One-Shots [Boboiboy]

Waiting For You

Through the years, he'd seen many things. He'd seen allies falling in wars, the light snuffing from their eyes before they'd even hit the ground. He'd seen his enemy stand over the corpses of his friends, sneering at him, the only survivor. He'd seen his friends make promises to one another, only to betray that trust and stab each other on the back, quite literally.

He saw all of them, but he wasn't one of them.

Why?

Because he's already dead.

* * *

Quake had always made it his goal to be there with his friends. In every battle, every debacle over Yaya's cookies, or even a simple discussion over the potential of a toaster—he would be standing by their side. Watching from the sidelines was hell. He could see them screw up, but he couldn't interfere, no matter what.

It's been centuries since he died. Still, his friends were still living.

Most of them, anyway.

Elementals' bodies were fueled by their powers, and as long they didn't take the watch off for eighty years, they won't die of old age. They lived forever, but they were still mortal.

He was there when Thorn died.

He was also there when Blaze died.

He was there when Thunderstorm's left arm was sawed off and replaced by a robotic arm that had the surface of metal.

He was there when Solar's eyes gave out due to the intensity of his attack and was replaced by a set of android ones.

He was there when Ice's body started cracking because of his own frost, and his skin started cracking, shattering once he used his own powers.

He was there when Cyclone lost his voice when he collapsed from the sky, unable to save himself.

But he wasn't there for his own death. Instead, he'd gave his life to his team, who was already destined to fall apart, even with him alive.

The only thing he could do was watch. Spectate as his team was slowly replacing themselves with technology to keep themselves alive, to keep Earth safe from any invasions. He watched them suffering from the side effects of their surgeries. He watched them collapse from exhaustion too many times.

But all he could do was watch.

He wondered if he should let go. If he should reunite with Thorn and Blaze at the other side; if he should let everything in the mortal realm go and wait for the rest of his friends to fall.

But he couldn't. It was his nature to stay by those who were suffering.

He was dead, but his heart wasn't. His spirit was still alive, bursting with pain and grief for his friends.

He knew grief all too well.

Every week, he could see his four remaining friends stare at their personal pictures of the team, when they were still complete, still happy, still whole.

They could do nothing.

They can't even cry.

They'd are known for pulling off miracles, but this? There were no more surprises to make, no more last-minute solutions were created. The dead would stay dead, and that's no exaggeration.

"Quake..." Thunderstorm's eyes were brimmed with tears, his cheek glossy from the tear streaks. Droplets fell onto his face, which he could feel the warmth of that was contrasting against his cold skin. "Please. Don't go. I need you..."

Quake smiled, his eyes nearly closed now. Thunderstorm laced his shaking fingers around his limp ones, the diversity in temperature loud and clear.

It was too late—nothing could save him now.

"Goodbye, Thunderstorm." He hadn't said his full name in a while, as he'd called him Hali or Storm, but not the former option. "I hope we'll meet again in our next life."

Thunderstorm didn't like it, as the emotion was expressed blatantly on his face. However, he held Quake's hand up to his cheek, nodding painfully as he accepted the reality.

"We've had a good run, Earthquake," he sobbed, head hanging low, his loose cap falling from his bushy hair.

Quake's hand lost all strength, and his eyelids closed, as he had no hold in the mortal realm any longer.

Thunderstorm closed his eyes, tears falling onto Quake's cheek.

"See you in our next life..."

* * *

It's been centuries, and now is the future of that past. Thunderstorm had survived, but he'd never lived.

At first, he hadn't realized how hard it had affected him. Thunderstorm was strong, right? He would adapt within a few months. Nothing will phase him.

Instead, it's been hundreds of years, but Thunderstorm had yet to let go. He was still hurting, and Quake realized that too late. He wasn't the one that had someone die in his arms. He had witnessed death, but from a third person standpoint, even if the victims were his closest friends.

He doesn't know what it feels to have someone die in his arms. They were so reachable... so within their grasp, but they were helpless to change fate. Especially if that person was Thunderstorm. Would Quake forgive himself?

No.

But what could he do? What's happened already happened. He could only wait. He would wait for the day when he's reunited with his friend. They'd made a promise, and he intends to keep it.

See you in our next life.