystals streak past the window, hitting the windshield with gentle thuds that could barely be heard even when the radio was silenced. However, he always had the radio blasting, keeping his mind awake as he went through the monotonous motions of driving through the dark night. Right now, Sleigh Ride was filling the emptiness of his car, causing him to hum along and tap his right foot in time with the music.

It took all of his strength not to look over to the passenger seat; he knew it would be empty. And yet... there was a pull that kept causing his gaze to slip over to the leather seat and away from the slippery road he should have been concentrating on. The lack of another person sitting across from him stirred something in his heart. He looked away with an ache weighing down on his chest, but moments later he felt that urge once more. He desperately tried to ignore the feeling, but he knew that she would always be pulling on his emotions for as long as she wanted to.

He saw her everywhere, always taunting him with that gorgeous smile that had ripped his heart to shreds. He saw her mesmerizing toffee hair in the shadows lurking behind the cover of the trees. He saw her stunning amber eyes in the headlights of the approaching car...

As if waking from a dream, Garroth noticed the small sports car racing towards him, miles over the speed limit. It was bearing down on him, it wasn't slowing down even as Garroth slammed the heel of his hand onto the horn, the incessant noise causing his ears to ring. Still, the other car didn't change, barreling down on him with increasing force. There was nowhere to swerve, the wet snow getting underneath his tires. His car slipped out of control and turned towards the line of trees caging him in. He only had time for a screamed curse before his car slammed into a towering tree, the airbags exploding in his face. His head was ringing, but he could still breathe. At least, he could until the other car hit the center of his car at a raging speed, the metal buckling under the sheer force. It was then that he couldn't find it in himself to stay out of the dark that was enveloping him.

There was a wailing that didn't leave his head.

Bright lights that blinded him.

Cold water seeping through his clothes. Mixing with something warm and sticky.

Voices cut through the pounding in his head and the wailing that persisted.

Faces fading in and out of clarity.

Rough hands lifting him off the ground.

Pain shooting through his veins as fast as lightning.

A steady beeping.

The wailing got louder.

Those faces hovering over him again.

A surge of pain that racked his broken body.

The blackness followed after it.

XXX

Garte and Zianna, Zane and Vylad had all been waiting at the Ro'Meave's mansion for Garroth to join them for Christmas dinner. He was over an hour late and there had been no word from him. All up until a knock on the door.

"Oh, that must be Gar Gar. I'll go get him, you boys start setting up dinner!" Zianna was beaming, and she practically floated through the hallway, excited beyond words to see her eldest son again after he had started college four months prior. She couldn't wait to hear all about every little thing that had happened during those long months.

However, it wasn't Garroth waiting at the door when she pulled it open. Two police officers stood there, both older men who had most likely taken tonight's shift to give the younger officers with little kids time at home on Christmas. Neither shared Zianna's enthusiasm.

"Merry Christmas! How can I help you two tonight?" The men exchanged a look that sent Zianna's heart tumbling down her chest where it started to race, each beat pounding against her chest painfully.

"Are you Mrs. Ro'Meave?" The one on the left spoke, his voice quiet as he took his hat off his head, wringing it between his hands. She nodded, keeping a hand on the doorframe as she started to realize that something was wrong. "I'm dreadfully sorry to be the bearer of this news ma'am, but earlier tonight your son was involved in a car accident about five miles from here." He gulped down air, noticing the pale color her face had taken on, her eyes wide as saucers and her hands trembling. He took another deep breath before looking her in the eyes. "He didn't survive."

Those words tore Zianna's world apart. Her head was spinning, her heart was pounding, her chest heaving as those words sunk in. He didn't survive.

"Zianna? What's taking so long..." Garte appeared behind her and trailed off at the state she was in, the officers standing on the porch steps instead of his son. Zianna started sobbing, falling into Garte and holding on tightly as her heart broke into a thousand pieces.

XXX

Winter break was over. School was back in session, and the campus was full of laughter and students reunited with one another after two weeks apart. Kim was grinning, laughing with her best friend as they made their way through the green. Even though it hurt, she couldn't help herself from looking around for that familiar blonde head, those sparkling blue eyes, that gorgeous smile...

She didn't see him. What she did see was Laurance Zvhal, sitting on a bench with his head in his hands as his shoulders shook, the head of school standing next to him. Without even knowing what was going on, Kim knew something was terribly wrong. She pushed past her friend, making her way towards Laurance as quickly as possible.

"Laurance? What's wrong?" She could barely hear her own voice as she heard his quiet sobs that were still racking his body. She looked towards Mrs. Layla and was shocked to find her eyes lined with silver. "Mrs. Layla? What's going on?"

"I was just about to find you Kim." Despite the situation, a sad smile slipped across the woman's face. She placed a hand on Kim's shoulder, looking down at the girl who was shaking with nerves. "I received a call last night. I'm so sorry, but over the break... your friend Garroth Ro'Meave was involved in a terrible car accident that took his life." Kim gasped, feeling the corners of her eyes start to burn with hot tears.

"No..." She whispered, shaking her head as her hands balled into fists. No, it couldn't be true. She refused to believe it. She needed to see him again, to take back all of the hurtful things that had torn them apart after three months of happiness.

Tears started leaking down her face and she joined Laurance in his tears. She sat next to him and wrapped her arms around him, needing comfort for the fire that was racing through her veins. He held her back, burying his face in her hair as his sobs shook the both of them. She cried and cried and cried, not caring who saw her raw and unending grief.

Never again would she hold his hand, kiss him under the stars, laugh at his silly jokes, help him with homework, take long car rides. She would never be able to tell him how much she still loved him, no matter what she had said that night. Oh, Garroth...

The news spread quickly throughout the college. Garroth Ro'Meave didn't survive an accident where another car had rammed into the side of his car. He died in the ambulance ride to the hospital after almost an hour of sitting in his shattered car, slowly bleeding out. The other driver was drunk out of his mind, the alcohol making him relaxed enough that he avoided any fatal injuries. He would spend the rest of his life in jail for ripping the young man's future away from him.

Years later, on Christmas day, an old woman walked through the graveyard, clutching a bouquet of flowers to her chest as she slowly weaved between the graves. Finding the one she knew by heart, she laid the beautiful roses on top of the grave, brushing her fingers over the name etched in stone, carved into her heart. "I'll be joining you soon Garroth. Maybe then you can finally learn the truth of how much I loved you. Still love you. It won't be long dear."